Solid fuel (charcoal) heater location

[Tim O]

im toying with the idea of a charcoal heater (e.g. Hampshire) on my liveaboard Colvic Countess 33 k
etch......but the only available space on a bulkhead would put it above the dining table in the saloon.

there is a space of 104cm between table surface and tongue and groove ceiling.....a Hampshire is 45cm tall plus flue....i imagine suitable clearance underneath of say 10-15cm would be needed, plus heat shielding on table surface and bulkhead.

also, the flue through deck would emerge within about 30cm of the mast which is deck stepped i believe. is that wise introducing a potential weakness in that area?

any thoughts welcome

 

[Tranona]

Think you will find that you need a much longer flue to create the necessary draw. Solid fuel stoves are usually mounted at floor level, not on bulkheads. Diesel or paraffin stoves such as Taylors or Dincinsols can be bulkhead mounted in the sort of position you suggest. However, they are not particularly effective in heating the boat in that position. I have a paraffin heater mounted like that and suffer from burned face and frozen toes!

For proper effective heating in a boat like yours best to go the hot air route Then you can selectively heat the whole boat rather than have a localised hot spot.

 

[Tim O]

yes i wondered about the draw.....

the other option would be to put it under the table, with a hole cut through the table and heat shield on underside.....that way i'd have toasty toes, or burnt toes, and a frozen face.....but you don't get they joy of looking at a nice
shiny thing
i do have an eberspacher d2 but a, its not working currently and b. the two outlets are in he fore and aft cabin nit the saloon!

 

[Tim O]

actually....just checked and Hampshire say you can have minimum flue length of 30cm according to their installation guide online

 

[Kukri]

As a working rule, get the stove as low down as you can. There is the question of flue length - the longer the better - but there is also the point that hot air rises, so if you mount the stove high it will only warm the air at the top of the cabin and you - or your feet, depending on how low you get the stove - will be sitting in a pool of cold air.

 

[neil_s]

It's also best to have the stove as far aft as possible - the natural flow of air through the boat being forwards.

 

[JumbleDuck]

im toying with the idea of a charcoal heater (e.g. Hampshire) on my liveaboard Colvic Countess 33 k
etch......but the only available space on a bulkhead would put it above the dining table in the saloon.

there is a space of 104cm between table surface and tongue and groove ceiling.....a Hampshire is 45cm tall plus flue....i imagine suitable clearance underneath of say 10-15cm would be needed, plus heat shielding on table surface and bulkhead.

also, the flue through deck would emerge within about 30cm of the mast which is deck stepped i believe. is that wise introducing a potential weakness in that area?

I have a Hampshire heater on my boat. I'll happily send you some pictures, but won't be there till next weekend to take them.

I don't have a table under mine, but I do have a bunk. The heater sits more or less midway between bunk and ceiling. The bulkhead behind it has a sheet of 1.5mm (I think) mirror finish stainless with 12mm silicate insulation behind that, and even with the heater going full belt the other side of the bulkhead gets no more than slightly warm. The minimum length of flue includes the bit above deck, and I think you can have a bit longer than standard there if necessary. From memory mine is more or less their minimum, overall, and draws beautifully.

 

[Tim O]

I have a Hampshire heater on my boat. I'll happily send you some pictures, but won't be there till next weekend to take them.

I don't have a table under mine, but I do have a bunk. The heater sits more or less midway between bunk and ceiling. The bulkhead behind it has a sheet of 1.5mm (I think) mirror finish stainless with 12mm silicate insulation behind that, and even with the heater going full belt the other side of the bulkhead gets no more than slightly warm. The minimum length of flue includes the bit above deck, and I think you can have a bit longer than standard there if necessary. From memory mine is more or less their minimum, overall, and draws beautifully.

thats good to hear....pictures would be good but only if its no trouble.....its a bit academic for now anyway as the one i was watching on ebay just sold, and the new price of one is just a wishful dream sadly.....but good things come he who waits

 

[Andibs]

I have a Bengco heater on my boat, situated on the bulkhead between the table top and the seating. It throws out great heat but my feet are usually cold.I read somewhere about a chap who had fitted the little fan from a PC to circulate the warm air. I'm going to try it with a little battery operated one first.

My flue has been offset with a slight elbow before it exits the cabin roof, which brings the outer flue well clear of the mast.

Andy

 

[Tim O]

I have a Bengco heater on my boat, situated on the bulkhead between the table top and the seating. It throws out great heat but my feet are usually cold.I read somewhere about a chap who had fitted the little fan from a PC to circulate the warm air. I'm going to try it with a little battery operated one first.

My flue has been offset with a slight elbow before it exits the cabin roof, which brings the outer flue well clear of the mast.

Andy

Bengcos look fab....but not made anymore and rare as hen's teeth?.....an Eco-fan is what you need for shifting the warm air around.....though pricey http://www.ecofan.co.uk/

 

[JumbleDuck]

Bengcos look fab....but not made anymore and rare as hen's teeth?.....an Eco-fan is what you need for shifting the warm air around.....though pricey http://www.ecofan.co.uk/

We've discussed these recently on another thread. As I recall, the units in them might be good for a watt, if you're lucky. That doesn't push much air around. I have one on the stove at home, and my crew, who is of a scientific bent, has not been able to detect any airflow at all from it. Pretty, though.

 

[sarabande]

The only practical benefit of a thermo-electric fan, is err, nothing. You can't extract heat from a stoveto send a fan rushing round without losing some of the stove's output.


Their website is hilarious.

"The Ecofan 810 generates up to 125 Cubic Feet (of Air) per Minute."

That would be more than enough creativity to power the continued expansion of the universe for aeons.

 

[JumbleDuck]

The only practical benefit of a thermo-electric fan, is err, nothing. You can't extract heat from a stoveto send a fan rushing round without losing some of the stove's output.

Well sort of. Any kinetic energy transferred to the air will turn back to heat in due course.

"The Ecofan 810 generates up to 125 Cubic Feet (of Air) per Minute."

Hmm. As I recollect, power = volumetric flow rate x pressure differential. I reckon these things have one watt to play with, they claim 125 cu ft/min which is 0.06 m³/s, so that's a pressure difference of 17Pa or 0.17mbar. Whoop-de-flippin-do. Hold on to your hats.

 

[Tim O]

I stand corrected! I thought they just stirred the air up a bit!!

 

[JumbleDuck]

I stand corrected! I thought they just stirred the air up a bit!!

They do look nice. I like mine for that alone.