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Post by Andyberg on Jan 1, 2017 0:16:34 GMT
Going to incorporated a hydronic/thermotop diesel central heating pump to my existing setup come spring... whats the differences / advantages / preference between 5kw eberspachers, webasto, mikuni or MV ?? And any ideas onto the cheapest place for a narrowboat kit? cheers
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Post by Gone on Jan 1, 2017 9:00:08 GMT
I intend to fit a heater as well aat some point in the not too distant future. Not sure why but my impression is that overall a webasto seems the best bet, but don't get one bigger than you need as they need to run hard to avoid problems.
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Post by peterboat on Jan 1, 2017 9:17:36 GMT
I have a bubble stove with backboiler as did my previous boat works well easy to light. My previous boat had an alde and this boat has a whispergen as a central heating boiler. Sorry cant help with the others
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Post by Deleted on Jan 1, 2017 9:27:41 GMT
We have a thermo top c, it's been pretty good. It had started getting stropy cutting out on high fire due to air in the system now and again. I sent it to Nema (cwdf webasto guy) who gave it a clean bill of health after putting it on his test rig. It was in parallel with the engine and calorifier, I decided to separate them out as I couldn't understand why it would play up occasionally having been faultless previously. Smileypete may have hit the answer that w faulty header tank radiator cap could be at fault - I will never really know if that was the cause though!
Don't be tempted to get an ex vehicle unit, there's loads on eBay out of BMW, mercs and audis, they need the canbus to talk to the heater and won't work unless a new board is fitted.
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Post by Andyberg on Jan 1, 2017 9:29:01 GMT
I currently have a bubble central heating setup but am going to fit a diesel burner to run 'at the push of a button'
The bubble is great but I need to run continuously which means for mebbee 12 hrs a day whilst I'm not on board to maintain comftable heat levels !
Eberspacher or similar I can have it fire up a 1/2 hr before I'm home and the like which over a couple of years should pay for itself! 🙂
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Post by Robbo on Jan 1, 2017 9:36:07 GMT
None of the ones you've listed are for real live aboard use and are not meant to be used 24/7, they also don't like been cycled. These are designed to be pre-heaters so are okay for secondary heating.
For live aboard 24/7 heating you need a Pressure Jet boiler or a drip fed boiler. Pressure Jet has all the advantages of been automated and efficient, drip fed is manual, you need to light like a stove and are less efficient but don't require electric.
Makes... Pressure Jet; Hurricane, PJ Bubble, Kabola Drip Fed; Lockgate Reflek, Kabola
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Post by Deleted on Jan 1, 2017 9:39:07 GMT
The TT is great for us revving the water up in the morning and giving a nice warm engine to start. I have a blower box made out of a cr250 radiator and a 6" case fan. It works well. We don't have the space for rads so a fully wet system isn't an option. We also have a Wallas D40 diesel blown air heater, this does the cabin heating a treat - outlets by the galley and in the forward berth mean it's lovely and warm on there.
I keep toying with putting a multi outlet blower box in place of the wee CR rad but it will have to wait.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 1, 2017 9:42:12 GMT
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Post by quaysider on Jan 1, 2017 11:05:42 GMT
I recently installed the Webasto Thermo top c unit (1100 quid for the unit inc vat) and connected it up to LOADS of radiators and fin rads - I think it worked out about 6.5kw worth of heating PLUS whatever the calorifier takes up... the diagram was before I added in a heated towel rail in the bathroom on the opposite side to the proper radiator :-) I've found, by turning off the tap to the calorifier, the heating DOES get the radiators hot much faster -... with it ON however, it takes a good couple of hours to get the system hot and boat warm - that said, once it's hot, we end up opening windows as it just keeps getting hotter lol... xmaas day it was 26.5 degrees in the lounge. I have noticed it's quite heavy on the batteries though... yesterday after a full charge (we were on a run too and the smartgauge said 100% before we started chuggin for 3 hours) and by this morniing after a normal night with the heating being turned off about 9 and back on again at 5am, it we were back down to 79%. Wouldnt be without it though - certainly NOT until I install the stove at any rate .
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Post by kris on Jan 1, 2017 15:45:18 GMT
Interesting topic I keep thinking about haveing a diesel stove, can drip feed burners burn bio diesel? Then I would be really interested.i think I would always have to have a wood stove as well.
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Post by peterboat on Jan 1, 2017 17:17:52 GMT
Interesting topic I keep thinking about haveing a diesel stove, can drip feed burners burn bio diesel? Then I would be really interested.i think I would always have to have a wood stove as well. They can Kris, my bubble is just using the last of a failed batch, I bought a couple of thousand litres must be 5 years ago it was no use for engines but ace for the bubble in the bedroom/lounge. I t was very cheap maybe 10 p a litre and no cjhance of any more which is a blow to say the least
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Post by larkboy on Jan 1, 2017 19:18:26 GMT
I personally swear by our Hurricane boiler, it's reliable, I think it's economical and user serviceable. I installed and wired the system myself four years ago and the only fault I've had is a punctured diaphragm on the compressor. The only downside is the expense...at £3000ish cheap it isn't, but we live aboard and rely on it all year round for heating and hot water. It's like having a domestic system on the boat, complete with multi function programmer, cylinder stat and motorised valve so it just does the water when the boat's warm.
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Post by Andyberg on Jan 1, 2017 19:56:15 GMT
I have a fully Bubble diesel central heating system with underfloor heating fitted already but I'm out at work / play at 6.30 til about 19.00 so spending a fortune running it 24/7 .
If I light it when I get home I'm in bed by time place is warm so that's why I want an Eber or suchlike so I can timer it on at about 18.00 -22.00and it be warm when I get in!
If I was at home all day every day my existing Bubblestove/backboiler setup would be perfect!
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Post by lollygagger on Jan 1, 2017 21:09:48 GMT
Probably a silly question, but can't you turn it down while you're out? I've see the heat haze from your chimney when I know you're out! When I choke my solid fuel stove right down you'd barely know it was lit from looking at the chimney.
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Post by Andyberg on Jan 1, 2017 21:14:31 GMT
I run it on minimum virtually all the time and only every leave it on minimum when I'm out... Although tonight it's on position no3 of 6 because I'm sat in watching top gear circa 2008 on Dave!! 😂😂👍👍
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