Force 10 Cozy Cabin diesel heater

[adobrea99]

Hi all
Browsing through the photo album I noticed there's one that shows the
interior of a Vega with this kind of heater installed.
I've just got the same one, brand new, and am trying to figure out
how to install it. I have to admit I don't have a Vega, but a
Catalina 27" (with an outboard), although the plan is to get a Vega
in 2004.
So my questions are:
how can I install the heater now on the Catalina in such a way that I
can easily move in to the Vega, and not leave the Catalina totally
scarred ?
Also, since the Catalina doesn't have a diesel system (it uses an
outboard), what's the best way to pressurize the diesel tank ? The
two options I'm aware of are:
-get a tank with a manual pump -kind of a rare thing nowadays,
couldn't find one in Vancouver yet, but am looking forward to the
Seattle boat show next week
-get a regular diesel tank with an electric pump - don't like it
cause I'm afraid it will drain the batteries - I'm trying to not have
any electrical instruments on board besides reading lights
Thank you !

 

[pushin60ca]

I have a force 10 cozy cabin heater as well. It runs on propane and the
installation looks easy. Mine is in the box (never used) and you can buy it
for $200. Any takers?

Brian - V1039

 

[waltrambs]

Hi, About the mounting of the heater, I offer no advise. But on the
pressuring of the diesel (kerosene) system why pressurize the tank when you
only need to pressurize the line. The Chev diesel pick up truck (around 1993
-1996)uses a external frame mounted line pump that keeps the line pressure at
5 lbs to the injection pump, and only works when the line pressure drops. It
is 12 vt pump with an inlet and outlet and only two wires to connect. You
would want to put a manual eletric switch and a fuse to the pump so you could
shut it off when you are not using it. You could also use the diesel fuel
filter that is connected in series with the pump to keep the fuel to the
heater clean. Both pieces are available at any auto salvage yard. Regards
Walt S.

 

[pelagicasd]

Hi, I like the fuel pump option also. We did something similiar as I recall.
Another option could be a gravity feed. It would mean a small tank mounted
above the height of the burner. Fuel control would be by a small gate valve.
Unfortunately you will scar the boat with the installation. You will need a
heat shield between the the bulkhead and the heater. Asbestos used to be the
way to go but nowadays you can use cement board. We figured out the area we
wanted the heater to go into and cut the board so it fit the bulkhead behind
it. Next we got a sheet of aluminum and cut that to fit the cement board. It
was cut oversize on the sides and taken to a sheetmetal shop for bending
over the edges of the cement board. The heater can't be mounted directly to
the shield. You will need to use standoffs. We made ours out of wood. They
resembled the tapered plugs used to to plug throughulls. Imagine one of
these with a 1/4" hole drilled from top to bottom. Hold the heater and heat
shield against the bulkhead and mark the aluminum where you want the heater
mounting tabs to go. Drill the aluminum and place it against the bulkhead.
Now drill the bulkhead and use one bolt to secure the shield against it. Now
place three long bolts through the tabs and slide the standoffs onto the
bolts. Slide the bolts through the shield and bulkhead and secure. Remove
the origional bolt. Attach the remaining standoff behind that tab and
you've got it mounted. See Chapter 2 for dealing with the overhead.
Chapter 2.
Now you've got to cut the hole for the chimney. Take a short piece of pvc
pipe that's close to the diameter of the chimney pipe. Cut it so it it is
long enough to fit over the heater and just below your overhead.
Take a pencil and holding it straight up put it against the pvc and draw a
line on your overhead. Move the pipe and drill with a small bit every inch
or so along the line. Now go topsides and take your pencil and connect the
dots. You now have an approximation of the circle you need. Measure its'
diameter. figure the size of the hole you will need.
Lets say that you used a 4" pvc pipe and you need a 6" hole. measure out 1"
from your drawn line, make a pencil dot, Measure again, make a dot and
continue around the circumfrence of the circle. Draw a big circle by
connecting the dots. Cut the piece out. Problem with this is you need a
round hole and the cabin top is sloped. Your cutout will be a bit oval
shaped.. The hole will be considerably oversized as you need a gap between
the glass and the pipe. The pipe will get HOT!!!. Install the deck/cabintop
fitting over your hole and place your pipe through it. Play with it abit to
be sure your pipe is exiting properly from the heater before you screw down
the deckfitting. You may have to construct a tapered wedge to fit between
the cabintop and the fitting as it's likely that the outboard edge of the
fitting will have a gap in it. Play with it and for SAFETY read the
instruction book from Force 10 SEVERAL times before you install it and never
ever leave the boat or go to sleep while there is still flame visible in the
burner.
As you can see, this is going to "scar the boat". Good luck, Walt