Diesel Heaters

[Sandy]

After a wee trip along the La Manche last week while the 'Troll of Trondheim' was blasting the UK with artic winds led me to two conclusions:

1. I need better winter sailing gloves; and
2. I need to fit a heater.

After spending yesterday reading up on installing heaters I wonder if a 2 or 5 kw heater would be best on the boat, 10.10m (33 ft in old money).

Trips to the Faroes and Iceland are on the bucket list.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

After a wee trip along the La Manche last week while the 'Troll of Trondheim' was blasting the UK with artic winds led me to two conclusions:

1. I need better winter sailing gloves; and
2. I need to fit a heater.

After spending yesterday reading up on installing heaters I wonder if a 2 or 5 kw heater would be best on at the boat, 10.10m (33 ft in old money).

Trips to the Faroes and Iceland are on the bucket list.

We’ve got a 5kw heater on a 9.2m boat, 2 outlets, in the obvious places, saloon and fore cabin. It can keep the saloon warm enough for decent respite with the hatch open, with it closed it maintains 21 degrees effortlessly, warmer when needed. My wife has rheumatoid arthritis, she needs to be warm! Theres an element too of how long it takes to make things warm. The 5 is going to be more than twice as fast at that too. The relatively small cost difference made the big one a no brainer for us. It replaced a broken old 2, which, when it worked seemed marvellous, until we had a 5.

 

[dankilb]

You need a good reason to install a 2kw - as they typically cost (almost) the same and take up the same space. I believe the rationale for a 2kw is that you can run it at full chat most of the time, to achieve a comfy temp. This avoids coking.

At 33ft and assuming 3 or 4 outlets - I voted 5kw. Unless you very much prefer it cooler, I reckon that’d give you headroom to get the boat toasty if you need it, in weather like we’ve had recently.

 

[MAURICE]

Chinese cheap enough get a 5kw the 2kw will struggle

 

[Chiara’s slave]

You need a good reason to install a 2kw - as they typically cost (almost) the same and take up the same space. I believe the rationale for a 2kw is that you can run it at full chat most of the time, to achieve a comfy temp. This avoids coking.

At 33ft and assuming 3 or 4 outlets - I voted 5kw. Unless you very much prefer it cooler, I reckon that’d give you headroom to get the boat toasty if you need it, in weather like we’ve had recently.

Good for drying out your oilies and even your shreddies, which can get damp?

 

[Refueler]

I recently read a News item where a bunch of Shipping Containers with 'Chinese Diesel Heaters' was seized when arrived in UK - Suffolk ... they were known to be unsafe and examples had caught fire .....



mmmmmmmmm

 

[38mess]

I recently read a News item where a bunch of Shipping Containers with 'Chinese Diesel Heaters' was seized when arrived in UK ... they were known to be unsafe and examples had caught fire .....

mmmmmmmmm

I read that the heaters were fine, but the paper work was lacking

 

[penberth3]

I recently read a News item where a bunch of Shipping Containers with 'Chinese Diesel Heaters' was seized when arrived in UK ... they were known to be unsafe and examples had caught fire .....

mmmmmmmmm

Not quite, there's a recent thread on here. Heaters were seized because of problems with paperwork and certification.

 

[Blueboatman]

I sailed and lived with a Taylor’s drip feed 2kw heater . On 36ft it was just about great enough in really really cold weather.
So, whilst it was miserly on fuel (and electricity ) and generally pretty wunnerful, I think I would recommend a 5kw
Webasto comes to mind for quality

 

[Sandy]

I recently read a News item where a bunch of Shipping Containers with 'Chinese Diesel Heaters' was seized when arrived in UK ... they were known to be unsafe and examples had caught fire .....

It is a controlled ignition of diesel. To date thousands of people have not been burnt alive in cars/lorries/motorhomes/vans/boats.

We are all grown up enough to do our own risk assessment, I spent my working life doing that.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Ours is a Chinaspacher. Care and attention to the exhaust is necessary. But I am sure Sandy knows that.

 

[Refueler]

Not quite, there's a recent thread on here. Heaters were seized because of problems with paperwork and certification.

I do not follow all news articles ... I just rec'd the one that mentioned unsafe etc. I appreciate that another link I found was 'questionable' as author was in business to supply DH's .....

 

[Sandy]

Chinese cheap enough get a 5kw the 2kw will struggle

Thanks @MAURICE. Cost is not the question, it is the output and if it would be over the top for the size of space I am heating.

Looks like 5kw is the size to go for judging by the comments on here and other places.

 

[Refueler]

It is a controlled ignition of diesel. To date thousands of people have not been burnt alive in cars/lorries/motorhomes/vans/boats.

We are all grown up enough to do our own risk assessment, I spent my working life doing that.

Quite well aware of how it works and that most people are capable of 'Risk Assessment' ..... etc.

Lets call it quits shall we ?

 

[penberth3]

Quite well aware of how it works and that most people are capable of 'Risk Assessment' ..... etc.

Lets call it quits shall we ?

The problem is a lot of DIY enthusiasts think they know what they're doing but don't actually have a clue. Combustion heaters can be killers.

 

[Little Dorrit]

I recently read a News item where a bunch of Shipping Containers with 'Chinese Diesel Heaters' was seized when arrived in UK ... they were known to be unsafe and examples had caught fire .....

mmmmmmmmm

I have followed that thread and as far as I can make out the issue was with the instructions not the heaters. I know most of the Chinese heaters are not supplied with adequate fittings for a marine installation especially for example the exhaust system . However I have dismantled both Eberspacher and Chinese heaters and the only clear differences are in the ECU which on the Eberspacher looks much more robust and the wiring and fan motor which again is superior on the Eberspacher. To be honest anybody who fits a diesel heater without fully understanding how to do it and the potential dangers, with or without the accompanying instruction manual, is a moron.

 

[Graham_Wright]

Don't forget they need feeding electricity as well as diesel. 2 amps for mine (around 8 until firing).

 

[FWB]

Or maybe 4kw.
Product Overview
Depends on the size of your boat.
On my relatively small boat I have a Webasto 2000STC. It gives out plenty of heat mid range but I usually run it on full power to reduce coking.

 

[Binnacle]

I'd go for the higher power model. You can under-run them (though I believe heaters work best when working hard) but you can't over-run a small one.

These Finnish ones are on my shopping list ATM. A range of base and top-end models, with every possible accessory to make the installation safe and easy.

Tuotteet | Safire

and lots of supporters on Youtube.

safire heater - YouTube

 

[Trident]

A 5kw can be run at 1.6kw up to about 5.5 and so long as you remember to put it up to full for 5 minutes before turning off you'll get no coking issues if you mostly need it on low output - but of course when it gets really cold you'll have the capacity to stay warm still

We need 2 of the 5kw on our boat to keep it at room temperature (50 ft cat) but they are the chinese ones, been in use for 4 years with just 2 £4 sensors failing in that time (I keep several of each spare part in now and they all together came to under £50) There's a Facebook group of something like 40,000 owners none of whom have ever had a fire etc. I appreciate that you say money is no object and ultimately an Eber or Webasto is a better, longer lasting unit but at something like £1500-2000 against £100 I get a bit evangelical about the mickey being taken . Especially as a marine Webasto is £1200 plus fittings etc whilst the identical brand new unit as a Jaguar Landrover spare is £495...