electric towel warmers

[Boat&Bikes]

Would like to fit a pretty low power one.Any advice on wether safe to fit to bathroom wall and run its cable through a hole and plug into 240 supply in room next to bathroom?

 

Cheers,

 

Ian.

[Dominic M]

As long as the socket is not in the bathroom, it is not a problem. Sockets, except shaver outlets, are not allowed in a bathroom.

[Albion]

I don't think it poses any danger as such (we've run a halogen heater this way before, but this months Waterways World magazine is running a brief review of a 12V towel warmer with a very low draw, so it might be worth checking out if 240V worries you.....

 

Rich

 

I honestly doubt the sanity of using 12V for the purposes of any form of heating no matter how low a current draw it claims. Hours of use, even at low amperage, is still going to hammer the batteries unless you are permanently connected to a charger/landline in which case it might as well be mains.

Roger

[NB Willawaw]

We have a low power portable AC one which we use for different applications . I think its about 80W. Works well.

 

We also have a permanent one in the bathroom, plumbed into the engine cooling circuit, which gives us free heat when the engine is running.

[BlueStringPudding]

I like the sound of plumbing something like that into the engine cooling circuit. But is there an danger in doing that, for example is there such a thing as overcooling the engine?

[NB Willawaw]

I'm not an engine engineer, but I've seen it done on quite a few boats.

 

The only thing is that it takes slightly longer for the engine to warm up on very cold days due to the extra heat dissipation, but we often switch it off until the engine is hot.

[AlanH]

I like the sound of plumbing something like that into the engine cooling circuit. But is there an danger in doing that, for example is there such a thing as overcooling the engine?

The engine thermostat should prevent that happening. Water will only circulate once it is up to normal running temperature.

[WotEver]

I honestly doubt the sanity of using 12V for the purposes of any form of heating no matter how low a current draw it claims.

I agree 100%.

 

There's plenty of waste heat from the engine...

 

Tony

[ditchcrawler]

We have a low power portable AC one which we use for different applications . I think its about 80W. Works well.

 

We also have a permanent one in the bathroom, plumbed into the engine cooling circuit, which gives us free heat when the engine is running.

Mine is between the calorifier and the Dickinson cooker. When the engine is running I get thermo syphoning round the loop.

[WJM]

I cant help but think that if you want luxuries like this then a house is probably a better choice. Boats need to be kept simple - unless you like complicating things.

[Boat&Bikes]

I dont think its very complicated fitting an electric towel warmer WJM...

 

 

Ian

[NB Willawaw]

Never mind Ian - your boat; your rules.

 

Isn't freedom the whole point of a boat (apart from not getting your feet wet that is).

Edited October 18, 2011 by NB Willawaw

[wrigglefingers]

I hang my towels on the front rail of the Rayburn. You could do the same in front of the stove or hang it up in the engine space.

 

Zero draw on the electricity - result!

[14skipper]

I cant help but think that if you want luxuries like this then a house is probably a better choice. Boats need to be kept simple - unless you like complicating things.

 

Yes what is the boating world coming too ! Next your be wanting running water hot and cold/heating/somewhere to cook/ somewhere to sleep/tv/computers/lights other than candles and heaven forbid a loo.None of which l am guessing you have then "WJM"

What ever happened to bucket and chuck and then using whatever came back in the bucket to wash with.Bah Humbug

14 Skipper

[Theo]

The engine thermostat should prevent that happening. Water will only circulate once it is up to normal running temperature.

 

It depends upon where the take off for the circuit is. On my BMC 1.5 the heater outlet is a threaded hole on the top of the cylinder head so it bypasses the thermostat.

 

N

[AJLintern]

You'd just have to tee into the pipe that comes from the thermostat housing to the radiator or whatever else cools your coolant.

[jonathanA]

As long as the socket is not in the bathroom, it is not a problem. Sockets, except shaver outlets, are not allowed in a bathroom.

 

but then neither are portable appliances.... would you be happy running an electric heater in your bathroom at home plugged in outside the bathroom - probably not

[NB Willawaw]

When people say "allowed" - allowed by whom ?

 

There is a proper way to install a heated towel rail in a bathroom in houses.

 

I don't believe the subject is covered for boats - certainly not in the BSS.

 

If I were commissioned to do it, then I would install as if it were a house.

