Taylors paraffin heaters - any good?

[CLB]

On one of my many flirtations with going from Mobo to sail, I looked at a yacht over the weekend that was fitted with a Taylors (65 I think) paraffin heater. Having never even seen one before, I have no idea how they work, or if they are any good. What's the forum's view on these things. Great bits of kit, or rip it out and install an Eberwasto?

Cheers

 

[Cockaigne]

I've had one for years. It's fine. Produces a lot of heat and there's little to go wrong with it.

 

[ghostlymoron]

I've never had one but some on here swear by them and some swear at them. It seems to depend on whether you like traditional or convenient.

 

[Tranona]

If the burner is kept in good nick and it is fed with clean fuel should be very reliable. I have a Paraffin Victory heater which is a simplified version but still using a Primus type burner and a proper Taylors cooker. Both excellent.

However not comparable with a blown hot air heater. The heat is more localised, although will heat an open plan layout effectively. They produce dry heat and aid ventilation so make the saloon, where they are usually located very cosy. Some people though don't like the smell and potential mess of paraffin. On my boat the tank is outside the accommodation and the potential mess is easily avoided by careful handling and getting the ignition process right.

 

[hpeer]

Depends on size of boat and how much heat you want. The burners can be fiddley but you have great resources for parts in BaseCamp and Spares. There are some new burners now available from BaseCamp that work really well.

For our 33’ boat one of these heaters does well down to about 10°C. Below that and for overnight I kick on the ebershauer D-4 unit.

 

[Jim@sea]

Because I can get red diesel quite cheaply and red diesel is very similar to paraffin can these Taylor heaters be run on diesel as I find that paraffin is twice the price.

 

[CLB]

Because I can get red diesel quite cheaply and red diesel is very similar to paraffin can these Taylor heaters be run on diesel as I find that paraffin is twice the price.

Paraffin is heating oil, is it not? Heating oil, other wise known as 28second, is actually cheaper than diesel.

 

[Kelpie]

They won't like diesel, but heating oil is fine.