Installing a diesel heater

[cleatsandcode]

OK, so this isn't for our RIB; rather our 20 foot merry fisher. I'm looking into installing a Chinese diesel blown air heather and wondered if anyone has experience and/or tips on fitting. Obviously the best place for the exhaust would be on the transom but thats right where the built in fuel tank (petrol) is and sometimes we have the canvas/plastic covers up in the winter.

Thanks in advance and apologies to mods that this isn't a RIB thing, but this is the only boating forum I'm on.

[GuyC]

There's a 'self build campervans' forum on Facebook that mentions Chinese diesel heaters a lot. They seem to be a bit Marmite with some people loving them and others being the opposite. There is also apparently some guidance on Youtube.

[jeffstevens763@g]

https://youtu.be/1vOIOX6_HGg

[beamishken]

There is no way on earth I'd install a Chinese diesel heater in a petrol powered boat,I very much doubt they meet the safety requirements for installation in a diesel powererd boat never mind petrol. I'd be concerned about fitting a diesel eberspacher in a petrol boat & I'm not even sure they comply with the requirements for petrol boats. Eberspacher do petrol heaters which will probably comply but you need to speak to an installation specialist regarding the install & I'd want an installation certificate for my insurance.
I have a Chinese heater fitted in my workshop & it works great but I wouldn't trust one tucked away in a boat. The one I have looks identical to the eberspacher D4 I have in my boat but if the boat eberspacher packed in I wouldn't even consider a Chinese replacement for it , I'd spend the money & buy another eberspacher webasto or mikuni & sleep soundly.

There is a huge difference between installing equipment in a petrol or diesel boat.

Please take advise from a specialist & not an internet "expert" the risks are potentially life changing if you get it wrong.

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[cleatsandcode]

I'm beginning to think this way. for now I think it'll be running outside in an enclosure with the pipe running into a window. When I can afford a fancier boat I'll throw cash at all the mod cons.

[beamishken]

Originally Posted by cleatsandcode

I'm beginning to think this way. for now I think it'll be running outside in an enclosure with the pipe running into a window. When I can afford a fancier boat I'll throw cash at all the mod cons.

You can buy these which would sit on a pontoon like you say which has to be far safer than installing permanently
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Air-diese...-127635-2958-0

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[Matt]

I have a petrol boat and a petrol heater. I decided not to install the heater. Will prob end up putting it in the landrover. I think a diesel heater “could” be OK, but only if you properly know what you’re doing. And I would be very cautious of those Chinese jobs. Bit of CO in the blower isn’t good for you.

[Erin]

I don't see why a diesel heater in a petrol powered boat is any more a concern than a petrol heater in a petrol powered boat. Either way, as long as it is installed in accordance with the fitting instructions and is certified as suitable for marine use then where would there be a problem? You do need to be very careful that it is genuinely designed for marine use though as the cheaper heaters do not have appropriate sealed exhaust silencers which may allow CO to escape. Not a problem in a car where the fittings are typically outside of the cabin. If you don't want to spend Eber or Webasto money then check out Planar. There's quite a lot of posts on the YBW forums about such heaters.

[Matt]

The risk is that if you have a petrol leak in the engine bay, the burners air intake (which is seperate to the heating air intake and usually inside the engine bay) could ignite. So if you were to to do it, you'd want this routed/shielded completely seperately.

"If" I do it, I'll have the eberspacher air intakes, at least, mounted completely outside of the engine bay.

[jwalker]

This is a cabin heater, why would you put anything in the engine bay or anywhere near a petrol fuel supply?

I see no reason not to fit a diesel heater into a cabin whether the engine power is diesel or petrol. The heated air is recirculated withing the cabin and the combustion air is drawn in from outside. The exhaust is expelled outside the cabin via a heat resistant fitting. Typically, the heater is mounted to a cabin wall and the exhaust and fuel supply come from outside the cabin directly to the heater. The exhaust pipe from the heater could be corrugated aluminium, (some are) so this may need shielding and, whether it's aluminium or stainless steel, that is a good idea since it gets very hot. Running the exhaust tube inside a larger diameter length of stainless tube will allow the exhaust to exit further from the cabin walls and give heat protection.

If the heater is run while underway and the rear of the cabin is open there is a likelihood of exhaust gas being drawn into the cabin so intelligent sighting of the exhaust is necessary.

I can't comment on the quality of a chinese heater but the chinese can send folk into space so I don't imagine it's beyond them to make a decent heater.

[Matt]

It's quite common for people to put the unit in the machinery space, especially with the cabin/cockpit is small, thinking it's the best thing to do - when it's sometimes not. But the contra argument is to say you might not want fuel piped into your cabin space either.....I suppose it's all debatable.

If I fit mine, I was thinking to have it in the engine bay, but with it's own compartment and a dedicated burner fresh air feed so it doesn't consume any air from the engine bay. But I've not bothered putting the scatter cushions in yet, so I certainly don't need to think about the heater yet.

[beamishken]

Originally Posted by Erin

I don't see why a diesel heater in a petrol powered boat is any more a concern than a petrol heater in a petrol powered boat. Either way, as long as it is installed in accordance with the fitting instructions and is certified as suitable for marine use then where would there be a problem? You do need to be very careful that it is genuinely designed for marine use though as the cheaper heaters do not have appropriate sealed exhaust silencers which may allow CO to escape. Not a problem in a car where the fittings are typically outside of the cabin. If you don't want to spend Eber or Webasto money then check out Planar. There's quite a lot of posts on the YBW forums about such heaters.

