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An old gravity fed propane furnace from camper installed on boat-good idea or bad
any ideas? I was thinking it might not work or be dangerous due to wave movement?
also-
Anyone tried using a small pellet stove on a boat?
any advice is greatly appreciated.
chris from Canada
Hi islandskim. I see that the above post is your first so you are new to SailNet. Let me be the first to welcome you and let you know we are not elitists.
I'm not sure why gravity needs to be used to supply propane to the furnace since the propane is under pressure and that will move the gas to the burner.
If it is vented properly, installed properly, and the fuel is available to you, anything goes. I'm also curious how you would "gravity feed" propane, since it flows by pressure, not gravity.
I think the pellet stove would be a great idea, for heat anyway. I don't get the gravity fed propane thing. I use a propane swing-type stove in the cabin and have a propane BBQ on the back rail. Both work great, and I get great mileage from my propane.
Gravity air convection. (no fan) like a typical camper has. Should work, but rust out prematurely since it's steel and painted steel. vent pipe would be quite large because it's natural draft.
thanks for the posts guys. Gravity simply means no fan., Im curious though if the flame would go out while travelling in rough weather. I have found some small pellet stoves online around 3000 new, so don;t think I'll be going down that rout anytime soon. For some reason they don't have those in Canada (Yet). I have seen the "little gnome" pellet stove for example can run on a 12v fan, again not sure if wave action would affect the operation...??? anyone??
The Dickenson Newport is a great little propane fireplace, two sizes (9,000 and 12,000 BTU) we have the smaller on our 34 footer, used the larger on our last boat, a 40 footer. Fully vented, outside air supply, sealed combustion chamber.. really safe and good ambiance due to the glass front and visible flame.
I think if I was gonna go propane I would use the old furnace I already have. I like the idea of going gas free though, if anyone has first hand experience with either gravity fed furnace or pellet stove on a boat please post, thanks.
Is it a Force 10 bulkhead heater? There's a HUGE difference between those and the one posted above, esp on the safety front, but also in the effectiveness...
If your boat is insured you should always consider what the ramifications of installing non-marine approved or compliant LPG equipment means. I had to remove an "on-demand" water heater sold and misleadingly marketed as a "marine unit" out last spring. It did not meet any of the applicable marine safety standards even though the owner believed it did due to misleading marketing. It did not pass the insurance survey and the owner had a choice lose insurance or keep the on-demand water heater....
Among other things to be marine compliant the heater needs be vented and also be sealed combustion (not taking combustion air from the cabin). It also can not have a standing pilot light.
I had to remove an "on-demand" water heater sold and misleadingly marketed as a "marine unit" out last spring. It did not meet any of the applicable marine safety standards even though the owner believed it did due to misleading marketing. It did not pass the insurance survey and the owner had a choice lose insurance or keep the on-demand water heater.....
Maine Sail, just noticed your link. Found that site via search this summer and refered to it often getting Stella seaworthy. The photos and step by step were/are very helpful. Thank You THANK YOU
Propane on a boat is perfectly safe if done properly. If you do not know whats required to accomplish that don't even start.
If you intend to pursue propane send me a pm with an email address and I'll send you the standards or you can take a look at Safe Boat Propane Installations
propane scares me. It is just as bad as gasoline for sitting in the bilges if you get a leak.. and just as likely to blow your boat skyhigh if it ignites.
I like the kerosine and even better, the diesel stoves.. especially if you have a diesel engine already aboard
Guess no one has ever seen a diesel "explosion" It can happen in a heater that's hot. and someone tries to relight while the fuel is still being gasified by the hot burner. More often with diesel they will belch soot, so much that every surface will be coated.
With all the safety devices available and common sense. and a diesel engine boat. someone would almost have to want to blow up their boat!
If you're looking to keep your costs down, try a Tiny Tot stove. Fatsco Stoves
It's not as efficient as a pellet stove, doesn't self feed, etc., but it's a third of the cost of a Dickinson stove, can be used as a small cookstove, and the fuel is free.
Hello,
The size is close to a cafeteria kitchen-sized can of stewed tomatoes, but the fatsco stove bodies are made of stainless steel.
Y'know, i thought about trying to build a decent small low-buck boat woodstove that I wouldn't have to rebuild every season. But, by the time you cost out SS sheet, cut it, form it (the sheer number of blades you go through cutting stainless is damn near cost prohibitive), get a shop to weld it together, etc., you're at or above the cost of a fastco stove, without figuring in your own labour.
Now, if I already owned a tig welder and plasma cutter, then the cost and time drops enough to make it worth considering.
or I could cut down some thick wall steel tube, get it powder coated, etc., etc., ...
It's still hard to beat a Fatsco.
Re camper propane appliances of any kind on board - NO! NO! NO!
Use propane products designed for marine use only on board. Ther are major differences in the safety features and materiels used. RV, camping and home products are not safe or suitable on boats.
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