heater/multi fuel advice please

[lee b]

hiya,i am in the process of buying a sail away,although i have never owned a boat its something i have wanted to do for years and because of my trades as a builder i am opting for a sail away...anyway,when i was first thinking of buying a narrowboat many moons ago i was just thinking of fitting a multi fuel stove with a back boiler but now am thinking of fitting either a webasto or eberspacher diesel heater (also a multi fuel stove)... i have heard mixed reviews on diesel heaters being expensive to run and troublesome so wondered if anyone haves advice...the main reason why i am thinking of fitting one is for heating the cabin up before i get in from work or even better getting in from the pub !! thanks for any advice...

[Grace and Favour]

Stay with your multi-fuel stove . . . they'll happily stay in for 12-15 hours, -

[canals are us?]

I'll second the multifuel stove.

 

I have a 50ft trad narrowboat with the stove by the steps at the front and before I bought my new woodwarm fireview 4.5kw stove I had a tempoary 63 year old multifuel stove that didn't stay in overnight or heat all of the boat.

 

Now since mid January I'm lovely and warm and can leave at 10am and come back at 10pm and the place is lovely and warm and the fire is still glowing. I used 2 bags a week in the coldest weather, stove lit 24/7.

 

You will find the stove will heat all of the boat and as a new install the more centrally the stove is located the better, I have 2 smallish rads but wouldn't of bothered to fit them if I wasn't linking the back boiler to the calorifier as the stove on it's own is plenty warm enough, tee shirt weather all the time indoors!

The stove heating the calorifier isn't great but plan to modify the pipework to improve the heating of it.

You may want a second heat source for spring/autumn when weather doesn't justify lighting the fire or if ill and can't light the fire etc.

 

If based at a marina or with mains hookup an electric fan heater or oil filled rad is ideal.

 

James

Edited May 16, 2013 by canals are us?

[tree]

I suppose it also depends on the length of your boat and its layout, mine is 38ft and the multi-stove is located in the centre of the boat. I tend not to like too much heat , even in the Winter so while moored near lecky, I just used to use an oil filled rad. I didnt have a water heater other than the calorifier on my boat and will stick to this in the re-fit, as to wash my pots or clothes I just stick pans or the kettle on the cooker,but I tend to stick the KISS attitude ( keep it simple stupid) as for me the less complicated stuff on my boat - the better

 

The thing that you must not scrimp on IMO is the INSULATION, as a well insulated boat will not only be an asset but could save you ££ in fuel costs best advice I could give is work out your layout and take onboard lots of useful and helpful advice from the members on here, enjoy and have fun

[lee b]

thanks,i used to live in france and my sole heating was a woodburner so i know they are good...i was thinking of a back up diesel heater,also for the hot water,i have been looking on ebay germany for a webasto...its just making sure i get one for a boat and not a vw polo lol....i also looked in the states but i am sure the site is dodgy because of spelling errors and wording,looks like someone has had a translation key done on it...i wont buy anything on the net anyway without going through pay pal !.... if you add the back boiler to the calorifier does it heat water up good enough for showers etc without running the engine?...i will install 22ml pipe to the heating system...also is it simple to set the back boiler up for a gravity feed instead of a pump...to be honest i really don't mind building a fire and cleaning up dust,the heat and flame off a woodburner is well worth the effort...i'll probably change my mind when i'm an old fart lol

i'm looking at a 57ft boat,the sail away is spray foamed insulated which i believe is very good...i was contemplating on buying some rock wool to fill out any spaces between the timber and insulation...i'm not sure if that's best left as an air gap to stop dry rot though !...i am not one for being roasting hot...especially after spending 10years living in spain and france having to keep taking cold showers wee hours of the morning to cool down...not much hope of that in england lol

[Grace and Favour]

<<>>

 

i'm looking at a 57ft boat,the sail away is spray foamed insulated which i believe is very good...i was contemplating on buying some rock wool to fill out any spaces between the timber and insulation...i'm not sure if that's best left as an air gap to stop dry rot though !...i am not one for being roasting hot...especially after spending 10years living in spain and france having to keep taking cold showers wee hours of the morning to cool down...not much hope of that in england lol

It's easier to take cold showers in England during the summer - - at any time of day or night - just step outside - it's normally raining!

[STUBAG]

.....And don't forget to position your ECO-FAN on top of the multi-fuel stove!

[sueb]

We get plenty of hot water via back boiler & calorifier

[oarfish]

An eber or similar is handy for quick warmth and hot water when you can't be bothered to light the stove. We retro fitted a multifuel stove to our boat to provide a 100% reliable source of heat as well as the pleasure of burning things. I would have both, but if I had to choose between them it would be the stove.

[lee b]

cheers,its not really a choice of between the two its more of the case reliability,i have been looking at a webasto unit and have heard mixed reports,about how they break down and are expencive to run...

if i do go just for the multi fuel stove with a back boiler is it easy to get it working with a gravity feed rather than fitting a pump?

how do you achieve the gravity feed? or is it better to fit a pump,pumps would use power where gravity doesn't...which one is better over all to install?

 

• i am a tight git so i'm interested in the back boiler if it will save me 1200-1400 quid... the only down side is like you say,the convenience of flicking a switch when you need just a bit of heat at nigh in spring and autumn...also for hot water for showers without running the engine...
• does it cost more to get hot water by running the engine that to switch on a webasto? thanks for advice...

[Grace and Favour]

 

cheers,its not really a choice of between the two its more of the case reliability,i have been looking at a webasto unit and have heard mixed reports,about how they break down and are expencive to run...

if i do go just for the multi fuel stove with a back boiler is it easy to get it working with a gravity feed rather than fitting a pump?

how do you achieve the gravity feed? or is it better to fit a pump,pumps would use power where gravity doesn't...which one is better over all to install?

 

• i am a tight git so i'm interested in the back boiler if it will save me 1200-1400 quid... the only down side is like you say,the convenience of flicking a switch when you need just a bit of heat at nigh in spring and autumn...also for hot water for showers without running the engine...
• does it cost more to get hot water by running the engine that to switch on a webasto? thanks for advice...

An engine will use 1 ~ 1.5 ltr of fuel per hour, PLUS maintenance cost (Change oil & filters every 200/250 hrs)

A Webasto will use 1Ltr ± per hour, and will heat water quicker too

[lee b]

think i will stick a webasto in to be honest... i did see one for sale as a complete kit in the usa but i have asked them if i can pay via pay pal,it seems to have scared them off so with the spelling errors on there internet site i presume its a scam...i will never pay for anything on the net without pay pal...shame cause it was cheep...same old thing in life though,if something seems to good to be true it usually is...i have found a full marine kit on german ebay for 850 euros...its still a saving i guess !

[mrsmelly]

Hi

 

No contest a simple solid fuel stove is all you need. A squirrel will EASILY stay in for 24 hours so pub/work is not a problem. Diesel stuff is ok and can be handy but is realy not worth the bother.

 

Tim

[Nobag]

Get a Rover 75 one off Ebay, they work fine.

[lee b]

their is a reason why rover went under...they are crap ! lol that goes for most english car company's that went under in the 80's and 90's.... they wanted to charge the same as good imports but wanted people to keep buying rust buckets that spend more time with the bonnet up than on the road....