Where is your bilge heater installed on 420DA

[copb8tx]

I need to install a bilge heater in my '05 420DA with 8.1 Gas motors. Do any of you have a permanently installed bilge heater? And if you do can you either tell me where it's installed or show me a picture?

Also, can you anyone tell me how to get the power cord up from the bilge to the back of the breaker panel in the main salon so that I can have it switched there? I found a conduit installed on the starboard side that I used for my new transducer but didn't see anything on the port side.

 

[tjbaze]

Although I own a 2000 model 460 with cummins diesels, I installed 2 Woverine heaters on
my oil pans. They are awesome. They use very little power (400 watts each). They are only approx. 1/8 inch thick and are about 5" x 5". The beauty of these are is that they heat the entire engine which in turn heats the whole engine room. I didn't drop below 48 degrees in the room all last winter, even with temperatures dropping into the teens. They are also very safe, no heating elements or fans. Check it out www.wolverine.com I tryed ceramics etc, waste of power, money and time. I also block all the vents with foam....Tom Basile

 

[merlin]

I think the url you meant for wolverine heaters was http://www.wolverineheater.com/

 

[copb8tx]

Although I own a 2000 model 460 with cummins diesels, I installed 2 Woverine heaters on
my oil pans. They are awesome. They use very little power (400 watts each). They are only approx. 1/8 inch thick and are about 5" x 5". The beauty of these are is that they heat the entire engine which in turn heats the whole engine room. I didn't drop below 48 degrees in the room all last winter, even with temperatures dropping into the teens. They are also very safe, no heating elements or fans. Check it out www.wolverine.com I tryed ceramics etc, waste of power, money and time. I also block all the vents with foam....Tom Basile

Thanks.

So these protected your genset as well or did you also put one on the genset?

 

[Bottom Line]

Here is a link to an 03 420DA that our marina just sold...it had a picture of a heater in the bilge....

http://www.theharborboatsales.com/detail-2003-sea_ray-420da-used-4096649.html

PS...how are you enjoying your new 420DA?

 

[Four Suns]

Here is a link to an 03 420DA that our marina just sold...it had a picture of a heater in the bilge....

http://www.theharborboatsales.com/detail-2003-sea_ray-420da-used-4096649.html

PS...how are you enjoying your new 420DA?

Good grief... nothing like having dangling wires all over the place.

 

[carterchapman]

Good grief... nothing like having dangling wires all over the place.

Is that an air compressor in front of the stbd (gas) engine?

 

[Bottom Line]

Is that an air compressor in front of the stbd (gas) engine?

It does look like a compressor....not sure though ....this boat is on the dock next to ours...I will see if I can find out what it is for....

 

[Four Suns]

Although not a 420, this is how I mounted an Xtreme heater in my lazarette area:

It's wired into the AC panel and I got a breaker to match from flounder pounder at:

http://www.searay-parts.com/category_s/35.htm

I can take pictures of the junction box also if you want...

I have wolverine heaters on the engines... best way to heat the engine room IMO... big blocks of warm iron and it keeps the condensation down. They are also wired directly into the AC panel on my boat and I can take pictures of that if you want...

 

[Bottom Line]

Although not a 420, this is how I mounted an Xtreme heater in my lazarette area:

It's wired into the AC panel and I got a breaker to match from flounder pounder at:

http://www.searay-parts.com/category_s/35.htm

I can take pictures of the junction box also if you want...

I have wolverine heaters on the engines... best way to heat the engine room IMO... big blocks of warm iron and it keeps the condensation down. They are also wired directly into the AC panel on my boat and I can take pictures of that if you want...

Gary...nice and tidy wires:thumbsup:....do you do the install?

 

[Four Suns]

I did the install myself....

 

[searay40dad]

i'd like to see those pics

 

[The Bill Collector]

I did the install myself....

What does your schedule look like in the next couple of weeks...? Do you think you can squeeze me in...?

 

[copb8tx]

Here is a link to an 03 420DA that our marina just sold...it had a picture of a heater in the bilge....

http://www.theharborboatsales.com/detail-2003-sea_ray-420da-used-4096649.html

PS...how are you enjoying your new 420DA?

WOW! This is PERFECT.

I never thought of installing one there. It's completely out of the way and an easy wire route. I would've been a bit concerned about how far it is from the genset but apparently it's managed to do the job in MO for 7 years.

