Heating over winter

[John WH]

We are thinking of putting electric tubular greenhouse heaters powered from the landline and a frost stats on our 45Ft narrowboat during the winter months. We will be using the boat during the winter but would rather not drain down every time we leave it. The heaters are rated at 180, 230 or 360 watts. Does anyone install these heaters and if so how many do you use on a 45ft boat?

[Barry]

I saw a couple of them installed in a narrowboat I looked at 3 years ago (it was for sale)- a 57 footer I believe with just the two and the boat was not warm but not chill like others I looked at on the same day

[jelunga]

we have a 59 ft trad stern. Last winter we left an 800W oil filled radiator on with thermostat at the lowest setting in the rear cabin. Nothing froze and our elec bill did not seem very high. Cannot remember if you said these tubes were thermostatically controlled or not. If not,then they will be heating all the time and may cost an arm & leg to power.

[John WH]

we have a 59 ft trad stern. Last winter we left an 800W oil filled radiator on with thermostat at the lowest setting in the rear cabin. Nothing froze and our elec bill did not seem very high. Cannot remember if you said these tubes were thermostatically controlled or not. If not,then they will be heating all the time and may cost an arm & leg to power.

 

Thanks. The heaters will be connected through plug-in frost stats in the 13 amp socket. It looks like two should do it.

[blackrose]

Why not just buy an electric oil-filled radiator which has temperature settings and a thermostat? You can get small 1kw models if you just want to use them to stop pipes freezing.

 

I have a 2.5kw radiator which I sometimes use for heating and also for frost prevention if I'm away for a few days. I just set it to 5 deg C on the middle power setting.

 

An electric oil-filled rad might not look as nice as the greenhouse heaters but you're only using it while you're away and then you can put it away. You can pick them up for as little as £20 and there's no installation required.

Edited October 23, 2010 by blackrose

[Phil Ambrose]

We are thinking of putting electric tubular greenhouse heaters powered from the landline and a frost stats on our 45Ft narrowboat during the winter months. We will be using the boat during the winter but would rather not drain down every time we leave it. The heaters are rated at 180, 230 or 360 watts. Does anyone install these heaters and if so how many do you use on a 45ft boat?

 

When I moored on the Broads quite a large number of people I knew used heaters such as this especially in the engine compartment or near the weed filter because if the weed filter on a GRP boat freezes and pops the boat will go down very quickly.... weed filters are not something most NBs have to worry about but heating the boat even a little will help keep everything sweet.

 

Phil

[Marky_Mark]

ive got 1 of these Clicky .. ready for when the weather gets cold, hopefully wont use too much electricity but i will pop to the boat regularly to top up the meter as required

[blackrose]

As long as you can set the temperature as low as 5 degrees then that's all you need. The thermostat just kicks in if the temperature falls below that and puts enough heat into the boat to stop everything freezing.

Edited October 23, 2010 by blackrose

[Eeyore]

We are thinking of putting electric tubular greenhouse heaters powered from the landline and a frost stats on our 45Ft narrowboat during the winter months. We will be using the boat during the winter but would rather not drain down every time we leave it. The heaters are rated at 180, 230 or 360 watts. Does anyone install these heaters and if so how many do you use on a 45ft boat?

Hi John

Centraly located 600 watt oil filled heater set just above minimum on 44 foot semi trad - no freezing as yet, and reasonable elecric bill.

Steve

[Woollymishka]

Hi everyone

Really interesting stuff for us as this will be our first winter and have been confused as to what to do.

We are not liveaboards and will be leaving the boat for several weeks at a time......so.......if we get a 800w or 1kw oil filled rad and set the frost stat at about 4 - 5 degrees we should be OK?

We have our calorifier under the bed in rear cabin so am thinking of placing rad there or maybe centrally? Have a 58ft trad?

One other thing - we propose leaving one or two portholes ajar/open to reduce condensation - good idea?

Thanks everyone for this advice.

Tim

[jelunga]

Hi everyone

Really interesting stuff for us as this will be our first winter and have been confused as to what to do.

We are not liveaboards and will be leaving t

he boat for several weeks at a time......so.......if we get a 800w or 1kw oil filled rad and set the frost stat at about 4 - 5 degrees we should be OK?

We have our calorifier under the bed in rear cabin so am thinking of placing rad there or maybe centrally? Have a 58ft trad?

One other thing - we propose leaving one or two portholes ajar/open to reduce condensation - good idea?

Thanks everyone for this advice.

Tim

 

In my opinion, if the fixed ventillation is there, condensation will only occur if the interior temperature is different from the exterior. With nobody inside, there is no moisture being exhaled.

So my view is that there should be no need to keep a window open!

 

Keith