Soft Rocker is heated by a hydronic heating system.  (Hydronics is the use of a liquid heat-transfer medium in heating systems. The working fluid is 50% glycol and 50% water.)

The primary heat source for this fluid is the diesel water heater located to the left, and available from DK Smith International. The heater comes in kits or individual parts.

This model is a 5KW 12VDC Diesel Heater (Kit), SKU # (Stock Keeping Unit Number) PHP -50WA7.

This heater is also distributed under the brand name “Snugger” Model #SS5000.  

Search - snugger heater servicing and Technical Support is available from John Reimer 416-616-9440

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A secondary source of heat comes from the boat’s main engine.

The engine heat is transferred to the heating system’s fluid by a heat exchanger. 

Heated engine coolant is passed through one passage in the yellow heat exchanger at one end and then back to the engine through the other end.

The heating system fluid is passed through another passage in the yellow heat exchanger.

The heat is then “exchanged” from the engine to the heating system.

Heat from the engine or the Diesel Hot Water Heater (or both sources) can then be used to heat Soft Rocker.

Engine Heat Exchanger

 

Distribution Manifold

Note: This is a 6 zone manifold, the one used in Soft Rocker
is a 3  zone model  of the same design  and  manufacture.

The heated fluid is delivered to 3 zones (2 cabin heaters and 1 potable hot water tank) from the manifold shown on the left.

Each of the three circuits have a “supply” and “return” line from the cabin heaters and the potable hot water tank. The “supply” lines have zone valves (white caps - top of the manifold) which will “cut off” or reduce the flow to a circuit. 

The return lines have valves and flow indicators (white caps - bottom of the manifold). These valves are used to balance the flow between Zones.

The disk in the flow indicators will rise and fall indicating the pressure in the system; the movement of this disk also indicates  that fluid is moving in the system. If there is no idication of fluid flow turn the system off and investigate'

This manifold is made by Caleffi, the model is a 671 series manifold (search using caleffi manifold 671). Manifolds like this one, are available from plumbing wholesalers (especially hydronic heating suppliers).
 

The heating system fluid is passed through another passage in the yellow heat exchanger.

Bell & Gossett Model EASB – JR Air Separator

A hydronic heating system must rid itself of any air to perform efficiently. When the system is built (or when a major alteration is made) it should be “bleed” of all air. 

To keep air from accumulating while the system is being used, a permanent separator should be used to remove air bubbles from the circulating fluid. Below is a quote from the Caleffi Website that describes the purpose of a separator.

 “An air separator is a multi-pass device and over time it will "scrub out" air and can bring the dissolved air content down to less than 0.5% of system volume. In that condition, the water will provide) excellent heat transfer (air is an insulator, not a good conductor), and virtually eliminate noise (air makes noise in a hydronic system).
Removing air also reduces corrosion in the system.” 

Manual