It's the middle of July with a heat index of 105,but I am seeking advise on a Force 10 Cozy Cabin heater.I may have found a used diesel model and am intrested in recomendations from anyone concerning instalation and performance of this model.
I sail a CD27 out of Mobile Bay.I am able to sail year round and the heater would be a welcome addition for the winter months.Thanks in advance for any info.
Smooth Sailing
Jerry Albright
CD27"DOLPHIN"
nauticalw@aol.com
Force 10 Cabin Heater
Moderator: Jim Walsh
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John K.
Re: Force 10 Cabin Heater
I have one in my CD26. It's a very crude system - you have to pump up the diesel holding tank (with a bicycle pump), then pre-heat the heater by lighting up a small cup of alcohol under the main burner, then quickly lighting the main burner after the alcohol burns off. I think everyone will tell you the worst part is the smell. The "deodorized" kerosene they burn is not supposed to put out any odor, but even with a brand-new burner, some smell gets into the cabin. I guess it's a "get what you pay for system" - probably the cheapest self-contained cabin heating system you can buy.
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Larry DeMers
Re: Force 10 Cabin Heater
I have heard of people actually taking that thing and throwing it physically out of their boats. There are several much higher quality diesel heaters on the market. Look for one that uses outside air for combustion however, as carbon monoxide is a real danger with these stoves. Typically, the 'drip type' burner (as in your Force 10) is going to smell to some extent.
We use the Dickinson Newport Solid fuel fireplace..it burns wood and coal nicely. We have had this system on DeLaMer for 10 years now, and use it heavily in the spring and fall (went through 25 lbs, of coal in 3 days back in May)..and on the way back to the marina after a weekend out anchoring and you are in the rain and cold. We fire the fireplace up with driftwood, then put in a load of charcoal or coal (if available). It works great while sailing or at anchor.
Cheers!
Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
Cape Dory 30
demers@sgi.com
We use the Dickinson Newport Solid fuel fireplace..it burns wood and coal nicely. We have had this system on DeLaMer for 10 years now, and use it heavily in the spring and fall (went through 25 lbs, of coal in 3 days back in May)..and on the way back to the marina after a weekend out anchoring and you are in the rain and cold. We fire the fireplace up with driftwood, then put in a load of charcoal or coal (if available). It works great while sailing or at anchor.
Cheers!
Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
Cape Dory 30
Jerry Albright wrote:
It's the middle of July with a heat index of 105,but I am seeking advise on a Force 10 Cozy Cabin heater.I may have found a used diesel model and am intrested in recomendations from anyone concerning instalation and performance of this model.
I sail a CD27 out of Mobile Bay.I am able to sail year round and the heater would be a welcome addition for the winter months.Thanks in advance for any info.
Smooth Sailing
Jerry Albright
CD27"DOLPHIN"
demers@sgi.com
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Matt Cawthorne
Re: Force 10 Cabin Heater
Jerry,
I have a force 10 kerosene heater in my CD-36. It is undersized for my boat(especially when it gets below 20F), but it might be plenty for yours. I also installed a carbon monoxide detector. To date it has never triggered for the heater (although it has one time when all three stove burners + the oven were on). I get only a minimal amount of smell from it. The pump-up and pre-heat process take about as long as starting my alcohol stove so it does not seem like a bother to me. The burner intensity changes with time and I do not feel comfortable leaving it running while I am asleep. It is simple and cheap, does not require any electricity and , unlike solid fuel heaters, can be turned off instantly if you need to leave the boat for a while. I have a little (Caframo) battery powered fan that gets aimed across the top of the heater to better circulate the air in the cabin.
If you have the money and a large battery bank an Espar heater would be nicer and much more effective.
Matt
mcawthor@bellatlantic.net
I have a force 10 kerosene heater in my CD-36. It is undersized for my boat(especially when it gets below 20F), but it might be plenty for yours. I also installed a carbon monoxide detector. To date it has never triggered for the heater (although it has one time when all three stove burners + the oven were on). I get only a minimal amount of smell from it. The pump-up and pre-heat process take about as long as starting my alcohol stove so it does not seem like a bother to me. The burner intensity changes with time and I do not feel comfortable leaving it running while I am asleep. It is simple and cheap, does not require any electricity and , unlike solid fuel heaters, can be turned off instantly if you need to leave the boat for a while. I have a little (Caframo) battery powered fan that gets aimed across the top of the heater to better circulate the air in the cabin.
If you have the money and a large battery bank an Espar heater would be nicer and much more effective.
Matt
mcawthor@bellatlantic.net
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Lyn Heiges
Re: Force 10 Cabin Heater
Jerry,
I know I live in St. Pete Beach, Florida where it rarely gets below 50 degrees F, but I have a Force 10 diesel burner on my CD28. It does get cool enough on the water to make this a nice added extra! I think the others have alluded to the diesel odor, but it is not as bad as the kerosene I use in the oil lamps! The whole system is a simple system and with the separate "charlie noble" and vent design there is minimal chance of carbon monoxide levels getting high in the cabin, although the CO detector is a good precaution. I carry a small bicycle pump to pump up the tank and depressurize it when I am finished using it for safety's sake. You can contact them on the web and they will send you electronically, installation sheets and technical data if the burner you are looking at doesn't have these. Also parts are easy to get and reasonably priced. Make sure you either get the pressurized diesel tank or buy one because, in my opinion, tapping the diesel fuel tank and feeding the system is NOT effective. You need the pressure to keep the burner burning consistantly and gravity isn't really sufficient. Also I like having the two as separate entities and not introduce problems from one system to the other or have the engine fuel tank go dry from using the heater.
I don't have the heavy-duty burner need down here, but the diesel Force 10 Cozy Cabin keeps it just that way for us!
Lyn Heiges
CD 28 MOON CHILD
lheiges@compuserve.com
I know I live in St. Pete Beach, Florida where it rarely gets below 50 degrees F, but I have a Force 10 diesel burner on my CD28. It does get cool enough on the water to make this a nice added extra! I think the others have alluded to the diesel odor, but it is not as bad as the kerosene I use in the oil lamps! The whole system is a simple system and with the separate "charlie noble" and vent design there is minimal chance of carbon monoxide levels getting high in the cabin, although the CO detector is a good precaution. I carry a small bicycle pump to pump up the tank and depressurize it when I am finished using it for safety's sake. You can contact them on the web and they will send you electronically, installation sheets and technical data if the burner you are looking at doesn't have these. Also parts are easy to get and reasonably priced. Make sure you either get the pressurized diesel tank or buy one because, in my opinion, tapping the diesel fuel tank and feeding the system is NOT effective. You need the pressure to keep the burner burning consistantly and gravity isn't really sufficient. Also I like having the two as separate entities and not introduce problems from one system to the other or have the engine fuel tank go dry from using the heater.
I don't have the heavy-duty burner need down here, but the diesel Force 10 Cozy Cabin keeps it just that way for us!
Lyn Heiges
CD 28 MOON CHILD
Jerry Albright wrote:
It's the middle of July with a heat index of 105,but I am seeking advise on a Force 10 Cozy Cabin heater.I may have found a used diesel model and am intrested in recomendations from anyone concerning instalation and performance of this model.
I sail a CD27 out of Mobile Bay.I am able to sail year round and the heater would be a welcome addition for the winter months.Thanks in advance for any info.
Smooth Sailing
Jerry Albright
CD27"DOLPHIN"
lheiges@compuserve.com