installing diesel cabin heater

[LeeG]

I'm planning on installing one in 30' cutter, any suggestions/warnings beyond what's in the manufacturers directions?

[George Ray]

I am also in the process of installing a Sigmar 100 diesel heater.

Chimney and deck iron came from: http://www.marinestove.com/
http://www.marinestove.com/3_inch_bronze_iron.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid222/p7722fdda1e4579709a9e8753bae75517/eb3da5d0.jpg

[Ian McColgin]

I found the Dickenson directions perfectly complete. If you plan on gravity feed pay attention to the head required. I think a foot higher than their minimum is well. Their directions for chimney installation are also correct - you can't put too much bend in.

I don't recall that they deal with chimney through the deck location in much detail. Placement near a mast can be a problem due to the downdraft off the sails, even when furled.

The deck iron need not be as huskey as you'd use for a solid fule stove with its hotter stack.

I found that when I put a second larger pipe over the outside run of the stack, I got a better draft as it helped keep that part from getting too cool. Inside I already had shielding between stack and bulkhead from the coal stove. I think it well to have that even with the less hot stack you get with an oil heater.

I did not bother with a perferated shielding to keep people from accidentally touching the stack because the stack was well out of the way anyhow.

The barometric flu control is really important. On a sail boat mount it such that the face is athwartships, thus allowing its use regardless of the boat rocking or heeling.

I never had a drip problem but still think that the shielding under the stove should form a well sealed pan to contain any accidents.

[seo]

I'm making the broad assumption that you're talking about a squarehead style pot burner (Refleks, et al), not one of the German furnaces with ducting, blowers, all that.

There are rules in NFPA 302 (6-3.2) for heat-shielding stacks inside the cabin. Any flammable material within 9" of a single-wall pipe has to be covered with heat-shielding. This can be a hassle, involving much cutting of copper flashing, etc.

The simpler and better way around this is to make your own double-wall pipe. If you have a 2" stack, get 3" tube to go around it. Aluminum dryer duct is cheap, big-diameter copper drain pipe is available and elegant, but not cheap. If the outer tube has holes drilled/punched liberally, it won't heat up much, and won't change the heating capacity of the stove.
The distance requirments also apply to frilly little porthole curtains, bookshelves, etc.

Beyond that, these are general observations:
1) If you mount the heater on the main bulkhead, above a settee, there should be a good-sized drip pan to keep any drips from soaking the cushion.
2) The lower you mount the heater, the better. Heat rises. If the heater is mounted four feet above the cabin sole, your head may be warm, while the sole is frigid and clammy. A heater down at sole level will heat the entire air space.
3) This also applies to drying. This is one of the major functions of a cabin heater in a yacht. It's not that it's all that cold, it's that after three days of fog and rain and wet foul-weather gear, the cabin is very damp. This is one of the great virtues of an old-fashioned solid fuel stove (Mine is a Fatsco "Pet"), which burns wood or charcoal, and will dry out a cabin very quickly. A non-vented propane heater is not safe, and will actually introduce moisture into the space.

[mariner2k]

Hi, I'd go with a sig or a dickinson. they're pretty much identical , except for the sig has a balanced draft system. Having had one before, I think they work well. I have a Dickinson now. If possible keep it low enough for gravity feedind from you fuel tank. This eliminates the need for power. Plus gives you more stack for a good draft, and extra heat. I agree the barometric damper is key. Behind the stove I used durarock( or use a similar product, hardibacker is easy to work with) with ceramic tiles.
I also use some kerosene mixed with the diesel. It burns a lot cleaner. Ian has some great suggestionsn and so does Seo. Mounting low as possible is better. Beyond that, Dinckenson has a great site. And there customer service is great, via email. I tortured Will with questions and he answered every one. I've had mine in for over 15 years. It's dry and warm in the boat, and it still looks and runs like new.
kevin

[LeeG]

Mariner, the feed for the fuel was a question, the engine fuel tank is mounted fairly high and at the stern,,seems odd but there it is, I'm guessing I could get a 18" drop in 20'. Think that's doable?

[mariner2k]

Lee , I think that is more than enough. Dickinson does give specs in the installation manual (which is also available on there site). It's a great site with a lot of info. I think my drop is only about 12" in about 17'. (from the bottom of the tank of course)
mariner

[seo]

If you're going to mix diesel with kero, or use Jet A (which is the very clean kerosene used in jet engines, availabe at any airport that fuels bizjets) then you need a heater tank separate from your regular fuel tank.

[mariner2k]

Seo, I use the same tank. That allows me to load up on fuel and not have to deal with it for a while. The line going to the heater bypasses the line to the engine. I also make sure that I use all of the fuel before running the engine in the spring. However I have been told that running a diesel on kero ( not jet) does no harm. Plus I throw a little Howes lubricator in when I do run it to be on the safe side. More info on that would be gratefully accepted.
kevin

[Chan]

Lee
Do you already have a diesel cook stove? If so how is it working out.
I'm trying to decide if I want to go all diesel,ie: stove and heater or all gas.
One of my concerns with all diesel is that I've heard diesel cookers put out quite a bit of heat, which would not be that great in the summer.

[seo]

The schooners, tugs, and fishboats I've worked on that have diesel cookers are as hot as hell. They also can take a long time to heat up, and sprinkle soot everywhere. If you're going to Labrador, it would be a good choice.

[seo]

Normally it's good practice to not branch off the main engine's fuel feed line. If you do, there's always a risk of the engine's lift pump sucking the fuel out of the stove's line, then sucking air in past the float valve, then the engine airlocks. This is a problem when running near the bottom of the tank, when the siphon head is lower.

As far as burning Jet A in a diesel goes, I'm not sure. I know that winter diesel is usually a mix of #2 fuel and #1 kero. I think that kero and Jet have less energy per gallon. to confirm that, look up the weight of a gallon of #2 vs #1, and the lighter fuel has less energy. You'd also want to know the "Cetane" number, which indicates the combustability of the fuel. #2 diesel is 45 cetane or better, #2 fuel oil can be lower (?) Older diesels like my 1948 Cat D6 subsisted happily on #2 fuel, and I think actually had more power, if I remember the manual right. Modern high-speed diesels do not thrive on #2fuel, and want diesel, or autodiesel.
My guess is that you can burn #1 or Jet, but I really don't know.