Stove/wood burner

[David Mack]

I just posted this on the other current stove thread:

 

 

[LadyR]

Thanks guys. I spoke to Eddie at Boatman today, great fella. Waiting for him to confirm he can fulfil more orders. The prices of iron have tripled so he is struggling at the moment  🥴

[Tony1]

 

Just a thought in terms of positioning- on my boat the only available space for a stove was close to the bow doors- like yours its a 50 footer, and the saloon is only 10 feet long- and half of that was filled with bench seating. So my stove is placed beside the bow door steps.

But in the end I was actually glad the stove was at the front of the boat, because the saloon gets pretty hot if you misjudge the coal a bit , and for me personally, it was actually quite nice that the bedroom at the stern was a few degrees cooler. 

Stoves in a small space put out so much heat that when its running, no part of my boat ever gets cold as such- not even the bedroom at the stern (through a narrow corridor).

It is is cooler than the saloon, but to be honest I quite like a cool bedroom after an evening spent 6 about feet from a hot stove. 

As long as you keep it ticking over during the night, the boat will never really feel cold (although my boat is only 50 feet long, so things might be different in a 60 or 70 footer). 

I have a hamlet hardy, which is decent and will stay in overnight, but I think there are better options- e.g. I think your idea of a boatman might be a good shout. 

 

[LadyR]

Hi all, I’m really sold on the Morso Squirrel, but really not sure which model. The 1410 & 1412 are fairly similar in price but I don’t know what the differences are and if anyone can recommend a particular model. Size wise the 1410 is good.

[Bargebuilder]

Not the cleanheat 1430 with the bigger window? I've had 3 of them and they are, in my opinion of course, the best multifuel stove available and so controllable.

[mrsmelly]

On 31/07/2021 at 01:00, Tony1 said:

 

Just a thought in terms of positioning- on my boat the only available space for a stove was close to the bow doors- like yours its a 50 footer, and the saloon is only 10 feet long- and half of that was filled with bench seating. So my stove is placed beside the bow door steps.

But in the end I was actually glad the stove was at the front of the boat, because the saloon gets pretty hot if you misjudge the coal a bit , and for me personally, it was actually quite nice that the bedroom at the stern was a few degrees cooler. 

Stoves in a small space put out so much heat that when its running, no part of my boat ever gets cold as such- not even the bedroom at the stern (through a narrow corridor).

It is is cooler than the saloon, but to be honest I quite like a cool bedroom after an evening spent 6 about feet from a hot stove. 

As long as you keep it ticking over during the night, the boat will never really feel cold (although my boat is only 50 feet long, so things might be different in a 60 or 70 footer). 

I have a hamlet hardy, which is decent and will stay in overnight, but I think there are better options- e.g. I think your idea of a boatman might be a good shout. 

 

Spot on. Precisely why I always fitted at the front. Toasty warm front cabin. Cooler int kitchen and cooler still beyond int bedroom.

[Tracy D'arth]

5 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

Spot on. Precisely why I always fitted at the front. Toasty warm front cabin. Cooler int kitchen and cooler still beyond int bedroom.

Madness, you are heating outside rather than the boat. As central as possible on port side and sensible controlled fuelling are the way to go.

[LadyR]

12 minutes ago, Bargebuilder said:

Not the cleanheat 1430 with the bigger window? I've had 3 of them and they are, in my opinion of course, the best multifuel stove available and so controllable.

Will have a look at that, but on the technical spec is says the 1430 needs to have 600 mil clearance from the back, but the 1412 is 100, did you have any issues with that? 

[Alan de Enfield]

7 minutes ago, LadyR said:

Will have a look at that, but on the technical spec is says the 1430 needs to have 600 mil clearance from the back,

 

That is two feet off a 6 foot wide NB.

Ask Bargebuilder what size boat he has - it may be more practical in a WB

[Bargebuilder]

11 minutes ago, LadyR said:

Will have a look at that, but on the technical spec is says the 1430 needs to have 600 mil clearance from the back, but the 1412 is 100, did you have any issues with that? 

