Will the movement of our boat create problems if we have a thermal heating store and pellet stove?

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LuckyScoreThames

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Hi everyone,

My partner and I live on a tidal part of the Thames on a little wooden boat.

We're in the process of building out new dream home - a steel Dutch barge, and we're looking into the best ways to heat it.

At the moment we're strongly considering a pellet stove boiler, linked up to a thermal heating store. We could also link up a solar heat panel to the thermal heating store too, to give us a bit of leeway in the summer months.

One major concern for us that this point is that boats move! We wanted to see if anyone has any insight or opinion on the impact this could have on the plumbing, and specifically the thermal store. We're unclear on how robust the various pipes leading in and out of it are, the connections between the pipes and the store, as well as it's internal mechanisms. Is it something that could break if it moves around too much...? We could keep it as secure as possible so it isn't bumped, but we certainly can't prevent the boat rocking when faster boats whizz by, as they often do!

Any and all insight really welcome!

Big thanks in advance, Gabriella
 
Wood pellets take up a massive space! I cannot see how you could ever store so much on a boat! Also a fire risk! Although so is LPG !

I don't think a thermal store would be any problem from rocking if well fitted.

But again a thermal store takes up space which a heating system does not have to have and space on a boat is usually at a premium.

Solar panels need 4 square meters at an angle and orientation towards the south. With an unobstructed view of the sun for most of the day.

I don't know if you mean your boat motors around or just rocks on a static mooring.

Tony
 
Hi Tony! Thanks for replying already!

Re: storage - very good point. Luckily we have reserved a large space (2m sq approx.) under the floor for the pellets. We live on a marina, so we also have a bit of storage space on land too.
However your comment has prompted me to do some calculations of storage and how frequently we need to top up.

Our boat will have an engine, and we'll occasionally take her on trips. But most of the time we are moored onto a robust, but tidal floating pontoon.

May I ask a little more about your thermal store knowledge? Do you have one yourself? Have you fitted many? Do they tend to be strong and robust or are the internal components and coils very sensitive?

V best, Gabs
 
Generally I don't like them but its more the application rather than the units which are robust.

But to make the best use of solar thermal you really need one.

But if it was my boat I would want maximum living space and minimum technical space.

I don't see 2 cubic metres is going to last you very long at all!

But then my boat experience is with the Savoy Hill series of narrow boats.

Trouble is many marine engines are directly cooled with river water. They are potentially a very useful source of waste heat which could theoretically be harnessed to a thermal store.
 
There is a firm who do heating systems for boats the heater I saw was fab it virtually ran on diesel fumes.This heater warmed the water too,it was something like90%efficient.
 
Also there was a solar panel on the boat Ive got it now it was a tv program where a narrow boat was
Completely renovated.
 
If you live on a Marina would you not be better off with a blown air system that can run either on gas or electric? It gives you the added advantage of thermostatic control and the ability to ventilate your boat.
Whale are worth a look if you don't fancy boat specific options.

From a tax point of view - don't you need an oil heater so that you can claim some of the tax on fuel as heating fuel.
 
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