Heating do you all light the fire and then open the windows

[Dave Potter]

Hi i am new to the concept of living in a steel tube sum say 7 feet and sum 12.5 feet and length maters i have worked on 1 or 2 fitouts as a carpenter and help with the design and engineering side of it and see that the heating is still mostly wood and cola fired

 

my question is there anyone using pellet fires or boilers we have a 14kw unit for are house and it is just a mater of emptying 1 or 2 bags in to a hoper once or twice a week setup the controller to 22 heating and hot water times when we need it, and can be fitted with a balanced flue and ash removal system              

[Machpoint005]

14kW is far too much for a narrowboat.

[Mad Harold]

7 minutes ago, Machpoint005 said:

14kW is far too much for a narrowboat.

Yes but you could offset the running cost of it by the fact you wouldn't need to buy any clothes.😃

[Dave Potter]

thanks for the reply yes we have 200m square house using 12 radiators for that boiler but

you can get pellet fires and boilers around 5 to 7kw standing 1m x 600mm x 600mm  just wondering if it would work in a wide beam bout with 5 or 6 radiators and if some one has or reedy setup it up they are so easy to control the heat           

the cost is around the same as a good fire and water heater 1200 to 2500

[BEngo]

If you are going boating, can you store enough wood pellets on board for the whole of your cruise?  The fuel boats and waterside yards do not usually supply them.  

 

N

[Tracy D'arth]

Are these the "green fuel" wood pellets from Canada by filthy smoke  belching ship?  No thanks.

[Jen-in-Wellies]

9 hours ago, Dave Potter said:

you can get pellet fires and boilers around 5 to 7kw

Can they be happily throttled down to only 1 or 2kW without suffering problems? For most of the Autumn, Winter and Spring you don't need to run the stove flat out. Conventional stoves tend to need their flues swept more often under these conditions, but otherwise can cope. Fuel cost savings too.

Is the fire on these hidden away with no glass panel? If so, then no thanks. I like watching caveman television.

Are these wood pellets? If so, then wood isn't that energy dense by volume, so lots of storage space needed. Combine that with the paucity of places to buy them on the cut.

Edited September 2, 2021 by Jen-in-Wellies

[Dave Potter]

there are  several suppliers along the northern canal system that can supply 1/8 1/4 1/2 or full pallets that's 72 bags on a full pallet witch is one ton cost £300.0 for one ton witch incudes delivery but my cost more the smaller amounts you get.

 

as for the green fuel i have tried my own green wood chips as you say not good and it puts you at risk of chimney fires but this is the risk if you use green wood the pellets that i use are well season and give out smoke but not smell or black smock            

[Dave Potter]

14 minutes ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

Can they be happily throttled down to only 1 or 2kW without suffering problems? For most of the Autumn, Winter and Spring you don't need to run the stove flat out. Conventional stoves tend to need their flues swept more often under these conditions, but otherwise can cope. Fuel cost savings too.

Is the fire on these hidden away with no glass panel? If so, then no thanks. I like watching caveman television.

Are these wood pellets? If so, then wood isn't that energy dense by volume, so lots of storage space needed. Combine that with the paucity of places to buy them on the cut.

yes that is the butte of them you have a controller on all of them a app on your phone with the more modern models it has a fan and a feed when it gets to the right temp it shuts down stops the pellets going in and closes of the fan and vents for just a fire you you can sit and watch it but a boiler no it is just a box you can set the temp from 20 to 85 but as you say it dues not like siting for long periods of time doing nothing but from what i s see on the cut having a fire that you need to sit with the windows and doors open to let the heat out seems nuts not boiler nuts         

[Tony Brooks]

I am wondering how you keep the pellets dry on a boat so they don't turn into sawdust like heat logs tend to.

 

Also sounds as if it uses electricity, not such a good idea on  cruising live aboard boat unless you want to spend money on generator fuel. At least stoves with a gravity system heat the boat without electricity.

[Neil2]

Not sure I understand the question.

 

Surely stoking up the fire and then opening the doors and windows on a cold day is one of the joys of narrowboating..?  

[MtB]

12 hours ago, Machpoint005 said:

14kW is far too much for a narrowboat.

 

It is probably about right for one of them large, unwieldy wide-beams that get in everybody's way when they venture out of the marina.

[Dave Potter]

we researched the wide beam and were it could go and it fits are needs as we are both disabled and need extra space to move round this is why i am growing for a sale away so we can fit it as we need this one will not be in the clubhouse for long we will have battery's to charge but hoping to go for DIY 2 x 48v 32 x 3.2V lifepo4 battery pack 285ah

 

[nicknorman]

If you are both disabled I would suggest it would be better to go for diesel heating - no bags of fuel to lug around, no ashes to empty, no mess to clear up...

[MtB]

31 minutes ago, nicknorman said:

If you are both disabled I would suggest it would be better to go for diesel heating - no bags of fuel to lug around, no ashes to empty, no mess to clear up...

