Planar Heater review

[Bristolfashion]

Just testing my new Planar heater on a cold misty day.

It's installed in the sea locker with a single cabin outlet in our Sadler 29.

At first impressions, I like it. The instructions are clear & it's easy to use. It's very quiet outside the boat - much less noisy than the average around the marina. The base kit now includes the extra quiet fuel pump which may help the sound level & there's no ticking pump. All the bits for my install £700 plus £99 for the optional modem. I got the more advanced controller which, I think, added £34 to the price. It's plumbed straight into the main fuel tank.

The various settings seem sensible. A timer can be set. The temperature trigger can be at the heater, controller or (optional) external sensor. The unit can be set so that the fan stops when the cabin temp is achieved or it continues circulating air.

Heating test. Ambient temp 7°C at start, 6° C at end. Temp measured at sensor in controller in mid cabin. Set to achieve max of 20°C.
1st 10 mins (inc start up) 7° to 11°
2nd 10 mins 11°C to 14°C
3rd 10 mins 14°C to 16°C
4th 10 mins maintained at 16°C
5th 10 mins 16° to 17°C
6th 10mins 17° to 18°C

It feels warmer than the test figures suggest which could be due to the location of the thermometer on the control panel. Even after 10mins, the boat started to feel pleasantly warm.

As a birthday present to myself, I also got the remote modem so I can start the heater whilst in bed at home (or on the boat)! You can also get a remote battery reading which is handy.

It's an interesting price point between the cheap Chinese copies and the Ebspacher/Webastos. Or, if you want lovely but expensive, the Wallas. It makes pottering on the boat in the winter much more pleasant.

No connection with Planar etc.

 

[pessimist]

That's interesting. I think I need to replace my Ebersputter and have been considering the Cinaspachers. I already have exhaust fittings, ducting etc. so need only the unit and the controller. How much were the "bits" as opposed to the heater itself. I wonder just how much better manufactured the Planar units are than the "no names".

 

[Bristolfashion]

That's interesting. I think I need to replace my Ebersputter and have been considering the Cinaspachers. I already have exhaust fittings, ducting etc. so need only the unit and the controller. How much were the "bits" as opposed to the heater itself. I wonder just how much better manufactured the Planar units are than the "no names".

The Planar website gives the price of all the individual components. I suspect that the planars are subject to better manufacturing controls - they also have dealer / installer support in the UK. I'd happily use a Chinese heater on a shed, but not on a boat - imho of course. The previous owners had a Wallas which they liked.

 

[steve123]

Interesting thanks. Thinking of one for my S32. Did you get the 2 or 4 Kw version?

 

[Bristolfashion]

Interesting thanks. Thinking of one for my S32. Did you get the 2 or 4 Kw version?

2kw for my S29. Single vent.

 

[Poey50]

2kw for my S29. Single vent.

I have the 2kw on our Sadler 32. Very toasty. Excellent kit.

 

[oldgit]

Planar a simple fit to existing any Eber system via adaptor for warm air outlet

 

[dje67]

I fitted a 4kW Planar in place of my Eber D3L. It was pretty easy to fit - all cables and fuel lines come with the kit. The hardest part was feeding cables with connectors from the stern through to the main cabin, but that job would have been a bit of a pain with any new heater. 4kW is a fantastic upgrade to the 3kW I had - 36cc Bene is toasty warm in 10s of minutes from single-digit starting temperatures in Scotland! I did have to upgrade a couple of sections of ducting to 90mm as the Planar had a tenancy to cutot on overheat at first. The heater was marginally larger than the D3L but fitted in exactly the same location and used the old exhaust route. The 7day timer is great (once you get used to it).

The only negative I've got to offer is that once the boat is warm, the heater modulates back (which is great) but it seems to become a bit sooty at the exhaust (which is not so great) when run for long periods of time on low-fire. I get some soot/carbon deposits on the transom occasionally. Not sure if this is normal, but it is a bit annoying. I've made sure that the combustion air supply is not restricted at all, so I think it just runs a little too rich.

That aside, it seems well made and has never yet failed to start, even when almost zero degrees outside and when the boat batteries are a bit depleted.

 

[fredrussell]

With the Planar ones, can you set the heater pump rate? One of the nice things about my Chinaspacher is that you can control heat output by setting pump rate. The eberspacher D2 in my camper will not do this. If you’re low on battery it’s an annoyance, as every time heater kicks in when temp drops, the glow plug is powered up again.

