Will diesel heater skin fitting be below water line when heeling?

scottie said:
Somewhere in my dim dark memory I seem to recall such a setup so maybe not “garbage” but would not like it
Click to expand...

'Fresh air' intake as part of the exhaust fitting? !!

Just maybe, for a water unit with the sole destination of the air intake being the burner? I'd even doubt that though.
 
Last edited:
Crinan12 said:
I really don't see us being in marinas much and if we did we could just use our wee electric heater
Yeah I could out the heater further back but I really want to avoid that, i find there is so much heat loss with the longer run
Thankfully no mistake made yet - no holes have been drilled !
I'll have another look when next at boat and see what's best
Click to expand...

I'd go for the transom.
You may not see the need to go into a marina, the next owner of your boat may want to though.
A squall can easily knock any boat on its side - and with the exhaust elbow where you plan to put it water can get in.
 
Crinan12 said:
It's a seamaster 925
Only 150 or so made ( I think that's means they ar3 quite rare?)
Click to expand...

Congratulations on your excellent choice of boat. I've had the toe rail of my Seamaster 925 under water, probably a bit forward of the pink spot, when beating into the wind and I think it would only take a small wave to reach the pink spot. I'd think again in your place.

Jonathan
 
My air heater exhaust is on the port quarter about 3' forward of the stern. Passing through my stern locker bulkhead and terminating on the stern was not a solution* for the previous owners. The exhaust hose is plumbed with a swan neck loop that goes up to the side deck height, maybe 1' maximum above the outlet. If I am cranked over, the exhaust port, will be under water but not the side deck, only the side deck at the beam is underwater when pressed hard (not efficient sailing). Regarding marina use, my stern is nearer the pontoon than the quarter in my home berth but I would be likely to use a mains powered fan heater in a marina than the diesel air heater because it is noisy and smelly anyway.

*Aft cabin so heater is low under bunks, heater is below stern locker base and would require a penetration through the bulkhead and another up through the locker base, locker was also a gas locker. Note I have an automatic fire extinguisher next to the heater as the space is rather confined.
 
dom said:
'Fresh air' intake as part of the exhaust fitting? !!

Just maybe, for a water unit with the sole destination of the air intake being the burner? I'd even doubt that though.
Click to expand...

The 'heating air' is separate from the 'combustion air'.
Some of the exhaust terminals look very much like the balanced flue terminals you get on gas boilers at home, the hot inner is spaced away from the hull material by an airgap, and the exahuast hose is lagged with an outer tube, so it looks a lot like a balanced flue.
I used to sail on a small boat with a Propex gas-warm air heater, I thought at the time that was a co-axial balanced flue? But as I wasn't the owner or installer I was probably wrong on that! But sealing the combustion side from the interior space seems like a good idea, same as it is in houses....
 
lw395 said:
I used to sail on a small boat with a Propex gas-warm air heater, I thought at the time that was a co-axial balanced flue? But as I wasn't the owner or installer I was probably wrong on that!
Click to expand...

I think Propex gas heaters do use a balanced flue, but 2 separate pipes, not coaxial.
 
Resizer_15575250967610.jpg

Hi folks thanks to all that replied
Still not permanently fitted exhaust
I've just been using the heater with the exhaust going into the cockpit locker (heater is fitted in forward most section of cockpit locker) and leaving the locker lid open (to allow the exhaust fumes to dissipate) which has been fine as a temporary measure

Anyway what about this spot ? It's higher up than where I previously suggested so should be clear of fenders ? And it would be easy to access and stick a bung in if need be. Any negatives with this spot?
Thanks
 
You can give yourself a pat on the back for figuring this out BEFORE you drilled the hole in the topsides! :D
 
Crinan12 said:
View attachment 77762

Hi folks thanks to all that replied
Still not permanently fitted exhaust
I've just been using the heater with the exhaust going into the cockpit locker (heater is fitted in forward most section of cockpit locker) and leaving the locker lid open (to allow the exhaust fumes to dissipate) which has been fine as a temporary measure

Anyway what about this spot ? It's higher up than where I previously suggested so should be clear of fenders ? And it would be easy to access and stick a bung in if need be. Any negatives with this spot?
Thanks
Click to expand...

Exhaust blowing back into the boat; burning ropes on deck or falling over this place.

I'm afraid that as others have told you, the transom is really the only completely good place for this.

Most professionally installed heaters of this type are installed right aft, often in the lazarette, for this very reason. Hydronic is a good solution when you need to get heat distributed far from there.

I hate to tell you this, but you might need to start all over again with the installation, with how to run the exhaust being a basic installation parameter. It is a matter of life safety that you don't get exhaust blowing right back into the boat.
 
I have just recently decommissioned the Eberspacher D1LC (1.8kw) heater on my boat as it couldn't get the boat warm enough in the winter months. I have replaced it with a Chinese alleged 5kw heater (actually a copy of a D4 it seems). It appears the original heater was professionally fitted and I re-used the existing exhaust and skin fitting, which exits high up on the transom. I thought long and hard about moving the unit nearer the cabin, but just couldn't come up with a solution where I would be happy with the exhaust being moved to, so have accepted that there will be heat loss along the long ducting length. The ducting running through the stbd cockpit locker does keep everything in there free of dampness, and if using the cockpit canopy, the locker lid can be opened to allow that heat into that space. The first exit comes out in the wheel house (boat is an LM27) with an adjustable flap that can be altered to suit amount of flow needed. The next exit is in the main cabin which is a constantly open vent.

This has proved a huge improvement. We have had some chilly evenings here of late and it has coped with no problems, and the whole boat is now a useable space.

To the OP I would say to try if at all possible to run the exhaust through the transom. The heat generated is quite substantial, and yo may regret any inability to use the heater whilst underway. Being able to retreat into a cosy cabin while the auto pilot takes over and heat up a bit, or in my case go into the wheel house and sail from there in the warmth really makes a difference to things in the cooler months.
 
Thanks guys
I wouldn't mind moving heater it's simple enough
Its just it's then a 3m run to cabin and air much colder by the time it gets there.
Why would exhaust going out side of boat mean air getting into cabin? Yes it could burn a rope if you left one lying over it but that could happen at transom too surely
I really don't see us ever using heating when underway

Cheers
 
Whilst I have seen several boats with the heater exhaust high up on the side of the hull which seem to work ok its not the best place for an exhaust,why do you think the engine exhaust comes out the transom?
If thats the only practical place to fit it put it there.
 
Yeah totally understand transom is the best place for the heater exhaust
Its just with engine you don't have heat loss to consider like you do with heater
Cheers
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Other threads that may be of interest

jamie N
Chinese heater exhaust 'insulation smoking'
Replies
13
Views
696
Dellquay13
Dellquay13

Share this page

Top