Good Value Boat heaters

[Nauti Fox]

It might be a good idea to order another one ,so you have a full set of spares , and would be cheaper ,also parts may not be available in time,

Already done

 

[Keith-i]

Just out of interest, what's the supplied fuel tank like? I'm thinking of getting a 10l tank for my Webasto and wondered whether the Planar tank is better/more user friendly than the cheaper eBay types.

 

[Bigplumbs]

Initial thoughts are the tank seems ok. I have not filled mine yet. You might find one of us will send you one for a few quid plus postage (Mind you I see you are in Jersey) if we connect to our main fuel tank in the boat

Dennis

 

[Nauti Fox]

I've run mine for about a week now, all seems ok so far, but more to the point I haven't heard any gripes about it leaking on the Facebook page.

 

[Bigplumbs]

Well I am very impressed. Just plugged it all in and the plugs are obvious set it up in the workshop with the exhaust poking out of the window and after the third attempt which it needed to get the fuel trough it fired up and off it went. It is amazing for the Price. Here are a couple of videos of it working...……. Sorry about the mess I was keen to get it up and running

 

[Bigplumbs]

Got a Webasto 5500 Evo in there, as long as it works ok it will stay there, service parts are a ridiculous price though so I will order another of these and keep it as a backup for the boat/workshop.
One thing on mine was that on the display instead of temperature, the fan setting displayed (Hz). If yours is the same just press the two top buttons at the same time and you'll get temperature.
This video explains the basic settings-priming etc.....https://youtu.be/fkdF4F-k3VI

Mine is showing Hz instead of temp which two buttons do you mean

 

[Bigplumbs]

Mine is showing Hz instead of temp which two buttons do you mean

Just got it sorted. Now in degrees C


I am so impressed I just bought a second one for spares



Dennis

 

[superheat6k]

So here is an update on my install so far, and a breakdown of the total cost, excluding labour which for me is free, but I have suggested just how long an install could take ...

1 Sub-Frame / plinth made to perch the heater upon in a suitable and cavernous empty locker beneath the wide side decks. This includes mounting of a Webasto silencer from my cupboard of bits never to be thrown out.
2 Electrical install of the supply cabling (as part of of my recent 12v distribution upgrade).
3 Fuel tank positioned.
4 Combustion air inlet routed ready to secure to heater.
5 Local Switch / MCB mounted with Controller adjacent and wiring threaded through and connected.

To Do ...

6 Fit exhaust thru hull fitting and mount exhaust. Wrap with high temperature insulation bandage.
7 Install Fuel feed including electrical connection to tick tick pump.
8 Install duct system to fwd & aft cabins (possibly a project part 2).
9 Fuel up and switch on

Interestingly the Exhaust Skin fitting from Turkey will take longer to get here than the heater, something others may wish to bear in mind when ordering. I have selected a more expensive threaded pipe type that does not require an additional three bolt holes around the periphery of the fitting, as in my view this gives a cleaner external view of the fitting, but I had hoped it would be here sooner than 2-3 weeks !


I have also purchased: four way Tee 80mm; insulated aluminium ducting; 2 x 60mm closable duct outlets; 90o 80mm duct bend; panel vent grill.

The expenditure so far - note for a boat with no existing blown air heater ...

Heater 5kW c/w accessories £122
Ducting, plinth & associated parts £117
Hardware £40
Total £279

Allowing for the manufacture of the plinth and mods to hardware, ~ 3 days to install, so assuming a professional would charge ~ £250 / day ~ £750 for the install, so all up a £1,000 project if not DIY.

A few photos of the install without the ducting or exhaust and obviously not yet powered up ...

All the bits for the whole boat's new vent system have now arrived, so a couple of days to complete the whole install.

Should end up something like this ...

 

[Noflufftech]

:encouragement:

 

[colhel]

Are some reviewing Planar heaters and others Chinese heaters?

 

[Mr Googler]

Wouldn’t it be a good idea to intake air from the cabin space?

Less risk if you have a silencer exhaust leak and recirculating air in effect could
Make it warm up quicker as the intake air temp rises?

 

[Bigplumbs]

Wouldn’t it be a good idea to intake air from the cabin space?

Less risk if you have a silencer exhaust leak and recirculating air in effect could
Make it warm up quicker as the intake air temp rises?

I am going to take my intake air from the cabin as you suggest the reason I am doing this is my heater will be located in the engine bay on my Sealine S24 so I don't want engine bay smells etc in the cabin. This will mean a slightly larger dia intake pipe as the supplied di wont quite go over the inlet once the grille is unscrewed



Dennis

 

[Plum]

Wouldn’t it be a good idea to intake air from the cabin space?

Less risk if you have a silencer exhaust leak and recirculating air in effect could
Make it warm up quicker as the intake air temp rises?

Yes, taking the air for heating from the cabin space will result in a faster warmup but at the expense of condensation. Taking the air from outside, and assuming your cabin has a fixed vent somewhere, will result in much reduced condensation which, for me, makes for a much better environment.

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk

 

[longjohnsilver]

What’s the size of the supplied fuel tank in litres?

 

[Robin]

Well, we had a bran d new Eberspacher d5 installed 4 weeks back and today it packed up! Engineer just fitted a new fuel pump, old one had seized apparently , under warranty so no probs for us but a new pump costs £227 he said otherwise, more than a Chinese unit complete. our instal was near £3000 all up so we were the twerps. oh and when our local guy called Eberspacher they said 'try hitting the pump see if it frees up!'. You couldn't make it up. Thankfully our £30 Argos fan hesater did sterling duty this morning.

 

[Nauti Fox]

"What’s the size of the supplied fuel tank in litres?"

10 litres

 

[longjohnsilver]

Thanks, that should suffice for good long time, I guess the issue is remembering to re fill it before it runs out.

 

[oldgit]

"What’s the size of the supplied fuel tank in litres?"

10 litres

When you get round to joining club we could put some very cheap "red" in that titchy little tank.

 

[Nauti Fox]

Ah yes, the club......I think I've still got the aperlikashun form somewhere, now let me see...........

 

[oldgit]

Ah yes, the club......I think I've still got the aperlikashun form somewhere, now let me see...........

As an incentive the first cruise this year is trip to Chatham MDL sometime in mid FEB.
Just sorting a few weypoints, which wether forecast to believe and we could really do with somebody of your caliber to lead the cruise plus clear all the sofas and builders bags out the way.