Heating system for live aboard

[abbo]

I'm currently fitting out a new build 57 ft narrowboat and was going to put a webasto heating system in as I like the sound of the simplicity of it. I've heard quite a few people say that they aren't very reliable though so have looked at other systems on the internet: ie, hot air systems or drip feed gravity systems, and am now just very confused. I'm planning to have a boatman stove but don't want to rely on it for everyday heat.

 

Any advice would be very gratefully received!!!

 

Claire

[denboy]

my humble opinion go for drip feed no moving parts no elect consumption no expesive burners to replace no noisy exhaust rumblings runs on red diesel and kero and parrafin handy for emergancy cooking when you run out of gas kettles allways ready for a brew had one on two boats now for near on 9 years total cost of maintanace on both fires £7.50 for a flue brush and around £3.00 for some stainless polish

Turn it off once a month give it a scrape to get rid of carbon and a hoover out

(Refleks stove)

Edited April 1, 2008 by denis boyle

[Travis]

I think it depends on what your plans are Claire, if you are going to be using your boat for weekends/holidays then the ease of use of a Webby does sound attractive. I would probably have one fitted, if I was to fit central heating at all. Our last boat did not have it, in 12 years use we didnt feel the need for it. But....

 

If you are going to be a liveaboard then I would recommend a drip feed type. The many benefits are listed by Denis above, we have a Kabola, simplicity itself!

 

There is an interesting point raised by Gary Peacock in an earlier thread, are Webbys/Ebbys really designed for domestic use? If they are only designed for leisure use can they be expected to give long, reliable and cost effective service in a domestic situation ie liveaboard?

 

Whatever system you choose, enoy your boating,

 

Andy.

[parasal]

Hi there,

I looked at every type of system for my widebeam and ended up with a multi fuel stove with back boiler; I can keep it running 24/7 with the right fuel and it seem the most carbon friendly with CCing and few parts to break...will let you know more when I`m living onboard but it was the easiest and cheapest option for me!

Good luck with it all....I reached complete overload when researching all the different types..just like I am now with now with mail and PO boxes!!

Take care

Sal

[Denis R]

I've been running a Webasto ThermoTop C for 2 years now and apart from a choked burner which was replaced under warranty at about 11 months old, it's been working fine, almost daily - under closely controlled conditions since the burner change. However, if I were to do the project again I wouldn't choose a Webasto (and definitely wouldn't choose an Eberspacher). I'm convinced that

1) The Webasto wasn't designed for prolonged running although it appears to be, under certain conditions, reasonably red diesel tolerant.

2) The Eberspacher was definitely not designed to run on red-diesel.

3) A webasto will work fine if you run it for short bursts at high output. Extended running at half power or idle will kill it.

Next time I'll be looking for something a bit more fuel-quality tolerant and a bit more robust....

[BlueStringPudding]

Next time I'll be looking for something a bit more fuel-quality tolerant and a bit more robust....

 

 

Such as...?

[Tusses]

Such as...?

 

log stove

[BlueStringPudding]

log stove

 

[Smelly]

The only reason i'm thinking about diesel heating is for hot water over the summer.

 

Having read other threads about how much diesel these things consume I can't, in all carbon and fiscal consciousness, justify it over my log fire. Granted the petrol for the chainsaw (I know, I know) means I'll never be completely neutral, and we need coal to keep it in over the winter (note, not overnight, it didn't go out for 3 months) but it seems an expensive and unnecessary luxury compared to a squirrel (as opposed to our Brunel... curse that sale!) that will stay in on wood overnight.

 

Our fire might be a bit mucky, but as others have said... no moving parts.

[Denis R]

Such as...?

An Aga, Heritage or similar....

[Travis]

Logs are OK but is there now not a call for fallen trees and logs to be left alone so insects and small animals can live in them when they rot? Do chainsaws have catalyctic convertors?

I'd also be checking where the coal I'd be buying canalside comes from, the company I work for sells coal and I was very surprised to discover its country of origin. Not a country well known for paying decent wages or giving good working conditions to its miners I can tell you.

 

This could be interesting...

[Travis]

Edited to remove double posting. Why does this happen?

Edited April 2, 2008 by Travis

[blackrose]

I'm currently fitting out a new build 57 ft narrowboat and was going to put a webasto heating system in as I like the sound of the simplicity of it. I've heard quite a few people say that they aren't very reliable though so have looked at other systems on the internet: ie, hot air systems or drip feed gravity systems, and am now just very confused. I'm planning to have a boatman stove but don't want to rely on it for everyday heat.

 

Any advice would be very gratefully received!!!

 

Claire

 

If you're going to be living aboard and having some form of diesel central heating system plus a solid fuel stove and, think about using the stove for everday use and the diesel heater for supplementary heat & hot water and as a backup. Solid fuel stoves are just about the most reliable forms of heating on a boat but you'll either need it centrally located in the boat or have one with a backboiler feeding rads.

