Ardic hydronic heater

[rsn48]

I posted this at Trawler forum but I guess many there hadn't used a Ardic heater so I thought maybe more here had used on. Below is the post from the trawler forum:

Ardic diesel heater - how good?
My buddy just purchased a 1990 Nordic Tug 32 and is having problems with the heater. My guess is that the previous owner didn't run it every month. It is an Ardic diesel heater, not the air circulating one. I know when my refit guy installed my Espar diesel heater he made me swear on a stack of bibles I would run it for fifteen minutes after warm every month until the end of times.

What is the quality of the Ardic heaters? Some research I carried out discussed lots of problems and poor performance. Others said Ardic was getting a bad rap.

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by rsn48

I posted this at Trawler forum but I guess many there hadn't used a Ardic heater so I thought maybe more here had used on. Below is the post from the trawler forum:

Ardic diesel heater - how good?
My buddy just purchased a 1990 Nordic Tug 32 and is having problems with the heater. My guess is that the previous owner didn't run it every month. It is an Ardic diesel heater, not the air circulating one. I know when my refit guy installed my Espar diesel heater he made me swear on a stack of bibles I would run it for fifteen minutes after warm every month until the end of times.

What is the quality of the Ardic heaters? Some research I carried out discussed lots of problems and poor performance. Others said Ardic was getting a bad rap.

My dock neighbour (we're both full time liveaboards in the Great White North) installed one. He bit the bullet after about four months and had it torn out and replaced with an Espar. It apparently coked up every few days and cleaning those things of soot is a bear.

[searoom]

I have no first hand experience with Ardic.
Our Espar was used extensively cruising Maine for 10 years
every summer. Never a single issue running 3-4 times a week early mornings and evening. Great system.