parafin heaters

[RonPimm]

My wife insists we have a cabin heater. My first thought is a bulkhead parafin-fuelled type (a) because we have a fairly convenient bulkhead (b) gas is definitely out (c) don't like the idea of engine fuel and heater fuel being in competition so to speak so diesel fuel-fired heater is frowned on (anyway, they need power from the battery all the time they are operating, as I understand it).
I'd be grateful for experiences, pro and con, from any one who's used one, including running costs, availability of fuel in odd places, requirement for spare parts etc.
Ron

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[sailorman]

beware the wallis i have found these to be totally unreliable

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[timevans2000]

my experience of the Taylors parafin type is that they are noisey. Much better with the diesel version. These bulkhead mount and you can have it with a seperate tank.

The taylors is about 2 kw output from memory. If you want more output buy a Dickinson from Canada. It cost the same as the Taylors if you buy direct from the manufacturer, but has 5 kw output. It is bigger though so you might not have room for it. I have one of these. It is very good and uses no power.

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[neutronstar]

The Taylors is a compact unit and gives out quite a bit heat for its size. I heat my 40 ft yacht OK with it even in sub zero temperatures. Pink deisel is cheaper than burning oil and if you are worried about stealing fuel from the main tanks you could fit a separate tank for the heater.

I use a pump to fill the Taylor's 1.5 gallon tank from my main tanks (via a domestic press & return switch and auto fuel pump (to give a few minutes pumping each press). I can shut off my header tank from the main tanks and fill it with burning oil for the winter. Then the heater pump only feeds from the header tank and burning oil burns cleaner than gas oil. It is important not to let any burning oil get to the engine; but the heater will run on anything.

They do smell however and will need a clean every few months. I find an H type chiminey is essential and dorades must be pointing to the wind. An alternative is to use the old ship's engine room technique of pumping air into the cabin to avoid blowbacks. One manufacturer even makes a see-saw valve which flips shut instantly in the event of a blowback. The weather conditions which cause blowbacks only occur on two or three days each month.

If you do get this type of "fisherman's heater" remember as the boat gets warmer the fuel gets runnier, so you must keep a check on the needle valve every so often if you are to avoid it running rich, and as a result sooting up and choking.

The lorry type heaters you mention are far more high tech and I believe they need more maintenance but I have never lived with one for any time.

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[ChrisE]

We debated paraffin heaters before plumping for an Eberspacher.

We eventually ruled out the other on the grounds of noise, smell and horror stories from friends. Such as children falling heavily against the hot heater, paraffin runninng into the bilges after unfound leaks, etc.

The e uses battery power but not so much as to flatten batteries for overnight use (we have 2 110 aH batteries for domestic use). As the amount of diesel it uses I keep records of diesel use (we don't have a fuel gauge) and can't determine a perceptible increase of usage against the amount used for motoring.

Hope this helps

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[neutronstar]

The last contributor mentioned some very relevant points.

I overlook the fact that the thing sits there glowing orange behind its cover and forget that I know its there, but strangers may forget.

"It would be silly to touch it wouldn't it ?"

Another problem with the fisherman's type of heater is that they don't like running in a sea. I have never really got the thing working properly in any conditions other than settled calm steady winds and slight seas.

The heater must be placed in its own little alcove with nothing combustible nearby, but you can't get severely burned from an eberspacher.

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[charles_reed]

Go for a

solid-fuel stove - burns any thing, doesn't malfunction, no smell of paraffin.

Most live-aboards I know swear by them.

Taylors' do a paraffin/diesel pot-burner stove.

Beware going for paraffin - it's very expensive and frequently unobtainable outside the UK.
I know - it's quite a problem finding it for the riding-light hurricane lantern.

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[Trevethan]

Im have a Dickinson Newport diesel heater, it can also be adjusted to burn parafin I believe... However I'd caution against choosing a second fuel.

First off, the Dickinsons kicks out up to 5.5 kw of heat.

If you have a gravity fed system, it uses no power whatsoever, it looks good, mounts on a bulkhead and has a glass door so you can see the flames -- very cosy and romantic

It uses a very small amount of fuel.. a litre or two in 24 hours at low heat so really doesn't hurt your range. AT full blast, which kicks out so much heat its like a forge maybe 4 litres in 24 hours. I never run it that high as teh heat gets to be too much!

If you go parafin, you will need a sep fuel tank, somewhere to store the extra left, its also pricey by comparison with red diesel and getting harder and harder to find.

Last I bought cost me a fiver for a gallon

In terms of cost somewhere like go2marine in the US are selling them quite cheaply at the moment, under $500 I think. I got mine there, plus a thru-deck kit.

Bear in mind the revenue men will demand their cut when it arrives.. but still got my system for about £480 sterling

Make sure you order the chimney from them at the same time.. I didn't thinking I could get it here.. and I did in the end after weeks of searching for a reasonable supplier... (It was custom made at a local fabricator)

Installation is straightforward.

