Paraffin heaters, Im thinking of installing one...

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The fact that you have asked shows that you might be prepared to take advice, so hear this from a chemist and sailor with long experience of using paraffin for cooking and heating, (in equipment designed for the purpose!)
DROP YOUR CRAZY IDEA!!!
If you are determined to pursue it regardless, make your will, write your last letter to your loved ones, and never leave your boat anywhere near mine. Bye!

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I agree that the greenhouse heater picked is not a good idea ....... in fact I was stunned as I read on ....

BUT - I know a Finesse 21 that actually set a standard primus style parafin heater ... the old tall chimney style job with round base tank .... into his cabin sole. He used it only when berthed ... but when I saw it he showed how secure it was set into the wood sole. It was not used when I was there and I was glad actually ... But I know it had been installed some years previous ... it had no flue to outside ... just the tall tube chimney as original when used in a house.
 
In reply to a few,

I have been using two paraffin lamps the whole time ive been on the boat with no real issues with condensation (well, none that are not worth the extra few degrees of warmth of a morning anyway). Ive usually had the hatch closed and I (or any of the other 5 or so people who stop on board regularly) have ever had any problems by way of headaches or usual initial symptoms asociated with CO.

The boat is well ventilated and flames only produce carbon monoxide when lacking oxygen. I will do a test this weekend after buying a carbon monoxide alarm and leave both lamps on full with everything shut for about 6 hours with me elsewhere, ill see how it goes and make a decision from there.

Im a big believer in A> finding out for myself and B> questioning some safety issues which can be hyped up. A family friend was put out of buisness as he couldnt sell lamb off his farm on the east coast because of the radioactive fall out from chernobyl. It was calculated that you would have to eat an entire sheep to get 1/700th the effect you get from a tooth xray... Im not using it as a simmilarity to CO poisoning, obviously, but as an example of the safety fear that can be instilled upon us.

Id agree if i left a 8kw gas stove on full for hours on end, it would clearly be incredibly dangerous, but a well ventilated area with something that burns about 50ml of fuel every 3 hours, set to the lowest setting I see no reason for it not being ok.

I will obviously leave a decent quality carbon monoxide alarm on board whether I do or dont have paraffin onboard.

Taking the piss, suggesting someones having a joke, and more to the point, being sarcastic is just going to make whoever you are trying to ridicule think youre a twat and disregard what youve said.


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In reply to anyone who gave actual genuine advice/discussion; thankyou. I am going to be careful, Im buying a CO and a fire alarm even with no heater at all on board. Just a good idea to have them.

Ill try the paraffin lamps out on full power with the doors closed for several hours (with me outside!) just through curiosity and if it still doesnt register any CO at that point, Ill look into it more. If it does produce any detectable CO, which is what im being told is the case, ill clearly drop it, but ill give it a very vigourous test in far far more extreme conditions than could ever be used in practise. Im going to see if i can make a flue out of one of the portholes too.

Cheers!


Mat
 
My father went through a phase of heating a 45' TSDY with two full-sized paraffin heaters back in the 70s, during an English winter. But only when he was on board. No safety problems but far too much condensation and a smell, of course. Aladdin heaters are designed for space heating and provided you have a blue flame they are perfectly safe (fume-wise) as long as there is enough air for combustion.

The Aladdins have a proper burner designed to burn blue and an inspection window - could be that greenhouse and garage heaters don't? I really don't know.

I don't think it's a good idea myself - I wouldn't leave one unattended and the moisture is counter-productive but the negative comments on this thread are way overdone provided, of course, that an paraffin heater used is burning blue - and that's the question. Under the floor boards might be a bit iffy, too!
 
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If the heat produced is ample enough to raise the temperature of the boat to a level where the air can hold more moisture, then it wont cause more condensation.
Mat

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This is a fairly common misunderstanding. It is quite true that the warm air will hold more moisture, and if all surfaces are raised above dewpoint there might not be any condensation while the heater is operating, but once it is shut off the air cools, and all of the excess moisture then condenses out on surfaces that are below dew point. As another pointed out, burning 1l of paraffin produces roughly 1l of water and, with an unflued heater, almost all of that will be deposited into your boat.
 
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