 

I'd second this. Your original idea of a pellet-fuelled boiler in a widebeam would probably work fine but if the day comes when it doesn't, having an unconventional technology on your boat will make it particularly difficult to persuade anyone to visit and fix it. Land-based heating 'engineers' will be spooked by it being on a boat, and marine geezers won't be familiar with pellet boilers. The manufacturer will probably renege on their guarantee too unless you have in mind one designed specifically for marine use. 

[Dave Potter]

42 minutes ago, nicknorman said:

If you are both disabled I would suggest it would be better to go for diesel heating - no bags of fuel to lug around, no ashes to empty, no mess to clear up...

it is not if we are ? and luging is not a problem i have lug for over 45 years not just pushed paper around but at the age of 66 but that is the way of the English world thank you for all your help  

13 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

I'd second this. Your original idea of a pellet-fuelled boiler in a widebeam would probably work fine but if the day comes when it doesn't, having an unconventional technology on your boat will make it particularly difficult to persuade anyone to visit and fix it. Land-based heating 'engineers' will be spooked by it being on a boat, and marine geezers won't be familiar with pellet boilers. The manufacturer will probably renege on their guarantee too unless you have in mind one designed specifically for marine use. 

thanks for your input that is defiantly something to think about all though i have hade this system in my house and serviced it for over 10 years but as you say i am not getting any younger

this fit out will be the last one maybe      

[Dave Potter]

sorry for post above as i have had to fight for ever thing to survive with my problem,

well were i was been growing rung thinking i would get it in England but there is not that many that stock this type of fire so look in my back yard and found the right heater and the heating engineer explained it all a 15kw is flat out the lowest it will run on is 3.5 kw and with a 25kg bag it would run for 2 to 3 days 1.2kg per hour with up to 10 radiators that's is 8 radiators and a hot water tank with pip heaters in places that need a little heat it will start its self stop and clean it self has 5 heat settings is 101cm x 57cm x 52cm at 281kg but it will be in the middle of the boat and my counter the extra battery in the stern pellets are redly available and can be delivered for free. i am thinking 9 bags on the bow and 9 bags on the stern that is 1/4 pallet so should be ok hope this is of use to any one i hate to see heat growing out the window now some pitchers sorry have translated some but not all             

[George and Dragon]

That looks ideal for a house... my question is the same as Tony's

On 02/09/2021 at 09:36, Tony Brooks said:

I am wondering how you keep the pellets dry on a boat so they don't turn into sawdust like heat logs tend to.

 

Also sounds as if it uses electricity, not such a good idea on  cruising live aboard boat unless you want to spend money on generator fuel. At least stoves with a gravity system heat the boat without electricity.

Wood has about half the energy density of smokeless coal. On a 60' narrowboat we can easily use 10kg per day (not heating any rads). Your system may be more efficient but if you use 10kg wood pellets per day where are you planning to keep them?

[Dave Potter]

the pellets come in 25kg sealed plastic bags and if we get a pallet that has broken bags on it we get the broken ones for free but we stock up and were we are we use 2 pallet a year to heat 280 meters square with 12 radiators and water tank coil we stock 144 of them in the damp ceiler we have not had any problem with soggy pellets

the energy rating is very good A+

10kg one day so one bag just under 3 days so 9 bags in bow cover 9 bags in pram cover =18bags x 3 = 54 days just under 2 month 18 x £3.25 = £58 cold winter my be £250 £300 with hot water   

and we should get a tax free perches on it but not sour what it my cost to get back to England

the pellets are old MFI furnisher and other wood waste products that are well seasoned wood then it is mixed with a resin then compress in to a pellet the pellets are fed in to the fire / boiler and the fire draft is controlled with a vent or fan witch is need it can shout down from 60 daggers to 30 and with a on board computer to control it to switch on or off some come with a balance flue and automatic ash remover. i am defiantly going for one for are build i think it is a good system but only time will tell build planed for 2023 

            

[George and Dragon]

9 hours ago, Dave Potter said:

10kg one day so one bag just under 3 days so 9 bags in bow cover 9 bags in pram cover =18bags x 3 = 54 days just under 2 month

 

I'm glad you have space. I don't.

[tree monkey]

16 minutes ago, George and Dragon said:

I'm glad you have space. I don't.

Plus 9 bags that need to stay dry, it's annoying when a coal bag gets damaged and let's the water in but a bag of glued together sawdust its useless 

[Dave Potter]

Thank you for your post I am sorry that you do not have the space on the soeur tube can you add a extension to it. 

And i can imagine the mess that is makes black water ever ware. at lest you cam hover up sawdust

i think my question has been answered 

[cuthound]

Have you considered a diesel drip.stove such as the Refleks?

 

Clean, controllable and no hard to source fuel to lug about. The local fuel boat delivers diesel for propulsion and heating to my at my mooring.

[Dave Potter]

we have consider it