cabin heater questions

[Sammamish1]

heater for inboard/outboards

It uses the hot water off the block and a twelve volt fan, just like a car. We have one on Kathie's side in Rhapsody.

www.heatercraft.com/

[Captain Jack]

Cabin heaters

Drift boats often use the propane fired infrared heaters, but that's in open air. I wouldn't use one in an enclosed space. I've used the Mr. Heater propane type others have mentioned above with good results.

I've also seen I/O's tap off the FWC lines, run two hoses forward to the cabin and use a heater designed for the rear seats of a bus: basically a standard heater core housed in a sheet metal box with a 12V fan to move air over the coils. Works good, and simple to set up. Just remember to put a shutoff in the hot water supply line for the summer!

The Cap'n

[westerner]

Thanks to everyone for their valuable first hand experiences and input. This forum is a great source of information. I hadn't heard of the portable heaters before and they sound like the ticket. Will definitely go with a propane unit for my circumstances, probably the small Coleman for the cabin and possibly the "Mr. Heater" if I decide to heat the cockpit area. Yesterday I was at the Oak Harbor Wal-mart and they had both of them. The Coleman was $58 and the Mr Heater was $85. They are compact and light and should be ideal for this use.
If one of these heaters was used enough, I wonder if a 12V LP sensor/alarm could be hooked up? My trailer has one and sounds off once in awhile if we do alot of cooking when we forget to open a small window for fresh air. They come with an off/on switch and can be shut off except when using propane so as not to drain the battery. They run about $50 and should be an easy hookup. Saw one that even had a velcro mount so you could try it in different areas to be sure it would stay dry and operate properly. A thought anyway.

[Tim_Mattson]

LPG Sniffer by Xintex

Kent,
I used to sell the "sniffers" by Xintex for bigger boats with LPG cooking/heating systems.They have solenoids that will kick the valve off ,I think at the tank itself or wherever it is better.The Large boats are required to have a "Propane Locker" and those sold for a bunch when set-up with the shut-off,remote control panel with LED s in Green for go and red for No Go.
I remember CNG being the fuel of choice but propane is so much more readily available.
I`m sure the $350.00 cost on the sniffer won`t excite you but watching for a used but useable set-up from an upgraded boat donor could happen.
Another option is a mostly Black version of the "Mustang" PFD worksuit.Mine doubled as a Sleeping bag (one trip I forgot the bag) and the blow up flotation device served as a nice pillow.Still cost a few hundred to keep warm that way but does kill two birds with one stone.
TM

[westerner]

Tim, thanks for the info, the "sniffer" is a bit pricey but, like you say, maybe you could run into an upgrade from someone. Second Wave possibly? Sounds like the Lp sensors are a definite possibility though, will look into that some more.

The Mustang PFD worksuit sounds very interesting. Not familiar with it but that would be worth looking into ,especially for trips like the proposed Alaskan trip Marty mentioned. I bought two Mustang automatic/manual inflating PFD's recently and was told they were the best. Very comfortable to wear, my others were uncomfortable so we didn't end up wearing them as much as we should.

[Marty Loken (Norseboater)]

One Other Note About Small Propane Heaters...

Chuck (and others)...

It sounds like the small propane heaters described (Mr. Heater and the Coleman unit) are going to be extremely safe as long as you don't go to sleep with them on inside a small, closed-up cabin. But to take the chill off, running them for awhile on a cold day, or before turning in for the night, I'd guess they are very tight--in terms of leaks--and basically foolproof.)

But in reading customer reviews, at least in regard to the Coleman unit, I noticed one important thing: The first time you fire up your new propane heater, be sure to do it outdoors somewhere...and let it run for maybe an hour before getting into a confined space with the beast, since they apparently stink like crazy during the initial break-in period, as paint is burned off of some surfaces of the heater. (In other words, don't fire it up for the first time aboard your small boat!)

I gather that the first-hour smells are not mentioned in the manufacturer's instructions.

After the initial test-run, it sounds like they burn clean and don't smell at all.

- Marty

[Marty Loken (Norseboater)]

One Other Note About Small Propane Heaters...

Chuck (and others)...

It sounds like the small propane heaters described (Mr. Heater and the Coleman unit) are going to be extremely safe as long as you don't go to sleep with them on inside the closed-up cabin. But to take the chill off, running them for awhile on a cold day, or before turning in for the night, I'd guess they are very tight--in terms of leaks--and basically foolproof.)

But in reading customer reviews, at least in regard to the Coleman unit, I noticed one important thing: The first time you fire up your new propane heater, be sure to do it outdoors somewhere...and let it run for maybe an hour before getting into a confined space with the beast, since they apparently stink like crazy during the initial break-in period, as paint is burned off of some surfaces of the heater. (In other words, don't fire it up for the first time aboard your small boat!)

I gather that the first-hour smells are not mentioned in the manufacturer's instructions.

