I recently got around to try and fire up my diesel heater on board my 1979 H37C; I have only owned the boat a year. I never have tried it before, but wanted to understand how it works. It has no name on the heater, but I understand it was placed at the Hunter factory (in the cabin )when the first owner took possession as an after market heater, accessory and option. It fills the gravity flow diesel tank by way of a fuel pump (electical) located on the Yarmar engine. The problem I can't figure out is to heat it first so that the dripping of the oil will commencing vaporizing or whatever it does to create heat. I am told you squirt alcohol in the small compartment it has and light it to get the iron plate hot enough to vaporize the drips of oil you set by a small valve for different amount of temp. Could any of you inform me if this is correct, how much alcohol to use, ect? Or, if this is not correct, how do I fire the darn thing up? I am planning a trip up North and it would be nice to have it working correctly. I assume most of these diesel heaters work alot alike but I just have never had the opportunity to have one on any of my other boats before. But before I go squirting alcohol in the hold and causing a fire it would be good to know that it works like that. The heater is vented and a heat shield is correctly in place, everything looks as if it did when it was installed. Please help! Art Barnes