Squirrel stove and new flue

[doratheexplorer]

I need a new stove and I reckon a whole new flue etc wouldn't go amiss as the same time.

 

I currently have a Squirrel which I'm happy with and used to, so a like for like replacement is for me.

 

Limekiln have the Squirrel for £690 which seems good price https://www.limekilnchandlers.co.uk/morso-squirrel.html

 

They also do it with a flue kit for only £95 more.  https://www.limekilnchandlers.co.uk/morso-squirrel-with-flue-fixing-kit.html

 

But it seems permamently out of stock with the flue kit.

 

Midland Chandlers have a similar looking flue kit in stock but it's £569!!! https://www.midlandchandlers.co.uk/products/morso-flue-kit-straight-version-fk-002

 

Am I missing something here?  Why would the price difference be so extreme?

 

Does anyone have any other suggestions of where I get the flue kit from?

[tree monkey]

No idea why the price difference but why not have a word with the little chimney company and get him to build a stainless flu, never worry about the flue again 

Edited September 4, 2020 by tree monkey

[bizzard]

28 minutes ago, tree monkey said:

No idea why the price difference but why not have a word with the little chimney company and get him to build a stainless flu, never worry about the flue again 

Don't you believe it. The chemicals and stuff in coal and wood will attack it from the top down, but a slower process than with mild steel or cast iron.

[BEngo]

Is your existing pipe straight?  If it is buy a length of 5 mm wall thickness 113 mm OD RHS ( steel pipe)  from a steel stockholder and cut to length.

Or get a shorter, thinner piece for the about the same money from MC.

Paint with heat resisting black.  Seal top and bottom with Envirograf or Plumba Flue.

 

If it is cranked, make a template from the existing or take the old one along to a welder or fabricator and get them  to cut and stick the pipe to match.

 

Before fitting the Squirrel, remove the 8 bolts that hold it together, one at a time, and coat with copper grease  before refitting.  Replacing them with A4 stainless ones, and copper grease is even better.  You will then be able to replace any panel which cracks.

N

 

[bizzard]

And for a boat make sure the half moon throat plate is renoved if it has one.

[Tracy D'arth]

Little Chimney Company  stainless does corrode away. I have proof.

 

Try a price from King's Lock Chandlers, I have had good prices on Morso Squirrels and flues.

[matty40s]

6 minutes ago, BEngo said:

Is your existing pipe straight?  If it is buy a length of 5 mm wall thickness 113 mm OD RHS ( steel pipe)  from a steel stockholder and cut to length.

Or get a shorter, thinner piece for the about the same money from MC.

Paint with heat resisting black.  Seal top and bottom with Envirograf or Plumba Flue.

 

If it is cranked, make a template from the existing or take the old one along to a welder or fabricator and get them  to cut and stick the pipe to match.

 

Before fitting the Squirrel, remove the 8 bolts that hold it together, one at a time, and coat with copper grease  before refitting.  Replacing them with A4 stainless ones, and copper grease is even better.  You will then be able to replace any panel which cracks.

N

 

Good advice except for the italic bit.....this will depend on the size of the existing roof collar , hole in roof, and ceiling holes.....unless Dora wants to replace the whole thing. 

 

Probably easier to replace the flue like for like.

Flue , stove top collar and reducing collar were about £70 from Miglinging Schindlers.

[doratheexplorer]

4 minutes ago, matty40s said:

Good advice except for the italic bit.....this will depend on the size of the existing roof collar , hole in roof, and ceiling holes.....unless Dora wants to replace the whole thing. 

 

Probably easier to replace the flue like for like.

Flue , stove top collar and reducing collar were about £70 from Miglinging Schindlers.

I want to replace the lot.  It's a straight flue going up through the middle of the roof.

 

£70?  So again, why is the whole £569?  What extra am I getting which makes it worth the price?

Edited September 4, 2020 by doratheexplorer

[matty40s]

What diameter is your existing flue, 4, 4 1/2 , or 5. ....the collar will match, and the collar will have a hole cut to match.

 

Edited September 4, 2020 by matty40s

[tree monkey]

39 minutes ago, bizzard said:

Don't you believe it. The chemicals and stuff in coal and wood will attack it from the top down, but a slower process than with mild steel or cast iron.

Fair point, maybe i should rephrase to replace less often

[bizzard]

2 minutes ago, tree monkey said:

Fair point, maybe i should rephrase to replace less often

?

[bizzard]

Personally if you don't pass under very, very low bridges is to have the fluepipe poking up above the roof collar by about a foot or as much as possible. As fluepipes rust and corrode from the top downwards this will- should give longer life before it corrodes away and disapears into the collar.  Stoves shut down ticking over overnight is when unburnt fuel ''smoke'' with all it's badness and moisture from damp or wet fuel hits the cool or cooler top part of the flue condenses and rust and corrosion is excaserbated.  Try to feed dry coal or wood in the stove this will reduce any build up of crud cement from damp smokeless fuel.

[RAP]

33 minutes ago, doratheexplorer said:

I want to replace the lot.  It's a straight flue going up through the middle of the roof.

