Running water-filled radiators off a water-heater/califorier??

sorry finger trouble!!

I meant to say it will heat the domestic water as well but it needs a bit of a boost for a hot shower.
My boiler, 10litres - 112euros - around £100 all in, thermostat, controls etc. included.
 
Gordonmc said:
I have abandoned the idea of using radiators as I haven't found anything suitable for my boat.
I have an Eberspacher D5W set up in the garage at the moment on test. The plan is to heat the calorifier which is already installed and a fan driven heat exchanger (I do like the look of the mini version but I have already bought a larger version).
The exchanger would provide forced hot air to the aft cabin and heads. The saloon has a drip-feed Taylors which is sufficient for the main space and forecabin.
I will not plumb the engine to the system as experience suggests I need warmth when at anchor or on the mooring.
I could be swayed back to radiators if I could find something suitable.
Click to expand...

We have a very similar set up. D5W feeding a 22l cylinder under the sink, in parallel with the mini -fan operated heat exchanger, under the chart table seat. We get plenty of warm air after about 5 minutes, and hot water after maybe 30 minutes.
We originally had push fit plumbing, with joints / tees etc all over the place. They tended to leak a bit. I replaced the lot with decent car heater hose (with insulation round it) Vastly fewer connections involved - simple worm drive clamps. I keep the system dosed with anti-freeze.
My reluctance to use plate radiators is down to finding somewhere to put them, weight and the increase in water volume -and unplanned losses of heat due to more pipe work.. We have a direct cooled Yanmar so can't readily use the waste heat. You would need to get into the realms of another heat exchanger - or find somebody to build you radiators in a material that would cope with hot salt water £:eek: £:eek:
It hinges a lot on your engine - and how much you use it.
Otherwise a D5W - or new equivalent ain't a bad bet.

Graeme
 
vyv_cox said:
An alternative is to heat with an Eberspacher Hydronic unit. Many are fitted to cars, trucks and motor caravans and they often appear on Ebay very reasonably. The 5 kW unit is compact, comprising the fuel pump, burner and water pump. They can be combined with small domestic radiators but I propose buying a couple of these very compact heaters.
Click to expand...
Hi all, interesting posts! I have an Eberspacher air blower system on my Trapper 700 but when I had it serviced recently I was told that the heat exchanger was warped and I will have to buy new. More than £1500! I had also been condidering fitting a calorifier to my MD11C volvo engine which has a fresh water conversion. My new plan is to fit a calorifier and run one rad or maybe the dinky device recommended by Vyv to give some cabin heating. If this was insufficient to keep the cabin warm into the evening I could maybe incorporate an eberspacher hydronic system into the circuit. Sound like a reasonable plan?Advice gratefully accepted.
 
I'm trying to come to a similar conclusion with our new little motorsailer. I suspect that the amount of hot water in a calorifier will not run a heating system without the engine running for more than about 15 minutes. Trying to combine everything into a single system without a twin coil calorifier is going to be complicated so I have decided to run a small calorifier, one of the ex Post Office ones of about 7 litres, for domestic water and the Hydronic with radiators for heating. This will run off a separate tank with white diesel, or even paraffin, which seems to be better for the heater.
 
Hi Vyv, you are a useful person to know! Can you tell me any more about the ex PO calorifiers? I am needing to get an oblong calorifier one of not more than 15 litres to fit under my galley sink, max width 10".
 
domfoy said:
Hi Vyv, you are a useful person to know! Can you tell me any more about the ex PO calorifiers? I am needing to get an oblong calorifier one of not more than 15 litres to fit under my galley sink, max width 10".
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They turn up on ebay occasionally... their purpose was to supply enough hot water for hand-washing etc.
BTW, what model Eberspacher do you have? If its a D1LC then I have a heat exchanger sitting in the garage you could have to replace your warped one.
 
I bought a Gallay unit off Ebay, but it's 24v and the motor to convert to 12v is £62+Vat. :( I'm interested in the control valve and fan control. I'm fitting a Eber Hydronic, with calorifier, the Gallay unit in the focsle, and rads in the saloon and aft cabin
 
Hi Gordon, my warped model is an Eberspacher D3L 12v type 25 1640. So sadly not the same model as yours, thanks so much for your help though.

Regards
 
HI Vyv

just beaten in bidding for that calorifier, oh no! Did you say you might have a spare one? Would you consider selling it to me?

Regards
 
vyv_cox said:
An alternative is to heat with an Eberspacher Hydronic unit. Many are fitted to cars, trucks and motor caravans and they often appear on Ebay very reasonably. The 5 kW unit is compact, comprising the fuel pump, burner and water pump. They can be combined with small domestic radiators but I propose buying a couple of these very compact heaters.
Click to expand...

Those people also offer very well priced hot air ducting as well.
 
Have come to conclusion that I need to have a heater that doesn't depend on having a hot engine to keep us warm. I will therefore aim to fit a calorifier and +/- a dinky blown air rad as recommended by Vyv but will get a second hand / refurbed Eberspacher to replace my u/s one. Main agents for Eber are very sniffy about second hand units as one might expect. There seem to be plenty of 24v units on ebay but not so many 12v. Could run a 24v by having batteries in series or get a step up transformer. Any thoughts anyone?

Cheers
 
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