Dickinson Diesel Heaters

[Tim Good]

So I'm considering a bulkhead mounted Dickinson Newport.

Has anyone had any experience of them, ease of installation, effectiveness and comparison to others? The bulked mounting seems to be very space efficient in my mind.

 

[ghostlymoron]

These bulkhead dripfeed heaters have a lot of advantages. No electrics or electronics for starters but the coachroof flue is a bit of a drawback and you can't run it when sailing AFAIK. Blown air scores on the latter but you need to keep the battery charged.

 

[pvb]

These bulkhead dripfeed heaters have a lot of advantages. No electrics or electronics for starters but the coachroof flue is a bit of a drawback and you can't run it when sailing AFAIK. Blown air scores on the latter but you need to keep the battery charged.

Electric power is needed for the draft assist fan. I think the disadvantages are the need for at least a 4ft long flue, the need for a big permanently open air intake, the large size of the thing (when safety clearance is taken into account), the need to fiddle around with flame settings, and the risk of getting burned by accidental contact with hot metal. I'm sure these heaters were a godsend in the days before blown air was invented, but there are much safer solutions today.

 

[GHA]

These bulkhead dripfeed heaters have a lot of advantages. No electrics or electronics for starters but the coachroof flue is a bit of a drawback and you can't run it when sailing AFAIK. Blown air scores on the latter but you need to keep the battery charged.

No experience with the Dickinson model but I run a refleks during winter, previously sometimes weeks at a time , also under way if it's calm enough, I fitted a little computer fan on the air intake so no need for the longer flue on deck. Advantages probably depend on type of sailing, if you want to warm up the boat in a marina for a night sometimes then maybe blown air makes more sense. Spending time on the hook where saving power is paramount then drip feed works better imho, without the mini jet engine noise. Dickinsen model looks lovely too

 

[pvb]

No experience with the Dickinson model but I run a refleks during winter, previously sometimes weeks at a time , also under way if it's calm enough, I fitted a little computer fan on the air intake so no need for the longer flue on deck. Advantages probably depend on type of sailing, if you want to warm up the boat in a marina for a night sometimes then maybe blown air makes more sense. Spending time on the hook where saving power is paramount then drip feed works better imho, without the mini jet engine noise. Dickinsen model looks lovely too

I always thought that the long flue is necessary to create enough updraught to remove the toxic gases; just blowing air in doesn't do that unless the heater is room-sealed. And a well-installed blown air heater can be virtually noiseless.

 

[GHA]

I always thought that the long flue is necessary to create enough updraught to remove the toxic gases; just blowing air in doesn't do that unless the heater is room-sealed. And a well-installed blown air heater can be virtually noiseless.

Well it works fine anyway without registering above zero on the gas alarm, which can be set off by a gas soldering iron. I suspect the extra updraft from a flue extension is needed to get enough air moving to lift the flame up , which a tiny fan does.

Plenty noisy fan heaters about.

 

[oldvarnish]

Advantages probably depend on type of sailing, if you want to warm up the boat in a marina for a night sometimes then maybe blown air makes more sense. Spending time on the hook where saving power is paramount then drip feed works better imho, without the mini jet engine noise. Dickinsen model looks lovely too

I would agree. And with the Dickinson you get a lovely flame to look at -cheery on a cold night. Wouldn't want to huddle round an Eber for comfort - not that mine has ever worked for more than an hour. Got a Refleks now - the real thing - built for trawlers. I'm always amused when they warn that the may not operate properly in winds over force 10

 

[dgadee]

I brought the smallest one back from the US when the £ was high. They seem quite expensive here for what they are. Works well - blasts out heat but unless you have the balanced flue you need a bit of fan powered air when there's any wind outside (I don't think it consumes much power). It does make a bit of a noise (I never liked leaving the boat with it roaring) and it tends to heat the upper air in the cabin.

Main installation problem is the large diameter flue, which is 3" (I think). I took it to a deckplate I had made and then used a large SS fitting to screw it closed when not in use. Always meant to make a chimney, but just used an aluminium one I picked up somewhere - may have been a caravan item.

I think it gives out as much as an Eber type, but is more fiddly. You have the starting issues rather than just flicking on a switch. However, it's v. low powered in terms of batteries and gives a lovely red glow to the cabin. Mine is in a 30 foot boat, and I'm not sure that single heat source approach would be so effective in a larger one unless you keep cabin doors open for hot air to circulate.

