Who hasn't got their stove lit?

[Jen-in-Wellies]

Every autumn, someone will start a "who has their stove lit" topic as the nights draw in. Given how unseasonably warm it is, I am asking the opposite question.

 

Climate change, ecosystem collapse and the end of civilisation it may be, but it is rather toasty out.

[blackrose]

I'm only lighting mine in the evenings. I let it die down overnight and just use the Webasto in the morning for a couple of hours.

[Number 9]

Not lit mine since February, radiators give enough heat at the moment, only needed for an hour in the morning and maybe an hour in the evening.

Seasons have changed  over the last 30 years, always had to put hat scarf and gloves on the children for bonfire night, now a t-shirt and maybe a jumper is sufficient.

[Torblimey]

Having stuck twin wall rads in this year the webasto has been doing the main work of keeping things warm during the day with plenty of power spare.

Night time I light the morso up to keep me toasty as I hate being cold and it doesn't then use battery power, boat rarely drops too low temp wise.

Love a comfy night in watching telly with toasted feet and a glass of vino, totally ignoring the outside world 😆

[Francis Herne]

About a month ago when we had torrential rain for days I had it going. Since then it's been out again. Evenings are getting chilly enough to consider it now.

[Naughty Cal]

We have had the heating on in the van once or twice. It was chilly enough on Saturday night for it to kick in a couple of times overnight (thermostat set to 16 degrees overnight)

 

The heating at home is turned on but it hasn't dropped cold enough for the thermostats to operate yet. 

[Ewan123]

We've had the fire going early morning and maybe again in the evening. Largely just  because it's damp out and I want to keep the boat dry, more jumpers could have been worn otherwise.

[DShK]

It's a bit lucky for me, my stove exploded a couple of weeks ago. Been trying to source a suitable replacement since.

[Lily Rose]

36 minutes ago, DShK said:

It's a bit lucky for me, my stove exploded a couple of weeks ago. Been trying to source a suitable replacement since.

 

Sounds rather scary, what happened?

 

(I'm assuming "exploded" is a bit of an exaggeration or you presumably wouldn't be here to tell the story)

[DShK]

39 minutes ago, Lily Rose said:

 

Sounds rather scary, what happened?

 

(I'm assuming "exploded" is a bit of an exaggeration or you presumably wouldn't be here to tell the story)

 

Haha yeah I was exaggerating, the bottom plate suddenly and loudly cracked as I got the fire going. Upon taking it apart the back and bottom plate were unserviceable. The stove seems to have had water in it in the past (backboiler leak?) which had caused corrosion. This had put the plates under tension, pushing them apart.

Edited October 30, 2024 by DShK

[sigsegv]

17 hours ago, DShK said:

 

Haha yeah I was exaggerating, the bottom plate suddenly and loudly cracked as I got the fire going. Upon taking it apart the back and bottom plate were unserviceable. The stove seems to have had water in it in the past (backboiler leak?) which had caused corrosion. This had put the plates under tension, pushing them apart.

I am always amazed and somewhat horrified when my parents told me they used their cracked stove for months until they replaced it (or maybe just sold the boat, not sure). Theirs was cracked at the back though, not the bottom.

 

 To answer OPs question, it’s a bit sporadic at the moment. Sometimes pop the eberspacher on in the mornings, but with the sun we’ve been having in Cropredy, the boats been getting plenty toasty during the day. We also have a thick duvet with a weighted blanket on top that ensures a very toasty sleep. Makes getting out of bed in the morning hard though, even if only to turn the heating on

Edited October 31, 2024 by sigsegv

[Russ T]

 I'm not sure i understand this thread. So far, most replies are from people who have lit their stoves.

 

Could it be that those that haven't, can't answer as they have all died of hypothermia?

 

Obviously me and Pen don't own such a mundane thing as a stove, though there might be one in one of  our other 30 houses.

Edited October 31, 2024 by Rod Stewart

[Lily Rose]

You could be on to something there Rodders. I'm answering BUT I have got my stove lit. If I hadn't perhaps I wouldn't be able to answer.

 

I don't want to have my stove lit as it's unseasonably mild but Mrs Lily Rose is a bit of a wuss and would complain if it wasn't lit.

