oscar
Guru
- Joined
- Oct 22, 2015
- Messages
- 1,098
- Location
- United States
- Vessel Name
- Lady Kay V
- Vessel Make
- 1978 Hatteras 53MY
Or more correctly: Reverse cycle air systems.
Another thread got into it a little bit, but I have a question that, I believe, deserves it's own thread.
As discussed there the efficacy of the heating function decreases with water temperature. When the water is cold, there is little heat to extract. At around 40º the results are about nil.
So there is a plethora of solutions to heat the boat beyond that point, the details of which I do NOT want to get in to here. What they all have in common though, is that on a large(r) boat they will need considerable additional installation of plumbing and/or wiring to distribute to the far corners of the vessel.
Which is kinda sad as the heat pump(s) that were working up to this point were already there..... (4 in my case)
So the idea I had was to simply provide the system with the warm water it needs. I have ONE pump that circulates water through the four compressors. If I close off the through hull and the overboard discharge and create a closed loop with a heat source that keeps the water (or glycol) at, say, 70º my heat pumps would be back in business.
Now the how...... On demand heater running diesel? Electric? Small tank with large electric elements and, of course, thermostatic control?
I have room in the engine room next to the pump.... The installation could be compact and accessible.
Anyone done this? Anyone with the physics/math on the tip of their tongue want to throw some meaningful numbers out?
Thanks.
Another thread got into it a little bit, but I have a question that, I believe, deserves it's own thread.
As discussed there the efficacy of the heating function decreases with water temperature. When the water is cold, there is little heat to extract. At around 40º the results are about nil.
So there is a plethora of solutions to heat the boat beyond that point, the details of which I do NOT want to get in to here. What they all have in common though, is that on a large(r) boat they will need considerable additional installation of plumbing and/or wiring to distribute to the far corners of the vessel.
Which is kinda sad as the heat pump(s) that were working up to this point were already there..... (4 in my case)
So the idea I had was to simply provide the system with the warm water it needs. I have ONE pump that circulates water through the four compressors. If I close off the through hull and the overboard discharge and create a closed loop with a heat source that keeps the water (or glycol) at, say, 70º my heat pumps would be back in business.
Now the how...... On demand heater running diesel? Electric? Small tank with large electric elements and, of course, thermostatic control?
I have room in the engine room next to the pump.... The installation could be compact and accessible.
Anyone done this? Anyone with the physics/math on the tip of their tongue want to throw some meaningful numbers out?
Thanks.
Last edited: