diesel heaters

[colin1325]

hi someone else has just been talking about diesel heaters are they good value for money , do you need to run them for long , does fuel stove give off more heat, you can pick up logs etc free gratis, do the boats ie relativly new ones , retain the heat well all these questions and more colin

[bottle]

Hi Colin

 

All heaters have a heat output rating ie. 4Kw so an oil or coal one at that rating will give off 4Kw, the difference comes from the amount of energy you have to put in to get that heat out.

 

Easy too find out with oil, manufacturers usually give the amount of oil required per hour, with solid fuel there are many variables, such as type,grade etc of the coal or wood.

 

Oil heaters will give out a constant heat, whereas coal or wood the heat increases and decreases with the loading and burning of the fuel.

 

As to the question of the boat retaining heat, this will depend on the type of insulation fitted, probably the best to have is 'sprayfoam' (in my opinion).

 

I cannot explain with figures but to raise the temperature inside you have to put in more heat than is being lost.

[colin1325]

Hi Colin

 

All heaters have a heat output rating ie. 4Kw so an oil or coal one at that rating will give off 4Kw, the difference comes from the amount of energy you have to put in to get that heat out.

 

Easy too find out with oil, manufacturers usually give the amount of oil required per hour, with solid fuel there are many variables, such as type,grade etc of the coal or wood.

 

Oil heaters will give out a constant heat, whereas coal or wood the heat increases and decreases with the loading and burning of the fuel.

 

As to the question of the boat retaining heat, this will depend on the type of insulation fitted, probably the best to have is 'sprayfoam' (in my opinion).

 

I cannot explain with figures but to raise the temperature inside you have to put in more heat than is being lost.

I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT STATEMENT

[denboy]

i run a lockgate/refleks diesel stove no electric running costs runs on a gravity drip feed system (although i run a pump as my diesel tanks are lower than the heater} wich is heating 2 4 x 2 double radiators and heats the water in a twin coil clarifyer it burns aprox 1 gal of gas oil a day on the lowest setting and keeps the boat at roughly 75 deg and piping hot water it runs 24/7 in the winter and only goes out if i run out of diesel or i turn it off pound for pound its roughly the same price as coal but dearer to buy but you do have the advantage that you dont need to have coal bags stored on board basicly i light it and forget it till i turn it off

[DHutch]

Depends what you talking about.

- The lockgate diesal squirals seam to be fairly trouble free and good. And they look nice in the room too!

 

However if were talking about eberspachers/webastos they seam to expesive to buy, expersive to run, expesive to maintain and repair, and unreliable.

- And even thats when they arnt shooting 4 ft flames out of the exhast accross the towpath!

 

Personally im happy with the bog standerd squirall jobbie, and can only base my above comment on others experiences.

- However an attraction i could see, if the ablity to have a heating system that could be set on a time, if you worked thought the day and lived onboard. Anf for that, i would proberbly give the job to a Alde boiler (gas).

 

 

 

Daniel

[Travis]

We have a Kabola D5 fitted which uses no electricery. It runs 4 rads thru the boat and supplies hot water. I give it a good decoke every couple of months or so (half hour job) and is utterly reliable. This will be our 4th winter on board and we have not been cold yet. In the middle of winter we can use £80 pounds worth of diesel a month.

 

I will be converting the boiler to burn heating oil next year for obvious reasons, so our heating costs should reduce the winter after.

 

Also I am interested in the pump that Denis mentions, I would like more info on that please.

 

Andy.

[denboy]

We have a Kabola D5 fitted which uses no electricery. It runs 4 rads thru the boat and supplies hot water. I give it a good decoke every couple of months or so (half hour job) and is utterly reliable. This will be our 4th winter on board and we have not been cold yet. In the middle of winter we can use £80 pounds worth of diesel a month.

 

I will be converting the boiler to burn heating oil next year for obvious reasons, so our heating costs should reduce the winter after.

 

Also I am interested in the pump that Denis mentions, I would like more info on that please.

 

Andy.

its this one but 12 v http://www.midlandchandlers.co.uk/24V-HARD...VES_A3OGB.aspxe cheaper from lockgate

Edited October 27, 2007 by denis boyle

[colin1325]

does no one run a solid fuel and diesel heater? in conjuntion with each other

[denboy]

does no one run a solid fuel and diesel heater? in conjuntion with each other

 

 

Why youll only cook used to have 2 squirels on mine 60 ft only made the mistake of lighting them both once in feb didnt do it again had too leave the doors open all night

[chris w]

I run a Webasto which heats the calorifier (60L), two large rads and a towel rail in the bathroom. It's output is 5KW, the boat is toasty warm and the diesel consumption is extremely low.

 

It will use 0.5 litres of diesel per hour from cold, BUT only for the first 20 minutes, then it switches into economy mode which uses 0.25 litres per hour thereafter. So, if you ran it for say 6 hours, your total consumption of diesel would be 1.6 litres. Pretty economical and a very effective heating source.

 

Chris

[GUMPY]

With the price of diesel as it is and likely to go up, I would go for a solid fuel stove.

 

When I had a Morso on the narrowboat I used about 1 x 25kg bag a week maybe 1.25 bags per stove. At £6.50 a bag thats

about £8 a week or £1.16 a day or just under 5p an hour

Any diesel stove uses a minimum of 0.25L an hour so if diesel is 51p thats 12.75p an hour or £12.50 a week if you leave the stove on 24/7.

 

It is getting very close to me removing my Old Dutch diesel stove and reverting to solid fuel. Assuming I fit it myself it would pay for itself in 35weeks with diesel prices as they are today. In a years time if forced to use full price diesel because you dont have a second tank you could halve that time.

 

Julian

[chris w]

Julian

 

From a purely financial point of view you are totally correct, but surely not everything in boating is to do with the lowest price? I always get the impression on this forum, from the continual whining about cost and the ability to save a £, that the majority of people are on the breadline which I don't believe for a minute.

 

Sometimes one trades price for comfort and convenience. I love my coal stove too - it works really well and is "sehr gemutlich" , but it is messy and cumbersome compared to switching on the Webasto so it's "horses for courses". Each has their place. For drying towels over a radiator after a shower safely and quickly, the Webasto can't be beaten.

 

I could sell my cars and go by bike and save a ton of dosh each year but it's not so convenient or comfortable!

 

Chris

[colin1325]

I run a Webasto which heats the calorifier (60L), two large rads and a towel rail in the bathroom. It's output is 5KW, the boat is toasty warm and the diesel consumption is extremely low.It will use 0.5 litres of diesel per hour from cold, BUT only for the first 20 minutes, then it switches into economy mode which uses 0.25 litres per hour thereafter. So, if you ran it for say 6 hours, your total consumption of diesel would be 1.6 litres. Pretty economical and a very effective heating source.Chris

thats really good chris from what others say they think its as if not more expensive to live on board i cant think it is . i am at present running two properties and know there is not much fun in doing so . god knows where people live but elec and gas rates rent and the rest of it come out to a pretty penny in my part of the world cornwall. gues things must be very cheap up past the bridge maybe some one has had the good idea to put people off turning to liiving on their boats lol

With the price of diesel as it is and likely to go up, I would go for a solid fuel stove.When I had a Morso on the narrowboat I used about 1 x 25kg bag a week maybe 1.25 bags per stove. At £6.50 a bag thats about £8 a week or £1.16 a day or just under 5p an hourAny diesel stove uses a minimum of 0.25L an hour so if diesel is 51p thats 12.75p an hour or £12.50 a week if you leave the stove on 24/7.It is getting very close to me removing my Old Dutch diesel stove and reverting to solid fuel. Assuming I fit it myself it would pay for itself in 35weeks with diesel prices as they are today. In a years time if forced to use full price diesel because you dont have a second tank you could halve that time.Julian

hi is red diesel at present 50p a lite yes

With the price of diesel as it is and likely to go up, I would go for a solid fuel stove.When I had a Morso on the narrowboat I used about 1 x 25kg bag a week maybe 1.25 bags per stove. At £6.50 a bag thats about £8 a week or £1.16 a day or just under 5p an hourAny diesel stove uses a minimum of 0.25L an hour so if diesel is 51p thats 12.75p an hour or £12.50 a week if you leave the stove on 24/7.It is getting very close to me removing my Old Dutch diesel stove and reverting to solid fuel. Assuming I fit it myself it would pay for itself in 35weeks with diesel prices as they are today. In a years time if forced to use full price diesel because you dont have a second tank you could halve that time.Julian

hi jules it would be 21.42 at 24/7 for a week colin however if you had it on forsay 6 hours a day 5.35 for the week 278.46 a year 0.8925p per day god thats good

[GUMPY]

is red diesel at present 50p a lite yes

 

Somehow my figures must have got mangled in my head, didnt use a calculator!

0.25L hr cost 12.5P

24hrs cost £3.06

7 days £21.42

compared to coal thats £13.42 a week more expensive.

so thats 32 weeks to buy a solid fuel stove

 

For me there is no point in only having a stove on for 6 hours a day in the winter you sit there waiting for the boat to warm up and then have to relight it in the morning...................

