can you use calor/propane gas heaters on narrowboats?

[larrysanders]

I've seen this new compact heater and thought it might be a good alternative to our multi fuel burner. Does anyone use similair heaters and are they safe to use on boats?

 

http://www.lpg-portable-heaters.co.uk/acat...rcatalytic.html

[NBMike]

I would guess they run foul of BSS due to having gas bottle inside cabin, let alone the CO effect!!!

[kayDee]

And the dreaded CONDENSATION!!!!!!!!

Kay

x

[larrysanders]

would that be any different to a 'log burner' though.. on the condensation and co front??

[Keeping Up]

Yes because the log burner exhausts everything through a flue to outside the boat

[Nickhlx]

Yes because the log burner exhausts everything through a flue to outside the boat

 

 

I think Kay's comment would be the first major thing you would notice - seriously aweful condensation.

 

One reason we are specced to be as electric as possible in the galley is to avoid the using gas rings as it needs venting straight out to be replaced by cold air coming in, so with that sort of heater it would be significantly self-defeating. There is also a risk of CO poisoning if the venting is inadequate....

 

Nick

[larrysanders]

cheers nick. i think it's a no, no then! any other heating ideas for a boat with an outboard... could you run an electric heater off a suitcase geny?

[Guest]

cheers nick. i think it's a no, no then! any other heating ideas for a boat with an outboard... could you run an electric heater off a suitcase geny?

We used to do that on a previous boat. It was rather uneconomical, and usual electrical safety precautions apply, as well as the correct procedures for using a genny on a boat. However it can be done safely, if not economically. We used a Yamaha suitcase Genset (650W if I recall correctly), and one bar of a halogen type electric heater (two bars would trip the genny overload in this case). It worked reasonably well.

I have often felt that an electric fan assisted heater might be suitable on a boat with adequate supply, but have never got around to trying one. They are really cheap to buy, and can be run at various levels of power consumption.