Morco d51b water heater

[Tim Doran]

I have been offered a morco d51b water heater for a reasonable price. I am happy doing the water side plumbing but not the gas. Does anyone know where i can get the gas done near Bath and how much it might cost. There is already a gas line to the stove and hob so it should be a simple T off of it.

 

Many thanks

 

Tim

[alan_fincher]

I have been offered a morco d51b water heater for a reasonable price. I am happy doing the water side plumbing but not the gas. Does anyone know where i can get the gas done near Bath and how much it might cost. There is already a gas line to the stove and hob so it should be a simple T off of it.

 

Many thanks

 

Tim

Tim,

 

A word of caution before you commit to one of these, as it's one I'm having some problems with.

 

The D51B, it appears, comes in many versions, some of them pretty old. Spares availability on many of them is not great, and if it's an early one, many of the important parts are completely unobtainable.

 

A new D61 model is "only" about £170, even at chandlery prices, so what appears a bargain might not be so. I've been trying to find out if a D61 can substitute a D51, and already know the flue size is different, so one is not a straight swap for the other.

 

Not all the early D51Bs have a cut out for problems detected with the flue gases - personally I'd not fit one that didn't.

 

Alan

[NBMike]

I have been offered a morco d51b water heater for a reasonable price. I am happy doing the water side plumbing but not the gas. Does anyone know where i can get the gas done near Bath and how much it might cost. There is already a gas line to the stove and hob so it should be a simple T off of it.

 

Many thanks

 

Tim

Another point to be aware of is that the gas line to stove and hob maybe just adequately sized for their use. Running a water heater may need more gas (I.E. Larger diameter pipework)

Mike

[churchward]

A new D61 model is "only" about £170, even at chandlery prices, so what appears a bargain might not be so. I've been trying to find out if a D61 can substitute a D51, and already know the flue size is different, so one is not a straight swap for the other.

 

That's interesting Alan I have an old D51 and have been contemplating resplacing with a D61 so interested in your findings. I thought from looking at the Morco website that one was just an update of the other and a direct replacement. What is the flue size of the D61 compared to the D51 then?

[alan_fincher]

That's interesting Alan I have an old D51 and have been contemplating resplacing with a D61 so interested in your findings. I thought from looking at the Morco website that one was just an update of the other and a direct replacement. What is the flue size of the D61 compared to the D51 then?

My information is on the boat, but from memory the D61 variants have a 90 mm flue size, and the D51 ones something a little smaller. I think it is probably 85mm, but if you have the instruction book with a diagram in, it will tell you.

 

I'm assuming that a flue pipe that currently goes over the top of a D51 will not push on to a D61, (but I haven't validated that assumption).

 

Alan

[churchward]

My information is on the boat, but from memory the D61 variants have a 90 mm flue size, and the D51 ones something a little smaller. I think it is probably 85mm, but if you have the instruction book with a diagram in, it will tell you.

 

I'm assuming that a flue pipe that currently goes over the top of a D51 will not push on to a D61, (but I haven't validated that assumption).

 

Alan

I have just had a look at the manual for the D61 on the Morco website it does indeed say the flue size is 90mm. I don't have my D51 manual on me but I will check the flue the next time I am on the boat. That will be a bit of a snag with the flues a different size!

[alan_fincher]

That will be a bit of a snag with the flues a different size!

I concluded they are, unfortunately.

 

I'd be interested if you prove that all the water and gas will line up the same way, or if anything needs re-plumbing.

 

If there is going to be more than one of us attempting a Morco D51 to Morco D61 swap, let's pool any useful information we can find.

 

Knowing what I know about spares though, I still think I'd steer clear of fitting a boat with a secondhand D51, even if it were a cheapie.

[churchward]

I concluded they are, unfortunately.

 

I'd be interested if you prove that all the water and gas will line up the same way, or if anything needs re-plumbing.

 

If there is going to be more than one of us attempting a Morco D51 to Morco D61 swap, let's pool any useful information we can find.

 

Knowing what I know about spares though, I still think I'd steer clear of fitting a boat with a secondhand D51, even if it were a cheapie.

I would agree on avoiding a cheap D51.

 

I'll measure up on the pipework and fittings when I am on the boat next and let you know what I find.

[churchward]

I would agree on avoiding a cheap D51.

 

I'll measure up on the pipework and fittings when I am on the boat next and let you know what I find.