 

[geem]

We had a Dickinson on our last boat. We would have had one on the current boat if I could have found a suitable place to mount it.
There is an option for a coil in them to do hot water. We used to have a small motorway services type s/s teapot on top of ours that boiled about every half hour.
They are easy to operate. You can extend the flue above deck with a suitable pipe for when you are at anchor if you dont have much flue length in the boat but really you need them as close to the floor as possible.
We also had one of those fans that turns with the differential temperature. That did a great job of blowing the air around the saloon.
We installed a 7 litre s/s tank to gravity feed ours but had an electric transfer pump off the main fuel tank to top it up. Worked well

 

[elenya]

I would concur with geem. We have one on our Saga 40. We live aboard at 45 south so it gets cold and windy in winter. A long deck pipe will solve problems of the flue back drafting. We only use the draft assist fan to start the heater and then it stays off. Mount as low as you can, gravity tank, and it is an excellent setup. Installation is easy. Small fans do help move the air about but if everything electric fails it works fine with no fans.

Reliable and easy to service I highly recommend them.

 

[dovekie]

We had a Taylors drip feed diesel heater - replaced it with a Dickinson to overcome down-draught problems. And it works. The Dickinson is great heater. Like others have observed, ours only needs the fan when lighting. Nice flame to look at, chucks out heat, silent, no battery drain. So far easy to maintain - and no electronics, all user serviceable.
The downsides for us: pricey. Not easy to distribute the heat around the boat, especially into separate cabins. Needs care with installation (e.g. the line of the chimney, the deck fitting, fuel tank and lines, preventing people falling onto it).

We've just got a different boat, which has an Eber. I like the ducted hot air, but I wish it was silent and did not consume electricity.

All in all, I think in a big boat with three plus cabins and plenty of battery capacity, I'd go for the convenience of an Eber. But in a two cabin boat, or if voyaging in high latitudes, or living aboard in winter I'd incline to the Dickinson, for it's sheer heating power and simplicity.

 

[dgadee]

Can't seem to edit my post. Others mention a long flue. Just wanted to add that mine was 3 foot from top of stove to deck. Perhaps longer flues have less problems with down draughts or have better chimneys, but I found in any reasonable wind at all that I needed a small input from the fan assist. I only ever used it when moored, never sailing.

 

[pvb]

Can't seem to edit my post. Others mention a long flue. Just wanted to add that mine was 3 foot from top of stove to deck. Perhaps longer flues have less problems with down draughts or have better chimneys, but I found in any reasonable wind at all that I needed a small input from the fan assist. I only ever used it when moored, never sailing.

Instructions specify at least 4ft of flue; 6ft is apparently ideal.

 

[dgadee]

Instructions specify at least 4ft of flue; 6ft is apparently ideal.

That ideal would take me up to boom level.

 

[oldvarnish]

Instructions specify at least 4ft of flue; 6ft is apparently ideal.

Manufacturers will always quote 'ideal' but few installations are. Have a look at what other have done. My deck chimney is removable. I just put it on when I need and replace it with a blanking cap when not in use.
I wouldn't get too hung up on chimney length unless it is laughably short.

 

[Paddy Layback]

I would concur with geem. We have one on our Saga 40. We live aboard at 45 south so it gets cold and windy in winter. A long deck pipe will solve problems of the flue back drafting. We only use the draft assist fan to start the heater and then it stays off. Mount as low as you can, gravity tank, and it is an excellent setup. Installation is easy. Small fans do help move the air about but if everything electric fails it works fine with no fans.

Reliable and easy to service I highly recommend them.

+1 My experience exactly. I love my Newport (but I'm glad the previous owner bought and installed it..)
Nice looking boats Saga 40's, I have a double ender as well.

 

[Steve_N]

All in all, I think in a big boat with three plus cabins and plenty of battery capacity, I'd go for the convenience of an Eber. But in a two cabin boat, or if voyaging in high latitudes, or living aboard in winter I'd incline to the Dickinson, for it's sheer heating power and simplicity.

Surely they're not mutually-exclusive though? Have both as they each have their own best attributes; the Eber for quick and thorough warm up and the Dickinson for keeping a toasty saloon and for sittting around. It's what I've done (on a smaller scale as I have a Taylors 079D) and I really wouldn't want to be without either it or the Eber.

 

[pessimist]

We, too have a Newport on board and wouldn't want to be without it. We can sail with it running in moderate conditions and use a chimney extension when there is a danger of down draughts. Sometimes leave it lit for days at a time - only downside is having to open hatches to cool down.

I'd quite like blown air as well to warm the boat quickly on first arrival and occasionally in Spring and Autumn when the Dickinson can be overkill.

 

[dovekie]

Surely they're not mutually-exclusive though? Have both as they each have their own best attributes; the Eber for quick and thorough warm up and the Dickinson for keeping a toasty saloon and for sittting around. It's what I've done (on a smaller scale as I have a Taylors 079D) and I really wouldn't want to be without either it or the Eber.

Good point.

 

[dgadee]

Surely they're not mutually-exclusive though? Have both as they each have their own best attributes; the Eber for quick and thorough warm up and the Dickinson for keeping a toasty saloon and for sittting around. It's what I've done (on a smaller scale as I have a Taylors 079D) and I really wouldn't want to be without either it or the Eber.

Not a cheap option, though.