Pictures of your tidy Diesel Heater Installation

[Sailfish25]

Hey everyone,

I am looking for some inspiration for a diesel heater installation. Specifically a forced air webasto/espar/planar or chinese knock-off style.

Show off your handy work... I'm looking for some craftsmanship and inspiration here. Not interested in sloppy installs!

-Let's see your mounting location
-How did you run your ducting?
-What about your vents?
-Are you plumbed into the main diesel tank or run an auxillary tank?
-What diameter ducting are you running?
-How did you run your exhaust and where did you place the thru hull?

Mine will be going into a 25' Grady White Sailfish. There is really nowhere I will be able to hide my ducting (plan is to heat cabin and windshield/helm area). So install needs to look clean and tidy.

I am totally OCD, and would rather have no heater, than an ugly sloppy one. Show me how it's done...

 

[ryanb]

I'm just in the process of putting one in my boat, a Chinese Amazon special. Like you, I have no viable way to hide the duct work for the windshield vent, so I'm running it up next to the helm and it's not bad. I'll take some pics when I'm done.

 

[Dragos]

I'm just in the process of putting one in my boat, a Chinese Amazon special. Like you, I have no viable way to hide the duct work for the windshield vent, so I'm running it up next to the helm and it's not bad. I'll take some pics when I'm done.

I’ve just finished the installation of a cheap Chinese heater. I have a 2300 WA Striper. It is installed inside the storage space that’s accessible via the door between passenger seat an cabin. I’ve installed the diesel tank on the interior wall INSIDE the storage. I’ve built a “ pedestal “ ( 4x 1/2 in pipes with flanges). The heating unit was placed on this pedestal and installed Inside same storage space.Flanges secured on the inside floor. Exhaust via stainless steel through hull ABOVE water line. Fresh air supply plastic through hull behind passenger seat. Duct run : 3 in from the heater unit to cabin wall INSIDE same space - cut a 3 in round whole above inside sink and installed the adjustable air dispenser . Control unit installed inside cabin. Remote control at the steering wheel. It was a little difficult to work inside that space but well worth it; everything is out of sight
I don’t have the boat at home for now but I can send you pictures when I get it if you wish
Cheers
D

 

[Sailfish25]

I’ve just finished the installation of a cheap Chinese heater. I have a 2300 WA Striper. It is installed inside the storage space that’s accessible via the door between passenger seat an cabin. I’ve installed the diesel tank on the interior wall INSIDE the storage. I’ve built a “ pedestal “ ( 4x 1/2 in pipes with flanges). The heating unit was placed on this pedestal and installed Inside same storage space.Flanges secured on the inside floor. Exhaust via stainless steel through hull ABOVE water line. Fresh air supply plastic through hull behind passenger seat. Duct run : 3 in from the heater unit to cabin wall INSIDE same space - cut a 3 in round whole above inside sink and installed the adjustable air dispenser . Control unit installed inside cabin. Remote control at the steering wheel. It was a little difficult to work inside that space but well worth it; everything is out of sight
I don’t have the boat at home for now but I can send you pictures when I get it if you wish
Cheers
D

Yes! Post pics when you get a moment. That sounds like a great setup. I would be able to do a similar install on the Grady if I just went with cabin heat only. However, my #1 objective is to get hot air blowing directly onto the windshield. This is going to require some awkward visible ducting. Trying to brainstorm various materials to use as ducting that look better than cheap aluminum foil stuff (i.e. thin wall aluminum tubing, stainless steel wood stove tubing, etc).

Does the ducting get very hot? Does it require insulation for safety? Would it melt the cuddy carpet style-headliner?

I'm just in the process of putting one in my boat, a Chinese Amazon special. Like you, I have no viable way to hide the duct work for the windshield vent, so I'm running it up next to the helm and it's not bad. I'll take some pics when I'm done.

Today I ordered a 5kw chinese amazon special for $200, the exhaust thru hull for $135 and some titanium heat wrap insulation for the exhaust. Trying to see if I can get this done all in for $500 - I'm sure I could if i just used the standard ducting, but getting fancy with stainless steel would surely blow out the budget.

 

[23Hourston]

There is a cheap Chinese diesel heater face book group tons of info there if you haven’t seen it.
I have used the exhaust pipe/Chimney liner from a pellet stove before( bus heater style ) that went into the v birth reduced to 1.5 inch PVC pipe drilled holes up through the dash and. T in where needed worked great I plan on doing similar with CCDH I have now . I’ve asked similar questions that you’re asking now on this site you might want to search with my user name Perhaps. But the best info is that Facebook group I mentioned

 

[trophywife]

One vent in the cuddy, a vent for each window, tank behind drivers seat box. I was going to build a small storage over the tank but i think the boat is close to selling/sold.

 

[ryanb]

I just finished my install today. I'm going to replace the aluminum ducting with black when it arrives on the slow boat from China, and add another vent under the helm seat for air to blow to the port side of the boat. I picked the all in one style so I wouldn't have to find a separate spot for the diesel tank.

 

[bryce]

@fishinforever got a pic of your windshield heater vent would work mint on a sailfish

 

[sasqman]

This is mine.

- One duct branch line goes into the enclosed bulkhead by my foot rest, and one goes into the cabin.
- did custom ducting with dampers to be able to adjust airflow.
- custom aluminum tank located under the cockpit deck.
- can still sit comfortably in the head without being close to the pipe. I may add some pipe insulation, but have not felt the need to yet.

 

[Sailfish25]

@trophywife I see that you had the heater located right up in the cuddy/bow. Did you ever have any concerns running the heater when it got rough out there? I’m thinking of similar location for mine but not crazy about the thought of having the heater taking a pounding upfront while running…

 

[Delray]

@trophywife I see that you had the heater located right up in the cuddy/bow. Did you ever have any concerns running the heater when it got rough out there? I’m thinking of similar location for mine but not crazy about the thought of having the heater taking a pounding upfront while running…

 

[Delray]

Huh. Don’t know how that happened Never mind…. Carry on. Lol

 

[Foxsea]

Just 3 recommendations:
A real fuel tank and filter.
Approved fuel line (A1 with a short piece of the supplied tube as a bushing) with proper screw clamps.
A coaxial exhaust line: tube inside tube to keep the outside cool.

 

[trophywife]

@trophywife I see that you had the heater located right up in the cuddy/bow. Did you ever have any concerns running the heater when it got rough out there? I’m thinking of similar location for mine but not crazy about the thought of having the heater taking a pounding upfront while running…

they are not heavy, the fuel tank is mounted behind the driver seat. As long as it is all mounted solid, no problemo. it has been there for 5 seasons now.

 

[sir-vivor]

they are not heavy, the fuel tank is mounted behind the driver seat. As long as it is all mounted solid, no problemo. it has been there for 5 seasons now.

Hey , Trophy , Where does your set up exhaust?

 

[sir-vivor]

I think I see it, right above it , right?

 

[trophywife]

I think I see it, right above it , right?

yes..