Sig Marine SIGMAR User Manual

23080 Hamilton Road, Richmond, B.C. V6V 1C9

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Our Web Site: WWW.SIGMARINE.COM

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SIG MARINE PRODUCTS.

SIGMAR

BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING READ THIS MANUAL!!!

WARNING!!! DO NOT OPERATE THIS HEATER UNATTENDED.

CAUTION!!! NEVER LIGHT:

1. A HOT BURNER

2. A FLOODED BURNER

PACKING LIST:

1. 1 1/16” Allen Wrench (valve adjustment)

2. 5 1/4” x 12” Stainless Steel Deflector Plate(only on the 100,120 and 170)

3. Clean out Auger (corkscrew shaped)

4. Draft Regulator (installed) (only on the 100,120 and 170)

RECOMMENDED SPARE PARTS PG. 3
BALANCE DRAFT SYSTEM PG. 4
HEATER INSTALLATION PG. 5
SAILBOAT MOUNTING PG. 6
FUEL SUPPLY PG. 6-8
BACK DRAFTING OR DOWN DRAFTING PG. 9
FUEL PG. 9
LIGHTING PROCEDURE PG. 10-12
STORAGE PG. 12
METERING VALVE PG. 13
CLEANING PG. 14-16
DRAFT ASSIST FAN PG. 17
DRAFT REGULATOR PG. 18
TROUBLE SHOOTING PG. 19-23
TYPICAL INSTALLATION(200/250) PG. 24, 25
RECOMMENDED INSTALLATION(100,120,170) PG. 26
RECOMMENDED INSTALLATION(180) PG. 27

WARRANTY PG. 28

SIG MARINE PRODUCTS MANUAL REV S1

INTRODUCTION

You have just purchased the most advanced diesel cabin heater available. It is designed and
built by sailors who know the need for dependable, safe, dry heat and it represents years of
experience in the marine-heating field. Installation and operation is straightforward. After
you have completely read the instruction manual.

FIRST LET’S ANSWER A FEW BASIC QUESTIONS:

Q. What is a Balanced Draft?

A. Balanced Draft is a system whereby outside air is supplied to an enclosed combustion

chamber and equal pressure is maintained on both the air intake and on the exhaust, so the
flame cannot blow out. Conventional heaters can experience “back drafting or down
drafting”(see Page 9), a downdraft could travel down the exhaust pipe blowing soot or smoke
into the cabin and also blow out the flame completely.

Q. All right, no more backdrafting, soot or odors in my boat, but will my boat be dry?

A. Yes, with any vented cabin heater all the combustion gases and moisture go up the flue

and not into the cabin. Now the dry radiating heat can do its job. The warm air rises causing
a natural flow and exchange of air through the boat’s ventilation systems. A small circulating
fan should be used to aid circulation.

Q. Will my Sigmar heater operate on any diesel fuel?

A. We would love to say yes, but experience has taught us that some diesel fuel may cause

sooting and result in frequent maintenance. Normal Number one (stove oil) and Number two
(diesel fuel) burn just fine. Some fuel sold as number two is so poorly refined that it will not
burn clean in either your heater or your engine. This type of fuel seems most prevalent in the
northeastern U.S. and parts of Alaska. Should you experience this problem, you can do one
of the following:

1. You can utilize a separate fuel supply tank with a better grade of fuel.

2. You can tolerate frequent cleaning of the burner.

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IMPORTANT

When filling the system for the first time, we suggest tapping the metering valve slightly.
This will free all moveable parts due to storage and prevent oil from escaping through the
overflow outlet. Also, to remove any air that may get trapped in the fuel hose between the
valve and the burner, lift the valve knob up and down a few times and flex the fuel hose. This
will act as a pump and force any air that may be trapped in the fuel hose to escape. To check
whether fuel has completely filled the system, the fuel should appear at the bottom of the
burner. This will mean the fuel has filled the system. Replace all internal burner parts and
you are ready to light the heater. Note, this procedure should be repeated after every cleaning
cycle.

WARNING:

Unless operating the heater with the balanced draft attachment installed, as shown in manual,
be sure to open a vent or porthole to allow sufficient air supply to the heater. Never plug any

air inlets into the cabin.

Never operate heater unless all internal parts are in place as shown in manual.

RECOMMENDED SPARE PARTS

Your Sigmar heater has been designed to use very few moving or wearing parts, however
we do recommend the following spare parts:

1. MICA WINDOW- Your Mica Window may last for 6 months to 2 years depending on
how often you use your heater. To replace, simply remove the 9 screws. Using a pointed
object and the frame as a template, poke 9 new holes in the Mica and reassemble. Note: it
is very important that the screws are only hand tight, except for the two screws holding
the closing latch, allowing the Mica to expand and contract.

2. VAPORIZING STEM (FOR 100 & 120)- This part experiences very little wear,
however if the heater is used a lot on a high setting, the tip will eventually burn away.
When replacing the stem, it is important that the 4 legs of the stem conform to the
curvature of the burner base at all times.