 

£70?  So again, why is the whole £569?  What extra am I getting which makes it worth the price?

That’s the insulated flue, not the standard metal pipe. The reason why it is so expensive is due to it being stainless and of course insulated. My boat has the same, nice pieces of kit.

[doratheexplorer]

36 minutes ago, matty40s said:

What diameter is your existing flue, 4, 4 1/2 , or 5. ....the collar will match, and the collar will have a hole cut to match.

I don't know what this means?

13 minutes ago, bizzard said:

Personally if you don't pass under very, very low bridges is to have the fluepipe poking up above the roof collar by about a foot or as much as possible. As fluepipes rust and corrode from the top downwards this will- should give longer life before it corrodes away and disapears into the collar.  Stoves shut down ticking over overnight is when unburnt fuel ''smoke'' with all it's badness and moisture from damp or wet fuel hits the cool or cooler top part of the flue condenses and rust and corrosion is excaserbated.  Try to feed dry coal or wood in the stove this will reduce any build up of crud cement from damp smokeless fuel.

I do pass under very very low bridges.

[bizzard]

3 minutes ago, doratheexplorer said:

I don't know what this means?

He means the outside diameter of the fluepipe in inches. 4''  4.1/2'' or 5''. So for the new fluepipe to fit your existing roof collar you would probably need the same.

Edited September 4, 2020 by bizzard

[doratheexplorer]

6 minutes ago, RAP said:

That’s the insulated flue, not the standard metal pipe. The reason why it is so expensive is due to it being stainless and of course insulated. My boat has the same, nice pieces of kit.

On the MC website: 

No mention of it being insulated or stainless.

Just now, bizzard said:

He means the outside diameter of the fluepipe in inches. 4''  4.1/2'' or 5''.

I understood that part, I was querying what he was getting at about the collar?

[matty40s]

This bit on the roof of the boat...

[doratheexplorer]

53 minutes ago, matty40s said:

This bit on the roof of the boat...

 

I don't want to sound ungrateful but I'm still confused.  I know what a chimney collar is and I know I'll need to get one which matches.  I'm still not sure what your point was?  Are you saying that the MC one is a different size and that explains why the kit is so expensive?

[RAP]

15 minutes ago, doratheexplorer said:

 

I don't want to sound ungrateful but I'm still confused.  I know what a chimney collar is and I know I'll need to get one which matches.  I'm still not sure what your point was?  Are you saying that the MC one is a different size and that explains why the kit is so expensive?

The MC description for the Morso insulated stainless steel flue with roof collar and chimney is very poor. This kit is expensive and differs to the standard steel flue and roof collar fitted to the majority of boats.

[ditchcrawler]

6 hours ago, doratheexplorer said:

I need a new stove and I reckon a whole new flue etc wouldn't go amiss as the same time.

 

I currently have a Squirrel which I'm happy with and used to, so a like for like replacement is for me.

 

Limekiln have the Squirrel for £690 which seems good price https://www.limekilnchandlers.co.uk/morso-squirrel.html

 

They also do it with a flue kit for only £95 more.  https://www.limekilnchandlers.co.uk/morso-squirrel-with-flue-fixing-kit.html

 

But it seems permamently out of stock with the flue kit.

 

Midland Chandlers have a similar looking flue kit in stock but it's £569!!! https://www.midlandchandlers.co.uk/products/morso-flue-kit-straight-version-fk-002

 

Am I missing something here?  Why would the price difference be so extreme?

 

Does anyone have any other suggestions of where I get the flue kit from?

One you can buy and one you cant

 

[haggis]

Does the MC price perhaps include the stove as well as the flue kit?

When we bought Kelpie she had a small stove which I never really got to grips with and it certainly didn't heat the boat very well.  We were out one February when we decided that enough was enough and we would have to get a squirrel. Googled and phoned around and when I contacted MC at Mercia, they had the demo model on sale for over £200 less than anyone else. We went back to Streethay, jumped in the car and went to Mercia where we got a boxed stove (at the demo price) as it saved them packing up the demo one! We didn't argue. Perhaps it is worth keeping an eye out for bargains like that! 

 

haggis

[doratheexplorer]

So the simple answer for why one kit is £95 and one is £569 is that the more expensive one is better.  Well, it must be a heck of a lot better!  What does it do differently?  Does it warm my boat more?  Is it more efficient?  Does it last longer?

[mrsmelly]

3 hours ago, doratheexplorer said:

So the simple answer for why one kit is £95 and one is £569 is that the more expensive one is better.  Well, it must be a heck of a lot better!  What does it do differently?  Does it warm my boat more?  Is it more efficient?  Does it last longer?

Its insulated so it ensures the heat can escape up the chimney and you will not get too hot. Having lived aboard over 30 winters I will not be getting anything other than a cheap single skinned flue anytime soon.

[mrsmelly]

With regards to double skinned insulated flues 

Can you remember the old Irish joke were Paddy says to Sean that he has found a brilliant way that save him loads of money on his heating bill in the winter and Sean says brilliant how do you do that and Paddy says " Its simple, I have lagged all my radiators "