Any experience with Planar Diesel heaters

I have seen these Planar diesel heaters on ebay that come from Russia. There are several reviews that say they have worked well in other applications (trucks and campers and such) . The price is right for a 4 Kw model @ $659 and 6 Kw @ $819. Looks similar to a Westabo or Espar but about 1/2 the price.

Need some heat to get the Admiral and I through these harsh california winters in Santa Barbara. It's only going to be 65 today, might need to wear pants.


Planar 44D 12 Diesel Air Heater Truck RV Bus Boat Cabin | eBay

Third-Reef said:

I have seen these Planar diesel heaters on ebay that come from Russia. There are several reviews that say they have worked well in other applications (trucks and campers and such) . The price is right for a 4 Kw model @ $659 and 6 Kw @ $819. Looks similar to a Westabo or Espar but about 1/2 the price.

Need some heat to get the Admiral and I through these harsh california winters in Santa Barbara. It's only going to be 65 today, might need to wear pants.


Planar 44D 12 Diesel Air Heater Truck RV Bus Boat Cabin | eBay

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TR,
your not going to get a lot of sympathy from a lot of members here as SB is downright hot by comparison to most of the US these days...

But is does get cold there.. We once sailed up from Catalina to our slip in SB a couple days before Christmas and when I stepped to the dock slipped on the ice that was on the dock (and it was not from a spilled Margarita)

Boy do I miss those "winters" we had in SB...

I have watched those same heaters and look forward to any input others have on them.
HOLLYWOOD

I've looked at them. People are buying them and installing them in BC. I may be tempted after a few beers at the boat show. It would be nice to have the immediate heat of a furnace opposed to the slow response of an oil stove.

Based upon what I read about the reliability of an Espar, makes me think the Planar seems to priced about right, as by nature they seem to be a consumable item, that is replaced rather than repaired.

I would want a CSA or a UL sticker on it though.

All these style units need maint and the maint requires spare parts.

Usually unobtainable.

IF I were attempting to heat a liveaboard for severe winter , it would either be Dickinson or similar, or if too big, a high efficiency home style oil furnace with baseboard hydronic heat.

Big PIA to install, but home units run many many winters with little maint.

Espar or other bus/truck units are far too much maint.

FF said:

All these style units need maint and the maint requires spare parts.

Usually unobtainable.

IF I were attempting to heat a liveaboard for severe winter , it would either be Dickinson or similar, or if too big, a high efficiency home style oil furnace with baseboard hydronic heat.

Big PIA to install, but home units run many many winters with little maint.

Espar or other bus/truck units are far too much maint.

Click to expand...

The challenge is that most of us do not want a big ugly Dickinson stove in our boats.

I've had both espar and wallas furnaces. Both were reliable, along the same lines as our fuel oil furnace at home.

We ran an article about the Planar heaters in last month's issue of Pacific Nor'West Boating. Our writer, Evan Seys, was on hand for a complete installation.

Pacific Nor