The cleanheat had a heat shield at the back with an air gap of about an inch. The gap enhanced convection and reduced radiation so the tiles at the rear of the stove, that were a great deal closer than 600mm, just got warm to the touch. The shield was standard and supplied with the stove at purchase about 8 years ago.

 

I haven't recently looked at the clearances required for the different models, but it's difficult to imagine why two stoves of basically the same design and construction would have clearances that vary by 600%. Very strange.

[Bargebuilder]

Oh, I've just looked and I suspect you might be looking at clearances to non combustible surfaces for the 1412 and to combustible surfaces for the 1430.

[LadyR]

4 minutes ago, Bargebuilder said:

The cleanheat had a heat shield at the back with an air gap of about an inch. The gap enhanced convection and reduced radiation so the tiles at the rear of the stove, that were a great deal closer than 600mm, just got warm to the touch. The shield was standard and supplied with the stove at purchase about 8 years ago.

 

I haven't recently looked at the clearances required for the different models, but it's difficult to imagine why two stoves of basically the same design and construction would have clearances that vary by 600%. Very strange.

Completely agree. I’m just going off the spec on Morso website. It does seem strange. I’ve never done anything like this before so it’s all new to me. 

[Bargebuilder]

If you're really pushed for space, why not look at the equally well made British stove the Salamanda Hobbit.

[Bargebuilder]

Both the Squirrel and the Hobbit are so well engineered that you can have a roaring fire one second and by reducing the air intake 'spinner' you can lower the flame and then raise it again just like a gas fire.

[Bargebuilder]

With respect to positioning, the Squirrel is very powerful, so however big your narrowboat saloon is it will cook you wherever you put it. 

 

I tended to use coal products just because it was easy, but dry logs are more interesting and satisfying to look at when burning.

 

My saloon, as Alan implied, was 25 feet long and 13 feet wide but even so  you had to be very careful to keep the fuel loads low to avoid passing out through heat stroke! 

 

I actually put a house brick at each side of the fire box and only ever filled the gap between them with coal. Even so, in the depths of winter we would sit of an evening in temperatures in the high 70s and low 80s. That's why you might be better suited to a Hobbit that is smaller and has a maximum output of 4kw compared to 5kw for the Squirrel. The Hobbit is a scaled down copy of the Squirrel, even the manufacturer will admit to it.

 

I can tell you after living with our stove for 4 years, that although it would be fantastic at heating the saloon it was in, the heat wasn't keen on going down the 10 foot long corridor to our aft bedroom. This suited us as we kept the stove in all night and we wouldn't have been able to sleep if it hadn't been the case.

[LadyR]

1 hour ago, Bargebuilder said:

With respect to positioning, the Squirrel is very powerful, so however big your narrowboat saloon is it will cook you wherever you put it. 

 

I tended to use coal products just because it was easy, but dry logs are more interesting and satisfying to look at when burning.

 

My saloon, as Alan implied, was 25 feet long and 13 feet wide but even so  you had to be very careful to keep the fuel loads low to avoid passing out through heat stroke! 

 

I actually put a house brick at each side of the fire box and only ever filled the gap between them with coal. Even so, in the depths of winter we would sit of an evening in temperatures in the high 70s and low 80s. That's why you might be better suited to a Hobbit that is smaller and has a maximum output of 4kw compared to 5kw for the Squirrel. The Hobbit is a scaled down copy of the Squirrel, even the manufacturer will admit to it.

 

I can tell you after living with our stove for 4 years, that although it would be fantastic at heating the saloon it was in, the heat wasn't keen on going down the 10 foot long corridor to our aft bedroom. This suited us as we kept the stove in all night and we wouldn't have been able to sleep if it hadn't been the case.

sounds very interesting. That made me laugh out loud - “it will cook us” hahaha. It’s a catch 22 isn’t it, I don’t mind a cool temperature in the bedroom, but my son will be sleeping in a sofa bed in the saloon  

 

 

[Bargebuilder]

Either stove would be a great choice. They are easy to live with and great to look at and cosy down in front of. 

 

Oh, and they make the best baked potatoes, the way they used to taste before microwave ovens spoiled them. 

[mrsmelly]

15 hours ago, Tracy D'arth said:

Madness, you are heating outside rather than the boat. As central as possible on port side and sensible controlled fuelling are the way to go.