 

Alan,

 

As luck/fate would have it my D51 decided that it has had enough of this cold weather and turned up it's toes. I bought a D61B this weekend and the good news is that it was a doddle to fit.

 

My old D51 had a repair that I had not spotted before to one of the pipes, a crack had been soldered up and in the cold had split the thermometer is saying it got down to -7 in the cabin at some point. Anyway with all its other little foibles it was time to fit a new unit. So I bought a D61B and hey presto within an hour or so I had it up and running.

 

I can confirm that all the connections, gas, water supply and hot outlet all are the same as the D51. In fact the fitting kit (with the new unit )is identical. Also the larger flue outlet a the top wasn't a problem either. The flue difference is that the old flue pipe fitted over the D51 outlet but the D61 has a flange like on a Morso the pipe is designed to go snuggly on the inside of it. So the existing pipe fitted and a new fitting kit was just the same diameter pipe so I didn't bother buying one.

 

Unit was checked by an engineer in the Marina for gas leaks etc and hey presto we are now up and running! Yee Ha!

[alan_fincher]

Alan,

 

As luck/fate would have it my D51 decided that it has had enough of this cold weather and turned up it's toes. I bought a D61B this weekend and the good news is that it was a doddle to fit.

 

My old D51 had a repair that I had not spotted before to one of the pipes, a crack had been soldered up and in the cold had split the thermometer is saying it got down to -7 in the cabin at some point. Anyway with all its other little foibles it was time to fit a new unit. So I bought a D61B and hey presto within an hour or so I had it up and running.

 

I can confirm that all the connections, gas, water supply and hot outlet all are the same as the D51. In fact the fitting kit (with the new unit )is identical. Also the larger flue outlet a the top wasn't a problem either. The flue difference is that the old flue pipe fitted over the D51 outlet but the D61 has a flange like on a Morso the pipe is designed to go snuggly on the inside of it. So the existing pipe fitted and a new fitting kit was just the same diameter pipe so I didn't bother buying one.

 

Unit was checked by an engineer in the Marina for gas leaks etc and hey presto we are now up and running! Yee Ha!

Brilliant !

 

I think this maybe is where we will end up.

 

I can't get a straight answer from Morco about parts availability for my D51, but more to the point, I'm running out of possible explanations for it's underperformance, (though I need to check out one or two of the most recent suggestions).

 

It's probably a job to tackle when it's warmer, as I'd like to do whatever is necessary when I can safely leave it full of water, and ready for use. But good to know it's close to a straight swap.

 

Many thanks,

 

Alan

[reggie]

Brilliant !

 

I think this maybe is where we will end up.

 

I can't get a straight answer from Morco about parts availability for my D51, but more to the point, I'm running out of possible explanations for it's underperformance, (though I need to check out one or two of the most recent suggestions).

 

It's probably a job to tackle when it's warmer, as I'd like to do whatever is necessary when I can safely leave it full of water, and ready for use. But good to know it's close to a straight swap.

 

Many thanks,

 

Alan

 

 

REPLACING MORCO D51 WITH D61 OR A D61E IS A STRAIGHT SWOP NO NEED TO CHAGE YOUR FLUE OR YOUR PIPEWORK, DO IT YORSELF, JUST GET A GAS FITTER TO CONNECT GAS AND CERTIFY INSTALLATION AND THEN YOU ARE UP AND RUNNING, just done the swop myself.

Reggie

Not a boat owner, but a static caravan owner

[Tim Doran]

Hi

 

I just to say thanks for the advice. I have bought a d61b and have installed it myself. It was very easy in the end. I screwed the flue to the roof last night.

 

Tim

[alan_fincher]

EDIT:

 

On thinking about it, I have decided to start a new thread for the following problem, as the title of this one doesn't really reflect the issue

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

I was hoping to follow on the experiences of those who say they have successfully done a straight swap of a new Morco D61B for an old Morco D51B.

 

I was swayed by all those who said it was a doddle, despite the specs saying that the D61B has a 90mm flue, and the D-51B has an 85mm flue.

 

Having uninstalled old, with new waiting to go in, I find that my existing flue, (which has a stepped reducer end), does not fit the D61B, either by going over it's flue outlet, or by going inside it.

 

Removing the stepped end doesn't help either, as the remaining flue is still not a match.

 

I can't believe they make these things in different sizes for the same model, so can't work out why others didn't hit this problem.

 

I know Churchward says he was able to use his existing flue, but don't know about the others.

