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Free Heating?

Alanji

By Alanji
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Alanji Proficient

Alanji

Posted
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I discovered how to get some heat for free on my recent RCR course. Not yet tested but I can see no reason why it will not work.

 

If you have a pumped central heating system which also heats the calorifier and it is also heated from the engine, run the pump while running the engine (once at operating temperature) but do not turn on the boiler. The calorifier will be heated from the engine and the radiators will be heated from the calorifier - for free!

 

An alternative which one attendee was intending to carry out, is to take a spur from the cooling system (many engines may already have a 'plug' fitted - I cannot think of the correct name) and plumb it in to the radiators. It would be advisable to put in a shut off valve and only open it when the engine has reached full temperature. And maybe check that the antifreeze in your radiators is the same as the engine?

 

It also has the advantage of adding additional cooling to the engine!

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Higgs Influencer

Higgs

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Posted

I discovered how to get some heat for free on my recent RCR course. Not yet tested but I can see no reason why it will not work.

 

If you have a pumped central heating system which also heats the calorifier and it is also heated from the engine, run the pump while running the engine (once at operating temperature) but do not turn on the boiler. The calorifier will be heated from the engine and the radiators will be heated from the calorifier - for free!

 

An alternative which one attendee was intending to carry out, is to take a spur from the cooling system (many engines may already have a 'plug' fitted - I cannot think of the correct name) and plumb it in to the radiators. It would be advisable to put in a shut off valve and only open it when the engine has reached full temperature. And maybe check that the antifreeze in your radiators is the same as the engine?

 

It also has the advantage of adding additional cooling to the engine!

 

Are you thinking of using the second coil in the calorifier? I suppose it all depends on the heat exchanging abiility of the hot water in the calorifier to heat the rad system. It will probably cool the engine coolant and all will take a while to equalise. This may be a useful way to control engine temp on rivers.

 

When the engine reaches working temp, wouldn't the valve opening operation begin to reduce the engine coolant at first.

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Paul C Veteran II

Paul C

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An alternative which one attendee was intending to carry out, is to take a spur from the cooling system (many engines may already have a 'plug' fitted - I cannot think of the correct name) and plumb it in to the radiators. It would be advisable to put in a shut off valve and only open it when the engine has reached full temperature. And maybe check that the antifreeze in your radiators is the same as the engine?

 

 

Our boat already has this. Its not "free" but its using heat that would otherwise be wasted, so it adds to the overall efficiency of the engine if its being used for something else too (eg battery charging or actually going boating). I'm scratching my head why all boats don't have this, really.

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djheaton321 Gongoozler

djheaton321

Posted
Posted

I fitted a pump to the heating on our boat at the beginning of the winter with this in mind. It works very well, what helps is to run the eberspacher during the first hour as the engine warms up, the radiators will then stay at a reasonable temperature for the rest of the cruising day, warm rather than hot. Not as hot as when the eberspacher is running but still enough to keep the cabin at an acceptable temperature. The other solution is to fit a heat exchanger, which was discussed on a thread a couple of months or so ago.

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nb Innisfree Veteran II

nb InnisfreeDonate to Canal World

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We also have the CH, calorifiers and Mikunu in circuit with the engine coolant. Engine takes too long to reach operating temp if open to CH but once up to temp the engine and its pump can then keep pace with 7kw of rads and calorifiers. Better if we first preheat the engine and CH with Mikuni before starting as engine then reaches temp quickly.

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TNC Collaborator

TNC

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Posted

We used to do this on our old boat that had and Alde boiler. As other have said, it did get the radiators warm to the touch and took the chill off the inside of the boat.

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Ex- Member Veteran II

Ex- Member

Posted
Posted (edited)

I can do this on our set up, thing is for us it's hardly worth it unless running your engine or cruising for long periods in the winter which I'm not proposing to do as I'm planning on an inboard 12v generator. If cruising for a decen long period it would more than likely be in warmer weather anyway.

 

It is though as suggested a good way of cooling the engine should overheating be a problem on rivers etc. The heat you get from the rads is minimal but aparrant so would be usable, so if you do have to run the engine for long periods It would be of some use. Also when you switch the engine off, if you then turn on your central heating then the water's already warm so making a nice transition without loss of heat. Remember though tto switch off the loop for he calorifier unless you want to continue heaing it for hot water.

 

In a situation where the central heatting fails in cold weather it might be most welcome.

Edited by Julynian
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dor Veteran II

dor

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Posted

First did this on my previous boat about 12 years ago. It had an Alde 2928 and I ran it by turning the 'stat temp. right up so that the pump ranb, but didn't light the boiler.

 

Only a small engine - 30HP Thorneycroft, but it got four rads too hot to touch.

 

I did find however that you do have to balance the flow between the calorifier and rads. I did this using 22mm full flow ball valves, one in each circuit (except bathroom rad which was always open) which I used to select heating and/or hot water from the Alde.

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Foxtrot Contributor

Foxtrot

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I figured it out on the day I was BORN, so there. :P:P:P

 

I was going to say I'd figured it before even buying a boat (thanks to some crazy internet forum post) but you got trumps.

 

Has left me wondering though, what ells you figured out on the day you were born?

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Philippe Contributor

Philippe

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I was going to say I'd figured it before even buying a boat (thanks to some crazy internet forum post) but you got trumps.

 

Has left me wondering though, what ells you figured out on the day you were born?

 

That you can't believe everything you read on internet forums :closedeyes:

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  • 3 weeks later...
peterboat Veteran II

peterboatDonate to Canal World

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I had that solar panel on the side of my boat! (sun shone on that side for most of the day in the summer) it used to work well but on my new boat I have a 300 w imersion heater which runs from 2 solar panels works well in the summer and in the winter a little bit

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