Plastimo MINI catalytic heaters.

[jimbouy]

Any one have any experience of one of these.

I'm considering it as a simple way of adding some heating.

Jim

<hr width=100% size=1> "It is a pleasure to give advice, humiliating to need it, normal to ignore it"

 

[AuntyRinum]

Yes, I had one on my last boat. Quite effective. If you buy one get it from a caravan shop. When I bought they were half the price that the chandlers were charging.

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[LooLah]

This sounds like a possible winter warmer for me. Does anyone know how much they cost ?

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[Guest]

Vent / flue ??

When you had it - did it need a vent or flue to duct away fumes / gases ??

I looked at some in Caravan shop some time ago and - yes they were cheaper - if I remember rightly about 69 quid, than the Plastimo one at something like 99 quid - but they had labels on warning that adequate ventilation had to be provided ......

What did you do with yours and did it need a vent kit ?


<hr width=100% size=1>Cheers Nigel http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gps-navigator/ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/searider/

 

[copterdoctor]

Re: Vent / flue ??

Sounds like a good deal to me. What is "Adequate ventilation" I have never found an air tight boat!

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[doug748]

You must have ventilation. I have one in the garage if anyone is interested. Plastimo Minicat, very little used. 30 quid + postage? Brian.

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[jackho]

I'm sure I have seen a thread that discussed these - most of the issues from memory, related to insurance problems associated with this type of heater and were mostly negative especially where surveys were involved.
Hope this comment is not being negative but intended to be constructive.

Jackho


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[Vara]

Major problem with these heaters is that they bung out loads of water as a product of combustion, to get rid of this you have to ventilate the boat to such an extent that the heating effect is somewhat lowered, they also pump out most of their heat as radiation which means the heating is limited to line of sight.
Many years ago I had one on a 25 footer better than nothing but not a lot.

<hr width=100% size=1>If it can't be fixed with a lump hammer dont fit it!

 

[Modulation]

I had one a couple of boats ago. They do heat up the interior pretty fast and if that is the issue , well ok. However they chuck out lots of water vapour so everything feels damp afterwards. Can you put up with that? Idid - just about - but would not regard them as a long-term answer. Ventilation is the answer but you lose the very thing you want - heat!
On balance, I'd go for a 2nd hand Eberspacher from Ebay.

<hr width=100% size=1>Brendan

 

[PIGLETSDREAM]

We had to take ours out as it was brought up on the survey as being non-vented and the insurance made that a stipulation before cover was issued. As we have the luxury of mains I use a fan heater but are in the process of sourcing an eberspacher. Pieces of Eight sell re-conditioned units with guarantee, contact Tony Sheridan 01732 840582. They are at all the boat jumbles. The make up exhaust units and sell as a complete package. There are others who sell re-con units, but this guy spent time explaining and not trying to sell.

<hr width=100% size=1>Must go, Matron is coming

 

[AuntyRinum]

Re: Vent / flue ??

I just screwed it to a bulkhead and ran a gas supply to it. No vent, I just kept airflow through the boat. I'm no expert on this and don't take anything I say as a safe option. I always felt uneasy about the possibility of fumes but never had a problem.

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[Joe]

Re: Vent / flue ??

Although they seem the cheap solution to a problem, They tend to create more problems than they are worth.
They have long been considered dangerous by surveyors and i personally take them out whenever i come accross them.
They give off carbon monoxide and water vapour as by-products, straight into the space they are heating.
They also need large quantities of air for combustion. They can literally suck all the air from a cabin space in just a few hours.
Dont ever go to sleep with one burning!
When they start to get old they can start to burn incorrectly and become bad news indeed.
I dont consider them suitable as boat heaters at all.
Try and get a correctly flued heater of some sort.
Cheers
Joe


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[JohnL]

Re: Vent / flue ??

Just a thought Joe. What do surveyors think about gas cookers? regarding ventilation, 2-4 burners + oven, open flames,catalitic heaters are supposed to burn without flame so less carbon monoxide well thats the sales pitch.

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[Stemar]

Re: Vent / flue ??

The catalyst allows combustion to take place at a lower temperature, so no flame, and less likelyhood of it setting fire to anything, but it's not unheard of.

It doesn't matter how you burn it, if there's enough oxygen you'll get CO2 and water. If there's a shortage of oxygen, you'll get a mix of CO2 and CO, and if you're lucky you won't wake up dead.

I think you'll find that all modern heaters have a gizmo that senses the level of oxgen and turns the gas off if it drops too low, but they can fail. If your heater gives you a headache after its been burning for a while, and makes you dozy, or if it's sooty and has yellow flames, find at least 10m of water and float test it NOW.

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