Solar Water Heating

Henry Marshall - Inventor

Henry Marshall is an engineer. he has also been a motorcycle mechanic, a truck mechanic, and a spring maker. He has built roads, reclamations, subdivisions, and sea walls. He has his quarymaster certificate, and his explosives ticket, but above all these things, he is an inventor.

A few years ago I would have been surprised if there was a dairy farmer in New Zealand that had not heard of, if not used on a daily basis, the Marshall Water Heater which he invented to supply an endless supply of hot water to milking sheds. His heaters are in countless homes and hostels, not to mention maraes, adventure camps and camping grounds throughout New Zealand.

Henry also claims to have invented the first emergency exit door double bolt release system frequently seen on fire exit doors throughout the world. I cannot substantiate this claim, but that is not the topic of this story.

Henry was born on the 5th May, 1925 in Labasa, the biggest town on Vanua Levu, which is one of the two major Islands that make up Fiji.

He left school at the age of 15 and travelled across the island to the west coast town of Savu Savu, carrying with him his worldly belongings in a cardboard box, and a tin chest - the carboard box however came to grief during one of the river crossings, due to the fact that there were no such thing as bridges in Fiji at the time - he had to swim - boxes and all.

Eventually upon reaching Savu Savu, he commenced work in the engineering workshop at the goldmine there, learning the basics of his many skills in vehicle and motorcycle mechanics, welding, and general engineering.

Around about this time - in the early 1940s, the war in the pacific was hotting up, and when the Japanese landed in the Solomon Islands, the goldmine in Savu Savu was closed down, and Henry, with nothing better to do, headed for the big city lights of Suva - the Capital City.

It was here whilst walking down the street, that he was acosted by the military Police, and virtually press-ganged into the 4th batallion of the Fijian army, as an engineer, fixing motorcyles and trucks.
The 4th batallion were camped in tents on the shore of Suva, ready to head off to the Solomons at a moments notice when news came of the atomic bomb being dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and fortunately for Henry, signalling the end of the war.

On January 8th, 1946 Henry landed in New Zealand where he continued his work as a mechanic.

Henry married at the age of 25 to a New Zealand girl, and the first of his 8 children was born in Kaeo in Whangaroa, Northland.
It was here that he answered an advert for a job in Tauranga as a mechanic and welder for a man called Burt Duncan.

Come the early 1960’s Henry started out on his own as a springmaker and engineer, purchasing a property in Grey Street, Tauranga where he first designed and manufactured his emergency door opening system.

Also whilst at these premises he invented another thing that was to bring him to the attention of many New Zealanders - the Marshall caravan stabiliser. An ingenious device designed to stop trailers, boats and caravans from swaying and bouncing whilst being towed.

Henry made thousands of these things over the years, untill a new invention started to take shape in his mind - the marshall Water Heater.

Henry designed the Marshall Water Heater 39 years ago, after watching the flames of an open fire shooting up the chimney, and thinking that there must be a better, more economic use for all that wasted energy.

Henry successfully manufactured and marketed his heaters throughout New Zealand and Fiji for over 37 years, all the time improving, re-developing, and adding new models, amongst which are models to heat swimming pools and spa pools, domestic and commercial. He has also installed models to heat large industrial buildings, timber drying plants, underfloor heating for homes and restaurants. He has models fired automatically by waste oil, diesel, gas, solid fuels and a revolutionary solar panel, unmatched for performance anywhere in the world.

Apart from these heaters being extremely efficient, they are also the safest heaters on the market even today, because the entire fire box and flue are water jacketed. They are surrounded by a layer or jacket of water, so even when the heater is at its hottest, you can touch any part of the heater.

At 81 years old, Henry no longer owns the Marshall Water Heater company, although it still continues to operate under his name.

This minor detail has not stopped the man from continually developing and refining the system he invented almost 40 years ago.

Today he has incorporated a revolutionary solar heating system that is more than 3 times more efficient and more versatile than any other solar water heating system in the world.

A system that will heat your water, central heat your house, and air and dry your clothes, not to mention the optional extras of a portable cooking centre that incorporates a built-in wok, hot plate and oven, all of which require absolutely NO electricity to function.

This system is a work of genius, developed and perfected by a master heating engineer over a period of 40 years.

There is nobody that can match this man for knowledge in this area of expertise, and yet this amazing system is sitting going to waste. Due to some unfortunate circumstances, Henry does not have the capital to develop it any further.

This latest invention by Henry Marshall could potentially save families hundreds of dollars every year in reduced power bills, but unless Henry can get an investor this work of genius will go begging.

I have a Mark I version Marshall heater in my house that I purchased second hand. It heats my water for endless hot showers, hot washes in the washing machine and dishwasher, and centrally heats a 3000sq m home whilst having a power bill of little more than $120 in the middle of winter. My system is a dinosaur - the model A Ford version. Meanwhile, Henry is in posession of the plans for the Rolls Royce version which is at least 3 times more efficient!

So, if there is an investor or entrepreneur out there who would like to find out more about this, please contact me, and I will put you in touch with Mr Marshall
- he would love to hear from you