Stemar
Well-Known Member
I would think it's only common sense to fit a CO detector on any boat with anything that burns some sort of fossil fuel. They aren't dear and they do save lives.
Generic Warm air Heaters Tale .A story so Far.
- Thread starter oldgit
- Start date
peteK
Well-Known Member
Boat was fitted with an eber when bought but not been working for some years,which took the air in from the foot of the quarter berth ,heated it and expelled it via ducting too main cabin.Where on a seagoing boat would you intake fresh air thats not salty?
pagoda
Well-Known Member
Ours draws air from high up in the transom area, behind the liferaft storage- well out of range of spray or waves.
BlueChip
Well-Known Member
This is a very interesting detailed technical review of a cheapo Chinese heater
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9YthaCqkMOs
I've been using a very similar 5 KW heater in my workshop, it was running pretty well every day last winter and is still going strong
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9YthaCqkMOs
I've been using a very similar 5 KW heater in my workshop, it was running pretty well every day last winter and is still going strong
superheat6k
Well-Known Member
Why not pop round when I try it out in the workshop. Due a beer and a chat.
superheat6k
Well-Known Member
The D4 on my last boat did draw from the cabin for the warmed air, and outside for the combustion air, so I guess this will be OK for the Chinese version. I already have a CO alarm and will be making sure its batteries are OK. A minor advantage of a SWMBO who smokes is an easy ability to test it.
I note this states it is 5kW, which should be good for a 45' boat.
I note this states it is 5kW, which should be good for a 45' boat.
Graham376
Well-Known Member
And you're wanting recirculate contaminated damp air, rather than let fresh air drive it out?
moomba
N/A
I have a gas alarm for co and co2 in my engine room (which is centre and low in boat)and at the lowest point of the bilge.
Remember cooled gas will sink to the lowest point of your boat so detectors are great around cabins but might me wise to put one in the bilges if you can if your re circulating air , I would expect if fitting for circulating air with the heater you would need a certain amount of air flow inwards , i.e vents.
All gas fires fitted in the UK depending on the size of fire and room sIze may need a vent knocked through the wall to allow intake of air to replace Oxygen been burned off.
It might be great now but as appliances get older they get less efficient at dispelling gases and burning of the bad ones, keep then serviced and clean:encouragement:
Remember cooled gas will sink to the lowest point of your boat so detectors are great around cabins but might me wise to put one in the bilges if you can if your re circulating air , I would expect if fitting for circulating air with the heater you would need a certain amount of air flow inwards , i.e vents.
All gas fires fitted in the UK depending on the size of fire and room sIze may need a vent knocked through the wall to allow intake of air to replace Oxygen been burned off.
It might be great now but as appliances get older they get less efficient at dispelling gases and burning of the bad ones, keep then serviced and clean:encouragement:
neil1967
Well-Known Member
All the advice I have seen is that CO monitors should be placed high, not low, as CO is slightly lighter than air. Why would you have/need a CO2 monitor? I have a CO monitor placed high, an LPG monitor placed low, and a heat/smoke detector.
moomba
N/A
CO is slightly lighter than air. ... The difference is so slight that CO is found to evenly distribute itself indoors. It is worth mentioning that CO indoors is usually generated from incomplete combustion (heat source) and therefore traveling in a warm air stream. Warm air is more buoyant and does rise but when it cools it will sink!
Fuel Combustion and Carbon Dioxide. ... The mixture burns when ignited, giving off large amounts of energy and leaving behind water vapor, carbon dioxide and other gases as waste products.
Carbon dioxide (chemical formula CO2) is a colorless gas with a density about 60% higher than that of dry air.
As I stated when air cools the co and co2 will disperse if you have you engine as I do in the bilges and if you have your heater there circulating air I would advise gas detectors , this is why you gas canisters must have a low vent to the outside of the boat in case of gas leakage.
OFC have smoke detectors in every room and CO detectors near and high for internal fuel sources , cooker heater ,etc
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superheat6k
Well-Known Member
Er - I do have windows and other vents without the heater. I am not about to close all or those !
oldgit
Well-Known Member
Club bar word of mouth poll.
About 180 members in club.
