mbuco
New Member
Has anyone used a catalytic heater ? I saw one and thinking about it as a economic substitute of diesel heater. With ODS
(oxygen depletion system) it could be a safe too ?
(oxygen depletion system) it could be a safe too ?
Catalytic heater
- Thread starter mbuco
- Start date
Beadle
Well-Known Member
I used to have one, in itself it was ok. It warmed the boat.
My reservations are the fact that after a few minutes it set of the gas alarm and the fact that there would certainly be CO given off so you had to be well ventilated - which tended to be counterproductive.
You should never leave it while you sleep, but as something to give you a nice warm saloon to sit in at the end of a chilly trip they are fine.
Al the usual disclaimers of course.
My reservations are the fact that after a few minutes it set of the gas alarm and the fact that there would certainly be CO given off so you had to be well ventilated - which tended to be counterproductive.
You should never leave it while you sleep, but as something to give you a nice warm saloon to sit in at the end of a chilly trip they are fine.
Al the usual disclaimers of course.
pvb
Well-Known Member
Remember that they produce a fair amount of water vapour, which can lead to condensation problems.
Robin
Well-Known Member
We use one for those few early/late season times when we aren't plugged in and can use a fan heater since our Ebberspluttery doesn't ebber splutter. Ours is a midicat from Force4 and works admirably on a spare cylinder which we have on a long hose and usually park in the cockpit. We always have the washboards out and might even have the cockpit conservatory up so ventilation isn't a problem, sliding the hatch shut though helps keep more heat in. We don't run it overnight but keep hot water bottles on board for really cold nights. Used like this we haven't suffered from excessive condensation.
Before I get inundated with offers of Ebberspluttery bits, ours has had a busted dial switch since we bought the boat and hasn't been run now for 10 years or more, but if it did then our internal layout has changed anyway and it doesn't reach the parts it needs to reach now like the master cabin where we sleep. Personally I find the best option is to be plugged in and use the cheap thermostatically controlled fan heater we bought for about £12 which we can leave running all night.
Before I get inundated with offers of Ebberspluttery bits, ours has had a busted dial switch since we bought the boat and hasn't been run now for 10 years or more, but if it did then our internal layout has changed anyway and it doesn't reach the parts it needs to reach now like the master cabin where we sleep. Personally I find the best option is to be plugged in and use the cheap thermostatically controlled fan heater we bought for about £12 which we can leave running all night.
thalassa
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
I used to have one, in itself it was ok. It warmed the boat. My reservations are the fact that after a few minutes it set of the gas alarm and the fact that there would certainly be CO given off so you had to be well ventilated - which tended to be counterproductive.
[/ QUOTE ]
A technically sound catalytic heater should never give off CO. It does use up the oxygen in the cabin however, and that should be well ventilated for that reason alone. Another by-product of the process is water. Combined with spaghetti cooking and/or a wet day, it makes a real damp cabin. Otherwise, it works reasonably well.
I used to have one, in itself it was ok. It warmed the boat. My reservations are the fact that after a few minutes it set of the gas alarm and the fact that there would certainly be CO given off so you had to be well ventilated - which tended to be counterproductive.
[/ QUOTE ]
A technically sound catalytic heater should never give off CO. It does use up the oxygen in the cabin however, and that should be well ventilated for that reason alone. Another by-product of the process is water. Combined with spaghetti cooking and/or a wet day, it makes a real damp cabin. Otherwise, it works reasonably well.
William_H
Well-Known Member
Can anyone explain to me what a Catalytic heater is. Does it oxydise the fuel without an actual flame? What is the fuel? thanks olewill
JKay
Well-Known Member
Hi Will its one of these
Runs on propane gas.My thoughts are that they are a great water maker
Cheers Joe
Runs on propane gas.My thoughts are that they are a great water maker
Cheers Joe
Searush
Well-Known Member
I have one & it will burn your face off a full heat! I use it on low & leave the hatch ajar as burning butane/propane produces CO2 & H2O as already commented on. Running it with the hatch shut will make you drowsy & encourage condensation after a while.