 

[Poey50]

Better to have a 2kw Planar run hard than a 4kw that runs low.

 

[HTS]

fitted a 2kW Planar after several second hand ebers and cannot believe how simple they are and how much heat they give out. What's even more important in an old boat is that its dry heat. I only have the PU5 controller without a remote sensor and I'm sorry I did not get at least a remote sensor.
support from Planar with questions about fitting was top class. I reckon these are a really good compromise between the China heaters and the gold plated versions.

 

[Minchsailor]

With the Planar ones, can you set the heater pump rate? One of the nice things about my Chinaspacher is that you can control heat output by setting pump rate. The eberspacher D2 in my camper will not do this. If you’re low on battery it’s an annoyance, as every time heater kicks in when temp drops, the glow plug is powered up again.

I replaced an Eber 4 with a Planar 4 a couple of years ago. Frankly, I think it knocks the spots off the Eber. Runs far quieter, and I have the impression it uses less leccy.

Extremely good at running at low power - which the Eber didn't like at all. In answer to you comment - no it doesn't power down; it just sits there ticking over and providing background heat.

 

[ibbo]

The planar definately runs quieter than the eber's neighbours use. Std exhaust as supplied.

 

[fredrussell]

fitted a 2kW PWhat's even more important in an old boat is that its dry heat...

I think that’s only true if your heated air is pulled from outside the boat. With all blown air heaters if the warm air is taken from inside boat you’re just recycling moist air. Obviously, if your heater is mounted in a locker this will not be the case.

With something like a Taylor’s 079 diesel heater, moist cabin air is sucked up the chimney (via combustion chamber) and fresh drier air is pulled into cabin from outside. Cabin air is not recycled.

 

[Chae_73]

fitted a 2kW Planar after several second hand ebers and cannot believe how simple they are and how much heat they give out. What's even more important in an old boat is that its dry heat. I only have the PU5 controller without a remote sensor and I'm sorry I did not get at least a remote sensor.
support from Planar with questions about fitting was top class. I reckon these are a really good compromise between the China heaters and the gold plated versions.

Could I ask what size of boat? Hoping to put one in our 33' Westerly, so interested if 2kw will be adequate.

 

[Poey50]

Could I ask what size of boat? Hoping to put one in our 33' Westerly, so interested if 2kw will be adequate.

I first fitted a 4kw Planar to our Sadler 32 in place of a long-dead Eber but using the existing vent tubes. These proved a little too small and the unit overheated unless the conditions were very cold. I then swapped it for a 2kw Planar but was unsure if it would be sufficient. To start with I was a little disappointed but when I insulated all of the vent tubes and reduced it to a single output in the cabin, then it has been more than sufficient. I followed the advice of Owen Cox, the supplier, and re-circulated the air in the cabin. Since we always have some fresh air flow this had not proved to be a particular problem in terms of condensation. With this set-up we can run it for hours at low heat and it is quiet and economical. In some cold October nights recently it was too warm and we left it off for a couple of hours. After a period of quiet running I always run it hard next time to keep the soot down - which is what is needed anyway to bring the boat up to temperature. I also give it a good blast once per month as a maintenance task - including the summer. The cost difference to the 4 kw is quite modest but the danger of the larger unit is that unless you need the extra heat you may have additional problems with soot.

 

[wully1]

Could I ask what size of boat? Hoping to put one in our 33' Westerly, so interested if 2kw will be adequate.

Im fitting a 4 kw to my Storm.

 

[HTS]

Could I ask what size of boat? Hoping to put one in our 33' Westerly, so interested if 2kw will be adequate.

30ft hustler. Its small enough by comparison but a friend has one on a larger Moody with two outlets. (one in the aft state room and one in the main cabin) He runs it at full all the time and it is easily adequate.

 

[Leighb]

I fitted a 4kw to our 30ft Storebro Biscay, 3 outlets one in the wheelhouse and two down below. It warms it all up quite quickly and maintains a nice temperature. The volume of the spaces is a lot greater than on a similar size sailing boat, but it does very well, certainly no overheating.

 

[Rappey]

My friends moody 35 gets hot in no time and even on min it gets too hot inside the boat (mikuni) so what power needed has to be down to how well insulated the boat is as my 33ft takes forever to heat with a 5kw..