Taylor's 079d heater- leave on?

[TonyBuckley]

I have a Taylor's heater - diesel.

It takes time to light and warm the space.

It takes time to die and cool.

What are the thoughts re risk in leaving it unattended on a low setting while away?

I could do a poll from utterly stupid to no problem but interested in views with comments.

Tony

 

[NormanS]

As no-one has replied.
I had two in a previous boat, and didn't particularly like them. One was much more dependable than the other. Almost certainly my own fault, because one had its tank just above the level of the heater, and it was OK. The other had its tank much higher than the heater, and consequently was more difficult to adjust the drip feed. I never trusted them to be left on with nobody aboard, but if you run yours, you will soon see how dependable it is.

 

[Hadenough]

As no-one has replied.
I had two in a previous boat, and didn't particularly like them. One was much more dependable than the other. Almost certainly my own fault, because one had its tank just above the level of the heater, and it was OK. The other had its tank much higher than the heater, and consequently was more difficult to adjust the drip feed. I never trusted them to be left on with nobody aboard, but if you run yours, you will soon see how dependable it is.

That's odd because the recommended head is 400mm so the one with the higher tank should be more reliable FWIW I converted mine to pump feed and it is now far more reliable. Also found that not running on too low a setting and giving it a good blast to clean the burner pot regularly paid dividends. To answer the OP I would never leave mine running unattended. The flame failure only operates to cut off the fuel supply if the flame goes out, there is nothing to safeguard a flare up.

 

[spycatcher]

Hi,

i have just bought a taylor paraffin heater

i've just been and bought some paraffin for it and it was £8 for 4ltrs, heavens i remember when it was 2/6 a gallon

i'm sure i read somewhere on this forum that i could just as easily use deisel to run it

would that be correct or have i been dreaming

cheers

 

[BAtoo]

Read the small print on your insurance first.......

 

[KenMcCulloch]

I have a Taylor's heater - diesel.

It takes time to light and warm the space.

It takes time to die and cool.

What are the thoughts re risk in leaving it unattended on a low setting while away?

I could do a poll from utterly stupid to no problem but interested in views with comments.

Tony

The risk is probably quite low but I would not even consider leaving a boat unattended with anything (gas, diesel, paraffin, charcoal....) lit.

 

[ffiill]

Hi,

i have just bought a taylor paraffin heater

i've just been and bought some paraffin for it and it was £8 for 4ltrs, heavens i remember when it was 2/6 a gallon

i'm sure i read somewhere on this forum that i could just as easily use deisel to run it

would that be correct or have i been dreaming

cheers

If you buy it from the wholsale supplier who used to be just up above Rothesay Castle near the Garage its 70p a litre and certainly when I lived there he sold it by the 5 gallons.

 

[TonyBuckley]

Thanks to those that posted.

This is a new (old) boat and not had a taylors before. Stripped it down and cleaned it and it reliably lights and warms. But it takes a good 20 mins if not 30 for flames/glow to totally extinguish on shutting down the fuel supply. Even popping to the marina bogs leaves me a little stressed while she is burning. As with engines, confidence comes with hours of viewing and running.

And it takes about an hour to get the cabin (when freshly lit) to a decent temp, hence my question about turning her low and leaving.

I have to admit I don't like the idea of leaving the boat unattended with diesel burning! Just interested in others opinions.

And I don't think the magnetic release (I think I've read it is called that) is working, it flows fuel even when cold.

Tony

 

[ffiill]

I used to have a Taylors parafin-pressurised primus style where you have to preheat to get it going and if parafin doesnt vapourise it can drip into the preheat tray and flare up the outside of the stove-not to be reccomended.The liquid parafin is fed through a pipe which itself is heated by the stove once running causing it to vapourise;is fed through a jet primus or gas stove style into a burner with holes in it.
On the other hand understood that the diesel stove is drip fed and sealed other than an air intake and flue . These stoves along with Reflex ;Dickinsons et al work on the principal of a steady drip of fuel landing in a red hot usually cast iron tray vapourising and igniting. The tray being preheated with either meths;firelighters or paper.
Just in middle of making one of these.

 

[TonyBuckley]

Yes mine is diesel drip feed - not pressurised.

It needs preheating for two mins with 20ml of meths. Air intake is the via small holes around the burner pot and a vent at the bottom. Two drips per second is the recommended max feed. Previous owner only used once and he said he caused massive black clouds across the marina as he had it turned up way too much. It was coked to death!

It works well with the 'chimney' pipe in cabin getting very hot after an hour. The deck mount becomes just warm.

Someone here recommended a 12v slow fan to help distribute the heat but with the hatch closed it seems to be very good. My previous boat had a diesel hot air blown heater which was quicker to heat the cabin but noisy and drained (1/2 Amp) the batteries. I haven't decided which I prefer yet.

But I do love boat heaters - makes the world of difference with a glass of wine and radio 3 - perfect world.

 

[alahol2]

Hi,

i have just bought a taylor paraffin heater

i've just been and bought some paraffin for it and it was £8 for 4ltrs, heavens i remember when it was 2/6 a gallon

i'm sure i read somewhere on this forum that i could just as easily use deisel to run it

would that be correct or have i been dreaming

cheers

If it's the primus stove type then no, you can't run it on diesel. And never leave it unattended. I once did for half hour, one of the galleries split and it started burning raw paraffin. By the time I returned the cabin was full of smoke and everything, everything, was covered in an oily black layer of soot. Took weeks to clean up.