Suited me for occasional use, but now I am using the boat all year round I will probably need to invest (£1-2K) in a sealed combustion heater - like Propex/ Wallas/ Mikuni/ Webasto/ Eberspacher etc. This will allow me to leave it on with the hatch shut for long periods - including overnight if necessary.
Suited me for occasional use, but now I am using the boat all year round I will probably need to invest (£1-2K) in a sealed combustion heater - like Propex/ Wallas/ Mikuni/ Webasto/ Eberspacher etc. This will allow me to leave it on with the hatch shut for long periods - including overnight if necessary.
JKay
Well-Known Member
oldharry
Well-Known Member
No, they do not give of CO - thats the point of them. I put a 1.5kw Plastimo Cat heater in SWMBOs caravan, and it works extremely well. As has been said, they use oxygen, and give off CO2 and H2O. In the caravan this seems not to matter, but when I tried it in the boat - well thats why its in the 'van!
AngusMcDoon
Well-Known Member
Run a conventional flame heater in an enclosed space, as the oxygen is depleted, CO will be produced, you'll die of CO poisoning, and when the oxygen level reaches 14%, the flame will extinguish itself.
Run a cat heater in an enclosed space, no CO will be produced, but it will suck all the oxygen out of the room down to 8% or even less, and you'll die of hypoxia, exacerbated by high CO2 and unburned fuel gas in the room.
Oxygen concentration and human effects...
6% – 10%
Nausea and vomiting, inability to move freely, loss of consciousness may occur; may collapse and although aware of circumstances be unable to move or cry out
< 6% Convulsive movements, gasping respiration; respiration stops and a few minutes later heart action ceases
Either type needs using with care.
Run a cat heater in an enclosed space, no CO will be produced, but it will suck all the oxygen out of the room down to 8% or even less, and you'll die of hypoxia, exacerbated by high CO2 and unburned fuel gas in the room.
Oxygen concentration and human effects...
6% – 10%
Nausea and vomiting, inability to move freely, loss of consciousness may occur; may collapse and although aware of circumstances be unable to move or cry out
< 6% Convulsive movements, gasping respiration; respiration stops and a few minutes later heart action ceases
Either type needs using with care.
cpedw
Well-Known Member
Not denying what's gone before but in their defence, as I understand it, the human body responds to slightly elevated CO2 level by feeling breathless and needing fresh air long before the level of O2 gets so low as to cause significant problem. So as I understand it, and I'm NOT recommending anyone tries the experiment, in normal circumstances, a normal human in an enclosed space with a catalytic heater will notice the "airlessness" long before there's a significant shortage of O2.
But I'm an engineer not a biologist so I wouldn't trust me if I were you.
Derek
But I'm an engineer not a biologist so I wouldn't trust me if I were you.
Derek
Robin
Well-Known Member
If the space were as enclosed as has been suggested to cause O2 depletion then you would probably cook to at least medium rare first or drown in the condensation. Used as the instructions advise, no problem. RTFI. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
FAITIRA
Well-Known Member
I have had a two and as you say they were an economic solution, had 1 on a Rival 32 and one, bigger, on a 44ftr, both were fine, did not produce noticable condensation or smell, or set off gas alarms (and I do invest in the best alarms I can find). I have one now ready to fit in the 32, just have never been cold enough to install it! Bill.
Billjratt
Well-Known Member
Had one on last boat and have two on this one! No problem but the aft cabin heater is just used as a pre-warmer. the saloon heater has lots of ventilation, and door out to the wheelhouse. Common sense seems a useful attribute, but no rocket science involved....