[Russ T]

Ahem. It's Sir Rodders if you don't mind.

[Jen-in-Wellies]

24 minutes ago, Rod Stewart said:

 I'm not sure i understand this thread. So far, most replies are from people who have lit their stoves.

 

Could it be that those that haven't, can't answer as they have all died of hypothermia?

 

Obviously me and Pen don't own such a mundane thing as a stove, though there might be one in one of  our other 30 houses.

One of the early effects of cold on the human body is that you lose dexterity in the finngges, soo caannnt tipe properlly.

[Russ T]

1 minute ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

One of the early effects of cold on the human body is that you lose dexterity in the finngges, soo caannnt tipe properlly.

Are the later stages that your skin turns blue?

[tree monkey]

9 minutes ago, Rod Stewart said:

Are the later stages that your skin turns blue?

[Private Fraser]

As it’s well known that you’re a tight wad Sir Rodders I doubt very much that you have any heating on, but I doubt it’s cold in LA anyway 🙄

[Russ T]

6 minutes ago, tree monkey said:

OMG. Is that what you look like in colour? 

 

Ye'll ne'er cut doon mony trees wi' that wee chopper.

Edited October 31, 2024 by Rod Stewart

[Lily Rose]

6 minutes ago, Private Fraser said:

As it’s well known that you’re a tight wad Sir Rodders I doubt very much that you have any heating on, but I doubt it’s cold in LA anyway 🙄

 

Well done for giving him the respect he craves deserves.

[Russ T]

4 minutes ago, Lily Rose said:

 

Well done for giving him the respect he craves deserves.

I know its been a while since I've been in the hit parade, but I think there is something wrong with your counter here.

 

Should I not be at number one for 12 weeks? I appear to be at number 6. Beaten by eye of the Tigger. Show some respect here.

[bizzard]

Again.  USB powered electric slippers, lovely jubbly.

[Francis Herne]

23 hours ago, DShK said:

Been trying to source a suitable replacement since.

 

What kind of stove is it? I'd suggest asking the chandlery at Glascote if they have spare bits for your current one, but you probably have!

[DShK]

6 hours ago, sigsegv said:

I am always amazed and somewhat horrified when my parents told me they used their cracked stove for months until they replaced it (or maybe just sold the boat, not sure). Theirs was cracked at the back though, not the bottom.

I know a guy who's stove is mostly concrete sealant at this point! Very worrying!!

 

1 hour ago, Francis Herne said:

 

What kind of stove is it? I'd suggest asking the chandlery at Glascote if they have spare bits for your current one, but you probably have!

Morso squirrel - and yeah, Jon and Ellie helped me remove and inspect it. The back and bottom just need replacing, and so replacing those plus a general refurbish wouldn't be cheap. Ellie recommended that a welded steel stove would last much better, so I'm going for a boatman stove, as those come with a back boiler for a reasonable price. Actually, a new back boiler from morso now costs almost as much as one entire boatman stove!

 

I did try and convince them to help me refurb and fit an antique range stove, but the conclusion was that it'd be miserable, if not dangerous, to live with...

Edited October 31, 2024 by DShK

[Francis Herne]

On 31/10/2024 at 23:24, DShK said:

I did try and convince them to help me refurb and fit an antique range stove, but the conclusion was that it'd be miserable, if not dangerous, to live with...

Joe Fuller makes new, welded Epping-style ranges, they're not cheap though!

 

I've spent a few weeks sharing a back cabin with Atlas' Epping and never found it miserable. The tiny firebox makes it much better suited to warming such a small space than something the size of a Squirrel, easy to get low heat output efficiently. Don't know how it would perform in your more spacious boat. The oven is hard to get hot enough for roasting, but great for slow-cooking stews and such. Boils a kettle nicely on the top of the firebox.

 

Safety isn't ideal because the top-to-side joints have opened up so it leaks quite badly and tried to run away once. Fixing that is on the to-do list this winter. I don't think a new/refurbished one would be particularly dangerous. CO detector a good idea in case the fire dies and the top plates leak a bit, but they're a good idea anyway.

 

I know some people on the forum have umpteen times more experience with these things than I have, so you'll probably get better advice.

Edited November 2, 2024 by Francis Herne