Winter heating

Adrian

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I'm looking for low level heating for my Jeanneau 24, I could use the gas hobs, but wondered if there is anything else safer(two young Children +Open flame =??) I only have 12v Battery Power (No shore power/Diesel) Is there something like a greenhouse heater in 12v available? would really need to be portable as not much space onboard could remove for summer

How do other people manage?
Adrian
 

vyv_cox

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Battery capacity will never be enough for space heating. You have two options:

1. a catalytic heater, quite good for a boat of your size, last time I looked less than 100 pounds. No naked flame and fairly well protected but certainly hot to the touch. Less condensation and more efficient than running the gas cooker,
2. gas fired central heating, cost somewhere around 400 pounds. I fitted one of these years ago; it worked well and cost little to run. Safer than the catalytic but more complex.
 

JeremyF

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Gas powered air heating

Last month's ST did a test of heating, and the little Propex propane heater came off as best buy, even though it did not have the output for the school yacht it was fitted to. For the Jen 24, it should be ideal. Make sure you have it fitted by a Corgi engineer mind, and get it fitted right out the way in the cockpit locker to stop it getting bashed.

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kingfisher

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Timeless solution

I have a classic oil lamp on board. It produces enough heat to take the sting out of the winter cold.

It hangs against the bulk head, and can swing freely. The glass does get scorching hot, I'm afraid, as does the smoke pan above.


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AnneW

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I have a small portable gas heater which runs on disposable cylinders which are placed in a compartment in the bottom of the heater.- each one lasts up to 8 hours. Its not the same as plumbed in heat but it seems relatively safe dependent on where you place it/mount it. Bought it from an on-line chandlers (Newmark Nunn) for £60, delivered next day.
 

JeremyF

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Fumes

How do they deal with fumes? Are they externally vented? I for one wouldnt want a butane heater on board without decent ventilation, which rather defeats the purpose.

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andyball

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Re: Fumes

There was a thread here a while back about a portable gas heater that blew just hot air inside,with water/fumes staying outside. American of course,and not sold directly here,tho' they did mail order. It sounded ideal.
 

JeremyF

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Re: Fumes

Sounds good, but the Propex at a few hundred quid is evenm better. My old boat had one from a BT van, at a cost of £50.

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Avocet

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Re: Fumes

I have a little Propex heater on a 27 footer. It keeps the cabin nice and toasty but not the forepeak. I've got it installed so that it sucks its intake from the cabin (otherwise it's not that efficient) and this makes it a bit noisy. All that said, it was only about a third of the price of a diesel one and the air is warm AND dry.
 
G

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Please advise the name of your boat so that I can be certain never to tie alongside it! The average portable gas cylinder contains at least enough gas to provide the right explosive mix in a small boat. In over thirty years close involvement with boats by far the majority of gas explosions that I have witnessed /investigated have been due to the stowage of portable gas cylinders (blow lamp / camping gaz lamp / barbecue etc) within the boat. Not only are you risking the lives of your family but you are risking the lives of others. You may well also find that you are invalidating your insurance cover. All gas cylinders whether portable or not, in use or not, or full or not should be stored on deck or in a suitable separate ventilated locker. Sorry to sound hard nosed but gas is the biggest single safety threat on boats.
 

Pelican

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Re: Gas powered air heating

I have a Bengco charcoal heater in my 24ft yacht - it is mounted on a bulkhead and gives out a wonderful dry heat with no condensation. It has to be protected in front because it can get kind of hot enought to give you 2nd degree burns if your not careful! There is a through deck chimney. You can use charcoal, wood (drift wood if necessary) turf or any combustible material to hand. When I go on board on a friday evening - it stays alite till my departure sunday evening or monday morning - in that period I use about 5-6 kilos of charcoal. It can be zero degrees outside (I live in Switzerland) and + 25 or more below decks The unit cost about £350 - there is a regular advertisement in PBO.

Pelican
 
G

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Bit hard there .... not strictly true

Camping Gaz equipment with cylinders fitted are common place on various small boats .... and do not contravene Insurance etc.
Many boats do not have ventilated gas lockers .... not good, but many older boats are just that way

Your intent with the post is well meant - but misleading and generalised too much. I too do not like the idea of being alongside a boat with prtable heater in Gaz cylinder as described ..... but it is not illegal.
Anyway the original posting does not clarify when the heating is required .... is it in marina or when cruising ?
 
G

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Now I would never suggest ....

that you spend some time in a truck knackers yard !

You may just find a totally unsuitable diesel powered heater similar to the mega-bucks jobbies sold as marine .....

Now the totally unscrupulous may just take said item, acquire some hot-air ducting and a few vents / some diesel supply hose and a few bits of cable to fire up the old 12v element.

Now I would never suggest such a thing could be done and great care would have to be taken to ensure safety of instalation .....
 

Trevethan

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Re: Now I would never suggest ....

I've called every knackers yard in the southwest and none of them have 12 volt diesel heaters... found a couple of 24vs byut nothing for me... If you could suggest a name or two where such a thing could be scrounged it would be most welcome!

rgds,

Nick
 
G

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If you\'ve already ....

called then where can I suggest ????

Most trucks ones are 24V .... based on most trucks having two 12V HD banks. But they split the banks for various uses and joint for others ..... There are 12V ones about though - just needs to be found ! Sorry you have no luck...

I would consider that a 24V element can a) be energised by suitable voltage step-up from 12, or b) be powered from both 12v combined - possibly reducing ampage required ?
 

rogerm

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Of course it does cost an arm and 3 legs but perhaps you could find a 2nd hand one. I am talking about the blown air Erbaspacher diesel. Mine is mounted in an aft locker and runs off a small (circa 5L) polyetherlene 'tank' which seems to last forever. Very small on the safety risk side and puts out about 2Kw of heat through two air ducts.
Roger
 

Robin2

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Don't consider a gas heater which exhausts into the boat.

Apart from the danger of asphyxiation and carbon monoxide poisoning, every 1kg of butane produces 1.55 kg of water vapour when it burns. All that moisture will make the boat very damp.
 

Chris_Stannard

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Further to Robin 2s post, you should not use your cooker for heating as it will cause a build up of fumes in the cabin and has been known to cause death by carbon monoxide poisoning. this is insiduous since you do not recognise that it is happening.

Chris Stannard
 

Trevethan

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Re: If you\'ve already ....

I reckon I have had little luck down here as a) there aren't that many breakers here in Devon and B) lots of boats so those that are found, go swiftly.

Don't really want to spend time messing about with 12 24 switchovers.. and according to a previous post a 12-24 v transformer that can supply the required ampage is vastly expensive.

I am hoping someone can put me onto a breakers yard maybe further north away from where the heavy marine demand is, so I can stand a chance of finding one.

Thanks for the help!

Nick
 
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