Boatsafe Heaters Feedback

[Uplate]

Not wanting to sound like an Ebay Feedback Forum, but you gotta love a business who operates like this:

I bought a 750W boatsafe Heater in late Oct.

Noticed it did not get the engine room heated as advertised.

Called Boatsafe and they diagnosed as probably a bad temp sensor.

They are FedEx'ing me a new one to replace and a FedEx bill to return the old one at my convenience.

No questions Asked when dealing with their support people.

Many manufacturers (autos included) could learn from this business model as far as customer support is concerned. Fix it and ask questions later.

It is really refreshing to know a manufacturer that will stand behind their product like this.

 

[Luckydogs]

Not wanting to sound like an Ebay Feedback Forum, but you gotta love a business who operates like this:

I bought a 750W boatsafe Heater in late Oct.

Noticed it did not get the engine room heated as advertised.

Called Boatsafe and they diagnosed as probably a bad temp sensor.

They are FedEx'ing me a new one to replace and a FedEx bill to return the old one at my convenience.

No questions Asked when dealing with their support people.

Many manufacturers (autos included) could learn from this business model as far as customer support is concerned. Fix it and ask questions later.

It is really refreshing to know a manufacturer that will stand behind their product like this.

I haven't had the chance to stick my head in the engine compartment with the cold weather we have been having so I'm assuming it's working. When i took it ouf of the box and I did test t and the heather cut on for a few seconds but it wasn't warm air, is this what you experienced?

 

[marqbloq]

I have two in my 320's engine box, a 250W at the front of the bilge and a 750W at the rear of the bilge. Our temps this week have had a low of 13 degrees, sustained winds of 25mph and my low point temperature memory read the compartment never got colder than 39 though BoatSafe claims it will maintain at 42.

 

[PlayDate]

They are a good company and make a solid product. It doesn't surprise me they take things back no questions asked. Think about the value of what their heaters protect. A failed unit can equal a cracked engine block.

I have two temperature monitors at the extreme ends of the ER. On the coldest day, in 2006 (-5) the temp got down to 34 degrees in the ER. The average temp is 40 degrees as long as the temp is above zero.

-John

 

[wish2fish]

no, this is the kind of info we need to know about companies we deal with. Good Info!

 

[Uplate]

I haven't had the chance to stick my head in the engine compartment with the cold weather we have been having so I'm assuming it's working. When i took it ouf of the box and I did test t and the heather cut on for a few seconds but it wasn't warm air, is this what you experienced?

The Boatsafe warms up gradually by design they tell me. You should start to feel warm air within a few minutes. My original was the older style Freeze spray to test. Evidently the new one they are sending is the newer push to test style.

Yesterday I went to test it again and checked low recorded temps (38). I did about a two second squirt of the cold stuff and the heater kicked on, warm air after a few minutes. I close the hatch on the engine room while I did some other chores. If working correctly, the heater should have kept running until it was about 50+ degrees. It turned off at about 42. Boatsafe tech confirmed this is not correct and indicative of a faulty temp controller.

The other thing is that the freeze spray is much colder than the 45 degrees that is supposed to kick it on. So it is had to tell if the low sensor is kicking at the proper temp.

 

[Uplate]

I have two in my 320's engine box, a 250W at the front of the bilge and a 750W at the rear of the bilge. Our temps this week have had a low of 13 degrees, sustained winds of 25mph and my low point temperature memory read the compartment never got colder than 39 though BoatSafe claims it will maintain at 42.

When talking with them yesterday, one of the first things they asked is where I live. They said a low temp of 21 in North Dakota might not be unusual. Even when the heater kicks in at 45, it may not have enough BTU's to overcome the extreme cold. In that case, I would think you would need mulitple heaters. Who boats in the winter in ND anyway? :wink:

Given your weather conditions, sounds like your heater is performing well. Hope my new one does the same sort of job.

 

[mrsrobinson]

Been very happy with ours. You can test it with freon, easy enough, spray it in the hole on the side, if it comes on and heats up, she's working.

 

[dpmulvey]

I like the boatsafe but for space considerations am going with an Xtreme.

 

[mrsrobinson]

David, I cannot recall what your engine compartment looks like, but I was able to mount ours in front of the port engine, across the stringers. The predrilled holes lined up perfectly with the stringers.

 

[tawcat]

What kind of temp monitors are ya'll using?

 

[Uplate]

What kind of temp monitors are ya'll using?

Options seem to be plenty. Seems there are temp montoring devices from both Lowes and Walmart on other threads for about 10 bucks.

I bought this one:
http://www.opticsplanet.net/control-...eter-4105.html
on the recommendation of another member.

I like the fact I can leave the unit in the cockpit and the outside sensor probe in the ER. Easy to check the ER without opening hatch while also knowing outside temps.

 

[dpmulvey]

David, I cannot recall what your engine compartment looks like, but I was able to mount ours in front of the port engine, across the stringers. The predrilled holes lined up perfectly with the stringers.

The ER is effing tight. The location you suggest would preclude access to the A/C strainer and seacock. I need the heater small as it will just sit in the bilge and will be removed and stored under the aft berth if I winter cruise.