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BALANCED DRAFT SYSTEM

The Balanced Draft System is optional; it is not required but can be added later if you wish.

The Balanced Draft has 2 major advantages. In most cases it will eliminate “back drafting or
down drafting” (Page 8) and allows the heater to use outside air for combustion rather than cabin
air. This increases the safety and efficiency of the heater. The balanced draft system can be
mounted on all our heaters No. 100, 120, 170, and 180. Unfortunately it can not be mounted on
the No. 200 and 250 stove.

The Balanced Draft is simply having the air feed for the heater coming from outside the boat

immediately adjacent to the exhaust pipe.

This means that any wind conditions that affect the exhaust will affect the air intake
simultaneously - thus a balanced draft. Similarly the heater will not experience any barometric
pressure changes in the boat because the air intake for the heater is through the 3” opening in the
bottom that is connected to the outside air through the air intake and the 3” hose. The air intake
must be as close to the exhaust as possible - no more than 3 feet away and free of all
obstructions. We want the intake and exhaust to experience the same conditions. The exhaust
should be approximately 12” higher than the intake. The air intake hose should be as short as
possible with as few elbows and bends as possible. We want a smooth flow of air to the heater.
The size of the hose for the air intake must be 3” - the same as the exhaust pipe. The Rain Caps
on the exhaust and the air intake must be identical.

If installing the Balanced Draft, the intake pipe may be 3” hi-heat flex hose, stainless steel
or aluminum pipe.

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THINGS TO CONSIDER

1. Minimum flue pipe length is 3 feet for the 100 and 120, 4 feet for the 170, 180, 190, 200 and

250. This is the absolute minimum.

2. The maximum angle of any bend in the stack is 45 Degrees.

3. If installing the Balanced Draft, the air intake must be mounted within a 3-foot radius of the
Rain Cap on the cabin top for proper operation.

4. If installing a heater in a sailboat and planning to use while under heel, see “Sailboat
Mounting” (page 6).

5. If you are going to use a small electric fuel pump to supply fuel to the heater, the maximum
pressure is 3 PSI. If installing a gravity day tank, the bottom of the tank must be 12” above the
knob on the metering valve. Remember to take the angle of the heel into consideration.

6. Installation of our exhaust Thru Deck will require a 5” diameter hole to be cut in the cabin top.
If installing the Air Intake for a Balanced Draft, a 3” hole will be required for all heaters. The
190, 200 and 250 stoves require a 6” diameter hole for a 4” flue pipe and a 7” diameter hole for a
5” flue pipe.

7. If deck is curved or sloped, you may need a shim pad to mount the Thru Deck and Air Intake
Couplings.

HEATER INSTALLATION:

Mount the heater in the exact location you want it.

Our Thru Deck requires a 5” hole. If you are using another manufactures Thru Deck, follow their
recommendations for installation.

After you have measured down from the cabin top for the correct pipe length, you may use wood
screws, sheet metal screws or through bolts, on pipe and Thru Deck.

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SAILBOAT MOUNTING

When installing the heater in a sailboat, it is important that the metering valve and the burner are
both in line with the keel to permit proper functioning of the heater when the boat heels.

If the heater is installed with the window facing fore or aft, the metering valve and burner will
already be in line with the keel and no additional actions are necessary.

If the heater is installed with the window facing port or starboard, the metering valve must be
repositioned. This must be done at our factory.

PORT / STARBOARD HEATER MOUNTING

FUEL SUPPLY

The requirements are 1/4” I.D. (U.S. Coast Guard Type B) fuel hose or equivalent or 1/4” I.D.
copper tubing for the fuel inlet and vent lines. The overflow should be run to a container away
from the heater, 1/4” I.D. clear PVC hose is desirable. Do not connect the overflow to your
engine return. Do not connect the overflow to the vent on the main fuel tank. You will almost
never get fuel out of the overflow. It is designed as a safety device for obstructions in the
metering valve. Before you start pulling tubing, let’s analyze the options you have:

1. GRAVITY FUEL TANK sometimes known as a day tank. This type of installation is the most
desirable if you have room. The tank bottom must be a minimum of 12” above the knob of the
metering valve, and no higher than 8 ft. The tank capacity should be at least 2 gallons, this
would give you about 48 hours of operation. The location of the tank can be almost anywhere
you want it to be (taking into consideration angle of heel when installed in a sailboat). The
benefits of a gravity tank are: no noise and no power draw. The disadvantage is limited fuel
capacity.

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2. ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP, this type of installation is a very common one, the advantages are;
it’s less expensive than a gravity tank and you can have full capacity of your main fuel tank. The
disadvantages are; power draw, noise, and loss of the heater in the case of the pump failure.

3. Some installations use both methods, a gravity tank to supply the heater and an electric or
manual fuel pump to fill the gravity tank.
Let’s do the installation of the gravity tank first. If you are planning to install an electric fuel
pump move on to Page 8.

