Mainship Pilot 30 cabin Heat options after hours

[Mainship Pilot]

Looking for some ideas, My Pilot 30 does not have a perm Generator, but they have to be turned off by 10pm- 7am in the mooring field at Catalina Island here in So Cal. Looking for a good, safe, hopefully cheap way to keep the cabin warm at night while sleeping this fall/winter. I’ve heRs some folks use the Propane Heater Buddy, with tip over safety switch. Oxygen consumption, moisture and CO2 a concern. This is interesting….

https://www.facebook.com/100064660995085/posts/7890116621098483

. Rising heat causes fan to run without power application.
Also this diesel heater, which is self contained, however, you need to exhaust out a porthole window.

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Anyone out there have any success using minimal power, to produce heat in a small contained salon safely?

 

[CharlieO.]

Do you want to heat the whole salon or just be warmer while sleeping? You could consider just a bunk warmer.

RV/Truck Bunk Warmers 12V Warming Pad with 7 Adjustable Settings

Description Features Specifications Available Sizes Videos Bunk Warmers Non-Fitted 12V Warming Pads with 7 Adjustable Setting Enjoy a great night’s sleep anywhere you stop. 12 volt bunk warming pad goes “on the mattress” under you (heat rises). Plugs into the lighter socket. Pre-warms bunk and...

electrowarmth.com

 

[DavidM]

Probably the safest although not the cheapest is a diesel fueled truck heat such as the Espar. The Chinese make a knock off that may or may not be as good for 1/3 the price.

David

 

[Bmarler]

Minimal power? What’s your threshold for that? The vevor heater you linked will probably be more of a power hog than you want. Forced air heaters draw more than a refrigerator typically. A small bulkhead heater would be a better choice for low power draw. As a plus, you’d get a nice flame to look at and it would dry the interior of the boat.

 

[Mainship Pilot]

Do you want to heat the whole salon or just be warmer while sleeping? You could consider just a bunk warmer.

RV/Truck Bunk Warmers 12V Warming Pad with 7 Adjustable Settings

Description Features Specifications Available Sizes Videos Bunk Warmers Non-Fitted 12V Warming Pads with 7 Adjustable Setting Enjoy a great night’s sleep anywhere you stop. 12 volt bunk warming pad goes “on the mattress” under you (heat rises). Plugs into the lighter socket. Pre-warms bunk and...

electrowarmth.com

Charlie, The goal would be to have a warm cabin, the blanket is a back up plan if I can’t find a decent solution, however, those 12v blankets are mostly 60” x 36”, with 2 of us, and me being 6’4”, that’s not gonna work. Other option is an AC blanket, using the inverter, which is another power hog, but will test it. Thanks

 

[Mainship Pilot]

Probably the safest although not the cheapest is a diesel fueled truck heat such as the Espar. The Chinese make a knock off that may or may not be as good for 1/3 the price.

David

I’ll check it out, Thanks

 

[Mainship Pilot]

Minimal power? What’s your threshold for that? The vevor heater you linked will probably be more of a power hog than you want. Forced air heaters draw more than a refrigerator typically. A small bulkhead heater would be a better choice for low power draw. As a plus, you’d get a nice flame to look at and it would dry the interior of the boat.

You’re probably right, can you give me an example of what a small bulkhead heater is?

 

[Mainship Pilot]

Anyone use on of these? Thinking I could get the XL propane canister to hopefully last thru the night. Tip over switch built in, I’ve heard of some boaters using these, curious of ant first hand experience?

Mr. Heater Portable Buddy 9,000 BTU Radiant Propane Indoor/Outdoor Space Heater F232000 - The Home Depot

North America's Most Popular Portable Propane Heater. This patented radiant 4,000-9,000 BTU Liquid Propane heater connects directly to a 1 lb. cylinder and is the perfect solution for heating enclosed

www.homedepot.com

 

[Mainship Pilot]

Minimal power? What’s your threshold for that? The vevor heater you linked will probably be more of a power hog than you want. Forced air heaters draw more than a refrigerator typically. A small bulkhead heater would be a better choice for low power draw. As a plus, you’d get a nice flame to look at and it would dry the interior of the boat.

My house is 2 T165 Trojan 6Vs. Fridge draws 2-3 AHs.

 

[DavidM]

Anyone use on of these? Thinking I could get the XL propane canister to hopefully last thru the night. Tip over switch built in, I’ve heard of some boaters using these, curious of ant first hand experience?

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Mr-Heat...U-Radiant-Propane-Indoor-Outdoor-Space-Heater

I used a similar one to heat up t...e combustion gasses stay in the cabin. David

 

[Mainship Pilot]

I used a similar one to heat up t...e combustion gasses stay in the cabin. David

Thanks David, I would assume those that use it open a porthole window for that reason. Plumbing to the stove propane source would be a good idea.

 

[CharlieO.]

Anyone use on of these? Thinking I could get the XL propane canister to hopefully last thru the night. Tip over switch built in, I’ve heard of some boaters using these, curious of ant first hand experience?

Mr. Heater Portable Buddy 9,000 BTU Radiant Propane Indoor/Outdoor Space Heater F232000 - The Home Depot

North America's Most Popular Portable Propane Heater. This patented radiant 4,000-9,000 BTU Liquid Propane heater connects directly to a 1 lb. cylinder and is the perfect solution for heating enclosed

www.homedepot.com

They also produce quite a bit of moisture not being vented to the exterior.

 

[Mainship Pilot]

They also produce quite a bit of moisture not being vented to the exterior.

Yea Charlie, That was brought up to me on a side conversation by rgano, a big consideration, Thanks!

 

[SIBERNUT]

You have a big heat sink in your engine. Would a car heater core, muffin fan & a small circ pump do it ? I have a spot under step to V berth, perfect. Same height as engine, no air lock worry, no eng fumes, no CO. Bring eng up to temp before 10pm

 

[Mainship Pilot]

You have a big heat sink in your engine. Would a car heater core, muffin fan & a small circ pump do it ? I have a spot under step to V berth, perfect. Same height as engine, no air lock worry, no eng fumes, no CO. Bring eng up to temp before 10pm

Interesting, Your assuming I can stay awake until 10pm! LOL

 

[Mainship Pilot]

This one seems to check a big chunk of the boxes!

https://www.northerntool.com/products/dyna-glo-indoor-kerosene-radiant-heater-10-000-btu-500-sq-ft-heating-capacity-model-rmc-55r7-52621?cm_mmc=Bing-pla&utm_source=Bing_PLA&utm_medium=Heaters%2C%20Stoves%20%2B%20Fireplaces%20%3E%20Kerosene%20Heaters&utm_campaign=Dyna%20Glo&utm_content=52621&cmpid=53403385&agid=3200075897&tgtid=pla-4577473071433167&prdid=52621&ogmap=SHP|PLA|BING|STND|c|SITEWIDE||Heaters%20%26%20Stoves%20%2B%20Fireplaces%20-%20SC|Heaters%2FStove||53403385|3200075897&gclid=76848f9eb6a91390eacee976579fd9ae&gclsrc=3p.ds&msclkid=76848f9eb6a91390eacee976579fd9ae

 

[Bmarler]

I was thinking something like this: Newport Diesel Heater - Dickinson Marine | Fisheries Supply

If it just won’t fit, I think you’d be ok with a small forced air unit. I think wallas has the lowest amp draw, but an espar d2 might work if you just want to keep the chill off.
If it gets colder, a d4 would be best.
I never ran my espar heaters when sleeping though, just turn them on and slip back under the covers for a half hour nap. You would need to do the math on amp hour draw to be sure you can support one running overnight.
The nice thing about the diesel bulkhead heater is essentially no amp draw. They make a propane version as well.
Cons are mostly about finding a mounting location.
If you go propane, you need a dedicated line from the propane locker, never tee inside the boat.

 

[DavidM]

I had a kerosine fueled radiant heater that I used to warm up our unheated sun porch on chilly mornings. It worked great, but….

If I were to forget and leave it on for a couple of hours, the room would get stuffy. Probably low O2 and some unburned hydrocarbons with a little carbon monoxide thrown in the mix.

Not what you want to sleep in overnight.

And some will say: leave a window open for ventilation. That just means you have to run the heater more.

He Newport heater referenced in the post above is a good solution. But it vents combustion gasses upwards so you need a vent stack on the roof above. That may not work for some flybridge trawlers.

David

 

[Bmarler]

I would never consider running a heater that didn’t vent the combustion gasses outside the boat. Too many drawbacks and safety concerns.

 

[Mainship Pilot]

I would never consider running a heater that didn’t vent the combustion gasses outside the boat. Too many drawbacks and safety concerns.

OK, That Newport heater is way too big, and frankly way too expensive. I’m curious why this wouldn’t work based on your thought patterns on this? It’s portable, meaning y9u can use and stow, which I like, self contained, so no fuel plumbing, which I like, you can exhaust thru the galley porthole window, and it’s cheap…..also a concern! And it can run all night on one tank,

VEVOR Diesel Air Heater All-in-one 12V 8KW LCD Remote Control for Car RV Indoors | VEVOR US

VEVOR Diesel Air Heater offers easy installation, low energy consumption, intelligent dual control, and reliable safety for efficient heating in any environment.

www.vevor.com

 

[Mainship Pilot]

I had a kerosine fueled radiant heater that I used to warm up our unheated sun porch on chilly mornings. It worked great, but….

If I were to forget and leave it on for a couple of hours, the room would get stuffy. Probably low O2 and some unburned hydrocarbons with a little carbon monoxide thrown in the mix.

Not what you want to sleep in overnight.

And some will say: leave a window open for ventilation. That just means you have to run the heater more.

He Newport heater referenced in the post above is a good solution. But it vents combustion gasses upwards so you need a vent stack on the roof above. That may not work for some flybridge trawlers.

David

Great info!

 

[DavidM]

If the Vevor really is vented and it conveniently doesn’t show it vented in any of the application pics, it might be a good low cost solution.

David