Ducted Heating

pvb said:
They usually do, but the introduction of a heating element in the ducting could disrupt the airflow and affect the heater's performance.
Click to expand...

The heater I linked to is designed as an add on to a low powered ventilation system; it should be designed to leave the airflow more or less unaffected.
 
One of the big names - Eberspacher or Webasto (I don't remember which) used to offer exactly what the OP is suggesting. I did see it on their catalogue relatively recently, so it may be worth asking them.

That said, we did try heating our boat with a couple of fan heaters back in the early spring and the electricity bills were frightening! We got Webasto fitted a couple of months ago and it is wonderful.
 
Robin said:
Our Eber takes combustion air from outside but heats air taken from inside, so no different than fan heater in that respect?
Click to expand...
Your set up will indeed be no different to a fan heater. I was aware of the condensation problem and specified a fresh air source for the heated air to ensure a constant supply of heated fresh air. It works well, albeit at the expense of a slightly lower efficiency as we are always heating cold air not rewarming already heated air.
 
ghostlymoron said:
My caravan has a heater that can run on mains or bottled gas it's a pity there isn't a marine equivalent. Think it's made by Carver
Click to expand...
Agreed. I had a Carver in the motorhome which had a fan option but worked as a radiant heater with zero amp consumption when required.
 
Thanks all. Food for thought. We are planning on living aboard next year but in the Med so hopefully a little warmer. I was just thinking about space saving ideas. I currently have an issue in that the resting voltage of the battery bank won't fire up the Webasto. If I run the engine or if the batteries are just charged all is fine but the battery bank on load seems to settle on 12,4 volts. If the Webasto is running it will keep running but if it switches off it wont re-ignite. We are currently sitting and shivering in Ryde as the tide is out and it is freezing. Wish I had plumbed in the wind generator as it is howling outside. Luckily I have my wife aboard to keep me warm but she may not appreciate my cold feet??
 
robertager1962 said:
Thanks all. Food for thought. We are planning on living aboard next year but in the Med so hopefully a little warmer. I was just thinking about space saving ideas. I currently have an issue in that the resting voltage of the battery bank won't fire up the Webasto. If I run the engine or if the batteries are just charged all is fine but the battery bank on load seems to settle on 12,4 volts. If the Webasto is running it will keep running but if it switches off it wont re-ignite. We are currently sitting and shivering in Ryde as the tide is out and it is freezing. Wish I had plumbed in the wind generator as it is howling outside. Luckily I have my wife aboard to keep me warm but she may not appreciate my cold feet襤
Click to expand...

Cold here in the Medina too but we have shorepower and a cosy leccy blanket. Eber Spluttery is turned down at bedtime to maimtain around 7C as a minimum which turns it on around 4 am, or 3 after the darn clocks change tonight.:disgust:
 
robertager1962 said:
My wife says we are getting a cab. See you in half an hour.
Click to expand...

Not a lot of condensation this morning, heater cut in around 330 am I think and it was around 55F when I got up, now turned up to 70 and waiting (I'm on old money still), Windy old night and if we felt it here behind lock gates 2 miles up river it must have been wilder in Ryde! in the (good/better) old days under sail we went to Cherbourg on clock change weekend for a pre Christmas stock up the time change allowed us to rise at a decent hour bodyclock wise and get back to Poole then in daylight

Just spoke too soon, heater went off and flashed error code, got to hunt down the manual, now bugger. Turned off for 40 minutes and it is working again now, may have overheated when I turned the volume up too high.
 
As soon as the sun came out, batteries came up to 12.8 and Webasto fired up so warm for breakfast. Very wild night with winds over 25kts. Tide on the flood and we are just afloat so plan on a bounce back to Gosport in an hour. After all the advice and last night's experience have decided to buy a small honda generator as this will also mean I won't bother fitting an investor (claw back some of the outlay).
 
robertager1962 said:
As soon as the sun came out, batteries came up to 12.8 and Webasto fired up so warm for breakfast. Very wild night with winds over 25kts. Tide on the flood and we are just afloat so plan on a bounce back to Gosport in an hour. After all the advice and last night's experience have decided to buy a small honda generator as this will also mean I won't bother fitting an investor (claw back some of the outlay).
Click to expand...

Take a look at Loncin suitcase gennies before you hand over your cash - I had a chance to see one in operation earlier in the year and I was very impressed. They seem to be a fair bit cheaper than Honda for a given specification and are very quiet. The one I saw running was powering a refreshments stall and ran for many hours per day - apparently with a high level of reliability.
 
robertager1962 said:
I currently have an issue in that the resting voltage of the battery bank won't fire up the Webasto. If I run the engine or if the batteries are just charged all is fine but the battery bank on load seems to settle on 12,4 volts. If the Webasto is running it will keep running but if it switches off it wont re-ignite.
Click to expand...

Webasto generally quote a minimum voltage of 10.5v, so your heater ought to start OK. Have you checked the voltage actually reaching the heater at start-up? It may be that the wiring to the heater is too small, and is introducing a voltage drop during the glowplug operation. Or there may be a faulty or corroded connection somewhere.
 
Yes thanks for this. I definitely will check voltage at the Webasto end as it definitely doesn't seem right. Trouble with the wiring in a Southerly is that much of it was routed between the deck and the internal skin and impossible to access. Fun winter project.
 
Now that has me in a quandry. Looking at both the Loncin and the Hyundai, both are half the price of the Honda and also quiter (according to their spec.)
Robert
maby said:
Take a look at Loncin suitcase gennies before you hand over your cash - I had a chance to see one in operation earlier in the year and I was very impressed. They seem to be a fair bit cheaper than Honda for a given specification and are very quiet. The one I saw running was powering a refreshments stall and ran for many hours per day - apparently with a high level of reliability.
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top