15 year old diesel heater (Webasto thermotop C)- Service and keep, or buy new?

[Libelle_ze_German]

Liveaboard on a 60ft widebeam for a year and looking for some advice re heating. Managed to scrape through last winter and hoping to get my heating sorted out for the upcoming!

 

Our boat (2007) came with a Webasto thermtop-c water diesel heater, with 4 radiators inside the boat. in spring this year the heater stopped working (Would start up and then stop within about 15 seconds). Anyone experienced with these, is it worth getting the Webasto serviced and going again for heating and water in the winter, or should we look to replace it with a new diesel heater, e.g. the Planar models other threads have discussed? 

 

Any advice would be much appreciated. We don't have a stove currently, would that be a better use of money for a heating system? 

 

Thanks 

[Tony Brooks]

Possibly silly question. Does the header tank have enough liquid in it?

[Tonka]

Has the unit ever been serviced

[LadyG]

I used some Diesel Boost additive (it mentioned heaters) when the tank was low and ran the heating for a few hours, starting and stopping on my demand by thermostat 

It used to roar a bit, now I would say it is normal. It might be worth trying that, personally I'd try to avoid changing the installation. 

Servicing means you need to find someone with expertise, not easy. I have a notion there was someone who services them if you send them the unit. Try the search function on here, top right.

 

4 hours ago, Libelle_ze_German said:

Liveaboard on a 60ft widebeam for a year and looking for some advice re heating. Managed to scrape through last winter and hoping to get my heating sorted out for the upcoming!

 

Our boat (2007) came with a Webasto thermtop-c water diesel heater, with 4 radiators inside the boat. in spring this year the heater stopped working (Would start up and then stop within about 15 seconds). Anyone experienced with these, is it worth getting the Webasto serviced and going again for heating and water in the winter, or should we look to replace it with a new diesel heater, e.g. the Planar models other threads have discussed? 

 

Any advice would be much appreciated. We don't have a stove currently, would that be a better use of money for a heating system? 

 

Thanks 

If you are going to liveaboard I would definitely recommend two heating systems, unless you have shore power.

It depends on your system design, but I have a multi fuel stove with back boiler, small radiator gravity feeds (fat copper pipes) through the boat,  to the loo. This is on 24/7 most of the winter, very toasty. 

I get coal and logs delivered every four/five weeks.

My Webasto runs two rads and the calorifier. One disadvantage not always mentioned is that you need to replace the electricity it uses. It also uses diesel of course, but it's very much ON or OFF, the boat soon cools down on a cold night, and the noise of it starting up will wake you up!

Edited August 2, 2023 by LadyG