Does anybody have experience with the ITR WaterHeater with the optional heating module? Would it be overkill for a Hunter 29.5? Website link attached. Thoughts anyone?
The WaterHeater by ITR
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Talked to them at Seattle Boat Show
The unit looks well built - stainless steel, etc., and the idea of using it to heat the boat sounds interesting. However, if it raises the relative humidity inside the boat - which it will - this can cause mold and mildew. The choice could hinge on how it would be used - live-aboard vs. short cruise mode. In our area the boat interior often gets up to 85%RH and it needs to be as a minimum below 50%RH and preferably below 40%RH to combat mold and mildew. My guess is that in the area around the Strait of Georgia would experience similar %RH to us. The best heat for this coast is forced air because it's much drier and helps to force out the humid air. For live-aboard use a hot water heating system would aggrevate the %RH but for 'short cruise mode', where one is out for a weekend or a couple weeks at a time, then the impact should be minimial if on return the boat is dehumidified. For a short duration I wouldn't think mold and mildew whould have a chance to get started, take root (!), and grow. If one goes on a longer cruise - Shearwater, Price Rupert, SE Alaska, then forced air would be just about the only way to go. These areas are really humid. These would be my thoughts and I discussed these with the salesman at the booth, and I think he was some kind of owner or so of/with the company, but he didn't feel that was a problem so there are definitely different views about this. By the way, another thing to think about is the exhaust vent for the heater unit. Most water heaters are placed amidships so the exhaust would be through the hull or maybe the coachroof. These are not the best places for a very hot exhaust. Hull, if thats allowed, the docklines or fenders should be watched and coachroof heat could cause other problems. On startup, for example, soot could be created causing a mess on the white gel coat. Not all is gold that glitters. Hope this helps.
The unit looks well built - stainless steel, etc., and the idea of using it to heat the boat sounds interesting. However, if it raises the relative humidity inside the boat - which it will - this can cause mold and mildew. The choice could hinge on how it would be used - live-aboard vs. short cruise mode. In our area the boat interior often gets up to 85%RH and it needs to be as a minimum below 50%RH and preferably below 40%RH to combat mold and mildew. My guess is that in the area around the Strait of Georgia would experience similar %RH to us. The best heat for this coast is forced air because it's much drier and helps to force out the humid air. For live-aboard use a hot water heating system would aggrevate the %RH but for 'short cruise mode', where one is out for a weekend or a couple weeks at a time, then the impact should be minimial if on return the boat is dehumidified. For a short duration I wouldn't think mold and mildew whould have a chance to get started, take root (!), and grow. If one goes on a longer cruise - Shearwater, Price Rupert, SE Alaska, then forced air would be just about the only way to go. These areas are really humid. These would be my thoughts and I discussed these with the salesman at the booth, and I think he was some kind of owner or so of/with the company, but he didn't feel that was a problem so there are definitely different views about this. By the way, another thing to think about is the exhaust vent for the heater unit. Most water heaters are placed amidships so the exhaust would be through the hull or maybe the coachroof. These are not the best places for a very hot exhaust. Hull, if thats allowed, the docklines or fenders should be watched and coachroof heat could cause other problems. On startup, for example, soot could be created causing a mess on the white gel coat. Not all is gold that glitters. Hope this helps.
ITR heating module
John, Thanks for the response. I understand that the ITR heating module produces forced air heat, travelling through ducts to where ever you want or can fit a vent. We have limited space--and virtually no bulkheads--in our Hunter 29.5, so placement of tank would be limited. I poked around the boat yesteday and as far as I could see, tha only option is under vee berth, where exisiting tank is. This places the unit too far forward to put exhaust through stern as the run shouldn't be more than 10 feet or so. The exhaust would have to go up through vee berth roof, and there is something in what you say about hot exhaust pipes. I'll be returning to the Vancouver Boat Show this weekend, and will make further enquiries. We may be out on our boat for weeks at a time, from Vancover, northwards to Pt Hardy on Vancouver Island. I'm beginning to wonder if a dehumidifier alone might be more important that a heater, as we will be sailing June through September. One can dress for the cold; it's the mould/mildew thing that is of greater concern to me at present (allergies, presenly seeing respirologist, etc) thanks again
John, Thanks for the response. I understand that the ITR heating module produces forced air heat, travelling through ducts to where ever you want or can fit a vent. We have limited space--and virtually no bulkheads--in our Hunter 29.5, so placement of tank would be limited. I poked around the boat yesteday and as far as I could see, tha only option is under vee berth, where exisiting tank is. This places the unit too far forward to put exhaust through stern as the run shouldn't be more than 10 feet or so. The exhaust would have to go up through vee berth roof, and there is something in what you say about hot exhaust pipes. I'll be returning to the Vancouver Boat Show this weekend, and will make further enquiries. We may be out on our boat for weeks at a time, from Vancover, northwards to Pt Hardy on Vancouver Island. I'm beginning to wonder if a dehumidifier alone might be more important that a heater, as we will be sailing June through September. One can dress for the cold; it's the mould/mildew thing that is of greater concern to me at present (allergies, presenly seeing respirologist, etc) thanks again
Should Be OK
Hi John, I am curious has to how this unit would increase the humidity level. I seems like it would be like having an electric space heater running. Heating air lowers the relative humidity (although does not remove any of the actual moisture). I agree that a forced air heating system that draws outside air in is the best because it will vent out the moisture accumulation. This unit looks interesting because it also can be hooked to the engine coolant for both domestic hot water and space heating. Plumbing the entire system, however, could be a challenge.