 

Even with both heating sources ( Mikiuni and rads plus the stove) I still find that the stove is on 24/7 throughout the winter.

 

My last lot (594L at the begining of October) was £292 however I get a 2pL quantity discount, there have been price rises since then so it could be as high as 55pL.

With both a diesel stove on 24/7 and a Mikuni to heat the water and bathroom I reckon to easily use 1000L of diesel over the winter.

 

Julian

Edited October 28, 2007 by idleness

[smileypete]

does no one run a solid fuel and diesel heater? in conjuntion with each other

 

Without a shoreline, this would be my ideal setup.

 

Coal or diesel stoves can also help keep the boat dry as they're extracting air from the inside.

 

Forced air diesel heaters can be used on a timer which can be handy.

 

cheers,

Pete.

[GUMPY]

Without a shoreline, this would be my ideal setup.

 

Coal or diesel stoves can also help keep the boat dry as they're extracting air from the inside.

 

Forced air diesel heaters can be used on a timer which can be handy.

 

Exactly what I have here, decided upon after 15years experience living aboard.

 

Julian

[colin1325]

Somehow my figures must have got mangled in my head, didnt use a calculator!0.25L hr cost 12.5P24hrs cost £3.067 days £21.42compared to coal thats £13.42 a week more expensive.so thats 32 weeks to buy a solid fuel stoveFor me there is no point in only having a stove on for 6 hours a day in the winter you sit there waiting for the boat to warm up and then have to relight it in the morning...................Even with both heating sources ( Mikiuni and rads plus the stove) I still find that the stove is on 24/7 throughout the winter.My last lot (594L at the begining of October) was £292 however I get a 2pL quantity discount, there have been price rises since then so it could be as high as 55pL.With both a diesel stove on 24/7 and a Mikuni to heat the water and bathroom I reckon to easily use 1000L of diesel over the winter.Julian

hi julian thanks you r right of coarse but it is still about bla de bla cheaper than warming my house at present we have 12 spaces a few of em we dont even get to use but my wife insists on having the back door open and then she will tell me that she is cold i can suffer the cold but she cant colin

Somehow my figures must have got mangled in my head, didnt use a calculator!0.25L hr cost 12.5P24hrs cost £3.067 days £21.42compared to coal thats £13.42 a week more expensive.so thats 32 weeks to buy a solid fuel stoveFor me there is no point in only having a stove on for 6 hours a day in the winter you sit there waiting for the boat to warm up and then have to relight it in the morning...................Even with both heating sources ( Mikiuni and rads plus the stove) I still find that the stove is on 24/7 throughout the winter.My last lot (594L at the begining of October) was £292 however I get a 2pL quantity discount, there have been price rises since then so it could be as high as 55pL.With both a diesel stove on 24/7 and a Mikuni to heat the water and bathroom I reckon to easily use 1000L of diesel over the winter.Julian

hi julian thanks you r right of coarse but it is still about bla de bla cheaper than warming my house at present we have 12 spaces a few of em we dont even get to use but my wife insists on having the back door open and then she will tell me that she is cold i can suffer the cold but she cant colinsorry while your heating boat is the diesel heater heating the water for boat as well or what sorry i have to ask

[jayjayranger]

stupid question coming but do diesal feed boilers give of any smell esp the reflex drip feed ones

[GUMPY]

stupid question coming but do diesal feed boilers give of any smell esp the reflex drip feed ones

 

No I have an old dutch, same idea as reflex and no smell.

Flue length is critical and on a NB you will need at least 3ft above the roof.

The only time it can smell is if you get a downdraft but thats the same on a coal stove.

 

Julian

[chris w]

stupid question coming but do diesal feed boilers give of any smell esp the reflex drip feed ones

 

My diesel heater (Webasto) doesn't give of any smell into the cabin at all. It's installed in the engine hole of a cruiser stern.

 

Chris

[Yoda]

The lowest common denominator is a solid fuel stove ie wood or coal. If you have one then you can heat and cook without requiring any other means. So if you run out of gas/heating oil/shore electricity or diesel you still have the ability to look after yourself.

[chris w]

We once stupidly ran out of coal while moored up sheltering from terrible rain storms for a day in the middle of nowhere so the diesel heater saved us. The best plan I guess is not to be dependent on a single source of heating.

 

Chris

[colin1325]

can you get hot water from the diesel heater / solid fuel heaters

[bottle]

Yes and yes but it depends on the model, design.

[denboy]

can you get hot water from the diesel heater / solid fuel heaters

 

and you can cook on them too