 

I'm currently fitting out a new build 57 ft narrowboat and was going to put a webasto heating system in as I like the sound of the simplicity of it. I've heard quite a few people say that they aren't very reliable though so have looked at other systems on the internet: ie, hot air systems or drip feed gravity systems, and am now just very confused. I'm planning to have a boatman stove but don't want to rely on it for everyday heat.

 

Any advice would be very gratefully received!!!

 

Claire

 

If you're going to be living aboard and having some form of diesel central heating system plus a solid fuel stove and, think about using the stove for everday use and the diesel heater for supplementary heat & hot water and as a backup. Solid fuel stoves are just about the most reliable forms of heating on a boat but you'll either need it centrally located in the boat or have one with a backboiler feeding rads.

 

I'm currently fitting out a new build 57 ft narrowboat and was going to put a webasto heating system in as I like the sound of the simplicity of it. I've heard quite a few people say that they aren't very reliable though so have looked at other systems on the internet: ie, hot air systems or drip feed gravity systems, and am now just very confused. I'm planning to have a boatman stove but don't want to rely on it for everyday heat.

 

Any advice would be very gratefully received!!!

 

Claire

 

If you're going to be living aboard and having some form of diesel central heating system plus a solid fuel stove and, think about using the stove for everday use and the diesel heater for supplementary heat & hot water and as a backup. Solid fuel stoves are just about the most reliable forms of heating on a boat but you'll either need it centrally located in the boat or have one with a backboiler feeding rads.

[blackrose]

I'm currently fitting out a new build 57 ft narrowboat and was going to put a webasto heating system in as I like the sound of the simplicity of it. I've heard quite a few people say that they aren't very reliable though so have looked at other systems on the internet: ie, hot air systems or drip feed gravity systems, and am now just very confused. I'm planning to have a boatman stove but don't want to rely on it for everyday heat.

 

Any advice would be very gratefully received!!!

 

Claire

 

If you're going to be living aboard and having some form of diesel central heating system plus a solid fuel stove, then think about using the stove for everday use and the diesel heater for supplementary heat & hot water and as a backup. Webastos and the like prefer not to be run on a liveaboard/domestic basis, while solid fuel stoves are just about the most reliable forms of heating on a boat - but you'll either need it centrally located in the boat or have one with a backboiler feeding rads.

Edited April 2, 2008 by blackrose

[Ex- Member]

my humble opinion go for drip feed no moving parts no elect consumption no expesive burners to replace no noisy exhaust rumblings runs on red diesel and kero and parrafin handy for emergancy cooking when you run out of gas kettles allways ready for a brew had one on two boats now for near on 9 years total cost of maintanace on both fires £7.50 for a flue brush and around £3.00 for some stainless polish

Turn it off once a month give it a scrape to get rid of carbon and a hoover out

(Refleks stove)

 

I researched this issue for months, and planning to live aboard full time and CC. I couldn't have put it better than above

I went for a corner bubble stove 5k with backboiler.

[Eastern]

I'm currently fitting out a new build 57 ft narrowboat and was going to put a webasto heating system in as I like the sound of the simplicity of it. I've heard quite a few people say that they aren't very reliable though so have looked at other systems on the internet: ie, hot air systems or drip feed gravity systems, and am now just very confused. I'm planning to have a boatman stove but don't want to rely on it for everyday heat.

 

Any advice would be very gratefully received!!!

 

Claire

 

Well Claire if you want some form of controllable and automatic system, then I would consider the following:-

 

Hurricane heater from Calcutt Boats. A 12v model.

 

Harworth Heating Pressure Jet boiler. Was in a 24v model, but now only 240v. This uses standard UK oil boiler parts, so that there are no problems with servicing. www.oilstoves.co.uk

 

Kabola Pressure Jet Boilers. Come in 24v and 240v models. Non standard UK parts and £200.00 to commission.

 

All of the above are expensive, but you will have gathered that anything that is 'boat' specific usually is. All should be capable of providing heat 365/24/7 with reliablity.

 

IMHO the vehicle type heaters (Webasto et.al.) do not have the reliability to supply a liveabord with heat all year round.

 

East

[chris w]

I have a Webasto but am not a liveaboard and it has been extremely reliable. Webasto do state that it canot be used 24/7 and must be allowed to completely cool down once per day. I am guessing that this is to allow it to come on at full chat the next time so that the build-up of carbon is lessened.

 

Chris

[pearley]

We have a Webasto fitted to Joanie M. It started giving trouble in January at 7 months old. When we eventually found an engineer who was prepared to look at it (with a car you can generally get it repaired within the week. Why is it so difficult with a boat?) his laptop continually said 'communication error' so he removed t and took it away. He said that the Webasto is not intended for liveaboard use (neither is the Eberspacher or Mikuni) and that it should be serviced every 1000 to 1500 hours. The Hurricane from Calcutt is but uses a lot more fuel. If I was having another boat built then I would probably have a Kabola.

 

To make sure it doesn't leave us without heating again on the coldest week of the year I'm going to buy spare unit on Ebay.