Gas blown-air heating

[IanC]

I am wanting to install hot-air heating on my colvic 28 aft-cabin petrol cruiser. I have heard of two makes
1. Propex. 2. Whispair.

What does anyone know about these two heaters?
What size out-put do I need?
How many outlets can I run from a heater?
Is it hasrd to install?
How much are they to buy?
Where I am best buying one from?

 

[LadyInBed]

I have a Propex fitted in my boat. It has two outlets one to the main saloon and one to the aft cabin and seems to work very efficiently.
The info I have are for
two types an X1 and an X3
Heat Input 1.6kW 2.6kW
Consumption 113G/H 200G/H**
Power consumption 25W 50W
Air flow 70 cu M/hr 120 cu M/hr

**not sure what the G is - answers on the back of a Ten bob note.

The fitting of the unit is straightforward but the use of a corgi-registered fitter has to be recommended. The most complicated area is sorting out where to site the thermostat.

 

[Avocet]

I've had a 1.6kW "Propex" gas heater for several years now and it has been trouble free. It only has one outlet and I have a 27' sailing cruiser with only a small cabin. If I was choosing again, I'd get a bigger heater as this one can only just cope. It's a little noisy (the fan) but that's partly because it's inside the cabin. If you put it in a locker this wouldn't be a problem but you might find the heat output gets a bit worse. The only other slight problem with (any) butane heater is that they don't work very well when it gets really cold (near or below freezing) because the Butane won't vapourise properly. I'm told it's fairly straightforward to convert them to run on Propane (which doesn't freeze so easily) but the smallest propane bottles are too big to fit in my gas locker so I put up with it.

 

[Dipper]

The Propex Heatsource 1600 is available in both vehicle and marine versions. If you buy one, make sure it is the marine version as it has the extra ducting, stainless steel marine flue and stainless steel mounting bracket. You can also have one or two outlets.

The heat output is 1.6kW and uses 113 grams per hour of either propane or butane. (NigelB G = grams. Sorry, can’t find the 10 bob note). A 4.5 kg bottle would last about 40 hours of continuous use. Air flow is 50 cfm.

They are relatively easy to install for a competent DIYer but as NigelB said, the gas part needs to be done properly.

Prices are around £540 for a single outlet, £570 for a double outlet – they come with a comprehensive fitting kit.

I’m afraid I don’t know anything about the Whispair.

Try a search in Google for a supplier or contact Propex on 023 8052 8555.

 

[dickh]

Small propane bottles? - surely they are the same size as the 4.5kg Butane? - I can remember years ago having small Propane bottles with a blowtorch - unless Calor Gas have discontinued them...


dickh
I'd rather be sailing... /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

 

[salamicollie]

Not if you have a gas locker designed for Camping Gaz - the Small Calor bottles are too big!

 

[dickh]

Aahh - never thought about that! - your dead right, one of my mates can't change to Calor because of that!

dickh
I'd rather be sailing... /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

 

[charles_reed]

I guess grams/hr - sorry about the 10/- note I'm saving mine for when we go into the €.

 

[stubate]

les grenuilleurs faites les bateaux joli but think that camping gaz is the dogs b******s
we should tell them that Calor is now owned by the Cloggies and as such are good europeans and should be included in the grand scheme of things!!!
seriously, ive just bought a 351 and was hoping that a calor propane 7kg would fit in the well, (at the moment there is a camping gaz 390 (i think) in there will have to take a measuring stick with me next weekend

 

[Avocet]

You know what the real bugger of it all was?

I made my own bloody gas locker and I could have made it the right size for the propane bottle if I'd thought about it at the time! The bottles are about the same size as the Butane ones but the Propane ones have a big steel collar round the top that makes them taller! Ah well, maybe I'll re-build it one day!