Cabin Heater - Maxum Boat Owners Club

Cymru · 10-21-2009, 02:12 PM

Hi all,

I plan to use the boat all year and I have a bilge heater installed but I would also like to get a cabin heater that I can set the temperature to something like 45. I'm located in Georgia and we really don’t get the long deep freezes but I know I need something. They have a warning system that will notify you by email if the power is off for over an hour at the marina so I can always get there and flip on the generator too. Anyone have any recommendations please? TIA.

seapuppy · 10-21-2009, 02:59 PM

it depends on what your going to need it for...ie...are you going to be tied to the docks all the time..???are you on the hard???ie trailer or blocks??...

so..I'll generalize some....if your dock borne and have dock power..I have a reverse cycle heating system...keeps the boat temps right where I want it....uses 120vac pwr and will cycle and run as needed...however ....if your boat doesn't have a reverse cycle heating system..then what alot of folks use is one of those ceramic heaters you can get from wally world for about 20 bucks...set it on the deck in the salon and set the temp knob to about 1/4 setting ...it will cycle on and off as needed....when getting ready to get underway...unplug and secure ..then when you get to your destination..you can replug it in and have a toasty warm salon...

now if your running the boat underway , you can get heatercraft installed....the H2 or H3 will run nicely from engine heat and heat just about anyplace you install the vent outlets.....

SP

irate:

Cymru · 10-21-2009, 03:06 PM

I think I'm a idot and should have my boat taken away from me for being so dull... Yes I do have heating & ac on the boat. I never thought of using that at all. (I wonder if that can be set that to 45?) And yes, I will have it in the water all year with shore power on.

ed & inge · 10-21-2009, 06:01 PM

hai cymru,

what a lot of people here in holland do in the winter is the next,.....when it s going to freeze and the water changes into ice (here maybe 2 or 3 weeks ) they are hangin a pump in the water that makes bubbles around the boat. the water won't freeze. but almost all people take their boat out of the water during the winter.

succes ed

seapuppy · 10-21-2009, 07:19 PM

beleive me ed....he won't freeze in Georgia....might get cold ...but the water won't freeze......I think your RC heating system will hold 45degs...put it on auto...

SP

irate:

Cymru · 10-21-2009, 07:24 PM

Cheers guys. I'll set it this weekend and I'll report the outcome.

rgreenwell8962 · 10-22-2009, 02:29 AM

Hey SP,

I saw your post about using one of those ceramic heaters and I looked at one today at the hardware store. My concern is that they dont have a thermostat, besides the high medium low settings. I keep the boat in the water and put an Extreme Heater in the bilge that kicks on if it drops to a specific temperature. Do you have a specific ceramic heater model?

Also, last year I drained the fresh water tank but did not add any of the "pink stuff". I am going to do that this year. My question for you is, will one gallon be enough to sufficiently fill the lines?

Thanks.

seapuppy · 10-22-2009, 12:53 PM

Rich
any of those ceramic ones has a thermostat on it..check them out...it's about 6 to 8 inches square....or one of those heaters that has a built in fan type....I have each of them....one ceramic and one with the built in fan and stands about 18" high
you can get them at a pretty good price at wally world...

as for the pink stuff...your gonna need about 4-5 gals of rv antifreeze to get the pump to pick it up and push it thru the lines.....

SP

irate:

rgreenwell8962 · 10-22-2009, 04:23 PM

Thanks SP!

shrew · 10-23-2009, 12:50 PM

I just got one of these and was surprised how well it worked. It specically has an anit-freeze setting which will turnteh heater on if teh temp. drops below 38F. It dropped into the 30's last weekend and the wife and I were playing cards in t-shirts.

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/st ... /0/0?N=377 710 1662&Ne=0&Ntt=Blowers &Ntx=mode matchallpartial&page=CategoryDisplayLevel1&isLToke nURL=true&storeNum=5002&subdeptNum=12&classNum=543

seapuppy · 10-23-2009, 12:55 PM

shrew..the link is broken....

wanna try again??

SP :hello:

shrew · 10-24-2009, 10:19 PM

Let's try this again.

WEST MARINE Portable Cabin Heater

WM Model #: 7867500
Manuf. Part #: 9206WM-DBX

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/st ... assNum=543

shrew · 10-24-2009, 10:20 PM

I just tested it. That one should work.......hopefully.

seapuppy · 10-25-2009, 12:33 AM

those are popular here....any one of them that puts out about 700-1500 watts is acceptable..

SP :hello:

Cymru · 10-26-2009, 01:11 PM

I was on the boat this weekend. Sunday was a spectacular, 70 degrees and I felt like I owned the lake. There was noone around.

I tried out the cabin heat that Seapup mentioned but the lowest I can set it is 60 so I think I'm going to be better off with a heater. Shrew, do you think the one you posted is a safe bet to leave plugged in in the winter if it were on the anti-freeze setting? Someone was telling me that I should only use a ceramic one.

Thanks.

shrew · 10-26-2009, 02:55 PM

The West Marine heater I have states that it can be set to an anti-freeze setting so it will turn on if the temp. drops below 38F. I believe it will only maintain the temp. at 38. That being said, how hot will the heater have to run and for how long to maintain that temp? Here in New England, I'd think the thing would need to run full blast for a good portion of the day to maintain 38 when we get a stretch of zero to 10F weather in the dead of winter. Personally, I don't think that any heat source, electrical or otherwise is safe to run for long periods unattanded. When I was in college, I had an electric space heater catch fire while I was asleep. The electric cord heated until the sheath melted and the wires started arcing. Fortunately, we had a dog who noticed it and started barking (flipping out would be more accurate), which woke me from a nap on the couch. I personally will never run anything more than a lightbulb unattended for any length of time.

You may want to verify with the location your boat is being stored before using one of these. Most marinas and boat yards prohibit a heat source running on a boat unattended. You may also want to check with your insurance company to make sure you remain covered. I'd hate to find out there is a "No unattended heat sources" clause in your insurance AFTER your trying to submit your claim.

seapuppy · 10-26-2009, 03:16 PM

well...there are ways to help with keeping water out of the boat...we have 2 heaters and a dryer going on the boat...the heaters are set on the floors and will come on at about 45 degs...+/- a few degrees....with that said...you should have pumped antifreeze thru the engine/drive/water lines/head to keep them from freezing......
then those dri-eeze containers help in absorbing water...trouble with them is you need to empty them every week...maybe more if your in an area subjected to alot of moisture...

for me...I use those 2 heaters I mentioned and one dryer in the engine bay...it only puts out maybe 700 watts and will move air by natural convection.....now your boat is somewhat insulated inside..so..it will run till it gets the temp up around it..then shut off....you need a good quality ceramic heater...set it on half setting and you should be ok.....
but if you don't feel comfortable with a heater in the salon..then don't use one...but definitely use the dri-eeze....

SP

irate:

rgreenwell8962 · 10-26-2009, 03:29 PM

I have one like the link, however it is not a West Marine brand. It looks identical. On it, there is a snowflake on both the temp and fan setting. If you choose this for both settings it should be in freeze control mode and kick on when temps hit 38. The red indicator light does not come on when on these settings, and I assume that is correct, however, maybe someone could chime in??