Taylors diesel heater

[cw021382]

I can buy an almost new taylors 079D diesel heater in the box with all hardware; heater, flue pipe, cap, flange, and instructions etc.. for cheap.  My Compac 23 has a diesel inboard so I already have diesel on board.  Does anyone have experience with these heaters?  Is the 23 too small for this type of installation? 

[brackish]

You are just a couple of days late on this, Shawn installed a similar flue requiring heater a Newport charcoal burning rig but he just sold his boat, may not be monitoring this site.  You can get the narrative by doing a search in the 23 section but the pics are gone.  You can get the pics here, page two: https://www.flickr.com/photos/39387871@N06/sets/72157648213641068/

You might be able to PM him and get more info.

I'm in Mississippi, we rarely think about heaters.

[cw021382]

Hi Brackish I almost bought Shawn's boat Serenity, but held out for a diesel.  I liked his heater, but wish I could figure out a way to mount one lower and where it would not take up a bulkhead.  Those bulkheads are great for leaning against.  I think Shawn was tall guy and he mounted the heater, stove, and sink all on one side since he could not use the berth anyway. 

[Shawn]

Hi Chris,

I think that heater is about 8200 BTU, that is going to be a lot in a 23. You are going to need lots of insulation wherever it goes. Totally understand about trying to get it lower and not on the bulkhead. I spent many moons thinking that over before putting the heater where I did in Serenity. Without *major* cabinetry changes the bulkhead is basically it. I had considered building into the area below the V berth but insulation and the stack coming out ahead of the mast ruled that out. Between the two opening cabinets on either settee... to much cabinetry work and probably insulation problems with how close the flue would be to the deck.

On the panel next to the companionway.. too high, would require insulation on the ceiling and the flue height above deck would be ridiculous. They recommend over 4' of flue for that heater.

You could maybe do it under the companionway (with lots of insulation and circulating fans) but the flue would be a problem and in the perfect place to burn people coming in/out of the cabin.

One thing you could do is put the heater on the bulkhead (facing amidships) and then build a false bulkhead off it for leaning on. Would take lots of insulation and maybe a fan but it would at least give you the place to lean against. I just used a sport-seat to be able to lean on that side, or just claimed port side for the captain.

In my Sabre I was going to use a Pascal Atkey Pansy (1" flue) but didn't want to give up the bulkhead so am putting in an Espar instead. I bought one brand new on ebay for a really good price. It has its own set of installation gotchas but won't take up any living area when it is in. In a 23 it could be put in above the bilge pretty easily, though not with the inboard.

Shawn

[relamb]

In my CP23 I used a coleman propane catalytic heater, very similar to the link below but it's an older model and was about $100.  I've had it for 10-15 years.
I made some chain to hang it from the cabin roof in the center where it would not touch against anything.  I take it down when not in use.
Since it's portable I also use it camping, and have even used it on the road sleeping overnight in rest stops in the truck in well below freezing weather.
The output is plenty for a small space.
The downside, if you run it all night when it's very cold, a can of propane is gone in 7-8 hours, so you need spare tanks.
I also use a propane single burner campstove, and removed the alcohol stove completely from the boat and put a storage drawer in it's place.
http://smile.amazon.com/Coleman-PerfecTemp-Catalytic-InstaStart-Technology/dp/B0009PUQW8/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1418868235&sr=8-3&keywords=coleman+catalytic+heater

My compac 27 came with a Force 10 propane heater installed, but I tend to use a small electric heater when docked instead of that.  If the boat didn't already have this, I would just use the camping heater during the cool season.
Rick

[brackish]

On those rare cold nights when I need heat this is what I use.  It is a Brinkman catalytic that I can move from cabin to cockpit as needed.  virtually impossible to tip over with the wide, low three point stance.  I never use it when sleeping, don't trust any heat source that uses cabin oxygen:

[Shawn]

The catalytic heaters are handy too. I used the Coleman BlackCat in Serenity before I put in the wood stove. Always felt much better with the wood stove due to it being vented to the outside. Another big difference is the Coleman adds moisture to the cabin, the wood stove would remove it. I tried the Coleman in my Sabre on a cold night and condensation became a problem.

