Cabin heater from engine

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Rockman
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Cabin heater from engine

Last winter, while motoring around, I thought it was a pity that I could not use some of the excess heat from the engine to heat the cabin. I was thinking about something like a car heater, connected to the engine cooling system, that could blow some warm air into the cabin.

Has anybody tried this, or can suggest why it's not a viable option?
I realise the cabin is a lot bigger than a car, but it could help to take the edge off the cold weather.

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Cat375 - Rock The Boat - Hull 54
Lake Macquarie - NSW - Australia

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deising
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It would not be much different than the plumbing used to heat the water. You would have to have a heat exchanger and electric fan, of course.

I don't have time right now to estimate how many BTUs per hour (US measuring system, of course) you could expect to achieve, but it would be interesting to see if it is enough to make it worth considering.

Duane Ising - Past Commodore (2011-2012)
s/v Diva Di
1999 Catalina 36 Hull #1777
Std rig; wing keel, M35B, Delta (45#)
Punta Gorda, FL
http://www.sailblogs.com/member/diva-di/

BudStreet
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Here's a picture of a small unit from Princess Auto, they make them up to 36,000 BTU. Meant for buses and such so not sure how it would stand up in a salty environment.

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LCBrandt
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Larry Brandt
S/V High Flight #2109
Pacific Northwest, PDX-based
2002 C-36 mkII SR/FK M35B
 

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Steve Frost
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West Marine also has hydronic heaters in their catalogue.
I to thought these a good idea whe motoring and with the addition of a small circulating pump could be used at the dock using the water heater as the heat source. The circulating pump could also preheat the engine. May tax the water heater and shorten its life.

Cepheus dream
C36 MK I # 825
MK I Tech Editor No Mas

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GaryB
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Hamilton Marine
[url]http://www.hamiltonmarine.com/00316.html[/url]

To my knowledge these just would tie into the same line you feed your hot water tank.

Gary Bain
S/V "Gone With The Wind"
Catalina 36', Hull #: 1056, Year: 1990, Engine: M-35
Standard Rig
Moored: Boothbay Harbor, Maine
Home: Auburn, Maine

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Stu Jackson, C34IA Secretary, C34 #224, 1986, SR/FK, M25 engine, Rocna 10 (22#)

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deising
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Lots of great info here. Thanks, Stu, and the others who contributed.

We rarely have a problem with too much cold; it is usually the other way around.

Duane Ising - Past Commodore (2011-2012)
s/v Diva Di
1999 Catalina 36 Hull #1777
Std rig; wing keel, M35B, Delta (45#)
Punta Gorda, FL
http://www.sailblogs.com/member/diva-di/

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HowLin
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Funny; I just finished installing a heater of this type in my C36 - [url]http://www.heatercraft.com/marine-heater-kit-with-2-euro-vents-complete/...
This one shows the full kit - I purchased the hoses and fittings separately which cost me substantially less...

I installed it below and fwd of the sink and plumbed it in series with the hot water tank.
Works great for us in the PNW.

---- Howard & Linda Matwick ----

--- S/V "Silhouette" - Nanaimo, BC ----

--- 1999  C36 MkII  #1776 M35BC ---

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Rockman
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Excellent feedback/suggestions.
I checked some other forums, that recommended some suitable car systems (aluminium structure and 12v fans).

Cheers

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Cat375 - Rock The Boat - Hull 54
Lake Macquarie - NSW - Australia

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Steve Frost
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Howard,

This would make great fodder for a technical submission. You may know that Bud & I are often either deprived of such submissions or overloaded with them on the same subject.

If you took any pictures of the install and could create a short narative, us ED's would appriciated it.

Competing articles on this subject will be awarded position placing in Mainsheet with prizes going to first and second place.

First place recipient will be awarded: A fifteen minute phone conversation with Steve Frost your MKI Technical Editor. Second Place winner will be awarded with: A thirty minute phone converstation with Steve Frost.

Steve

Cepheus dream
C36 MK I # 825
MK I Tech Editor No Mas

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deising
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I agree, Howard.

I also suggest that Steve share half his annual Tech Editor salary with you as compensation. It is only fair.

Duane Ising - Past Commodore (2011-2012)
s/v Diva Di
1999 Catalina 36 Hull #1777
Std rig; wing keel, M35B, Delta (45#)
Punta Gorda, FL
http://www.sailblogs.com/member/diva-di/

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davecask
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We put a Dickinson Radex hot water heater, similar to the units described by others in this thread, in a previous boat, a Yamaha 30 (great boat). Unfortunately, we mounted it into a bulkhead separating the main cabin from the compartment under the settee where the holding tank, manual pump, and about 15 feet of discharge hose carried waste from the toilet to the tank and from the tank to the pump and overboard. Even though we eventually tried allowing more ventilation into that compartment, whenever we turned on the heater, the fan pushed warm air tainted by head odour (I'm Canadian so that's not a typo) into the main cabin. Sometimes a tough choice, especially if anyone's already queasy. Plan your installation carefully, but the heater definitely did the job for us.

Dave C
"Corvus"
Mk II #2116

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HowLin
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[QUOTE=deising;17110]I agree, Howard.

I also suggest that Steve share half his annual Tech Editor salary with you as compensation. It is only fair.[/QUOTE]

Ha; wow. that might buy me a bag of air! :D

---- Howard & Linda Matwick ----

--- S/V "Silhouette" - Nanaimo, BC ----

--- 1999  C36 MkII  #1776 M35BC ---

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