Hi guys,
Has anyone fitted or have had a diesel water heater fitted on their boat? Looking at stepping away from our current gas instantaneous unit.

Not me, but Leo has done it on Tally Ho, see the recent video.

I have a webasto diesel heater, heats the coolant circuit for hot water and space heating in the saloon.

Works well, not as fast as the main engine to heat water. 5 minutes and getting hot air in the saloon and half hour to get warm water.

Was using about 4 amps from memory plus the diesel to run.

Was having dinner on the boat a couple of weeks ago on a cold Qld night, let it run for a couple hours and had to turn it off because we were getting to hot. The water for washing up the dishes was to hot without adding cold.

It was 5 Deg one morning recently on Trek which is too cold for me. I thought of getting a heater. There's a really cheap Vevor Made in China Diesel Heater if anyone's tried one. Only $139 but looks like a lot of work to install. There is a Youtube review where they came out OK. Has any one tried one? And where to put it is a good question.

www.vevor.com.au/diesel-heater-c_10321/vevor-diesel-air-heater-12v-2kw-diesel-heater-with-remote-control-and-lcd-display-10l-fuel-tank-diesel-parking-heater-rapid-heating-for-rv-trailer-camper-van-boat-and-indoors-p_010679038873?adp=gmc&utm_id=20342386949

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Trek said..
It was 5 Deg one morning recently on Trek which is too cold for me. I thought of getting a heater. There's a really cheap Vevor Made in China Diesel Heater if anyone's tried one. Only $139 but looks like a lot of work to install. There is a Youtube review where they came out OK. Has any one tried one? And where to put it is a good question.

www.vevor.com.au/diesel-heater-c_10321/vevor-diesel-air-heater-12v-2kw-diesel-heater-with-remote-control-and-lcd-display-10l-fuel-tank-diesel-parking-heater-rapid-heating-for-rv-trailer-camper-van-boat-and-indoors-p_010679038873?adp=gmc&utm_id=20342386949

I've had one of these, just a no-name Chinese Diesel Air Heater, for a few years now & love it!!
It wasn't that hard to install & I have it tucked away right alongside my autopilot tiller with two outlets in the saloon.
I think I know the morning you are talking about & I had my heater fired up to keep warm!!
On cool nights I leave it "ticking over" all night & I am in a T shirt.
You can see the coil I had to manufacture at the low-point of the exhaust which is a must.
This bloke knows his stuff: www.youtube.com/@johnmck1147

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Trek said..
It was 5 Deg one morning recently on Trek which is too cold for me. I thought of getting a heater. There's a really cheap Vevor Made in China Diesel Heater if anyone's tried one. Only $139 but looks like a lot of work to install. There is a Youtube review where they came out OK. Has any one tried one? And where to put it is a good question.

www.vevor.com.au/diesel-heater-c_10321/vevor-diesel-air-heater-12v-2kw-diesel-heater-with-remote-control-and-lcd-display-10l-fuel-tank-diesel-parking-heater-rapid-heating-for-rv-trailer-camper-van-boat-and-indoors-p_010679038873?adp=gmc&utm_id=20342386949

There's also the "all in one" versions for almost the same money with the integral fuel tank that look pretty interesting at a very low price, like this one;

www.batterymate.com.au/products/8kw-portable-diesel-air-heater-12v-thermostat-deisel-caravan-motorhome-trailer-a?currency=AUD&variant=43794120016123&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=Google%20Shopping&gad=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwq4imBhBQEiwA9Nx1BjAv1a_lrxvEL9lyB0wZ2Hkm3Rz2CFvAoIrPjx7VIwSKWD-pMbJY_xoCXNoQAvD_BwE

We're thinking about putting one in the head and running a temporary (Ibut safe!) chimney and a duct into the saloon while we decide if it's worthwhile. Mind you, for us going down the coast to the boat is warm compared to frosts we get most winter mornings....I've regularly got to break 5cm deep ice out of the Laser cockpit at midday before going out on the pond.

Thanks for suggestions. Im going to get one and let you know how it goes.