Diesel heater

[mikke60]

Anyone out there running a reflex heater?
Thank you

[lat 64]

I had to google that one.

I found a video of a fella with a nice installation:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_DeyphzhBs

he had some trouble with regulator but says factory solved it.

I like the unit as presented except the valve for the fuel. It looks like fusible safety valve not a service valve—I could be wrong. Hard to tell by the video. It looks like the factory valve though. Those fusible valves wear out quickly because the screw threads are a soft low-temp alloy meat to melt in case of overheat or fire. A spring pulls the valve closed then. These are not meant for everyday use.

Russ

[Al Schober]

No, not a Reflex diesel but a Force 10 Kero heater. My experience might be pertinent..
Always 'futzy' to get going. Play with the pricker, play with the settings - temperamental. Put up with it for years. It sorta worked, I wasn't happy. 'Patria' burner?
Finally, was working on it on board and almost burned down the boat. Tore it off the boat and took it home to fix and - you guessed it. Almost burned down the house. Heater went into the trash.
My recommendation is to go Propane. Solid fuel may be OK (haven't tried it) but then you've got the ashes to deal with.
Another option is the fuel/hot air furnaces - been on-board boats with these and they have worked well. From shivering (badly) to cozy in little time.

[romantic comedy]

I was on a buddys boat with an Eberspaecher diesel heater. It gave great heat!!

Dont know if they have a gas heater.

One of my VW buses had a not functional gas heater that was similar. Possibly it was the same brand. Had an ignition system similar to a spark ignition, complete with coil.

[lat 64]

I was on a buddys boat with an Eberspaecher diesel heater. It gave great heat!!

Dont know if they have a gas heater.

One of my VW buses had a not functional gas heater that was similar. Possibly it was the same brand. Had an ignition system similar to a spark ignition, complete with coil.

Those were sort of popular up here in the sixties. They worked when they worked. The fuel consumption went way up and then the whole idea of having a vee-dub was not so attractive any more. I heard one run when I was a kid. It sounded like a turbine. I even found one lying at the dumpser the other day. It looked like a turbine too.
Eberspaecher types are popular with truckers. Ask those kind of people. They deal with them in a no nonsense way and are opinionated if nothing else.

R.

[ED.D]

I ran a Dickinson heater for years while living aboard, it burns diesel but I preferred kerosene it is much cleaner. I would light the stove around Thanksgiving and it would run 24 / 7 until March as long as you poured fuel in it would run. I set it up with gravity feed eliminating the small pump some use. It is a pretty simple set up easy to understand and service yourself.

[nyvoyager]

Have heard good things about the Reflex heaters.
I bought a Taylor diesel about a year ago that I have yet to install.
The idea of drilling a 5"hole in the deck makes me pause.
Still need to get a flue section bent.....

[Peter]

Maybe you should get a Taylor guitar to match your heater?

Peter

[lat 64]

Maybe you should get a Taylor guitar to match your heater?

Peter

No, no, no, that's a Fender. Boats always use fenders.
And they go in the lazarette.

[nyvoyager]

Yes but will that help me drill a hole in the cabin top? LOL

[lat 64]

Drill. It's just a boat.

Seriously though, my boat had a tiny Dickenson wood stove(now gone). The installation was not great. The heat from the pipe was hard on the liner and deck laminates that were close(about 3-inches). Wood stoves have fairly high flue temps so yours may be better. Just go with the safer option of hole size if there is one.

If you use a hole saw, replace the pilot drill bit with a really loooong one. That way when the hole saw gets jammed(and it will), it doesn't jump out of the cut and go skittering across the gelcoat leaving nasty gouges and blood everywhere.

Russ

[nyvoyager]

Ouch. sorry for the mishap and thanks for the warning.