But we simply dont like the same heat either side of the stove. In front cabin its toasty and as you move further down the boat away to the sleeping bit its cool for sleeping. The system works very well. We are the same in a house, no way do we have the front room the same temp as the bedrooms so on a boat the system works well for us and I spose its why the vast majority of boats still fit stove front left corner. Our last one was about 18 inches back from the corner in 68 foot boat. We did have a 65 footer with a central stove a few boats ago and yes the heat spreads more evenly I will grant you that but its not what we wanted.

[tree monkey]

40 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

But we simply dont like the same heat either side of the stove. In front cabin its toasty and as you move further down the boat away to the sleeping bit its cool for sleeping. The system works very well. We are the same in a house, no way do we have the front room the same temp as the bedrooms so on a boat the system works well for us and I spose its why the vast majority of boats still fit stove front left corner. Our last one was about 18 inches back from the corner in 68 foot boat. We did have a 65 footer with a central stove a few boats ago and yes the heat spreads more evenly I will grant you that but its not what we wanted.

It suits me as well, 48ft boat stove by the front door, keeps the boat snug and the bedroom cool enough to sleep.

[Tracy D'arth]

56 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

But we simply dont like the same heat either side of the stove. In front cabin its toasty and as you move further down the boat away to the sleeping bit its cool for sleeping. The system works very well. We are the same in a house, no way do we have the front room the same temp as the bedrooms so on a boat the system works well for us and I spose its why the vast majority of boats still fit stove front left corner. Our last one was about 18 inches back from the corner in 68 foot boat. We did have a 65 footer with a central stove a few boats ago and yes the heat spreads more evenly I will grant you that but its not what we wanted.

 

14 minutes ago, tree monkey said:

It suits me as well, 48ft boat stove by the front door, keeps the boat snug and the bedroom cool enough to sleep.

I've got windows in my boat!

 

Its a moot point if you don't have radiators fed by the stove to even out the temperature down the boat. Thermostatic valves set my bedroom and shower room to what I want. I can't see the logic of the stove at the door with a 70' boat that then needs another stove in the BMC to prevent the sleepers getting hyperthermia in winter.

[tree monkey]

21 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

 

I've got windows in my boat!

 

Its a moot point if you don't have radiators fed by the stove to even out the temperature down the boat. Thermostatic valves set my bedroom and shower room to what I want. I can't see the logic of the stove at the door with a 70' boat that then needs another stove in the BMC to prevent the sleepers getting hyperthermia in winter.

I see your point but mines 48ft and the stove location is the most practical space wise and the bedroom is fine in the depths of winter, in some fairly extreme winters as well, as a bonus I'm not carrying coal halfway down the boat either

 

[Bargebuilder]

16 hours ago, Tracy D'arth said:

Madness, you are heating outside rather than the boat. As central as possible on port side and sensible controlled fuelling are the way to go.

Heating the outside? No boat should be so poorly insulated that any more than an insignificant amount of heat escapes to the outside. 

 

I can recommend spray foam insulation and double glazing and then you can position any stove where it is most convenient or pleasing.

[LadyR]

1 minute ago, tree monkey said:

I see your point but mines 48ft and the stove location is the most practical space wise and the bedroom is fine in the depths of winter, in some fairly extreme winters as well, as a bonus I'm not carrying coal halfway down the boat either

 

I’d love to see a pic of your burner and location. I’m still really undecided as to where it will be best placed. I see the pros and cons to both to be honest but would like to have a visualisation of the central installation on a boat similar size to ours. 

[LadyR]

I have another question if that’s ok. I have decided to go with the Morso 1412, because it’s defra approved and should the boat ever make it into a smokeless zone all will be good. I want to know if I need to go with the large insulated flu pipe?  It looks huge. 

[cuthound]

42 minutes ago, LadyR said:

I have another question if that’s ok. I have decided to go with the Morso 1412, because it’s defra approved and should the boat ever make it into a smokeless zone all will be good. I want to know if I need to go with the large insulated flu pipe?  It looks huge. 

 

Only if you want to rob the inside of your boat of the heat radiating from an uninsulated flue.