A no-fluff podcast for sailors and cruisers who want real navigation, real systems, and real offshore solutions. We break down weather routing, anchoring, marine electrical, GPS resilience, safety gear, satellite comms, lithium upgrades, connectivity, and the apps and tools that actually work at sea. Learn what works, what fails, and what’s worth your time and money — so you can cruise smarter, safer, and more confidently, based on hands-on experience, not theory or hype.
Diesel Heating Ep 6 of 6: Troubleshooting — When It Goes Wrong
Nine out of ten diesel heater problems have a simple fix. The tenth one is usually the glow plug. Neither one requires a new heater.
But without knowing what the error codes mean — or what white smoke versus black smoke is telling you — most people replace a unit they didn't need to and repeat the same mistake on the next one.
This final episode is your field guide. You'll get the complete error code library — E-01 through E-04 — with a likely cause, a DIY fix, and the parts you'll actually need for each. Then the visual diagnostics: what white smoke, black smoke, and different shutdown patterns are signaling, and what to do about each.
The episode goes deep on the Big Three failures: the E-01 voltage drop that kills cold-morning starts, the glow plug failure behind 90% of "won't start" problems, and the priming procedure that gets the heater running again after storage or fuel system work.
One multimeter. Twenty minutes. You can fix most of this yourself.
In this episode:
The complete error code library: E-01, E-02, E-03, E-04 — cause and fix for each
White smoke vs. black smoke — reading your heater's diagnostic signals
Shutdown loops, ticking noise, priming failures, and altitude stalling
The E-01 deep dive: voltage drop, wire gauge, and how to verify with a multimeter
Glow plug testing and replacement — the $20 fix that solves 90% of failures
The priming procedure after storage — and why over-priming is a fire risk
When to fix it yourself vs. when to call a professional
Free troubleshooting quick-reference card at seeseayou.com
15 Sept 2026
Diesel Heating Ep 5 of 6: Keep It Alive — Maintenance, Winterization & Fuel Management
The number one cause of diesel heater failure isn't a bad unit. It's a good unit run wrong.
Run at low power day after day, carbon builds silently on the burner screen, the evaporator pad, and the glow plug — until one cold morning the unit won't start. Nothing broke. It just wasn't maintained.
This episode covers the complete maintenance system that keeps a diesel heater running reliably for years. You'll learn the hot burn protocol that self-cleans the combustion chamber before carbon accumulates, and the professional kerosene de-soot method for when it already has.
You'll also get the full maintenance calendar — monthly, seasonal, and annual — plus the fuel management approach that prevents diesel from gelling, absorbing moisture, or growing algae in your tank. Because what's in the tank matters as much as what's in the heater.
Finally: glow plug testing. One measurement with a multimeter tells you whether to replace it now or wait — and knowing this one test fixes 90% of "won't start" problems before they happen.
In this episode:
The hot burn protocol — why running at max power for 30 minutes prevents carbon buildup
The kerosene de-soot method used by professionals
Monthly, seasonal, and annual maintenance calendar
Why diesel is hygroscopic — and the 30-day storage rule for your tank
Fuel gelling, algae, and the additives that prevent both
Glow plug testing with a multimeter — the one measurement that predicts failure
Long-term storage and pickling procedure for off-season
Free annual maintenance checklist at seeseayou.com
15 Sept 2026
Diesel Heating Ep 4 of 6: CO Safety & Fire Prevention
Carbon monoxide is colorless, odorless, and kills faster than almost any other household hazard. In an enclosed boat, van, or RV, a compromised exhaust system is one of the most dangerous situations you can be in — and the symptoms mimic seasickness and flu until it's too late.
This episode covers what CO actually does to your body, why the detector you bought at the hardware store won't protect you afloat, and the exact protocols that keep you and your crew safe.
You'll leave knowing:
The biology of CO poisoning in plain English — and the exposure thresholds that matter
Why household CO detectors fail in marine and mobile environments
The two marine-rated detectors worth buying: Fireboy/Xintex CMD-3M vs. MTI Safe-T-Alert
Where to place your detector — and where not to
The fire prevention clearances, fuel shut-off requirements, and ventilation rules you need
The step-by-step CO emergency protocol — including why you don't re-enter until the exhaust system is inspected
Free CO safety quick-reference card at seeseayou.com.
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