Good Value Boat heaters

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?
The air intake for the heated air is via a return air grill in the access panel direct from the main cabin. The combustion air hose will pick up from the engine room below, via an existing hole where the diesel filler hose runs through. I have thought one and hard about this but do not see cold air in over the top of a main fuel tank being an issue.

Colhel - mine is a Chinese version.

The engine room on a power boat is very well ventilated anyway to allow for the massive air supply required for the engines, but there is no tight seal from the engine room to the cabin so the combustion air will create a very low pressure drop in the engine bay so at least some of the combustion air will come from the cabin recirc, so any smells will be drawn into rather than away from the heater combustion side.
 
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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.

Ah, so I presume you will be using your "blockade" lock entry technique where you end up wedged across the entrance blaming your steering/prop(s)/ engines for another misfortune while Murv happily looks on from his sturdy, reliable, superior craft.
 
Ah, so I presume you will be using your "blockade" lock entry technique where you end up wedged across the entrance blaming your steering/prop(s)/ engines for another misfortune while Murv happily looks on from his sturdy, reliable, superior craft.

If you do apply to join RCC, you will certainly have my vote ;) ;) ;)
 
Murv happily looks on from his sturdy, reliable, superior craft.

With the greatest respect (ie. none at all) :) regards comments about my unique style of lock entry , it would be pointed out by the independant observer, that from the lower helm on any Turbo 36 it is almost impossible to see anything out the front window and definately impossible to see anything out the back.
If you have ever wondered why skippers of Fairline Turbos and long suffering crew ( Hi Julie), are always upstairs freezing their bits off and getting soaked into the bargain, you now know why.
It has nothing to do with being rufty tufty outdoor types at all.
Skippers fortunate enough to have choosen a different craft (modesty permits no names):) will of course be snuggled down below with the concern being wether or not to turn the Planer down a tad,with of course with a perfect view out the window at the world beyond.
 
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Skippers fortunate enough to have choosen a different craft (modesty permits no names):) will of course be snuggled down below with the concern being wether or not to turn the Planer down a tad,with of course with a perfect view out the window at the world beyond.

I think you may be laying a canard, as your vessel has been known to go round in circles of it's own accord ( even with both propellors attached), thus you are not able to venture far from the main controls and being upstairs would make you dizzy, whilst Murv has the utmost confidence in his fine machine, manfactured by a reputable manufacturer of quality vessels.
Ahem, just to keep on message, my Chinese heater has been providing sterling service in keeping the workshop nice and warm.
 
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.

I am advised that the pumps Eber use are very sensitive to fuel condition and tend to gum up readily if any bug is present. Might be worth checking the old one for content and take appropriate action.
 
I think you may be laying a canard, as your vessel has been known to go round in circles of it's own accord ( even with both propellors attached), thus you are not able to venture far from the main controls and being upstairs would make you dizzy, whilst Murv has the utmost confidence in his fine machine, manfactured by a reputable manufacturer of quality vessels.
Ahem, just to keep on message, my Chinese heater has been providing sterling service in keeping the workshop nice and warm.

After last years string of disasters, the sheer pleasure of actually being able to leave the pontoon was a real result, even going round in circles :)
To date
1 x busted gearbox shaft
1 x bent propshaft
1 x Bent "A" bracket.
2 x dinged props.
1 x shredded impeller.
1 x failed auto steering thingy.
Only thing that worked OK was my new Planar.
RCC has its annual awards event soon, suspect we may be awarded one or two of the less prized EPNS cups !
 
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To date
1 x busted gearbox shaft
1 x bent propshaft
1 x Bent "A" bracket.
2 x dinged props.

Should have bought an outdrive boat :D

List of things that went wrong with my twin outdrive boat last year over 1,500 miles and 120 hours:












:D:D:D
 
The wisdom of buying these Chinese boat heaters might be debatable but nobody can deny that you guys seem to have had a lot of fun for the £100 or so setting them up. Fair play!

I think the wisdom is in seeing a bargain, Testing it and deciding based on the evidence if it is any good or not...…. Not many people who have tried them are saying bad things.


I never judge the quality of something by its price, especially in the boating world
 
With the greatest respect (ie. none at all) :) regards comments about my unique style of lock entry , it would be pointed out by the independant observer, that from the lower helm on any Turbo 36 it is almost impossible to see anything out the front window and definately impossible to see anything out the back.
If you have ever wondered why skippers of Fairline Turbos and long suffering crew ( Hi Julie), are always upstairs freezing their bits off and getting soaked into the bargain, you now know why.
It has nothing to do with being rufty tufty outdoor types at all.
Skippers fortunate enough to have choosen a different craft (modesty permits no names):) will of course be snuggled down below with the concern being wether or not to turn the Planer down a tad,with of course with a perfect view out the window at the world beyond.
That's sums up why I sold mine in favour of a Corvette 32 - got fed up with being Billy No Mates on the fly and too far away to assist much with the ropes !
 
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 ...

Boadicea%20-%204%20Heater%20%26%20Vent%20layout.PDF

Today I installed the vent system and fitted the exhaust fitting. Now waiting a week for the mastic bedding to set before I pull it up tight and install the exhaust pipe.

I am now aching and getting fed up with the itchy fingers from the rock wool duct insulation.

Also the boat looks like something has exploded in the cabin for the second time in a month - Fridge out, aft heads shelf below sink out, access step moved aside. I have used insulated ducting to reduce heat loss in the void spaces, but this was not so easy to fit working in small access holes, often one handed.

Boadicea%20Heater%20%26%20Vent%20System%20-%201.jpg
 
I have bought the insulation for the exhaust outlet pipework but am debating if I am going to insulate the outlet hot air pipework (75mm dia). My boat is quite small (Sealine S24) and this is a 5 kw heater and my run will only be 1 - 1.5 m..... I am wondering if a little loss will actually be desirable


What do other think

Dennis
 
I have bought this illuminated rocker switch so that I can isolate the power to the heater. They are rated to 20amps so hopefully will be ok. I will run a current draw test to see what it draws on start up if I get time

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5-20PCS-...var=671372733299&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649

Dennis, it's probably going to be ok, but I wouldn't use this switch for anything over a few amps! Looks v. flimsy at least from the pics...
Have you got a DC amp clamp to measure actual amps of the heater?

V.
 
Dennis, it's probably going to be ok, but I wouldn't use this switch for anything over a few amps! Looks v. flimsy at least from the pics...
Have you got a DC amp clamp to measure actual amps of the heater?

V.

I agree with that and can confirm I fitted one of these switches to my tv amplifier and the first one fell apart while pushing terminals on and I certainly wouldn’t trust with a heater running through it. The seller did promptly send another out.
 
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