Heating - alternatives for when the power goes off

Judders

Judders

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 Jul 2005
Messages
2,514
Location
Hampshire
Visit site
I have bought a small electric fan heater that will plug into my shore power to keep things cosy and to keep the potential SWMBOs at a maluable temperature, but it occurs to me that I ought to get back up for anchorages and when there just is not any power to hook up to. What have people used in the past?
 
One of these would give you heat and 240 volts. Thought about diesel heating and then looked at how difficult it would be to run 3" air pipes around the boat so bought the genny.

EU20i.jpg
 
This brass lamp runs on kerosene and will heat and dry out the cabin in 20 minutes. Gives good reading light as well. No power use! Great thing! I have an Eberspacher as well but this lamp is much more efficient. Find it here: toplicht
 
did you think about a hot water based heating system? it's much easier to run 22mm and 15mm water pipe to heat exchangers than ther 60mm hot air pipes. I've a hot air system already but have just added a hot water system. The pipework was not too difficult.

rob
 
The big issue with the No power is exactly that, most of the sytems require some electric battery power and I belive that may be an issue on your new boat.
There are some charcoal and parafin stoves that require no electrical power, but you need to be carefull with Carbon monoxide and hence they should on the whole require carefully constructed flues/ chimleys and may well need significant backplate insulation, none of which ever looked cheap or light.
I have been tempted to use our Cobb BBQ in a well ventilated environment, so far only really used in the cockpit, but I think you could use it near the hatch as long as your reasonably well ventilated. Also thought about using it to heat up some hot rocks but have not got round to that yet. At the end of the day the pub does often seem to be more enticing.
 
In the last century we used to use a Mini-cat which runs on SBP fuel. If you can find one (actually I've still got ours), the fuel is still obtainable. It has no flame - except when starting - and is pretty safe as a result.
 
We are looking at a 25' cruiser racer with an outboard, so the Eberspacher is out. My mate went and let the cat out of the bag that heating could be installed on his 28'er but then he doesn't race her. I can run the engine as a genny for 12v.
 
I have a paraffin stove on my 23-footer. Warms the place up in about 10 minutes. The boat is well ventilated, however (I never have condensation problems), and I always leave the main hatch half open when it is on. It also has the advantage that I can boil a kettle on top of it, although it takes ages.
 
An alternative is a Taylors heater, either Parafin or diesel, which simply burns the fuel in a small stove type arrangement which you bolt to a bulkhead. You need a flue through the roof and a small tank for the fuel (gravity feed) they are relatively simple to install but fairly bulky and teh flue through the dechead is a weak point (water down it ruins the stove). thery are quite pricey new (cica £850) and even 2nd hand fetch £400-£500
 
if my experience if the norm you will find that unless running at least at half revs under load (in gear) your outboard with contribute sod all to the battery. I run a 5HP 4 stroke.
 
I have three oil lamps on my Eventide which when lit give off a nice background heat as well as a nice warm glow,even on a frosty night it gets pretty warm on board needs a port open though.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top