in floor electrical heating

[Lobo]

It's Lobo again, one more question then we'll be quiet and watch for your answers.
Has anyone used in floor electrical heating? What kind? What is the electricity draw like? How was it to install? Thanks for the info.

 

[Stray-Cat]

I have considered in floor heating for my aft stateroom head under the ceramic tile floor as the floor is so cold in the winter
Tile transfer's heat so its the covering of choice
Most kits will work on 110v ,use a special thermostat that has a heat probe remote to the floor
You need a nice smooth subfloor (same type as required for tile) and a tile installer would be my choice for the laying and build up with quickset
You can look up the power draw needed on the internet (its not too high)
Look at the Home depot (they stock the kits)

How big is your boat, and what is your electrical service type boat on the dock and your boat?

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Welcome aboard Mr./Ms. Lobo. I may have missed it but I cannot see what type of vessel you are living aboard and intending to refurbish. Some of the questions you ask will be better commented on if we know what you're initially dealing with.
There was a very recent thread on composting toilets. Just do a search.
Regarding your heated floor. You may be further ahead with carpet or electric socks...

http://www.thunderboltsocks.com/aboutus.htm

 

[Phil Fill]

It's Lobo again, one more question then we'll be quiet and watch for your answers.
Has anyone used in floor electrical heating? What kind? What is the electricity draw like? How was it to install? Thanks for the info.

The cheapest is to buy slippers. I have pink bunny slippers that keep my pedicure toes and heart warm. The next is to carpet the boat. The Eagle is carpet except the galley which has a throw rug as we are messy. The carpet keeps the living areas warmer and quiets the boat. the Eagle carpet is not permently installed so we can lift, roll and store the carpet in the warmer months. In the winter is to bloody cold. Pic a watt electric heaters mounted at floor level can heat the floor area but dock AC power is limited.

The best heat source to heat the floor would be tubes with hot water, however with the limited amount AC dock power. So you might think about installing a diesel boiler to heat the water to a high enough constant temp. We thought of that but decided to install the exchange blowing at floor level which heats the floor as well as the whole boat. We did run the hoses up into/through closets, draws and storage space which keep the boat bone dry. With the blower closs to the foor and installed so they blow on to the areas we mostly tend to stand. Like bathrooms, galley, and bedroom areas which was must for my wife. However, that is very expensive, but the Eagle and we are worth it.

 

[Sisuitl]

Undertile heat is wonderful.

Current draw depends on how much heating wire you put down. We have a small 8x10 bathroom running about 650 watts, the somewhat larger kitchen uses around 1500 watts. As far the the electrical supply is concerned, subfloor is no different than baseboard.

Installation is simple as long as you work methodically and pay attention to details (and instructions). It can be installed under floor types other than tile, but then you wouldn't have the advantage of tile's thermal mass. No idea how well that would work.

Your subfloor needs to be stable enough to support a tile bed. Boats will always flex more than houses so the installer should be careful about potential chaff points especially where the supply wires exit the bed and turn up the wall. I wouldn't use the metal strapping with clips that some manufacturers include to fasten the wires to the subfloor; that stuff is sharp. Better to use the systems with the wires sewn to plastic netting or tack them down with hot melt glue.

Undertile doesn't respond quickly. It takes time for the tile bed to heat up. The thermostat (depending on $$ and programming) balances the in-bed probe and the room temperature, sometimes creating a lag when you want the heat on NOW. Usually not a problem with a dirt house's daily routine and programmable thermostats. I'm not sure that you'd want it as the sole heat source in a small, poorly insulated box on the water with a door that opens and closes often.

Any electrical heat system in our climate has the problem that it doesn't dehumidify and circulate air like other systems, helping mold to grow. Again, probably not good to rely on it as the sole source.

 

[skipperdude]

I have a plan to use my Dickinson diesel stove. It comes with a coil in the fire box to make it hydronic. Pex tubing and a small pump should do the trick. As the engine room is directly under the salon it should heat both.
I figure anything that catches the heat before it go's out the stack has got to be a good thing.

sd

 

[FF]

"It comes with a coil in the fire box to make it hydronic."

It will take the 7 turn coil to produce much heat the 1 or 2 turn coils are for domestic hot water..

The modern Euro high efficiency baseboard will be required as the system will be at fairly low temperatures.

Out hydronic runs 135F , so there is loads of (old style) baseboard

I figure anything that catches the heat before it go's out the stack has got to be a good thing.

So install a longer stack inside , or blow a fan at the stack to steal some more heat.

Most boats do not have 1/10 the insulation under the flooring required to work with floor resistance heat.

A different concept would be one of the new mini split air cond , that return 4X or 5X the heat per amp .

I your marina charges for electric , a mini split could reduce your winter electric bill from $200 a month with toaster wire heat down to $50. lots easier to live with.

FF

 

[sunchaser]

Lobo:
In the PNW diesel heat is pretty nice. When away from the dock how would you heat your boat?

 

[Lobo]

Hi, we are on a 47' International Offshore (brand) displacement hull, Portuguese bridge, pilot house, head behind the anchor locker in the V, main stateroom then 2nd stateroom with shower/washer dryer room under the forward deck and pilot house, salon and galley aft with a covered cockpit and the pilot house up top.
If anyone else out there has experiance with an International Offshore let us know, we've not been able to find many of them.
We have a diesel Wabasco heater system right now but the former owners just used it when the temp got nasty. They used radiant electric heaters in the stateroom, salon and pilot house.
We are going right down to the hull with renovations so thought that if we were going to do something like infloor heating now would be the time. If the power use is close to the radiant heaters already in use it would be nice to get the heater dishes out of the floor space.
Our shore power situation is quite good but we also want to be able to live on the hook for periods of time too.
We are leaning towards use of power for lots of things-stovetop, oven, heat while at the dock and diesel - stove top, heat while underway/on the hook.

 

[FF]

"When away from the dock how would you heat your boat?"

The question really is how do you heat the boat with out electric.

The Dickinson line of diesel fired ranges put out about 20,000 btu with zero electric.

The Dickinson Antarctic and other brands of floor mounted heaters can be installed in other spaces that do not connect well with the galley area.

Yes each will need a 3 or 4 inch exhaust , a water deck iron, and a smoke head .

The H style has worked best for most folks (I used to be a dealer).

Do not purchase ANY brand that uses a pressurized tank and a modified Primus burner, these are excellent for stoves/ovens , but never for days of unattended operation.

We installed a unit that in mild NYC (normally +20'sF at night, occasionally -10F with excellent results .
Lived aboard with this and other heating systems for 23 years.

The Dickinson was mostly used dockside , but in winter ice storms 5- 10 days with out marina power did happen , enough that the ZERO electric concept proved worthwhile.

IF your in a blacked out marina , expect plenty of frozen guests!

The boat shown has both a Dickinson Range , as well as a propane gimboled Hiller Range , in FL the Dickinson gets a cover and is simply more counter space.

 

[Lobo]

We do have a deisel heater but while at the dock (barring electrical outs) will be using electric heat of one sort or another so while we have everything torn apart were wondering about the infloor electric mats you can use for in floor heating. If this draws no more power than the radiant heaters we already use (3 of them, one on each level) we thought now would be the time to put it in.
Just wondered if anyone has installed it or uses it.

 

[FF]

as the floor is so cold in the winter

Wool Rug?

Radiant floor heating in dirt houses usually has a great deal of insulation under the flooring.

Might be hard to do as a retrofit?

An overhead heat lamp, making radiant heat , aimed at the tile ,might do what you need , as it warms the cabin