One other possibility for a heater (esp. if it will only rarely be used) is to use 3" flue and in essence build a removable chimney for the Origo stove. Either vent it out a porthole or build a hatch board with a passthrough for the flue. You can hold it on the stove with the pot holder/clamp that is available for the Origo. It will heat up the 23 pretty well but your burn time will be somewhat limited.

Shawn

[cw021382]

I bought the taylors heater tonight.  It is like new and has never been installed.  The deck fitting has never been drilled and the gasket for it is new.  It also came with the meth dispenser for preheating.  For $200 I couldn't pass it up.  The compac 23 with diesel inboard seems like a natural match for a diesel heater.  I don't know if I will install it or not.  It depends on what I can come up with for the install.  I wonder which would be best a gravity feed day tank or installing a pump from the main tank?  The electrical usage of the pump is almost nothing so thats not a factor, but it will be clicking on about 3 times per minute and that could get annoying if it is very audible. 

[relamb]

I noticed an electric diesel fuel pump at an auto parts store for $50 when I was in process of buying a gasoline one to put on a garden tractor.
You could possibly rig up one of those as a transfer pump from the main tank to an aux gravity tank for the heater.

[crazycarl]

One other possibility for a heater (esp. if it will only rarely be used) is to use 3" flue and in essence build a removable chimney for the Origo stove. Either vent it out a porthole or build a hatch board with a passthrough for the flue.

Shawn

this is genius!

i use the butane stove on cold nights, but only until the cabin is warm, then it's shut off.

a flew through the porthole would allow a heater to run throughout the night.

this gives me a starting point to come up with a better cabin heater.

CC

[Shawn]

Carl,

Thanks, after buying the flue for the wood stove I tested that setup with the Origo and it did work fine. The flue was definitely working well as I wasn't getting any of the alcohol smell in the cabin that you normally get from the stove. If needed you could use a 4 or 5" to 3" adapter to make the base larger over your burner and then some kind of insert for the porthole for the flue to pass through. Maybe even just stuffing it full with a welder blanket to insulate the heat and to seal it so no exhaust gets blown back in the porthole. If one really wanted to they could just put a real charlie noble in above the stove and just plumb it in as needed.

Shawn

[Bob23]

It was discussed elsewhere but I didn't notice it in this thread: Get a CO detector, guys. Could save your life. I don't have a heater on board my 23, just the Origo 2 burner stove that came with it so the flue idea is intriguing. But I won't even burn my brass ships lantern without a CO detector. I'm sure someone makes a marine version that costs multible $ but I bet a household one would work just fine. I always thought CO was heavier than are but Wikipedia says it's less dense so mounting it on a bulkhead would work just fine.
Bob23
(ps: I was amazed at how even my brass ships kerosene lantern would warm the cabin during a chilly, wet sail last year. Plus it adds a cozy feel.)

[Duckie]

For heat at dock side, you could use an electric heater.  I use a heater about the size of a coffee can in my RV and it does an amazing job.  I spent three weeks at one of the Scamp camps living out of my little camper and as long as I could plug in it was toasty.  I whole heartedly agree with having a CO detector on board if you are using fuel.  Also spend some time thinking about how you would get out if a fire broke out on board.  Running a flue through a hatch board seems like a trap. 

Al

[Shawn]

Bob,

Yup, marine CO detectors are expensive apparently because printing "Marine" on a package involves voodoo chants and using depleted uranium. I used a AA battery powered model from Home Depot in Serenity. I think it was $20, cheapest at WM is $90. It was mounted on port side across from the wood stove. What Kero lamp do you have? I picked up a Den Haan Trawler lamp Jr. from a WM that was moving (75% off) and haven't ever mounted it.

Al, good point about being able to get out. Having it in the hatch board would be at best a nuisance (step over bottom board) or a potential trap as you said. The porthole is a straighter shot anyway.

Shawn

[relamb]

I have both a smoke detector and CO detector in my CP27.  It came with a Force 10 propane heater.  The darn thing kept going out in the middle of the night, and I finally figured out it must be the oxygen sensor.  ??   More air must go out the chimney than can come in from my dorade vents,  All the while I'm snoring away generating CO2.   The thing will die at about 2-3 am.
If I crack open another hatch, it will run all night.  The CO detector never goes off, it ventilates well.
I guess me and the flame must just use more oxygen than comes in the dorade.  So it's either open another vent, or I have to stop breathing.