Epping stove

[Faceandedge]

Hi everyone, I have just purchased a Epping stove, yet to pick it up.

Externally looks ok.

Yet to look inside the firebox, seems slight corrosion in the top rear of the inside oven.

external collar looks fine visually.

no photo of the rear outside.

I’m aware spares are limited.

what do I need to look out for?

[MtB]

4 hours ago, Faceandedge said:

what do I need to look out for?

 

Leaks and/or gaps. 

 

You can use a gas analyser when it is alight to check for products of combustion leaking out if you are concerned.

 

 

[Tonka]

1 minute ago, MtB said:

 

Leaks and/or gaps. 

 

You can use a gas analyser when it is alight to check for products of combustion leaking out if you are concerned.

 

 

You are joking. 

An Epping without leaks and gaps? Seriously 

[agg221]

Cracks and missing bits mainly. Assuming it's going on a boat, consider how you are going to fix it down. Legs can sometimes be obtained if needed (as can smoke boxes).

 

The other question is what are you going to use it before. If you only want it hot enough to heat the cabin, boil a kettle and gently simmer a stew then it will never get externally hot enough for a bit of wear and tear on the fire bricks to make a difference but if you want it roaring to cook a roast then you need everything to be in top condition.

 

They leak all over the place, but if you get it drawing properly then air is drawn in at the leaks rather than smoke coming out. The trick seems to be to go for quick lighting material, so plenty of dry kindling and a few lumps of smokeless to catch, rather than a firelighter and slowly heat through the smokeless.

 

Make sure the CO alarm is close by and the batteries are working. So far ours has not given us any problems.

 

Alec

[waterworks]

I lived in a back cabin with an old Epping that was full of gaps , not really a problem . You should remove the damper as thats the most dangerous thing about them , no way should you ever restrict the flue. 

 

Many of the ranges in the old working boats had no sealed doors just an open grate, they survived. 

 

Eppngs cook well and work when new but are wafer thin rubbish , they warp all over the place , I recommend finding the cast doors and smoke box off one and getting the rest fabricated in air tight welded steel. Probably be cheaper too. 

 

[Up-Side-Down]

It doesn't take long for the damper to remove itself! I've had two rot out. I've had to remake the smoke box out of part of an old fire extinguisher body ... minus any form of damper.

[Faceandedge]

Thanks for the feedback guys, I intend to strip it all down and go from there.

It’s for a back cabin of a narrow boat project that may or may not happen!

interesting comment re-quality, I guess I’ll find out once I see it.

I have plenty of experience with Clearview stoves, so I know how a decent stove should look and work.

I was seeking the authenticity with the Epping, wasn’t aware they were crap quality!

Thanks for the dampener advice, seems that is still intact, however seems a wise move to take it out. 
I’ll pop some photos up once I get it.

 

[Alan de Enfield]

21 hours ago, Faceandedge said:

 

what do I need to look out for?

 

Advertisments saying "wanted epping stove".

 

(Cut your losses and get a decent quality stove instead)

[Faceandedge]

What stove would you recommend for a back cabin, that looks as authentic as the Epping?

11 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

Advertisments saying "wanted epping stove".

 

(Cut your losses and get a decent quality stove instead)

 

[Up-Side-Down]

The casting patterns for the Epping stove have done the rounds over the past 30+ years and in some hands the results were better than in others. I don't think there are any fundamental flaws in the design. It's the just the execution that has been very variable ... and the areas to watch (and if necessary modify) have been flagged up in this thread.

 

[Alan de Enfield]

8 minutes ago, Faceandedge said:

What stove would you recommend for a back cabin, that looks as authentic as the Epping?

 

 

Worse case - You can be dead but have an authentic looking stove, or alive and have a non authentic looking stove.

 

You don't have to dress in moleskin trousers, wear a wasitcoat and have a red neckerchief either.

