Cheapest heating in the long run for liveaboards.

[Peter Underwood]

Coal on a solid fuel stove every time. Kept us cosy at -8 last winter and keeps us in hot water from big kettle as well as cooking most winter meals.

[Taslim]

Although it is probably true that coal packs more energy per pound sterling than other fuels, coal burning stoves are extremely inefficient. Much of the heat goes up the chimney, and a coal stove is always either producing too much heat or too little. There is no satisfactory way to control the output.

 

So, in practice, a diesel or gas heater could well be a cheaper option, and certainly a cleaner and more convenient one.

[/quote

 

i can't go with that. a stove of the moreso squirrel type can be controlled easily, the 'moreso' if it has a back boiler.

 

taz

[sebrof]

Although it is probably true that coal packs more energy per pound sterling than other fuels, coal burning stoves are extremely inefficient. Much of the heat goes up the chimney, and a coal stove is always either producing too much heat or too little. There is no satisfactory way to control the output.

 

So, in practice, a diesel or gas heater could well be a cheaper option, and certainly a cleaner and more convenient one.

 

i can't go with that. a stove of the moreso squirrel type can be controlled easily, the 'moreso' if it has a back boiler.

 

taz

 

Yes, I agree. It CAN be controlled easily, just so long as you don't mind jumping up and down every few minutes adjusting it. If you don't keep adjusting it, you will waste fuel. The great advantage of other fuels is that their consumption can be controlled very precisely by thermostat.

 

But with the price of all fuels increasing alarmingly, the best solution (as mentioned previously) is to improve insulation, and take whatever free energy one can get hold of. Over the winter I shall be working on my micro-hydro-powered, water-source heat pump.

[Colin Smith]

I did the search and understand there will be different opinions about this. But, If living on board all year round and at home on the boat 24/7. What is the most economical heating? Coal, gas, wood, diesel......? Or any other suggestions? If you would choose to install new heating today, what would it be?

 

FWIW. I have a Mikuni MX60 on my barge (57ft x 11ft) bought new earlier this year. It was pretty straight forward to install and has run like a dream. It is one of the newer ones with the modified ECU and has coped faultlessly with the 'new' red diesel.

 

I run it every day for hot water (takes about 30-40 mins to heat up 95L) and have used it for heating more than I expected over the 'summer'. It's driving 4x 1000mm double panel rads, a 500mm single, a large towel rail and a 4Kw warm air matrix heater, with fairly difficult pipe runs down both sides of the barge. Heats the barge up no problem and I like it Hot! As for running costs: It is costing me on average around 48p/hour to run based on 87p/Ltr. The parts are cheap compared to the other pre-heater types such as the Eberspacher and Webasto although I haven't replaced anything yet! I'll probably throw a new glow plug in it for the winter - about £20.

 

I don't have any other form of heating and although I can appreciate the cost benefits of free wood etc, I didn't want the dirt, hassle or inconvenience of a woodburner. I did look at the Kabolas but the cost was silly compared to the Mikuni and the space required etc put me off.

 

Colin

 

...... Over the winter I shall be working on my micro-hydro-powered, water-source heat pump.

 

This I want to see! Any info, pics, diagrams???

 

Colin

[Nickhlx]

...... Over the winter I shall be working on my micro-hydro-powered, water-source heat pump.

Also of great interest to me - I have a friend who used to work in technical sales for a heat-pump company and we like a project

 

Nick

[sebrof]

...... Over the winter I shall be working on my micro-hydro-powered, water-source heat pump.

Also of great interest to me - I have a friend who used to work in technical sales for a heat-pump company and we like a project

 

Nick

 

I am afraid it is very much still in my head at the moment. It will only work in a river or tidal situation with a reasonable flow. And it is in two parts.

 

I plan to drive a 24V alternator from a propeller which can be lowered over the side. It would need to produce about 60 amps, so the prop will have to be quite large. A water wheel might work better.

 

The power produced would drive a ground-source heat pump with its coil in the river, rather than buried in the ground. The coil would be a fraction of the size of a ground coil because of the much greater heat transfer provided by flowing water. This should be more efficient than an air-source heat pump in very cold weather, because the river water would be warmer than the air temperature.

 

I will first try to use it to heat the existing radiators. If that isn't satisfactory, I will next try under-floor heating.

 

There's going to be a lot of "suck it and see"! But the main challenge is to get over a KW from the river with a portable and easily-dismantled device. The rest is off-the-shelf technology.

[Jenny53]

A. Lockgate diesel stove and Eberspacher for us. Cleaner and no storage issues.

[Nev]

Late to this topic but I have found the posts very interesting and informative. I have investigated the Refleks, I like the look and the cleanliness aspects, but I read of cherry red stoves (I guess this is a rarity) and blow backs (have had that with the Squirrel) - not nice, but at least it did not go out !

 

I have a Squirrel with a back boiler feeding a thermo syphoned run of polished copper 32mm pipe running the length of the cabin space - stops at the engine room and the rear cabin has its own little SF stove from a guards wagon. Simple and well engineered to just work. No pump to make a noise so i sit here typing this listening to the wind and the occasional crackle as the oak logs deliver their heat to the boat.

 

On our last boat we had the same system apart from radiators and a pump - that I latterly fitted with a pipe thermostat, only issue was it would sometimes wake me in the small hours when it kicked in as it picked up the heat from the stove.

 

One thing I remain uncertain on is if you can run either Refleks visible flame tank type back boiler or non visible flame coil type boiler without a pump on such a system as mine is ?

 

So whilst temped by a nice copper Refleks I think I'll keep my money in my pocket for now well certainly until I have burnt all the Oak i have stored and chopped as well at the 100kg of excel....

 

.... one thing that I have recently tried is sawing the easy light logs in half... one is too much and gives loads of heat out, works a treat in from work, no messing about sit it on half a dozen ovals and its looks after itself and gives quick intense heat.

 

Nev

[peterboat]

I have both a wood burner with backboiler and bubble oil stove with backboiler the bubble lives in the bedroom its clean lights easily doesnt smell uses kero. The woodburner is cheap because i have tons of wood for free If I had to buy wood I would not bother as its dusty and requires regular filling but I do enjoy the flames of the woodburner

 

Peter

[Staarek]

In my option combination of both both systems (webasto/eber + stove) works quite well. I've got a stove with backboiler that heats up a small rad in the bedroom and webasto water heater as well. I switch Webasto on for about 1 hr before I arrive from work, so I'm coming back to nice and warm boat. After coming back I'm putting the fire on which last through most of the night and then Webasto takes over again for 1 hour in the morning.

[b0atman]

Why on a canal forum do people come up with house systems ?

Dad In house winter quarter gas bill for heating and hot water £300 +

Me on boat last winter

Fuel for Bubble multi fuel stove feeds 3 radiators £230 coal and wood minimal amount of free wood.

Gas for year 4 bottles £104

I know I have to fetch fuel onboard and remove ash but then I do not have 3 more quarterly bills of gas to pay.

[Athy]

 

the rear cabin has its own little SF stove from a guards wagon.

 

 

 

Nev

Now that's what I call style.

[Texasboater]

I am quite taken with the "Lumpwood Charcoal" burners.

[Phil Ambrose]

I beg to differ,coal fires are easily controlled, all that's needed is practice.

Phil