DieselDrip Feed Heaters

[stretch33]

Any recommendations for this type of heater, will be living aboard in uk this winter Been looking at the Blakes 079 and the next size up but are both bulkhead mountable ? Any other makes l should look at, Thx Phil

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[redhot]

Phil,

I live on my 45' Narrowboat with my wife and daughter and have done for over 2 years now.
We have a diesel drip fed heater made by Lockgate, it has a numbered variable heat setting from 1-9.
This is the only heating we have onboard and we find it sufficient. Most of the time the setting is on 2 or 3.

I would however suggest that, if you can, you get one with a back bolier or at least one that the water that feeds the radiators runs through, as this will heat the entire boat more efficiently.

Hope this helps.

Mike

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[ashley]

You should also look at;
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.dickinsonmarine.com/shop5/categories-heaters.asp>Dickinson marine</A>
Kabola
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.force10.com/heater.html>Force 10</A>


<hr width=100% size=1>Live life to the fullest... think of all the people on the Titanic who passed up chocolate dessert.

 

[roly_voya]

Point to note, I have been told there are to types of regulator for these stoves. Gravity feed systems where regulator sets the fuel level in the burner the same as in the regulator and a system called a ships regulator which give a controlled flow through a valve. Sorry dont know the exact details but I believe it means that simple gravity systems while fine on inland waterways can overfill and flare is run when at sea and pitching or heeled (depending on orientation of the stove)
If anyone has more informatio please confirm this or tell me its rubbish as I am thinking of fitting one as well 'cause you cant sit and toast you toes in front of an eberspacher!!

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[clouty]

I've known more than one Reflecks diesel gravity feed heater on a sailing boat. People who know use them

<hr width=100% size=1>clouty

 

[pragmatist]

Agree with Ashley - our Dickinson is one of our best buys. We actually have a small inline pump to take diesel from the main tank but it can also be drip fed.

Makes winter living wonderful - dries out boat - and has a glass front so you can see the cheerful flames.

<hr width=100% size=1>a pragmatist is an optimist with a boat in the UK - but serious about not being in the UK !

 

[Trevethan]

Our boat had a Refleks in it when we bout it, but it was very badly corroded, so I had to remove it.

Replaced it with a Dickinsons Newport about 2 years back. Great heater.

Ourass if fitted with a cheap (£30) 12 volt low pressure fuel pumpl however I only have to turn it on to prime the system if I play with the pipework, or when the furl level in the tank (also feeds main engine) gets very low.

The rest of teh time it runs on gravity.

It has a 12 volt fan to assist getting it lit -- I now use a capful of meths to prime it and it take about 10 mins to get up and running.

Heat output is great 5-6 kilowatts and it sucks all the old damp air out of the boat when its burns.

You can fit them with water coils to run to calorifier, or a small rad or two, and you can also get a heat exchange which fits on the flue and will blow warm air around the boat. I just fitted a 12 volt fan to blow over it and that does a very good job.

We live aboard all year round and even when it got very vold last year and the marina froze (Limehouse in London) it was still lovely when the heater fired up.

It can coke up if left on low heat for extended periods, but its easy to clean I use the tool provided and suck up the char in a wet-dry vac. I do that every 2-3 months over the winter.

Good luck

Nick

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[Steve_N]

And also:

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.sigmarine.com>Sigmar</A>

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[mocruising]

Had a Taylors stainless steel one on a 40' wooden boat for years. It never missed a beat and was more or less maintenance free and cheap to run. Be aware of CO poisoning though I fitted a monitor and always kept two ports open.

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[philmarks]

Hi Trevethan

From whom did you buy your Dickinson the UK?

I can only find them on the Kuranda website so far.

 

[ChrisE]

Another vote for the Dickinson. We have a day tank (5 galls) which lasts about 3-5 days on low feed which keeps our 38' toasty.

Kuranda are the Uk suppliers, altho' we bought ours from the states. If you email Dickinson's they will direct to you online retailers who sell the kit for less than Dickinson's themselves!