Boatsafe heater: shore power or onboard outlet ?

[Rxflyer]

I was wondering which source I should plug the heater into. I didn't want to hard wire/permanently install, and was planning on using a shore power outlet to plug into. Then the helpful folks at WMarine said that using an onboard outlet would offer the backup of ship's batteries in the event of a shore power outage. Is this accurate ? I figured that the shore power outlet would be less likely to trip than an onboard outlet. Maybe that's fllawed logic, and I would welcome any education. Thanks.

 

[Go Aweigh2452]

Then the helpful folks at WMarine said that using an onboard outlet would offer the backup of ship's batteries in the event of a shore power outage. Is this accurate ?

Only if you have an inverter hooked up to the boat... and inverters get hot and use lots of electric when not in use.

I prefer to have my Extreme heater (similar to your Boatsafe) hooked up to the garage power. If the power fails in the house/garage, I know it... I'd have to check the boat to ensure the breaker has not tripped for some reason or other...

BTW, I also keep a remote temperature monitor in the engine bay that I can monitor from the house. They normally all record lowest low and highest high. Cost about $20 or less on sale... You can get the internet type as well if you are not near the boat...

 

[Henry Boyd]

If you plan to leave the boat in the water, then using one of the boat outlets is the safer way to go. With the boat in the water, all AC should be brought onto the boat via shore power to ensure proper grounding. Additionally, the shore power cord and connections are better suited to spending the winter outside then an extension cord. The Boatsafe is designed to be hard-wired into a boat's electrical circuit, and as a result will be ok running from one of the boat outlets. Finally, your marina may not be all that enthusiastic about the use of extension cords on the dock instead of proper shore power cords.

Henry

 

[Captain Crispy]

What Henry said.....

 

[Redhook98]

I will have to use an extension cord for mine. My 2000 290AJ only has one 15-amp breaker for the AC plugs. I keep a small ceramic heater in the cabin and have a Boatsafe for the engine room. Can't run em both without the breaker tripping. So I will have the ceramic heater plugged in inside the boat, and a HD extension cord for the Boatsafe. Not the preferred method, but not sure what else I could do short of adding another 30-amp service.

 

[CAGE RATTLER]

I was planning on hooking mine up to an outlet in the cabin.

I just installed shore power and dont have an outlet hooked to that yet.

The outlet i was going to use is hooked to a 1200 watt inverter.

I run a pro-tech 1220I charger which has the shore power mode.

Any problems setting up my engine heater this way??

 

[mambodave]

Where are you guys putting these? The stove top?

 

[Redhook98]

Where are you guys putting these? The stove top?

Not unless you have a stovetop in your engine compartment. ;-)

No, I just screw mine right to the deck in my bilge. I installed a "sub-floor" in my bilge with 3/4 inch pressure treated plywood. The Boatsafe screws directly to that and is plugged in from December until March.

As for the ceramic heater inside the cabin, it just goes right on the deck. Next time you use one of these, feel the flooring around the heater. It does not get hot. As for putting a heater on your stovetop, that could be bad. Thats a slick surface and a wake while you are moored could tip it off. Just set it on the deck and forget about it.

My 2-cents.

 

[Uplate]

As for the ceramic heater inside the cabin, it just goes right on the deck. quote]

I may add that I asked my insurance company about this. they said any kind of heater that was not certified for boat use would void any claims. A Ceramic (residential)Heater was specifically stated by my agent. He said if the boat was to catch on fire and such a thing was found plugged in, and the cause of the fire, then all bets are off.

For that reason, I keep a heater (West Marine) in my cabin and only plug it in when I am onboard and unplug it when I leave. If it is unplugged, then there is little chance of claim issues.

I do keep one of those big pancake dehumidifiers on the floor though. Not sure if that may be an issue. It does have a heating coil, but no fan or moving parts, and gets barely warm.

FWIW.

 

[JimT]

As for the ceramic heater inside the cabin, it just goes right on the deck. quote]

I may add that I asked my insurance company about this. they said any kind of heater that was not certified for boat use would void any claims. A Ceramic (residential)Heater was specifically stated by my agent. He said if the boat was to catch on fire and such a thing was found plugged in, and the cause of the fire, then all bets are off.

For that reason, I keep a heater (West Marine) in my cabin and only plug it in when I am onboard and unplug it when I leave. If it is unplugged, then there is little chance of claim issues.

I do keep one of those big pancake dehumidifiers on the floor though. Not sure if that may be an issue. It does have a heating coil, but no fan or moving parts, and gets barely warm.

FWIW.

I'm not doubting you were told this but I have never had this exclusion in any policy I bought. Who is your insurer?

 

[Dennis P]

I have the BoatSafe 750 installed on the genny platform and it's hardwired to the main switch panel in the cabin. It has its own 15A breaker, where I had a blank for the Galley Stove, since my stove is butane. I also have a remote temp in the bilge, so I can check the min/max when I visit the boat at the marina on the way home from work. Temps have yet to be very cold, so have not had a chance to see results yet...This will be my first winter, so wanted to be prepared...I also have the Air Dryer Dehumidifier by WM and still have not determined what type of cabin heater to get, but leaning toward the one at West Marine: http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product/10001/-1/10001/245831//?icid=RR_7867500
I agree with what Henry said as well... -- Dennis