Good Deal on Webasto Heater from Nick at Interstate in Iowa

P

Pat Anderson

New member
Now that we have sold our Wallas, I called Nick at Interstate in Iowa to see about the deal that a few others had posted here on the Espar heater kits Nick was selling a year or so ago. He said he could get an Espar, he did not have any in stock, but he could sell me a Webasto heater kit equivalent to the Espar D2 (I did not ask the model number of the Webasto, will post that when it arrives) for $950 + $25 for ground shipping. He said it is the same physical size and same heat output as the Espar D2 he used to sell. It should arrive within a week, and I will post the details on the model. This is a GREAT price on any Webasto. I plan to have Scott at Triton do the install, this is not exactly down my alley. If you want one too, he has about 40 of them, call 563-388-9988 and ask for Nick
 
OK, Nick emailed the invoice. The model is the Webasto ST2000ST, a 7,000 btu unit, the smallest Webasto. This is a very good price, even if I need to buy a lot of mounting stuff.
 
Whoops, make that AT2000ST...thanks, Jody!

Pat Anderson":146brkni said:
OK, Nick emailed the invoice. The model is the Webasto ST2000ST, a 7,000 btu unit, the smallest Webasto. This is a very good price, even if I need to buy a lot of mounting stuff.
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Pat Anderson":3dwnur26 said:
OK, Nick emailed the invoice. The model is the Webasto ST2000ST, a 7,000 btu unit, the smallest Webasto. This is a very good price, even if I need to buy a lot of mounting stuff.
Click to expand...

Please give us a report on what else you have to buy, with part #s, prices and where you bought them...

Thanks,
Warren
 
Sure marine service is the place to go for espar or webasto stuff.

http://www.suremarineservice.com/

They went way beyond expectations in helping me get my ebay "score" webasto up and running. The unit was a never been used older model 7500 watt 11,000 BTU heater and a bit of a challenge from an install perspective.
The good folks at Sure put a tech on the phone with me to assist with getting the thermostat wiring figured out. When I offered to pay for the time the response was "Thats what we are here for". Pretty darn impressive.

Pat you will like the new heater, I was on the boat the other day when the outside temp was 39 and it took about 15 minutes to get the interior temp to 78.

stevej
 
Sure Marine's price for the AT2000ST is $1,749.27, but this may include a lot of installation stuff that the Interstate Power kit doesn't - I really didn't ask, we'll see when it arrives. The Interstate Marine price was actually $935 plus $25 shipping, so it would be reasonable to expect it is not as complete. Still a very good price. The Navstore's price for the exact same kit that Sure Marine is selling for $1,749 is a thousand dollars higher. Maybe I should have Sure Marine do the installation, this is NOT something I would feel comfortable doing this myself...
 
Cool...I'm anxious for a report, especially on how quiet it is in the cabin with the heater running.

One thing I was thinking of on the install when we get a heater is a duct running to the berth, one to the cabin, and maybe some way to get warm air to the windshields. Food for thought...

Rick
 
Indeed, being able to use it as a "defroster" would be a big plus!

416rigby":1srmevax said:
Cool...I'm anxious for a report, especially on how quiet it is in the cabin with the heater running.

One thing I was thinking of on the install when we get a heater is a duct running to the berth, one to the cabin, and maybe some way to get warm air to the windshields. Food for thought...

Rick
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The Webasto kit arrived Monday. Nick at Interstate Power Systems had quoted $950 plus shipping but it was actually invoiced at $935 - with $25 for FedEx ground, the total was $960.

This is not a bare heater, it is an installation kit. It does not include the thermostat (which is optional), ducts, the exhaust through-hull or the fuel tank. Otherwise everything else is in the box as far as I can see. But if you compare the Interstate price to Sure Marine ($2,259) or The NavStore ($2,729), both of which kits do include additional components, there is plenty left over with the Interstate price to buy whatever additional components are really needed and still save a bundle.

I have installation scheduled at Triton Marine, if you can do this yourself you can really come out ahead. If you have been thinking about a Webasto, it seems like it is the right time to make the move...
 
Pat (and Scott) please advise when the work will be done as I may want to drop in at the factory to observe -- if Scott approves, of course.

Warren
 
OK, due to granddaughter delay, Daydream went to Triton Marine today for the Webasto install. Scott said he will schedule the install for Monday. You might want to check with him directly on that.

We are having it put where the hot water tank used to be, and only having one heat vent, on the vertical face of the area under the dinette. That should be plenty of heat for the entire cabin, after all, this is a 7,000 btu heater!
 
I'm curious why you decided not to run a vent to the berth area. To my mind, that is one of the huge advantages of a dedicated heater over a Wallas.

Warren
 
Doryman":1453at96 said:
I'm curious why you decided not to run a vent to the berth area. To my mind, that is one of the huge advantages of a dedicated heater over a Wallas.

Warren
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Agree. I'd put one there w/ the ability to be adjusted, from fully open to fully closed and anything in between.
 
Warren (and Mark), we did not think it was necessary. We have not been cold in the vee-berth in the past, and Barry, who has a Webasto, counseled against putting a duct directly into the vee-berth that because they just output so much heat. We thought about two vents in the cabin, but Scott, who has installed hundreds of Webastos on Sea Sports, was confident one vent in that location under the dinette would be more than adequate for heating the entire boat.

