Tag: Diesel Water Heaters

Diesel Water Heaters: Silent, Domestic-Style Comfort on the Water

For boaters seeking the ultimate in refined heating, Diesel Water Heaters (Hydronic systems) offer a “home-from-home” experience. Unlike air heaters that blow air through vents, these systems heat a coolant fluid that is circulated through a sealed pipe network to radiators, matrix heaters, or your vessel’s calorifier.

This results in a silent, consistent heat that doesn’t just warm your cabin, but also provides a constant supply of domestic hot water for showers and galleys.

The Benefits of Hydronic Diesel Heating

A diesel-fired water heater is often the preferred choice for liveaboards and larger vessels like widebeams and Dutch barges:

  • Silent Operation: Because the heat is distributed via water pipes rather than fans and ducting, these systems are exceptionally quiet during the night.

  • Dual-Purpose Utility: A single unit can manage both your cabin heating (via radiators) and your domestic hot water, often integrating with your engine’s cooling circuit to provide “free” heat while underway.

  • Compact Footprint: The heater units themselves are incredibly compact, allowing them to be tucked away in engine bays or lockers where space is at a premium.

  • Efficient Kits: We provide complete water heater kits that simplify the installation of these complex systems.

Expert Specification & OFTEC Safety

Hydronic systems are more complex to install than air heaters, requiring precise plumbing, header tank placement, and fuel integration. Because these systems involve pressurised hot water and diesel combustion, professional installation is vital.

As OFTEC-qualified technicians, we ensure that your diesel water heater is installed to the highest technical standards. Every system we stock—from leading brands like Autoterm and Eberspächer—is designed to meet Boat Safety Scheme (BSS) requirements, ensuring your vessel remains safe and compliant.

Planning a central heating refit? Choosing the right kilowatt (kW) output is critical to ensure your radiators reach the correct temperature. Contact our technical team for a system design consultation to ensure your pump, pipework, and heater are perfectly balanced for your boat’s layout.

Our Diesel Water Heaters

See all our diesel water heaters below. This is a basic tag page. Follow the main menu to manufacturer-specific pages for more detailed listings.