After the initial test-run, it sounds like they burn clean and don't smell at all.

- Marty

[Steve_Kiesel]

That's the way I used mine for the most part. When camping on cold nights, I would use the Mr. Heater to heat up the tent to a comfortable level, turn the unit off and go to sleep. As others have said, I did not trust leaving it on over night in a closed area.

It doesn't quite heat up my garage to a comfortable level, but it does take off the chill. Point being, the Mr. Heater has many uses. A good investment as far as I'm concerned.

[BellBoyBob]

In my BellBoy Express cabin, I have used this 300 watt 12 volt ceramic heater. It will not roast the cabin but does warm it. I have not been on the water in really cold temperatures (45-50 degrees Fahrenheit minimum) The propane portable would do a better job, I am sure, but I do have this heater hard wired with an illuminated cabin switch so it is convenient and maintenance free. Here is the site and a picture of mine installed under the V-berth shelf.

Best,

Bob
http://www.safetycentral.com/12vodiwice30.html

[westerner]

BellBoyBob,
Your 12V system looks perfect for your use and I'm sure for many others also. Nice installation. I seriously looked at using that unit on my boat as I had a great place to put it where the CB unit used to be. The beauty of your system is it's out of the way and when you need to use it you can just flip a switch, no setup.

When a friend told me about his boat that came with a factory installed propane heater I decided to ask the club, and I'm so glad i did. During the winter here it's usually 25-35 degrees F on average in the A.M. so propane sounded like the option for my needs, especially fishing.

I went with a Coleman 3000 btu catalytic unit and tried it out yesterday A.M. when it was 34F. I wasn't underway, but it heated my small cabin in about 15 minutes, and I was able to open the cabin door, stand next to the steering wheel and warm up. That will be nice while underway. I found a way to secure the unit in the cabin so it should be usuable in light to moderate seas, or when a large wake hits.

Your right Marty, the fumes are strong the first couple of hrs, then only a light smell is detectible. It runs for 6 1/2 hrs on one 1 lb cylinder of fuel, a long day on the water for me. It stores in a carry-on case, with two cylinders, up in the bow handily. I'll be able to take it in my friends boat, or for other uses as well, an added bonus. I'm thinking it will probably come in handy at our next event!

[Skagitguy]

Just purchased the Coleman for $48. About the only time i will use it is in the boat cabin about 2 or maybe 3 times a year. Chuck

I like the Origo Heat Pal alcohol heater. Rated at 5,100 BTU. Alcohol burns cleaner than petroleum-based fuel - 30 parts per million per hour of carbon monoxide. 5 hours of heating time from 1 quart of fuel = 20 hours per gallon. When a gallon of denatured alcohol costs about $12 at Home Depot, it compares favorably with the cost of propane cylinders. Top of the heater can be used as a small cook top. Refueling can be a little sloppy, especially in a rocking boat.

Initial expense is greater, but I got mine from Craigslist, almost no use, for $50. They're on eBay all the time.

http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?...66189&id=48897

With any heating system that does not exhaust outside, I would invest in a battery-powered carbon monoxide detector. So it'll cost you a hundred bucks or so. What's your life worth, anyway? The danger of carbon monoxide comes from 3 biological factors: (1) Carbon monoxide uptake into hemoglobin in the blood is 230 times more efficient than oxygen uptake, so even a minute amount of CO displaces a large amount of O2. (2) Because of (1), exposure is cumulative - long exposure to low levels is equivalent to short exposure to high levels. (3) Finally, the brain regulates breathing by the amount of CO2 in the bloodstream, not O2. So, your brain can be starved of oxygen (because so much O2 has been displaced by CO) to the point of hypoxia (passing out), and you won't even be breathing fast.

Nasty stuff. Get a detector.

[pathfinderz1]

Filling the small propane bottles

I got one of those thing from Horbor Fright the you can fill the small propane bottleswith. You screw it on the big propane bottle that you use on the BBQ and turn it upside down. If you put the small bottles in the freezer for a few minuits and than screw the to the fill on the big bottle and turn it on till you can't hear the propane going in. and they are full. I uses a kecthen scale to check to see if the are full. You waigh a emty small bottle first and set the scale to 0 with it in the scale then waigh the one you fill. It only cost you about a buck a bottle that way.
Mike

Heater

I've been experimenting with a catalytic heater using the small propane bottles as a back up in my Airstream. Because of the fumes generated when you light it and how long they last I have started lighting mine outside and letting it sit for five or ten minutes before moving it inside. Makes a huge difference in the amount of smell and fumes. I am thinking I will probably try the same method eventually in the BB but will have to come up with a way to drop it into a mounted base and lock it down when in the cabin. And yes, I will have a detector to watch for fumes in the cabin as I also have a two burner alcohol stove for cooking. Actually that may end up being a good heat source that would eliminate the need for the propane. Barry