Forums, Internal Fixtures and Fittings, Heating

davidmacdonald at 11/12/2010 17:40:38
Hello all.

We’re thinking of treating Afrita/ourselves to some kind of heating system over the winter – in preparation for the Scottish summer.

The most usual option these days seems to be forced air heating (Eberspacher/Webasto etc.), but to get the heat forwards into the heads and forecabin means filling up the under-bunk lockers on one side with chunky ducting and associated insulation. Has anyone fitted such a system to a CO32 with just one outlet, either coming out under the galley or chart table, or perhaps amidships beneath the saloon table? If so, does it keep the forecabin warm or not or is two outlets the only way to go?

As an alternative we’re considering a hydronic system which would mean narrow water pipes to run forwards, so easier to fit, and we could get a calorifier and have hot water too (our engine is raw water cooled). Any experience with these systems?

The final option (third place at the moment) is some kind of paraffin or diesel drip heater on a bulkhead. This would be simple and use no electricity, but is more of a faff to light and I’m not sure there’s a suitable bulkhead in a Contessa 32. Has anyone used one of these? If on a Contessa, were is it installed?

Any suggestions welcomed.

David

Alastair Pugh at 12/12/2010 11:43:41
I fitted a wet system to a previous boat – a Westerly Fulmar and a Mikuni – you are right, the piping is easier to run than ducting but you are left with the problem of where to site the heat exchanger radiators and fans. There is also the increased electrical load of the fans as well as the heater and pump but it will heat your water.

Marisca’s present system is an Eberspacher in the stern locker blowing through plastic drain pipe running under pilot berth (previous soft ducting was flattened by locker contents, and wait till you find the price of Eberspacher ducting!) then under chart table to an exit under the starboard berth and through a smaller diameter duct (50mm) tucked well up into the top corner to the f’c’sle via the hanging locker and out of a closeable vent in the starboard bin. Remember that the lockers with the ducting will be no good for storing food or drink but great for keeping socks warm.

Long johns and an extra vest or two are considerably cheaper and a lot less effort!

nardus at 14/12/2010 08:36:55
On my Contessa we have an Eberspacher build in the engine room. The nozzle exit is besides the pilotberth. It`s very sensitive for errors. (low voltage, fuel filters) Does anyone has a Dickinson ?

waratah912 at 17/12/2010 21:17:04
Hi,

I’ve fitted an Eberspacher water based system to Waratah. D5Z in the engine compartment, calorifier / pressure pump / accumulator in the cockpit locker and fan matrix in the port locker adjacent to the mast. It’s a 5Kw system so heats up really quickly, thinking of installing another fan matrix in the heads to better balance heat source and output. Components all sourced from internet. Very happy with result.

Happy to provide details / show you in person, boat is in Lymington.

Paul

St Paddy at 21/12/2010 13:38:58
Hi

I have a eberspacher blown air, I got it cheap and it’s a powerful 3.5 Kw.
it is mounted in behind the gas locker , yes just fits, and the air duck is in the coaming and exits above the chart table. I didn’t want to cut holes close to the hull and remove strength. Works well and if you supply the fuel from the engine pre filter all will be well, make sure you have a shut off valve, the pipe will fail one day and drain your fuel into the bilge. I have 110 amp batteries x2 and the heating will start ok several times without needing the engine to boost voltage, They take about 2 to 4 amps so leave it running on low instead of restarting it a few hours later. 20 amps on start up over about 2 mins

davidmacdonald at 23/12/2010 00:13:02
Thanks for the thoughts/tips, will do a bit more thinking when back at the boat.

Galatea at 02/01/2011 02:27:49
Several years ago I had a Wallas 1600 bulkhead paraffin heater mounted in the main saloon on the port bulkhead, with the fuel tank under the port setee. It was wonderful when it worked, but the fuel pump was unreliable (would loose prime), and the burner occasionally got fouled and needed to be cleaned. It is a complex beast, not made to be easily serviced by the user, and I eventually took it off (I still have it in my cellar.) The 1600 is now discontinued, but Wallas makes newer models (1200 and 1800) that would be suitable for a CO32. They may have improved the reliability over the years. Since the unit is self-contained (except for the fuel tank) the installation is very simple.

See http://www.wallas.fi/ for the current models.

contessaEYMET at 15/04/2011 16:32:32
Ahoy,

Have just fitted an Erberspacher D2 Airtronic single outlet with modulator control over last Winter. It was done by Erberspacher agents Kruger in conjunction with Berthon. The unit is installed in the forrard port side of the lazarette locker, the ducting runs forward thro’ the engine bay and exits above the bottom step of the companion, so it can blow hot air straight down the boat. We decided that there was insuffucient room for the ducting under the engine tray and cabin sole without sugery and I didn’t want it blowing heat into the kneehole under the chart table. The modulator is in the panel above the engine starter panel. The whole set-up works very well – all I need to do is slide the duct off the diffuser plate when I want to remove the companion steps to access the engine bay. Not too much heat gets to the forecabin though.

Rogermcd at 20/07/2011 18:52:03
I had a paraffin Wallace 1600 for several years like Galatea. It blew hot air into the saloon from its position on the forward bulhead, and into the forepeak/ heads area via a sliding vent on the back of the machine. It worked really well but took a bit of nurturing. Now defunct but would buy another if I had the funds, the paraffin was easily lit, good calorific output and very low current drain. Heat where you need it but the air needs to be ‘stirred up’ by whirling a towel around occasionally because the outlet is high up, and heat rises, so cold feet!