What size bar-heater for 24/7 slow warmth ashore 27ft yacht?

[Babylon]

I want to provide warmth whilst the boat is ashore and empty to aid the dehumidifier's work in deep-drying the interior over a period of a couple of months for the remainder of winter. The cabin will be sealed from excess ventilation so the drying can be more efficient.

What size (in watts) bar heater should I use? 40W? 80W? Double this?

Thanks in advance.

 

[sailorman]

Bar heater ???
Try a convector heater
http://cpc.farnell.com/_/ch11/convector-heater/dp/HG00746

i also use one of these set @ 5deg + my Ebac dehumidifier
http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/SMET05.html?utm_source=froogle

 

[Matt341]

I use a 40watt tube heater to help stop the engine from freezing over the Winter as it's the largest physical size I can get away with. In reality this would be no where near powerful enough to aid a compressor style dehumidifier in very cold weather unless it was literally inches away from the dehumidifier. I can put my hand around 5 inches above the tube heater and stop feeling any heat from it.

As Sailorman suggest above, if you want to have a noticeable constant heat then you will need something like a convector heater or small oil filled radiator. I have a mini oil filled radiator which uses around 700w and is ideal as a low heat for the saloon. The combination of a compressor dehumidifier paired with a 700w oil filled radiator would use just under 1kw. I changed my setup this winter and bought a Dessicant dehumidifier which uses around 600w on full setting (Meaco DD8) but also emits a reasonable amount of heat so doesn't require a separate source of heat for it to efficiently work. Therefore, I just have the dehumidifier now and a 40w tube heater for the engine. Power consumption is reduced without the oil filled radiator and the dessicant dehumidifer extracts a much higher rate of moisture than the old compressor style so is doing better for the job intended.

 

[Fendant]

I am using a ceramic heater Ecomat 2000, which can be set as low as 450 Watts and has a thermostat.
I think this is safer than a bar heater. In season I can switch up to 750 Watts or even 2000 W to heat the cabin

http://www.ecomat2000.com/ch/produkte_plus.html

 

[parbuckle]

I use a small oil filled panel rad that I set at 500 watts together with a cheap timer plug I have it more on at night and early morning total approx 8 hrs/day so 4 units/day.

 

[KevB]

You could buy Desiccant dehumidifier and not worry about a heater?

 

[Stemar]

You could buy Desiccant dehumidifier and not worry about a heater?

+1

Our dessicant-type dehumidifier warms our 5m by 2.5m conservatory very nicely when we run it.

 

[Babylon]

Thanks for all the advice.

My electricity is free ashore, and I already have a compressor dehumidifier for the boat, so I'll just buy a budget oil-filled radiator of 500-750W and set it on low 24/7 to aid the drying.