Eberspacher in wet Locker

[JimC]

Is this feasible? I know they're usually fitted in cockpit lockers but it would be convenient to mount mine in the hanging locker for oilies which opens off the heads. Is there any problem with this? the Eberspacher installation guide says they shouldn't be installed "in an accommodation area", not sure if a wet locker counts as accommodation. Does the casing get hot enough to harm fabric?

 

[Ceirwan]

The exhaust does, it will be very noisy, and if there is a fault, i.e. an exhaust leak it will be inside the cabin.

I wouldn't recommend it.

 

[pvb]

Don't do it! The casing does get hot. There's also a risk of exhaust fumes if something goes wrong. Follow the installation instructions religiously.

 

[NormanS]

It's basically what I've got. The original was installed by the builders in 1991, and last year I installed a new replacement in exactly the same place. I made a simple guard out of stainless weldmesh, so that nothing can come against anything hot. I also have a CO monitor. It's actually much more efficient than an "outside" installation, because less heat is wasted.

 

[MoodySabre]

Hearsay. Mr Full Circle put a tube heater in the bottom of his wet locker and found that it was detrimental to the waterproofness of his oilies.

 

[V1701]

It's worth thinking about the noise, of the unit itself & the knocking noise the pump makes. You will still get more than adequate heat from it if you put it in the cockpit locker (assuming the correct size unit). Is there a reason why you don't want it in the cockpit locker?

 

[JimC]

It's worth thinking about the noise, of the unit itself & the knocking noise the pump makes. You will still get more than adequate heat from it if you put it in the cockpit locker (assuming the correct size unit). Is there a reason why you don't want it in the cockpit locker?

Only that it will be awkward, if I want to re-circulate the heated air, to find a route from the accommodation to the inlet end of the heater, which will be well aft of the bulkhead - so the duct will have to come through the bulkhead, then along the locker, then do a 180 degree turn to get onto the heater. I suppose a possible way around this would be to mount the heater transversely across the bulkhead but I barely have enough width and both inlet and outlet ducts would have to have very tight radius 90 degree elbows. If I'm not bothered about re-circulating then mounting the heater longtitudinally in the locker won't be a problem, however previous posts have stressed that using fresh air, whilst good for dispersing condensation, is very inefficient and makes the boat slow to warm-up.

 

[ean_p]

we have an Hydronic fitted in our wet locker with the exhaust exiting out of the side of the boat making it quite a short run and well protected again with stainless mesh.....the locker is very toasty when the unit is on. Also in the same locker is a diesel genny with very long exhaust running under the aft cabin to exit at the stern and this is adjacent to the main engine which has an even bigger exhaust again running under the aft berth/ cabin......mmmmmmm

 

[PaulR]

sailed one of the bt challenge boats to portugal in january a few years ago - the heater is located in the (massive- walk in ) oily locker and was in use a significant amount of the trip and needed!

 

[JimC]

Thanks for the replies so far. Some saying it's a bad idea and some suggesting it may be OK. Re fire risk: my cockpit locker contains the tender outboard and it's spare fuel, also the LPG cylinders in a separate vented compartment, so a fire here would not be good, perhaps worse than in the wet locker. Re exhaust leaks: I will have a CO monitor in the cabin. Reason I'm keen on the wet locker location is that it will allow some or all of the air to be easily recirculated.