I went to B&Q and bought a sheet of aluminium to face the bulkhead, (not that it needs it.. even full blast the wall only warms up a litttle) but it said you needed to do it in the instructions.

I used some no more nails and a few screws to secure.

Then four stainless bolts hold the heater to the bulkhead

The trickiest part is getting the hold in the deck in the right place. but a set square and a piece of wood should sort that.

Cut the hole using the template, then drop in the deck fitting. If teh deck slopes you should make up a hardwood shim.

Our deck only sloped a litle so I used some fire cement, which I tem ran a bead of sikaflex over to keep weatherproof.

Fit the chimney, plumb it in and off you go.

There is a fan on the heater that can be used to ensure positive draft, On out set up we do don't need it.

Make sure you get a decent cap for the chimney.

We have an H pot which wiorks fine. When we take the boat out, that comes off and the chimney is covered with a steel dome that keeps green water out and won't snag the sails.

Anyway , reconsider your fuel choice... and look at diesel heaters.

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[pragmatist]

The best buy we ever made

We can back up Trevelythan (have I spelled it correctly ?!) on the Dickinson - transforms the boat - sits there quietly with a cheering flame. If it gets too warm in spring/autumn just open the hatches - marvellous for keeping the boat dry.

We have the ordinary chimney and only have problems with a very gust wind - especially if its not warmed the flue. The person we bought from said he'd had his going for 8 months in Greenland - can believe it.

Ours has a small inline pump to feed from diesel tank - can be gravity fed from a separate tank if you've room.

We also have a pipe to spread the heat around since we had to mount ours at seat level in the saloon - toasted toes.

Had it 6 years and often tell chilly friends with other systems how wonderful it is - only problem is the dog gets poll position !

<hr width=100% size=1>a pragmatist is an optimist with a boat in the UK

 

[pragmatist]

Coffee pot for the top ?

Hi - sorry - misquoted your name while replying to the original post.

Fully agree with you about Dickinson - wonderful. However, we've been looking for a tall narrow coffeepot or similar since we got it - seems a pity to waste the heat coming off the top when it could be making a brew. Any ideas ?

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[claudio]

Re: Coffee pot for the top ?

What about an Italian Expresso coffee machine, the base of an 8 cup machine is around 100mm diameter.



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[Trevethan]

Re: The best buy we ever made

Interest in this pipe thing you talked about -- I know a lot of the heat warms the seagulls outside so keen to try and divert it elsewhere.. Do you mean the water heating coil?

As for coffee pot, been thinking along the same lines, but had no luck. I did see a silver art deco kettle that might have worked but it was antique and siilly money.

I think I will trot down to local stainless fabricator and see if they can weld up something.

I am surprised Dickinsons don't sell 'em



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[Trevethan]

Re: Coffee pot for the top ?

I do use the top for roast veg though -- makes the best roast parsnips... par boil them, wrpa them in foil with a little butter and black pepper and leave them for an hour or so, flip the half way through...

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[pragmatist]

Parsnips & pipes

Parsnips sound great !

The pipe needs a heat exchanger on the stack (bought when we bought the heater from Dickinson supplier in Plymouth) which provides an outlet of about 2.5" diameter to which you can attach a flexible aluminium foil pipe - currently we just let it out of the cupboard onto which the heater backs and waft it round the saloon floor with a small fan on the end. If Sir ever gets round to it it will be laid under the lockers and then provide a foot-level outlet properly "plumbed in".

Sorry if this isn't techie enough - I can get Sir to add comments. He's the one who prays to Mecca, drops kitchen roll down it after the requisite 2 tablespoons may have arrived ... Perhaps Heath Robinson should get a shout here !

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[Trevethan]

Re: Parsnips & pipes

sounds like a good idea... could pipe some heat to the forward heads. or pilot house, or both....

Yeah the lighting is a pain.. usually involved pulling the middle thingy out cos paper never falls all the way...

Heard tales of folk dumping a little meths into the pot, lighting that and gently adding diesel. not tried that but sounds much easier.. though maybe a bit explosivey... and my he has you well trained... wish my better half were as respectful...

Cheers!



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[Abaker]

I agree about the unreliability of the Wallas parafin heater. I installed a Model 2400 in 1989. It was beautifully designed, and kept us warm when it worked. However after a few weeks' service it no longer would light. The local dealer (in Toronto) got it going again after a lot of fiddling. But a few weeks later it failed again. Subsequently I sent it to the US agent in Seattle who did several things to it and charged a lot. Again it soon failed. Then I got rid of it. Twice bitten!
Friends living in a Westsail 32 spoke highly of their Dickinson diesel heater. They had room for a gravity-feed tank under the side-deck so avoided using the engine fuel tank, and using power for a heater fuel pump.
A similar heater, also well regarded in North America, is the Sigmar, which I believe has now been taken over by Force 10.

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[paulrush]

Dickenson we have, its great!! the wooden gaff rigged boat around it responds well when it is lit. stew on top, pie in oven. the times i have searched for pies to feed it they can be more scarce than parafin.
regards Paul R

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