The main advantage of the Webasto is that it is an excellent heater, while the Wallas is a mediocre heater and a mediocre stove (IMHO) but the best thing going in a combination heater and stove. Plus, since heat rises (duh), you need your heater output down near the floor, not counter height. The main problem we will have with the Webasto I think is throttling this puppy down so we are not too hot in the cabin.

And if it turns out we are wrong, it is no harder to back and install additional ducts and vents later.

Doryman":25m1uc9p said:
I'm curious why you decided not to run a vent to the berth area. To my mind, that is one of the huge advantages of a dedicated heater over a Wallas.

Warren
Click to expand...
 
Warren (and Mark), we did not think it was necessary. We have not been cold in the vee-berth in the past, and Barry, who has a Webasto, counseled against putting a duct directly into the vee-berth that because they just output so much heat. We thought about two vents in the cabin, but Scott, who has installed hundreds of Webastos on Sea Sports, was confident one vent in that location under the dinette would be more than adequate for heating the entire boat.
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I agree with Pat on not needing a duct to the V-Berth area. We do not have a Webasto but do have a wallas 1800 heater installed under the sink area in the galley cabinet. We have two ducts, one to the floor through the storage compartment in the helm step and one in the galley cabinet. The Wallas 1800 puts out a max of 6000 BTU and that is enough heat to raise the cabin temp by about 10 degrees C. Over heating has not been a problem. The Webasto has multiple settings so I would think you could adjust it as necessary to keep from being too hot. A couple of the reasons I chose the Wallas over the Webasto is the Wallas uses about 1/3 the electrical energy to operate. Wallas 0.5amps and Webasto 1.8 amps at full power. To be fair though the Webasto is producing 1000 BTU more The other is the noise. I didn't care for the amount of noise an unmuffled Webasto (or Espar) makes in a quiet anchorage. I'm not sure if the newer ones may be quieter and besides, you can't hear the exhaust much from inside your own boat so it probably isn't a issue for most people.
I have had 0 problems with the 1800 in the 3 plus years its been installed. But then, other than regular maintenance, I've had no issues with the Wallas 95 either in 5 plus years.

To each his own and I'm sure you'll be happy with the Espar Pat. The dedicated,ducted heater is wonderful to have and the price of the Webasto is amazing.
 
I have followed this threat with some interest and I think I can add a little information, since my experience with diesel/kerosene heaters goes back to the 50s and several boats, both sail and power. The German Webasto/Espar heaters were originally designed as "bus heaters", particularly to heat passenger trailers used behind commuter buses back in the 50s, as well as augmenting engine heat in buses when needed. As far as I know, they all operate off thermostats. That means every cycle starts with a power hungry glow plug sucking 12 to 20 Amps, at around 3x/h = 24x in the course of a cold night. That's enough to totally flatten a good sized battery. And when the heater runs, the fan, fuel pump, and electronics also needs power. Additionally, the decline in temp before the heater comes on again is quite noticeable. Setting the thermostat for a smaller difference = more cycles = more power consumption = not a good situation on a boat with limited battery capacity. (We had a Webasto on an Islander 30.)
Wallas designed their heaters for small off grid cabins and saunas popular in Finland. We installed a 30D (diesel) on our IP 380. It did not have a thermostat circuit. Instead, you regulated the output with a simple rheostat knob, which in turn regulates both the fan and the fuel pump/fuel flow. It, too, starts ignition with a glow plug, but only once. You then set the output and it burns/heats at that rate, which typically is under 1 Amp. Carl, then owners of Scan Marine, showed us how to de-carbon the little furnace, but it performed flawlessly for the 3 season we lived on the boat full time and I never touched it after installation. I would install another Wallas over either Webasto or Espar in a small boat, because of good experience, much lower power consumption, even warmth, and much less complexity. The W. furnaces have 2 output pipes for hoses, which should be vented as low into the cabin as practical, as pointed out above.
We are now on our 3rd Wallas in the CC-23. So far, I have not found any of them to not function well. I was concerned about the installation in the CC-23 above the fridge, with no vents in the cabinet. Electronics don't like heat. I installed a vent in front over the fridge, and one on top behind the stove, to create air flow, which should have been done in the factory. This Wallas is a kerosene stove, which works very well to cook on. Again as pointed out above, its value as a heater is deminished because the warm air comes out at waist level, leaving the footsies cold. It still adds greatly to comfort and drying a small boat on colder or rainy days, and is a decent compromise if you bring warm socks. For glacier cruising, I would add the W. 30D.
Al (HARMONY)
 
Al, with all due respect...NOBODY who has either a Webasto or an Espar has ever reported the problems you hypothesize here. All reports have been very positive. Scott at Triton has put HUNDREDS of Webastos in Sea Sports, all without problems. The problems with the Wallas, on the other hand, are very well known and very well documented. However I guess it is the same as it has always been, you pay your money and take your chances!
 
Sorry I was not more clear about our present boat, a Cape Cruiser 23. It came with the single burner, steel plate and blower lid Wallas. When it fires up, the glow plug draws about 15A for 90 sec. (estimated, never timed it). Once it runs, specs say it needs .8A or less. We do not have an air heater/furnace on this boat. We installed one on the IP. I would install the Wallace again on a small boat such as ours.

My main point was: be aware of the cumulative glow plug power draw of Espar/Webasto heaters every time they come on when triggered by the thermostat, as opposed to the Wallas, which, once lit, runs continuously.

Al
 
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