Originally Posted by Matt

The risk is that if you have a petrol leak in the engine bay, the burners air intake (which is seperate to the heating air intake and usually inside the engine bay) could ignite. So if you were to to do it, you'd want this routed/shielded completely seperately.

"If" I do it, I'll have the eberspacher air intakes, at least, mounted completely outside of the engine bay.

Originally Posted by jwalker

This is a cabin heater, why would you put anything in the engine bay or anywhere near a petrol fuel supply?

I see no reason not to fit a diesel heater into a cabin whether the engine power is diesel or petrol. The heated air is recirculated withing the cabin and the combustion air is drawn in from outside. The exhaust is expelled outside the cabin via a heat resistant fitting. Typically, the heater is mounted to a cabin wall and the exhaust and fuel supply come from outside the cabin directly to the heater. The exhaust pipe from the heater could be corrugated aluminium, (some are) so this may need shielding and, whether it's aluminium or stainless steel, that is a good idea since it gets very hot. Running the exhaust tube inside a larger diameter length of stainless tube will allow the exhaust to exit further from the cabin walls and give heat protection.

If the heater is run while underway and the rear of the cabin is open there is a likelihood of exhaust gas being drawn into the cabin so intelligent sighting of the exhaust is necessary.

I can't comment on the quality of a chinese heater but the chinese can send folk into space so I don't imagine it's beyond them to make a decent heater.

3 replies that demonstrate why the op should seek specialist advice & not take advice from the internet.
Obviously none of you have read the installation instructions for an eberspacher. Nor appreciate that the Chinese heaters dont even come with a legitimate ce mark & the kits are definitely not intended for marine use.
People have died due to incorrectly installed heaters.
The eberspacher marine installation manual is online you should all maybe read it


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[jonp]

Plenty of people using the cheep Chinese diesel heaters in their camper vans and caravans over here in Aus.

I have a hardtop roof camper on my 4x4 which is dark grey, some are black. In low temps bellow 20'c the roof still reaches over 50'c. Some people paint their roofs white but I like to be able to use that heat when I want it so fit a white shade cloth when I prefer the inside to keep cool but in winter remove it to allow the sleeping area to warm up in daylight hours. You could simply fit a black vinyl cover on your cab roof and see if that warms it up enough.

[jwalker]

Originally Posted by beamishken

Obviously none of you have read the installation instructions for an eberspacher.

You're often a pretty presumptuous character and wrong again.

[beamishken]

Originally Posted by jwalker

You're often a pretty presumptuous character and wrong again.

Not as wrong as your advice which was actually potentialy dangerous

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[Matt]

Probably time for me to unsubscribe from this thread.

[Erin]

Originally Posted by beamishken

Obviously none of you have read the installation instructions for an eberspacher. RIB Net mobile app

No, you're right I haven't. But that's because my heater is a Webasto!

Anyway that aside, you are making a sweeping statement about the suitablility of diesel heaters in boats. There are a number of manufacturers that make diesel heaters designed for marine installation, both warm air and hydronic (visit any boat show to see). As I said, so long as it is designed for marine use, certified and correctly fitted there is nothing wrong with them in such settings. None of the air, either combustion or heating comes from within the engine room in my boat and I cannot see any ignition risk on a diesel powered vessel either.

[beamishken]

Originally Posted by Erin

No, you're right I haven't. But that's because my heater is a Webasto!



Anyway that aside, you are making a sweeping statement about the suitablility of diesel heaters in boats. There are a number of manufacturers that make diesel heaters designed for marine installation, both warm air and hydronic (visit any boat show to see). As I said, so long as it is designed for marine use, certified and correctly fitted there is nothing wrong with them in such settings. None of the air, either combustion or heating comes from within the engine room in my boat and I cannot see any ignition risk on a diesel powered vessel either.

I absolutely agree there are several companies who make diesel heaters suitable for boats. The question was about Chinese heaters in particular which are a poor quality copy of an eber, webasto, mikuni and whilst they do serve a purpose they are not marine rated they're not even ce marked. The kits come with many parts unsuited to a marine install & a single page instructions sheet none of which relates to a marine install. Eberspacher installation guide is 24 pages & you can get help from trained eberspacher dealers who are experts in their field.
These chinese heaters are rated 5 or sometimes 8kw where the eberspacher they are copied from is only 4kw. How do they do that are they just better or are they just working them harder or simply telling lies? Neither option instills confidence.
Would you advise someone to install their own central heating system without good knowledge or instructions? Probably not.
If someone asked on here about a chinese outboard the almost unanimous answer would be dont bother! & yet folk are happy to suggest its fine to install a cheap Chinese heater which can potentially cause a fire or kill someone with carbon monoxide.
I didn't say dont install one, I said I wouldn't consider it, my advice was find an installation specialist who can either install with a certificate or who can supply the correct kit & comprehensive instructions on how to do it safely. The problem is your unlikely to find any bonafide company to supply & fit one of those Chinese heaters & give a valid installation certificate.
Heaters & cooking facilities in boats require greater attention to safety than even domestic appliances, your domestic gas engineer isnt qualified to work on boats, they need extra training due to the greater risk which is inherent in a boat.
Unless someone is realy switched on & is prepared to spend substantially more on fitting kit than the heater costs then there better off finding an alternative imho


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[Voodoo]

Originally Posted by jwalker

the chinese can send folk into space so I don't imagine it's beyond them to make a decent heater.

They didnt send anyone...they stood on each others shoulders and passed him up :-)