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Old 08-21-2013, 10:05 AM   #1
Ifraser
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City: Poole
Vessel Name: Miss Georgia
Vessel Model: C Kip 40
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 13
Central heating systems?

Hi all. Looking to find out what central heating systems you use and opinions on what I am thinking of doing. I currently liveaboard a C Kip 40 in the UK. Winters here can be a touch on the cool side (sometimes more than a touch!) but not as extreme as some places! My vessel came fitted with an eberspacher hydronic. I don't know if you have them in the US but it is a compact diesel fired computer controlled boiler that burns diesel. There are two problems with the Eber. The first being that they aren't really meant for 24/7 usage and need an expensive service every 6 months if you do and the other is the power consumption. With my battery bank I can only survive about 1.5 days off grid in mid winter before I need to start engines to charge the batteries. (I don't yet have a genny) While in the marina I usually use electric heating overnight and the Eber in the daytime. I'm looking for a system that is both designed for liveaboard and very low power consumption as I do like time away from the marina at all times of the year. My eye is on a Kabola E7 drip feed boiler. The drip feed is designed for 24/7 usage and uses only a tiny current for a small circ pump and even smaller fuel pump. I'm aware that there will be no computer heat regulation or programmed start timer etc but intend to keep the Eber in parallel with it for the timed start ups when I am at work for the day etc. The Eber can pre-warm the place before I light the Kabola when I get home.
So what do you all use? What do you think of drip feed systems vs power hungry compact systems? And I don't want to hear from all you smug boaters who live in places too warm to even think about heating!!!
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