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tager · 16-01-2011, 21:54

Anyone have experience with ITR units? They seem to be well made, based off of US military designs.

ITR Diesel Heating Systems

I am thinking specifically of the non-powered diesel units. Not interested in a big complicated hydronic system with running hot water etcetera on my 26' sailboat!

I have no affiliation, but they seem quite a bit cheaper than the marine versions available!

ardoin · 17-01-2011, 16:44

I replaced a webasto with an ITR Hurricane 25 last year. Glad i did it! The system uses hot coolant circulated through the boat. I used two 8000 BTU exchange units with 3 vents off of each and two heat zones. I also used the H2O heat exchange.
The system is easy to maintain and very reliable. It consumes a little more fuel than the webasto, but the reliability and maintenance it worth it.
As a plus, we get hot water when anchored. And we are very warm all winter long.

miatapaul · 04-02-2011, 15:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by ardoin

I replaced a webasto with an ITR Hurricane 25 last year. Glad i did it! The system uses hot coolant circulated through the boat. I used two 8000 BTU exchange units with 3 vents off of each and two heat zones. I also used the H2O heat exchange.
The system is easy to maintain and very reliable. It consumes a little more fuel than the webasto, but the reliability and maintenance it worth it.
As a plus, we get hot water when anchored. And we are very warm all winter long.

Do you use it for hot water in the summer? I am looking at a boat that needs a new hot water heater, and does not have a heating system. This could kill two birds with one stone for me. Interesting.

**atoll** · 04-02-2011, 15:46

kabola or,refleks diesel heaters work great,just installing a refleks 4kw on a cape horn expedition boat,need a reservoir,which will need a pump from the main tank,other wise run with out power,though back boiler models do need a circulation pump.

DeepFrz · 04-02-2011, 16:02

Hydronic Heating Systems
PassageMaker magazine did a review on the ITR system a few years ago and it was favorable, although they were going to report on the newer systems after installing one on Bill Parlatore's boat and I missed that review.

ardoin · 04-02-2011, 20:50

Yes, I use it for hot water. The system feeds the H2O exchange first then goes into a diversion valve. That valve either directs the hot coolant to air heat exchange units or bypasses them and returns to the ITR furnace. In ITR's documents they call it a winter/summer loop. That way you can heat water and not heat up the air exchanges. Works great at anchor, but it sucks about 8AMPs when running. They also have engine heat exchange units that allow you to keep the engine warm or use the engine to heat the boat. I didn't install that component.

ardoin · 04-02-2011, 20:54

Oh, one other thing. Only insulate the summer loop heater hoses since the winter half of the loop doen't need to be insulated (the heat from the hoses on the winter return loop helps keep the bilge warm and thus the boat floor warm.