About 100 boats.
About 10 heaters replaced recently.
About 3 Planar
About 7 chinese.
About 9 replacement units self installed.
About 1 unit professionally installed.
About 0 Webasto or Eberspachers featured anywhere.
Folks have been buying and storing a spare chinese heater, in the certain knowledge that like death and taxes, their Weberspacher will fail and cost fortune to fix.
Perhaps the diesel heater has gone the way of everything else, its now a service item to be included for changing every so often like oil and filters.
A twist and fit body, snap connector for the power and a quick release for the fuel.
The same long goodbye which awaited the TV repairman and the man who serviced your sewing machine.(ask your Mum or Grandad.
Yes please.
About 180 members in club.
About 100 boats.
About 10 heaters replaced recently.
About 3 Planar
About 7 chinese.
About 9 replacement units self installed.
About 1 unit professionally installed.
About 0 Webasto or Eberspachers featured anywhere.
Folks have been buying and storing a spare chinese heater, in the certain knowledge that like death and taxes, their Weberspacher will fail and cost fortune to fix.
Perhaps the diesel heater has gone the way of everything else, its now a service item to be included for changing every so often like oil and filters.
A twist and fit body, snap connector for the power and a quick release for the fuel.
The same long goodbye which awaited the TV repairman and the man who serviced your sewing machine.(ask your Mum or Grandad.
Yes please.
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neil1967
Well-Known Member
I don't disagree that you need detectors, but as you have stated in your last sentence, I would place a CO detector 'near and high' given that the generation of CO is most likely when combustion is taking place so the earliest opportunity for detection is likely when there is hot air rising. I am still unsure why you would want/need a CO2 detector - I don't think most houses have them, and CO2 is not, as far as I am aware, poisonous - it can be dangerous in large quantities when it displaces the air (eg CO2 fire extinguisher), but not in a domestic/yacht situation.
Graham376
Well-Known Member
On our previous boat, the heater had been plumbed to recirculate cabin air and in UK winter there was quite a lot of condensation noticeable in the mornings. After I moved the inlet to the cockpit locker there was a big improvement and the positive pressure expelled most of the damp (and smelly from cooking) air created just by normal living.
AntarcticPilot
Well-Known Member
+1. Oxygen and Nitrogen have molecular weights of 32 and 28 respectively, CO has a molecular weight of 28. If nitrogen doesn't float on top of Oxygen, CO won't float out of the air, either!
A stronger reason to put CO detectors high is that CO will almost always arise from a flame, and the stream of gas in which it is embedded will therefore be hot and rise. Therefore, a CO detector placed reasonably high up will be affected by CO from a faulty burner sooner than one placedlower down.
reidyj
New Member
Hi all,
Where are people buying resonable priced exhaust skin fittings for the chinese heaters. Some of the ones I am seeing are nearly as expensive as the heater. Also, I would have assumed they get placed on the stern but have read some comments about not putting them there?
Where are people buying resonable priced exhaust skin fittings for the chinese heaters. Some of the ones I am seeing are nearly as expensive as the heater. Also, I would have assumed they get placed on the stern but have read some comments about not putting them there?
Kelpie
Well-Known Member
Mine was from a company called Southern Lasers, about £35 on eBay. Quality seems good to me.
Transom is the most common place to put the exhaust, and has the advantage of keeping the fumes and noise out of the cockpit.
I actually fitted mine in the cockpit coaming, as I felt this was better protected from waves, and it let me put the heater further forward without breaching the 2m max exhaust run guideline. The downside is there is some noise in the cockpit, but it's bearable
reidyj
New Member
Thanks for that. I'll check them out!
oldgit
Well-Known Member
Transom is best, especially if you are a sociable cove and not likely to have a melt down if somebody has the temerity to moor along side you at some point in your boating life.
Less likely the noise will annoy your neighbour or scorch his gelcoat, it will not set fire to or melt holes in your fenders .
Less likely the noise will annoy your neighbour or scorch his gelcoat, it will not set fire to or melt holes in your fenders .
peteK
Well-Known Member
My boat was fitted with a standard metal skin fitting for the exhaust outlet,I suppose it depends on how hot it becomes.