Eberspacher D3LC vs Chinese brand vs Planar Russian ( Latvian)

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On the other hand would you use lifejackets that were a 1/4 of the price of a fully certified branded lifejacket just because it was cheap?
Just to be clear in the debate, as someone with no axe to grind either way, it's not just a question of price; it is also a consideration that they ( the lower priced items) work ie do the same thing as the more expensive units.So, if a cheap life jacket does the same thing as the mega expensive one.....question answered.
 

Elessar

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Just to be clear in the debate, as someone with no axe to grind either way, it's not just a question of price; it is also a consideration that they ( the lower priced items) work ie do the same thing as the more expensive units.So, if a cheap life jacket does the same thing as the mega expensive one.....question answered.
That’s nonsense. If a heater doesn’t work you put on a coat.
And we are not taking a little cheaper we are talking 1/10th of the price of the collaborators and 1/6th of the price of a planar.
And in my experience the eber has let me down more than the Chinese. But there is no way that is in line with the statistical norm!
 

owen-cox

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If I fell in I would rather have a cheap lifejacket on than none at all !

And (sadly perhaps) just because stuff is made in China does not mean it is rubbish.
But certifications and standards mean they perform as marketed. We all know the “5KW” clone heaters actually put out about 3.7kW. They may have very thin aluminium castings that can fail and gas you in your sleep. A non certified lifejacket may well have no ability to hold air because it was designed to look good rather than actually meet any testing standards. But each to their own. I just suggest people test chinese heaters properly including gas tightness and overheat protection before they actually fit it to a boat. Just for their own peace of mind.
 

owen-cox

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Just to be clear in the debate, as someone with no axe to grind either way, it's not just a question of price; it is also a consideration that they ( the lower priced items) work ie do the same thing as the more expensive units.So, if a cheap life jacket does the same thing as the mega expensive one.....question answered.
I think thats the point. Does it do the same job as a certified branded tested lifejacket.
 

fredrussell

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Do owners of diesel heaters consider them safe to run overnight when onboard and asleep? I only ask the question as I am considering one and this is something I'm curious about
Yes, perfectly safe, as long as you have smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors in boat, as with any fossil-fuel powered heaters.
 

oldgit

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Yes I have those even though at present we only have a gas cooker. I was really just wondering if running them overnight was considered sensible.
We do boat 12 months of the year , without some sort of on board heating this probably would not happen,all my boats fitted with warm air heaters including Ardic, Eber and Planar have been run overnight when away from shorepower.
Use the shore power when available due to
A. Getting my moneys worth out of the marina when its a fixed charge.
B. The warm air in blimming noisy.
This merely leaves the minor problem of my cheapo chinese fan heater catching fire and bursting into flames during the the night. ?
 

PaulRainbow

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Do owners of diesel heaters consider them safe to run overnight when onboard and asleep? I only ask the question as I am considering one and this is something I'm curious about
Absolutely. I've lived aboard full time since 2016 and in the depths of Winter i've always left the heating on all night.

Woke up this morning to pontoons covered in snow, but as we' left one of the two x 4kw heaters on all night it was a comfortable 17 degrees, not bat for a 45ft mobo. I've just fired the 2nd heater up for s short time and it's now 22 degrees, will turn that down now and it'll barely tick over and the boat should be at about 21 degrees all day. We do have smoke and Co alarms, of course.
 
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peteK

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Do owners of diesel heaters consider them safe to run overnight when onboard and asleep? I only ask the question as I am considering one and this is something I'm curious about
Perfectly safe if fitted correctly in a cockpit locker or engine space vented outside and the air to be heated taken from the cabin not from the vicinty of the heater because if you get an exhaust leak it will blow it in too cabin.
I have seen some fitted this way.
 

LittleSister

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Perfectly safe if fitted correctly in a cockpit locker or engine space vented outside and the air to be heated taken from the cabin not from the vicinty of the heater because if you get an exhaust leak it will blow it in too cabin.
I have seen some fitted this way.

I disagree that it is necessary (or even desirable, depending on preferences) to take the heating air from the cabin. So does Eberspacher, Autoterm, etc.

You are welcome to your own preferences, but a properly installed arrangement that doesn't meet your preferences is not wrong.
 

Graham376

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I disagree that it is necessary (or even desirable, depending on preferences) to take the heating air from the cabin. So does Eberspacher, Autoterm, etc.

I agree. Heating and recirculating damp and possibly smelly air (from cooking) does nothing to keep the boat dry whereas drawing outside air in, the positive pressure forces damp air out.
 

LittleSister

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I agree. Heating and recirculating damp and possibly smelly air (from cooking) does nothing to keep the boat dry whereas drawing outside air in, the positive pressure forces damp air out.

I also prefer to take the heating air from outside, for the reasons you have stated, but I also meant that taking it from the cabin (or anywhere else remote from the heater) is not necessary to make an installation that is safe.
 

PaulRainbow

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No need whatsoever to take intake air from the cabin, in case of exhaust leaks. Better answer is to fit quality exhausts, properly installed and maintained, along with Co alarms.

Drawing intake air from the cabin just creates damp and condensation, try putting your car heater on recirc'. However, if you want to do that, nothing "wrong" with it, in terms of a safe installation.
 
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