Do you know if that was the only heater in the bilge? If it is I'm sure the same one would handle my boat here in TX if it can handle your weather in MO.

As far as the new boat, I love it. It's a HUGE upgrade over my 93 400EC. In fact I'm really bummed that summer's come to an end so soon this year.

THANKS!

 

[copb8tx]

It's wired into the AC panel and I got a breaker to match from flounder pounder at:

http://www.searay-parts.com/category_s/35.htm

I can take pictures of the junction box also if you want...

I have wolverine heaters on the engines... best way to heat the engine room IMO... big blocks of warm iron and it keeps the condensation down. They are also wired directly into the AC panel on my boat and I can take pictures of that if you want...

I just placed an order for the breaker from the link you posted. Thank you.

Any pictures of the wiring installation would be very much appreciated.

I have a question. My AC panel has a blank 'Accessory' spot where I'll be installing the new breaker. Is there any way to change the legend to 'Bilge Heater'? Or are those names etched into the panel?

 

[copb8tx]

Just placed the order for the BoatSafe 750W heater as well. I liked the Xtreme heaters but I was sold by the installation where the BoatSafe installation feet perfectly bridged the stringers and and was out of the way.

Next question: What are you guys using to block your bilge vents? Those things are HUGE and there's several openings. I was thinking of having a canvas guy make matching covers to stap over them but I'm a little hesitant on living with the snaps during the summer month.

 

[Southpaw II]

Just placed the order for the BoatSafe 750W heater as well. I liked the Xtreme heaters but I was sold by the installation where the BoatSafe installation feet perfectly bridged the stringers and and was out of the way.

Next question: What are you guys using to block your bilge vents? Those things are HUGE and there's several openings. I was thinking of having a canvas guy make matching covers to stap over them but I'm a little hesitant on living with the snaps during the summer month.

I have owned a few boats with the Boatsafe heaters. The best place for installation if you can do it is as far to the rear, and as low as possible. The rear of the boat, and the outside edges are the coldest places, and the most vunerable to freezing when it really gets cold. In my experience, the first thing to freeze is the bilge pump line because it usually is laying against the hull. The forward portion of the ER gets a little heat transfer from the cabin bulkhead, and just doesn't get as cold, as quick, as the rear of the ER.

I have a few pieces of foam that I fold and put in my vents from the outside. When it's time to boat, I just pull them out, and everything's ready to go.

I would also suggest getting the thermometer from Radio Shack with the remote sensor. Stick the sensor in the ER with velcro and you can monitor the temp without raising the hatch on a cold day. It also records min and max temps until you reset it. Last year we were frozen over for about 5 days, and my ER never got below about 48 degrees. My Cruisair units froze over and I had to go to electric heat in the cabin, but the ER was always OK.

Don

 

[Bottom Line]

As far as I know...that was the only heater in the bilge. The prior owner also left the cabin heat on. Around here I have seen some sort of thin plastic....kind of like saran wrap, stretched and covering the vents.

WOW! This is PERFECT.

I never thought of installing one there. It's completely out of the way and an easy wire route. I would've been a bit concerned about how far it is from the genset but apparently it's managed to do the job in MO for 7 years.

Do you know if that was the only heater in the bilge? If it is I'm sure the same one would handle my boat here in TX if it can handle your weather in MO.

As far as the new boat, I love it. It's a HUGE upgrade over my 93 400EC. In fact I'm really bummed that summer's come to an end so soon this year.

THANKS!

 

[copb8tx]

Just a follow up to my original post in the hopes that it helps someone else like me doing a search.

I Installed my Boatsafe 750w heater this weekend. I took into consideration both Southpaw's and Bottomline's recommendations and decided to mount it further aft across the stringers so that's it's relatively close to the engines, genset, water and waste tanks.

I ran the powercord under the port engine to the forward bulkhead zip tying it to the existing electrical run. I then went up the bulkhead and up and over the port fuel tank to access the area behind the cabinet and cockpit refrigerator. In here I had to use an extension cord because the provided power cord was too short. I used a quality cord and heavily taped the joint between the two cords. I cut off the other end of the extension cord and passed it back to behind the electrical panel. I terminated it used a matching breaker in the open 'accessory' slot. Overall a very clean installation.

Overall it came out well. See pictures below

 

[Bottom Line]

Looks good....I am jealous...my boat is now winterized.