Diesel Heater

[mark_53]

Anyone install a diesel heater?  I had a very old one in the port lazarette but went tits up.  I'm trying to find a better location for a new one since the exhaust run would be longer than spec.  Where did you locate and how many duct openings?

[ErikN]

I just replaced the ancient (dead) Espar diesel heater with a new model (Espar D4L). It's mounted inside the hull, essentially behind the instrument panel. I put the new unit in the existing mounting bracket, so I didn't really choose the location, but it works.

[waughoo]

Erik, How was access for working in that installation area?  Did you go through the instrument hole or the lazerette?

[ErikN]

I went through the helm locker. I had to remove the propane box and bracket, then squeeze myself down into the space. (I'm 5'7" and just fit in the space.) It is cramped, but I could do everything with hand tools. The photo shows the old heater.

[mark_53]

I went through the helm locker. I had to remove the propane box and bracket, then squeeze myself down into the space. (I'm 5'7" and just fit in the space.) It is cramped, but I could do everything with hand tools. The photo shows the old heater.

Erik, how was the exhaust run?  Was it higher than the unit?  How did you deal with condensation in the exhaust tube?

[ErikN]

The exhaust is the hose covered with white insulation. It exits the bottom of the heater then curves around and above before heading out through the transom. There's a pigtail pipe just after the exhaust leaves the heater—condensation can drip out. We kept pretty much the same setup with the new unit. We also kept the existing ducts and vents: one in the quarterberth, one under the hanging locker by the nav station, and one under the drawers in the v berth.

I can post some additional photos (probably tomorrow).

Update: a couple of photos attached. One shows the new fuel pump near the forward end of the fuel tank, viewed through the undersink cabinet door in the head (I installed it by working through the removable panel in the quarterberth). The other shows the new controller mounted above the nav table. Espar's "marine kit" included an extra-long wire harness, which runs between the heater, fuel pump, and controller. It also connects to the battery, with a couple of fuses in between, via buses installed in the hanging locker by the nav station.

[mark_53]

I went through the helm locker. I had to remove the propane box and bracket, then squeeze myself down into the space. (I'm 5'7" and just fit in the space.) It is cramped, but I could do everything with hand tools. The photo shows the old heater.

I don't see a muffler on the exhaust.  Is it very loud?  Also, why is the hot air outlet facing aft?  Seems like it should be facing forward.

[ErikN]

The kit included a muffler, but I didn't install it (primarily due to the cramped space). It's pretty quiet--it just makes a whooshing sound outside, kind of like a quiet vacuum cleaner. We don't hear it inside the boat, but we use the quarterberth for storage so we don't know if it might be annoying there. If you live in a cool climate (like the Pacific Northwest), you can walk through any marina that allows liveaboards and you will hear the diesel heaters.

The black hose facing aft is the air intake, i.e., for the air that will be heated and blown into the boat. The outlet is hard to see in the photo, but it comes out of the forward end of the heater and runs over the diesel tank. The smaller black hose hanging vertically below the heater is the combustion air intake. That hose has a "silencer" on it, which is just some foam insulation.

[mark_53]

Thanks for the details.  The "silencer" is probably and air intake filter.  Where does it draw air to be heated from?

[ErikN]

It draws air from that area under the helm--the end of the intake hose is just below the bottom edge of the photo.

[mark_53]

The fuel line looks like it runs a long way. Does it come off a pickup on top of the tank and run forward to the fuel pump the back aft to the heater?  Any problems moving fuel that far?

[LogoFreak]

That is exactly where I'm moving my espar to, it is currently installed inside the port lazarette. A "pro" shop installed it there, probably the quickest and easiest way for them to install it, it was a pro install and they used duct tape (I think they took the name far too literally) to secure every heater hose connection... needless to say not a single hose was actually attached and it had come apart. Also instead of using a high quality ducting, some simple house ducting from home depot was used. DONT TRUST PROS! LOL

[ErikN]

The fuel line looks like it runs a long way. Does it come off a pickup on top of the tank and run forward to the fuel pump the back aft to the heater?  Any problems moving fuel that far?

That is exactly how it runs. Espar gives fairly specific limits on distance, angle, etc., in the manual (you can obtain one for a specific model before you buy it). Our installation falls within those limits, and it works well. The kit included a new standpipe, but we are using the one that was installed for the previous heater. It only extends about 1/3 of the way to the bottom of the fuel tank, so you will have 2/3 of the tank to get to the fuel dock. I don't think this was mentioned in the manual, but it's something to keep in mind.

[mark_53]

The fuel line looks like it runs a long way. Does it come off a pickup on top of the tank and run forward to the fuel pump the back aft to the heater?  Any problems moving fuel that far?

I finished my heater install in the aft locker. It's drawing air to be heated from the aft locker however, I'd rather draw air from the main cabin.  Has anyone routed intake air from the main cabin to the aft locker?  If so, how so?  I'm thinking penetrating the aft cabin aft bulkhead and drawing air.

[pjcomeau]

Mark do you have pictures of your install?