 

I guess I need to see if I can buy a D61 flue, but suspect to's not then going to pass through the roof vent that the old one did.

 

Ideas, anybody, please ?

Edited March 31, 2009 by alan_fincher

[churchward]

Err, Um,

 

I was hoping to follow on the experiences of those who say they have successfully done a straight swap of a new Morco D61B for an old Morco D51B.

 

I was swayed by all those who said it was a doddle, despite the specs saying that the D61B has a 90mm flue, and the D-51B has an 85mm flue.

 

Having uninstalled old, with new waiting to go in, I find that my existing flue, (which has a stepped reducer end), does not fit the D61B, either by going over it's flue outlet, or by going inside it.

 

Removing the stepped end doesn't help either, as the remaining flue is still not a match.

 

I can't believe they make these things in different sizes for the same model, so can't work out why others didn't hit this problem.

 

I know Churchward says he was able to use his existing flue, but don't know about the others.

 

I guess I need to see if I can buy a D61 flue, but suspect to's not then going to pass through the roof vent that the old one did.

 

Ideas, anybody, please ?

 

Interesting and puzzling too. I can confirm that I just used the old flue and it fitted just inside the collar of the D61B where it fitted on the outside of the D51B. That was of course the inner flue pipe the outer cover just fitted over the D61B collar. It sounds like your flue is different because mine didn't have a stepped reducer end to it it was just straight pipe. I therefore did not buy a new flue kit. I did have to shorten the old flue pipe by about an inch because the D61B seems to sit a little higher when I set it on the old gas pipework.

 

If someone says you can't fit a D51B flue onto a D61B I guess I will have to take mine off the wall as I must have dreamed that it works just fine!

 

You may have to get a new flue kit which is about £30 at Midlands. My flue looks just like the one in their picture. I suppose since the D51B was made over a long period some may be different as they modified it over time.

[alan_fincher]

Many thanks.

 

Good information that yours didn't have a stepped collar on the end - an obvious difference that would explain why you can do it, and I can't.

 

The problem is we want to be boating in less than 2 days time, and now the boat looks like a workshop.

 

I'll go and see what our chandlery can offer.

 

As mine is mounted very close to the roof, and the flue only projects as far as a collar, it's running with less than a third of the 600mm that is supposed to be there, (but passed a spill test no problems at the last BSS).

 

So if I buy £30 of flue, I'll end up using less than a tenner's worth.

 

At the end of the day it's only a steel tube - I wonder if anything else can be pressed into service.

[churchward]

Many thanks.

 

Good information that yours didn't have a stepped collar on the end - an obvious difference that would explain why you can do it, and I can't.

 

The problem is we want to be boating in less than 2 days time, and now the boat looks like a workshop.

 

I'll go and see what our chandlery can offer.

 

As mine is mounted very close to the roof, and the flue only projects as far as a collar, it's running with less than a third of the 600mm that is supposed to be there, (but passed a spill test no problems at the last BSS).

 

So if I buy £30 of flue, I'll end up using less than a tenner's worth.

 

At the end of the day it's only a steel tube - I wonder if anything else can be pressed into service.

 

Well, quite. I would have thought any bit of galvanised pipe that will be a snug fit inside the collar would be fine and a second one to go over the collar to make a double skin which I think you are supposed to have. You won't need the vented chimney on the outside of the boat as you have already got that bit.

 

My unit is high up on the side of the boat too so like you the length of the flue is no more than 18 inches or so including the chimney. We don't have any trouble with it and we have a CO detector just a foot away.

Edited March 31, 2009 by churchward

[Kintech]

Well, quite. I would have thought any bit of galvanised pipe that will be a snug fit inside the collar would be fine and a second one to go over the collar to make a double skin which I think you are supposed to have. You won't need the vented chimney on the outside of the boat as you have already got that bit.

 

My unit is high up on the side of the boat too so like you the length of the flue is no more than 18 inches or so including the chimney. We don't have any trouble with it and we have a CO detector just a foot away.

 

HI All

 

This is not an attempt to advertise, but just to offer a bit of technical input.

 

The flue for the D51 is indeed the same as the flue for the D61 (and it's variants). As has been correctly pointed out, the flue fits over the draught diverter on the 5 Litre, and inside the draught diverter on the 6 Litre.

 

We have been the sole manufacturer of these flues for over 20 years, so if i can be of any assistance to the members on here, i am just an email away!