[Alan Saunders]

but then neither are portable appliances.... would you be happy running an electric heater in your bathroom at home plugged in outside the bathroom - probably not

 

There are regulations for 240V AC in land-based installations. Basically, any 240V AC appliance needs to have an adequate earth bond and be >2m from any other earth-bonded point e.g. the basin taps. i.e. An average person should not be able to reach both the basin taps and any 240V AC device at the same time. Makes sense to me!

 

Whilst overhauling the heating system in my house I frequently heated the bathroom with a 3KW fan heater plugged in to a socket outside of the bathroom. Just inside the door of the small bathroom the heater was >2m from the loo, bath, washbasin and I did not approach it when I emerged, wet, from the bath/shower.

 

Yes, I was 'happy' but guests would need strict instruction to avoid the possible hazards.

 

As a child in the 1950's I fondly remember the smell of scorching cotton towels hung over the fireguard in front of an open fire. The best towel warmer cannt compete wit that.

 

Alan

[ditchcrawler]

When people say "allowed" - allowed by whom ?

 

There is a proper way to install a heated towel rail in a bathroom in houses.

 

I don't believe the subject is covered for boats - certainly not in the BSS.

 

If I were commissioned to do it, then I would install as if it were a house.

Probably the best you can do.

[JDR]

I cant help but think that if you want luxuries like this then a house is probably a better choice. Boats need to be kept simple - unless you like complicating things.

 

Tend to agree, sounds like the work of satan to me, but I like the auxilliary cooling aspect.If I have crew I regularly get them to run the shower on long river sections.If there is another way of disappating heat when moving I'm all ears.Any way of activating the towel heater from the engine room if single handed?

[Chertsey]

Tend to agree, sounds like the work of satan to me, but I like the auxilliary cooling aspect.If I have crew I regularly get them to run the shower on long river sections.If there is another way of disappating heat when moving I'm all ears.Any way of activating the towel heater from the engine room if single handed?

You don't need to do it manually. We had this set up on Warrior. A small domestic radiator in the bathroom was plumbed into the pipe run between the thermostat and the skin tank. In practice we left it on all the time; the bathroom got hot but that wasn't really a problem when cruising, and was great for drying stuff. In theory we could have turned it off and the water would have gone straight to the skin tank.

 

It did mean you had to have your shower immediately on stopping (or while going along) during the winter months, before the bathroom cooled down again, but it was the height of luxury, and dead simple too.

 

We did once try to dump heat by running the hot tap and noticed no appreciable difference. Does this work or is it an old wives tale?

Edited October 19, 2011 by Chertsey

[cereal tiller]

You don't need to do it manually. We had this set up on Warrior. A small domestic radiator in the bathroom was plumbed into the pipe run between the thermostat and the skin tank. In practice we left it on all the time; the bathroom got hot but that wasn't really a problem when cruising, and was great for drying stuff. In theory we could have turned it off and the water would have gone straight to the skin tank.

 

It did mean you had to have your shower immediately on stopping (or while going along) during the winter months, before the bathroom cooled down again, but it was the height of luxury, and dead simple too.

 

We did once try to dump heat by running the hot tap and noticed no appreciable difference. Does this work or is it an old wives tale?

regarding the temperature reduction of the boat's main engine,there are several factors.

 

which engine was it ,how much power was it producing at the time,and what size was the calorifier?

 

rough figures will do.

 

 

most calorifier heating coils can conduct 1.5 -2.5 kilowatts of heat at 75 % centigrade.

[jonathanA]

When people say "allowed" - allowed by whom ?

 

Actually I think its the law 'part p' building regulations and competent persons scheme for electrical work

 

obviously not applicable to boats (thank goodness) but there have been prosecutions for people doing 'diy' electrical work without getting the required 'certificates' - you are allowed to do some work but i think bathrooms and kitchens are (even more) limited in what you can do without telling your local council (building control) or getting a 'competant person' to certify the work.

 

(not meaning to hijack thread / go off topic)

[NB Willawaw]

Houses are a different subject and you are right in what you state. However, as you say, Part P has no place in boats.

 

 

Actually I think its the law 'part p' building regulations and competent persons scheme for electrical work

 

obviously not applicable to boats (thank goodness) but there have been prosecutions for people doing 'diy' electrical work without getting the required 'certificates' - you are allowed to do some work but i think bathrooms and kitchens are (even more) limited in what you can do without telling your local council (building control) or getting a 'competant person' to certify the work.

 

(not meaning to hijack thread / go off topic)