Eberspacher fuel consumption

We’ve just spent 4 days on board, plugged in, using electric heat. Outside temperature was -3 at the lowest and 4 at the highest. We’re 2 adults and 2 kids on a 32 footer. We have two small oil filled radiators and a fan heater, and ran a dehumidifier pretty much all the time as we’re cooking on board etc. Add in electric kettle and the usual gadgets. Electricity usage was around 30kwh a day, or around £6.60 a day.
 
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I have a chinese diesel heater and as of this evening it has used 60L in the last 14 days (give or take a few ml) - thats with temps hitting -4 at times and the marina is frozen (lots of fresh water flows through)

We have a 50 foot cat so its a big volume to heat and the insulation is 20mm foam under the wall coverings in most places - I built it to keep heat down in the tropics not heat in in a miserable cold UK :( In addition we have a 400w electric in the heads to keep that warm and dry separately. Boat is 1000sq ft though internal volume is smaller

Diesel heater is on 24/7. Maintains 20 degrees from 8 am til whenever bed time is -2230 normally - and then goes to 10 degrees overnight to keep things dry and warm enough but doesn't keep it too hot to sleep or waste diesel on higher temps when under a kingsize feather duvet ...

60L at 100% heating rate costs about £51 so (and last year shows this to be accurate too) around £100 a month in December, January and February, and perhaps half that in November and March. Being a cat we have a lot of windows which is also bad for insulation but great for heating in the last few days of sun and bitter cold . Sits at 20+ degrees in the cabin with the door open (to the "greenhouse cockpit) and heating at the lowest rate using 0.14L an hour - so 10p an hour .

I keep thinking of adding Aerogel insulation above all the ceiling panels and maybe into window blinds but the cost of the insulation alone would pay the heating bills for about 15 years so...
 
Interesting to see how much difference the insulation makes, and useful to have a comparison.
 
Ok a little update as we’re coming up to a full month and I finally refuelled following the calibration of the tank.
For the full month we’ve used…£72 of diesel at 100% domestic rate (we’ve not moved!).

That’s cheaper than the house by a long way, although I did kind of start the thread to show diesel heaters probably use more diesel than you think if actually staying on board. Also worth noting that they use a lot more electricity than most people assume. It’s harder to directly measure this as we also run a fridge and Starlink 24x7 but I’d estimate 30Ah/day for the heating.
 
SaltyC said:
OOOH! touched a nerve?

I don't know what we used over the last 4 days, I don't need a Smart Meter (Most are Dumb), I know if I switch a light / heating on it costs money!

What I do know is I pay <£100/ month for dual fuel on a Detached 5 bed house.
Click to expand...
I wish I paId as little as that - actually many times that, but the house is both big and listed so lots of big single glazed 200 year old windows with a view to kill for. Can't have everything.

On the boat my Eberspacher has never worked long enough for me to work out diesel consumption. Currently U/S awaiting yet another repair.
 
When I did spend a winter abroad it was one midwinter trip to refill the main diesel tank ( red, heating 90/10)
And again in April for sailing
Drip feed Taylor’s on 24/7
It was surprisingly frugal
Can’t remember the numbers now but way cheaper than gas ch @Home
 
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