Heater Options Please

Byrdman · Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2006 9:44 am Post subject: Heater Options Please

Had a friend call me about heating options on a CD22. Indicated he had seen a heater that WAS NOT A WALLACE.... but felt the name had started with a W.....something and may be a spin off of an Indian type name??

Can't think of it myelf, could not find it using a search....so I'll open up to the group for help ...

I see Force 10 and folks seem to really like them.
I see our wallace family "heaters only"... and folks like them..
I see the "Little Buddy"...and folks like them.
I have seen the Dickenson....with some mixed results...some like em, some don't....as with our picky wallace set ups...

So... am I missing a potential good heater for the pilot house boat?

Byrdman.....getting ready for cooler months ahead in the hills of TN.

DaveS · Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2006 10:20 am Post subject: Re: Heater Options Please

Vikingbaat · Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2006 10:26 am Post subject:

Patrick:

Check out the Webasto heater line. One site is at www.suremarine.com. They also sell several of the other heaters you mentioned. I'm thinking about having a Webasto heater installed in my CR-25 ranger. Looks like a good heating system, but a bit more expensive than the factory Wallas heater.

CR-25 on order

gljjr · Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2006 12:43 pm Post subject:

On the Tugs I think I would install a Red-Dot heater along with the Wallace. The Red Dot would run off the cooling system on the engine while the engine is running (similar to your car heater). These things work great! I have one on my sled and in my C-Dory. The one on the sled will keep it warm and toasty even with the back off on the soft top. With the back on it can be 30 degrees out side and you would be comfortable with shirt sleeves. Of course they only work with Inboard or I/O engines as they run off the cooling systems.

Sea Wolf · Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2006 7:58 pm Post subject:

A note about the Webasto, Espar, and Toyotomi forced air heaters.

These are sophisticated units with good track records, but may be too large for some applications.

What you don't want is a heater that has such a large outut that it must cycle on and off constantly, putting big time wear on the operating/starting components.

What you do need is a heater that can be modulated (turned down), so that the output can be constant and match the need for your size boat.

It's also annoying to have a heater that cycles on and off constantly! RV folks know this all too well.

The Webasto and Espar heaters work like a kerosene space heater and spray pressurized diesel into a chamber with an igniter which burns, and then is externally vented through an exhaust tube/port.. Heat is exchanged between the chamber and the air between it and the surrounding jacket as the air is forced through this space and out the heater's ducts. It's a great system for school busses, or any fairly large space to heat.

The Toyotomi (if I remember correctly-got the Brain @ 64 Fuzzies at times), works much the same way, except the combustion occurs via a wick, like the Wallas.

One very important consideration, therefore, is to match the heater output to the boat's needs, and that can even come out differently depending on how cold it is where you boat.

Check with the manufacturers web site and especially with other folks with the same boat and heater combination to get the best match.

Joe.

Zydecomo · Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2006 12:22 am Post subject:

I have a Bering diesel stove /oven/heater made by Dickinson on my 27ft Motorsailer. I finally tried it out and it seems to work fine. You use a flue fan to start the draft going for the burner and then turn it off or low once the stove is running hot. You pull a handle to circulate the heat around the oven area. I haven't had much experience with it yet but it seem very simple in operation. I'm sure it will keep the cabin warm! I'll see if I can find a website for it

Jack in Alaska · Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2006 4:14 am Post subject:

I bought a "Mr.Heater" catalytic portable heater and it will drive you out of the cabin at 40F. I think it was $90 at Cabellas.
Works for me and you can use it for other purposes when not boating.

colobear · Posted: Mon Oct 02, 2006 10:43 pm Post subject:

We have a Webasto in our 22' C-Cakes and are very happy with it. there was quite a discussion about heaters on brats a few months ago. I think it was under a Wallas problem thread or something like that. Our Webasto was installed by les at EQ and does a great job here in the PNW. Look at the C-Cakes album for some installation pics from that earlier discussion.

thataway · Posted: Mon Oct 02, 2006 11:18 pm Post subject:

I am personally not comforatable with the portable nonvented heaters. Although they have oxygen sensors, they reqire that nine square inches of open window or vent is required for the smallest unit. If the oxygen sensor, or combustion is not proper, they can produce carbon monoxide.

I would use a CO Experts carbon Monoxide detector in the cabin
http://www.avweb.com/news/aeromed/186016-1.html#coex for an excellent article on CO and detectors. And never go to sleep with a non vented space heater on.

Jack in Alaska · Posted: Tue Oct 03, 2006 12:25 am Post subject:

Bob Austin,
I totally agree with you on the proper ventalation. I almost died in my C-Dory in 1985 using a cat. heater with the doors/windows closed up because there was a 30 knot wind. My dog started to whine which woke me up. I had a trophy pounding headache and I could hardly raise my arms to open the hatch cover. When I did the fresh air rushed in. Wheeeeeww. That was a close one.
I now leave the cabin door open at all times. The heater still does a good job of making me comfortable.
Thanks for the reminder though.
Jack