Anonymous
01-17-2003, 01:28 AM
I recently purchased a 1999 pilot house with a FWC engine. Is there an easy way to add some type of small heating unit to the pilot house area? Electric or a heater core feed off the fresh water cooling? Are their any aftermarket heaters that would be an option? Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Jim
Date: 10:03 a.m. on 11-26-2000
Leprechaun
normal member in standard member. 2. Re:Heater for Pilot House
Yep - all the Shamrock's at my dock (Currently 5 boats) have heaters in them. Available from West Marine in one or two fan models - the single fan model would be appropriate for your boat. On the pilot house model (20 or 26'), you would mount it in that open area under the helm. Plumb a heater hose line from the top of the intake manifold along the port fwd bilge wall, thru the fwd cockpit bulkhead and up to thru the deck under the helm to the heater "Inlet" nipple and run the "Outlet" return line to a right angle fitting that you will fabricate and install in the circulating pump. All the bronze fittings such as street "L"s and nipples that you will need are readily available at West Marine or even Home Depot for that matter. Install a ball cock valve in BOTH the feed and return lines to shut it down in hot weather or completely take the heater out of the cooling system in the event of catastrophic failure. Because these fans draw significant amperage on the "Hi" setting, use a dedicated breaker. And get yourself a 3-position pull switch - On-On-Off. This will be for Low-High-Off fan speeds. Not a real tough job - I did mine with my Shamrock guru - and because he's done the job so many times it only took a single late morn to nightfall day. But what a difference in useability the boat has with this upgrade. We went out this past Friday, got to the boat at 05:30 and the temp was 23 degrees - started her up and zipped down the new canvas and while it never got toasty warm, it was certainly light years better than without. Made the run offshore pleasant. And we knocked the cr@p out of the fish to boot. You will LOVE it, I promise. Regards, Leprechaun
Thanks,
Jim
Date: 10:03 a.m. on 11-26-2000
Leprechaun
normal member in standard member. 2. Re:Heater for Pilot House
Yep - all the Shamrock's at my dock (Currently 5 boats) have heaters in them. Available from West Marine in one or two fan models - the single fan model would be appropriate for your boat. On the pilot house model (20 or 26'), you would mount it in that open area under the helm. Plumb a heater hose line from the top of the intake manifold along the port fwd bilge wall, thru the fwd cockpit bulkhead and up to thru the deck under the helm to the heater "Inlet" nipple and run the "Outlet" return line to a right angle fitting that you will fabricate and install in the circulating pump. All the bronze fittings such as street "L"s and nipples that you will need are readily available at West Marine or even Home Depot for that matter. Install a ball cock valve in BOTH the feed and return lines to shut it down in hot weather or completely take the heater out of the cooling system in the event of catastrophic failure. Because these fans draw significant amperage on the "Hi" setting, use a dedicated breaker. And get yourself a 3-position pull switch - On-On-Off. This will be for Low-High-Off fan speeds. Not a real tough job - I did mine with my Shamrock guru - and because he's done the job so many times it only took a single late morn to nightfall day. But what a difference in useability the boat has with this upgrade. We went out this past Friday, got to the boat at 05:30 and the temp was 23 degrees - started her up and zipped down the new canvas and while it never got toasty warm, it was certainly light years better than without. Made the run offshore pleasant. And we knocked the cr@p out of the fish to boot. You will LOVE it, I promise. Regards, Leprechaun