 

[dovekie]

Another vote for NOT leaving unattended. We have one, and use it frequently. Gravity fed, drip, diesel, tank 440mm above burner. As a rule of thumb, we check the drip rate after 1 minute, 2 minutes, 4 minutes, 8, 16 30 and then every 30 minutes. It often needs adjusting. It has the merit of simplicity, no electrics, and no moving parts. But I too would not leave unattended.

 

[Blueboatman]

At least the 079d has a thrupenny bit secondary casing.

Mine I have used an awful lot over the three winters since installed. Pumped fuel makes a tiny click which ' tells me' as it pulses what the fuel burn rate is audibly.. Quite handy

I'm fraid that I regularly leave it on for weeks on end. And accept the insurance neys.. Turn it up in the morn g and down at night. I have a smoke detector and ca/monoxide detector and ample thru ventilation but the key IMO is a really good above deck flue set up free of downdraughts and back eddies, and the pumped fuel supply which evens out the supply pressure/drip rate..and it's worth decoking the chimney and stove body occasionally

 

[Hadenough]

At least the 079d has a thrupenny bit secondary casing.

Mine I have used an awful lot over the three winters since installed. Pumped fuel makes a tiny click which ' tells me' as it pulses what the fuel burn rate is audibly.. Quite handy

but the key IMO is a really good above deck flue set up free of downdraughts and back eddies, and the pumped fuel supply which evens out the supply pressure/drip rate..and it's worth decoking the chimney and stove body occasionally

Go along with all of that. When I refitted ours I installed a pumped supply which is far more reliable than gravity, the power consumption is so low to be not even worth thinking about. What really made the difference with our set up though was extending and insulating the outer flue. I put 1m of stainless steel pipe inside a 100mm plastic drain pipe and filled the void with fire resistant foam. Whole lot sits on the through deck fitting. Flue gets warm much quicker which speeds up lighting and improves the draught.

 

[TonyBuckley]

Had it on for a few hours this morning.

And yes, the drip rate needed to be adjusted every half hour. Especially as the cabin initially heated and the diesel thinned.

Very cosy but as the OP I wouldn't be happy to leave unattended with the baby sitting required. I've got quite good at lighting now - at first it was a pain but I have become proficient and got used to it.

 

[Blueboatman]

Go along with all of that. When I refitted ours I installed a pumped supply which is far more reliable than gravity, the power consumption is so low to be not even worth thinking about. What really made the difference with our set up though was extending and insulating the outer flue. I put 1m of stainless steel pipe inside a 100mm plastic drain pipe and filled the void with fire resistant foam. Whole lot sits on the through deck fitting. Flue gets warm much quicker which speeds up lighting and improves the draught.

That sounds remarkably like my above-deck flue, great isn't it?

Although I have also a lower flue for sailing that clears the boom and one day I will make a H pattern 'superior' top for that too...

Perhaps I should add for the possible benefit of the OP that 'key' is to get a nice blue flame, irrespective of drip rate. Smoky yellow indicates poor burning and 'draw'..

It is wonderful at anchor to be independent of battery capacity whilst staying warm..Tho those who own them do swear that the Reflex heater is a superior piece of kit again for serious, continuous usage...

 

[TonyBuckley]

Perhaps I should add for the possible benefit of the OP that 'key' is to get a nice blue flame, irrespective of drip rate.

Blue flames? On diesel? Everything I have read says flames should be warm yellow and that is what I get? And yes some smoke but very little and only when drips go above 2 a second hence the baby sitting.

I'm confused now lol.

 

[Heckler]

Hi,

i have just bought a taylor paraffin heater

i've just been and bought some paraffin for it and it was £8 for 4ltrs, heavens i remember when it was 2/6 a gallon

i'm sure i read somewhere on this forum that i could just as easily use deisel to run it

would that be correct or have i been dreaming

cheers

The local garage sells "kerosene" from a road pump! Its 63.5 p a ltr. It is, I suspect, 28sec heating oil, it smells like it, my eber loves it! So do I at 63.5 p!
I suspect that your heater will run fine on it. I also suspect that the "paraffin" you bought is in fact 28sec oil!
Stu

 

[chinita]

And yes, the drip rate needed to be adjusted every half hour.

I don't think it should need that degree of attention. I would seek help.

Ours takes 20ml of meths, valve opened after about 2 minutes, yellow flame immediately, and adjusted to about two drips per second, throws out buckets of heat and shuts down as soon as we close the header tank valve.

I, too, would be reluctant to leave unattended but - funnily enough - last night SWMBO forgot to switch it off when she joined me in bed and we are still here to tell the tale.

 

[Blueboatman]

Blue flames? On diesel? Everything I have read says flames should be warm yellow and that is what I get? And yes some smoke but very little and only when drips go above 2 a second hence the baby sitting.

I'm confused now lol.

No need to be confused..
Here from the manufactures instructions page 1: NOTE: Please remember diesel is a light heavy oil and will burn slightly more yellow than blue.
I would say that you should see blue( alright blue and yellow), thru a smoke free clear inspection window and the flame should be a column of little flames emitting g from the central 'burner' tube.

Important to be clear and not mislead, my error.