pongoglo
Active Member
Ive been looking seriously at these as I dont have shore power on my pontoon and want to be able to overnight occaisionaly this winter - with the weather their predicting for Jan, that wont be much fun. I cant afford an Eber-thingy, and have also considered a suitcase type generator which would allow me to use an 800 watt fan heater etc, whilst having the added advantage of charging the batterys, running power tools etc when required. The downside is I calculate that I would I would need approx 2 KVA (Kilowatts) minimum, which still comes in on the expensive sife, and most wont do much more than 7 hours on one tank of gas. Force 4 are offering the Midi-Cat for 107.00 quid which for heating alone would seem to be the most cost effective solution. Surely these things must be reasonably safe - otherwise why would all the major chandelrys stock them? Does anyone have any statistical evidence as to how many yachty's have secumbed to oxygen depletion, CO2 poisoning, or managed to blow themselves up while using this device? The Force 4 offer is here:
http://www.force4.co.uk/666/Force-4-Midi-Catalytic-Heater--.html
http://www.force4.co.uk/666/Force-4-Midi-Catalytic-Heater--.html
pongoglo
Active Member
although I have just noticed that the Force 4 reference is 666 - which might support some of the more alarmist postings on here - lol! /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
Refueler
Well-Known Member
On electric heating ...
fan heaters are fine and get space warm quickly, but the noise of the fan is to me disturbing. I prefer to use convectors instead and ones I use are based on Frost Protection Units.
Main one is a Dimplex Coldprotect 500W job ... best pricing via CPC or similar online. Chandlers do them but average +20% ... I paid about 40 quid for it.
I also have a couple of B&Q 200W Frost protect jobs at a tenner each ....
Both types are regulated .... My boat out here standing down by the river has the Dimplex sitting in main saloon area keeping all above freezing..... we expect -15 ... -20C this week.
Beauty of them is that my small portable genny can run those ok.
fan heaters are fine and get space warm quickly, but the noise of the fan is to me disturbing. I prefer to use convectors instead and ones I use are based on Frost Protection Units.
Main one is a Dimplex Coldprotect 500W job ... best pricing via CPC or similar online. Chandlers do them but average +20% ... I paid about 40 quid for it.
I also have a couple of B&Q 200W Frost protect jobs at a tenner each ....
Both types are regulated .... My boat out here standing down by the river has the Dimplex sitting in main saloon area keeping all above freezing..... we expect -15 ... -20C this week.
Beauty of them is that my small portable genny can run those ok.
pongoglo
Active Member
Re: On electric heating ...
Excellent advice - thanks. Im moving towards the portable genny/electric solution myself, but only when on the unpowered pontoon over winter - 240V at sea? No thanks. Still consideing fitting a catalytic solution for 'on the move'. Agree about noise of the fan heater, I just use mine to heat the boat before switching to 1500W oil filled radiator to dry her out. Couple of questions - does your 500W produce enough heat to heat your cabin and what size genny do you run? Im finding it difficuly to find a portable with more than about 7 hours/7 litres, barely enough for one night onboard, at least in current and predicted weather....
Excellent advice - thanks. Im moving towards the portable genny/electric solution myself, but only when on the unpowered pontoon over winter - 240V at sea? No thanks. Still consideing fitting a catalytic solution for 'on the move'. Agree about noise of the fan heater, I just use mine to heat the boat before switching to 1500W oil filled radiator to dry her out. Couple of questions - does your 500W produce enough heat to heat your cabin and what size genny do you run? Im finding it difficuly to find a portable with more than about 7 hours/7 litres, barely enough for one night onboard, at least in current and predicted weather....
Thepipdoc
Well-Known Member
Sorry to regurgitate this post again but having read through this and many other posts regarding catalytical heaters, I have one question that so far hasn't appeared ........
My boat is petrol driven - twin 4.3l Mercruisers and it also has been converted to run on LPG.
Would I be able to install a LPG heater and use the LPG that also fuels the engines?
Would I be able to run the heater at the same time as running the engines or would there be a shortage of gas at the engines?
Would I need to have the installation inspected by a Gas Safe inspector?
Thanks for the replies in advance.
My boat is petrol driven - twin 4.3l Mercruisers and it also has been converted to run on LPG.
Would I be able to install a LPG heater and use the LPG that also fuels the engines?
Would I be able to run the heater at the same time as running the engines or would there be a shortage of gas at the engines?
Would I need to have the installation inspected by a Gas Safe inspector?
Thanks for the replies in advance.
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