Hi John, I am curious has to how this unit would increase the humidity level. I seems like it would be like having an electric space heater running. Heating air lowers the relative humidity (although does not remove any of the actual moisture). I agree that a forced air heating system that draws outside air in is the best because it will vent out the moisture accumulation. This unit looks interesting because it also can be hooked to the engine coolant for both domestic hot water and space heating. Plumbing the entire system, however, could be a challenge.
Brad, I agree
don't see how the relative humidity would be raised by this unit. It is a way to heat the inside air and that should reduce it. I had a friend who had a hot water type of heater (Ardic?) which was diesel fueled and he had plumbed it so that it would heat the boat, heat the hot water, or preheat the engine. The engine could also provide either space heat or hot water. I think that it required a little more 12 volt power to run the circulating pump in addition to the usual diesel heater requirements.
don't see how the relative humidity would be raised by this unit. It is a way to heat the inside air and that should reduce it. I had a friend who had a hot water type of heater (Ardic?) which was diesel fueled and he had plumbed it so that it would heat the boat, heat the hot water, or preheat the engine. The engine could also provide either space heat or hot water. I think that it required a little more 12 volt power to run the circulating pump in addition to the usual diesel heater requirements.
Brad & Patrick - True
Where do you guys find the time to be on here so much??? I don't know what to say except that's how it seems to me. Mildew always seemes to grow best when it's warmer and there's moisture present. What's really hapening here is the indoor climate with a closed boat is going to become essentially a greenhouse. Before the dehumidifier was put on it was easy to see temperatures in the 50s and up with the inside humidity in the 75%RH to 85%RH which is the beginning of a fairly good mushroom growing climate. Now that I'm using a dehumidifier and keeping the RH down in the 35 to 40% range I haven't had any problems so this works for me. This is a good article about how to prevent mold and mildew from the University of Florida: How to Prevent and Remove Mildew. In it they said that "warm air can hold more moisture than cool air" so, to some extent, by adding heat one can have a higher %RH. A "closed boat" isn't a really closed system. There's little leaks in places, maybe a bit of water gets into the bildge via whatever - down the mast even. However it happens it seems moisture can find a way to get in and by adding heat you get your greenhouse. The dehumidifier I'm using has a defrost cycle so this does add a small amount of heat but the really important part is the low RH.
Where do you guys find the time to be on here so much??? I don't know what to say except that's how it seems to me. Mildew always seemes to grow best when it's warmer and there's moisture present. What's really hapening here is the indoor climate with a closed boat is going to become essentially a greenhouse. Before the dehumidifier was put on it was easy to see temperatures in the 50s and up with the inside humidity in the 75%RH to 85%RH which is the beginning of a fairly good mushroom growing climate. Now that I'm using a dehumidifier and keeping the RH down in the 35 to 40% range I haven't had any problems so this works for me. This is a good article about how to prevent mold and mildew from the University of Florida: How to Prevent and Remove Mildew. In it they said that "warm air can hold more moisture than cool air" so, to some extent, by adding heat one can have a higher %RH. A "closed boat" isn't a really closed system. There's little leaks in places, maybe a bit of water gets into the bildge via whatever - down the mast even. However it happens it seems moisture can find a way to get in and by adding heat you get your greenhouse. The dehumidifier I'm using has a defrost cycle so this does add a small amount of heat but the really important part is the low RH.
Link - forgot to attach on previous post
Here's the link to "How to Prevent and Remove Mildew" on the University of Florida web site: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/HE633 Guess I forgot to attach it like I said I would in my previous post. It's a good article written in layman's terms.
Here's the link to "How to Prevent and Remove Mildew" on the University of Florida web site: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/HE633 Guess I forgot to attach it like I said I would in my previous post. It's a good article written in layman's terms.
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