The gravity tank, as you may have found, is not an item stocked by your local dealers. In fact
some don’t know what one is. So now what? Well, the easiest and actually the best method is to
have one made by your local Aluminum or Stainless Steel Fabrication Shop. This allows you to
custom make a tank to any particular area you have, getting the most gallonage from your area,
venting, mounting brackets, fuel fill, and the proper outlet size for the heater, all where you want
them. A manual shut off must be installed at the outlet of the tank and also one at the heater.
The vent line should be equal to or greater than the in and out-let.

Now that you have your tank, (be sure you use Coast Guard Type “B” fuel hose or equivalent for
all your fuel hoses). Connect the fuel fill. The vent line should be running to an outside fitting
above the tank. You may use copper tubing or a fuel line hose, for the fuel line to the heater and
for the vent. A small inline fuel filter and manual fuel shut off valve must be installed.

Try to route the fuel line with as few bends and with gentle bends as possible. The fuel filter and
the shut off valve should be mounted as close to the heater as possible.

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ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP INSTALLATION

The maximum pressure that our metering valve (carburetor) can withstand is 3 PSI. If more

than 3 PSI is used, fuel will flow out of the overflow outlet. In other words, the float in the
metering valve does not have enough buoyancy to close the needle seat and thus shut off the flow
of fuel. We recommend the Walbro fuel pump No. 2403-1. This is an adjustable pressure fuel
pump that comes preset at 2 1/2 PSI. Therefore, no adjustment is required. Walbro makes another
pump, No. 2403-1, which is not adjustable and comes preset between 4-6 PSI. If you use this
type of pump you will require a pressure-reducing regulator to reduce the pressure to 3 PSI.
You should obtain your fuel directly from the main tank. If this is not possible, you may “tee”
into the line after the main engine fuel filters before going to the engine. This eliminates the need
for an extra fuel filter, but you must still install a manual “shut off” valve. In addition, you must
install a “check valve” in the heater line to prevent the engine from drawing fuel and then air
through the metering valve on the heater. Also, you should install a “check valve” on the engine
fuel line so that the heater fuel pump does not draw fuel and then air from the engine.

Noise: The fuel pump can be quite noisy. It does not operate continuously, only when there is a
demand for fuel, every few seconds, but it can be very annoying.

You can eliminate part of the noise by mounting two pieces of a good 2” cotton core exhaust
hose on the bulkhead. To do this, drill a hole all the way through both sides of the hose, the
correct size of fastenings you will use to secure the hose to the bulkhead. Now re-drill one side
with a drill the size of the fastenings to hold to the bulkhead, then fasten the pump to it. Now
mount the second piece so that the lower portion of the pump rests on the hose. Look at the
drawing.

Now that you have the pump mounted, connect the fuel pump with a piece of flexible fuel hose
or copper tubing to supply the heater but you should use a short piece of flexible fuel hose to
connect the copper tubing. This whole exercise is designed to isolate the fuel pump and reduce
the noise. Following the manufacturer’s recommendations is always best, although we
recommend the on-off switch close to the heater.

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“BACK DRAFTING” OR “DOWN DRAFTING”:

The reason this can occur is because of changes between inside and outside of your boat, caused
by windage coming from the sails or across the flying bridge and causing air turbulence on your
deck, which creates a high pressure area around the Rain Cap (exhaust pipe), and this can slow,
stop or reverse the “drafting “ of the heater or even extinguish the flame. Because the heater is
hot, the flame may re-ignite when the fuel flows into the burner. This will cause a loud “bang”
and maybe cause smoke or soot in your cabin.

Another reason this can occur is because of a negative pressure inside the boat, which is caused
by a hatch, or large port being open on the lee side of the boat. This will cause air to be siphoned
out and then the stovepipe (exhaust) will act as a vent to allow air into the boat. This down flow
of air in the exhaust pipe is referred to as “down drafting” and it may extinguish your flame.
When the flame re-ignites, there will be a “bang” and maybe soot or smoke.

Our “Balanced Draft” System (see Page 4) will solve a majority of these problems.

If you can not install the “Balance Draft” System, a “Draft Assist Fan” (Page 18) can help in off
setting down drafts.
Sometimes if you increase the length of stovepipe, (1-2 ft) it will off set the down draft.

FUEL:

Different types of fuel, Diesel No.1 and No.2 or kerosene can vary greatly depending on which
oil company supplied the fuel, time of year-summer vs. winter or which part of the world you are
in. This viscosity (thickness) can vary by as much as 50% when the temperature is 15 Degrees C.
(60 Degrees F.), the diesel may be slightly thicker than water, while at 5 Degrees C. (40 Degrees
F.), it may be like syrup. We have designed our metering valve so that adjustments can be made,
very easily (see problem 2,page 22). Perhaps you can simply set your heater to a higher or lower
setting between summer and winter without adjusting the metering valve adjustment screw.

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