Edited July 18 by Alan de Enfield

[Faceandedge]

9 minutes ago, Up-Side-Down said:

The casting patterns for the Epping stove have done the rounds over the past 30+ years and in some hands the results were better than in others. I don't think there are any fundamental flaws in the design. It's the just the execution that has been very variable ... and the areas to watch (and if necessary modify) have been flagged up in this thread.

 

Thanks, I appreciate the constructive comments.

[Up-Side-Down]

To be honest I've had my Epping stove in a back cabin for 27 years and have probably used it for heating (the entire 60ft boat) cooking, etc for a dozen or so full winters. Apart from getting through damper plates (they simply rotted out despite using smokeless entirely) I can't fault it and have had no issues with leaking fumes. I do use  a 3ft chimney and have had no difficulty keeping it going 24/7 using around 35-40kg a week even in the coldest spells. Some of the castings are not pretty to look at but, in the end, it does the job. If you have any concerns about joints leaking simply gun a black flexible 'fire clay' into them with a skeleton gun. I haven't needed to.

[Faceandedge]

That’s good to hear. To be honest, I was just thinking of a close heat source when winter cruising.  The plan is to have another 5 kw wood burner at the posh end ticking over throughout the winter.

I’ll be sure to give to stove a complete strip down before installation.

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[Up-Side-Down]

The fact that I had a Ecofan on the top may or may not have been significant. That debate is usually good for at least a 40-page thread ...................

[MtB]

21 minutes ago, Up-Side-Down said:

The fact that I had a Ecofan on the top may or may not have been significant. That debate is usually good for at least a 40-page thread ...................

 

I'll kick it off then. 

 

The most useful thing about an Ecofan is how it spins faster and slower as stove temperature rises and falls, meaning you don't have to keep on checking it. (The stove I mean.) The speed of the Ecofan keeps you fully informed about the fuel status of your stove in the background of your mind, all the time. 

 

Detractors of the excellent Ecofan simply cannot grasp this. 

 

 

 

 

 

P.S. I've tried a variety of the cheap Ecofan clone fans around, and none is quite as good as the original.

 

 

 

 

Edited July 18 by MtB
Elaborate, slightly.

[Russ T]

5 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

I'll kick it off then. 

 

The most useful thing about an Ecofan is how it spins faster and slower as stove temperature rises and falls, meaning you don't have to keep on checking it. The speed of the Ecofan keeps you fully informed about the fuel status of your stove in the background of your mind, all the time. 

 

Detractors of the excellent Ecofan simply cannot grasp this. 

 

 

 

 

 

P.S. I've tried a variety of the cheap Ecofan clone fans around, and none is quite as good as the original.

 

 

 

 

I would say that is actually the only useful thing about them. I would have binned ours years ago otherwise 

[MtB]

1 minute ago, Russ T said:

I would say that is actually the only useful thing about them. I would have binned ours years ago otherwise 

 

 

I find they combat stratification to a degree too. 

 

 

[Up-Side-Down]

Building up steam ...........

[MtB]

1 minute ago, Up-Side-Down said:

Building up steam ...........

 

I don't think they'll do that.

 

 

 

[Up-Side-Down]

Just now, MtB said:

 

I don't think they'll do that.

 

 

 

You'd be surprised!

[MtB]

1 minute ago, Up-Side-Down said:

You'd be surprised!

 

I find that surprising....

 

 

 

[Up-Side-Down]

3 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

I find that surprising....

 

 

 

There are many things about an Ecofan that are, in reality, very surprising indeed ..............

[MtB]

4 minutes ago, Up-Side-Down said:

There are many things about an Ecofan that are, in reality, very surprising indeed ..............

 

 

Yes. The main one being how many boaters expect them to have the same power as a 240Vac pedestal fan with 100W motor in it. 

 

 

[Up-Side-Down]

5 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

 

Yes. The main one being how many boaters expect them to have the same power as a 240Vac pedestal fan with 100W motor in it. 

 

 

Very little power is actually required to start rotational air flow and de-stratification, resulting in air moving from one area to another as it rises and falls according to temperature. Domestic convectors (sometimes called radiators!!!!!) demonstrate this on a daily basis .......