Squirrell Stove - Coal Inserts/Fuel Economisers

[Rog Davies]

Hi to the forum

I am getting used to the new Morso Squirrell in the boat and am wondering about fitting Inserts/Economisers in the [big] firebox. I see from the Morso website that these are available, and wonder if anyone has experience of them? It seems that fuel resting along the sides doesn't burn too well anyway. Do they cut down heat output by much; are they worth the expense of buying? Also can ordinary firebricks be cut to size?

Love the stove though.

Roger

[blackrose]

Hi to the forum

I am getting used to the new Morso Squirrell in the boat and am wondering about fitting Inserts/Economisers in the [big] firebox. I see from the Morso website that these are available, and wonder if anyone has experience of them? It seems that fuel resting along the sides doesn't burn too well anyway. Do they cut down heat output by much; are they worth the expense of buying? Also can ordinary firebricks be cut to size?

Love the stove though.

Roger

I put some extra firebricks inside my big morso panther (vertically on both sides leaving the backboiler exposed).

 

Some will say "why not just build a smaller fire and put less fuel on", and that's true, but the extra bricks effectively reduce the internal volume of the stove meaning that it's easier to do just that - i.e. it keeps the fire tight.

 

The disadvantage is that the extra bricks will need to heat up themselves before the heat radiates out through the sides of the stove - meaning it takes a bit longer to heat the boat up, but that is compensated for by the extra heat retention of the stove so that it will stay hotter for longer when the fire has died down.

 

I would have thought that a squirrel isn't that big to start with, but I guess that depends on the size of your boat. If you find that you need bigger fires in sub-zero teperatures you can always take the extra bricks out again. Never take the original bricks out and light a fire though - you will probably wreck the stove.

[Albion]

Hi to the forum

I am getting used to the new Morso Squirrell in the boat and am wondering about fitting Inserts/Economisers in the [big] firebox. I see from the Morso website that these are available, and wonder if anyone has experience of them? It seems that fuel resting along the sides doesn't burn too well anyway. Do they cut down heat output by much; are they worth the expense of buying? Also can ordinary firebricks be cut to size?

Love the stove though.

Roger

 

Yes they are worth having in my opinion. They keep the fire base a bit more compact which helped to keep the fire more under control. As you have observed, the coal sitting on the side ledges doesn't burn well. I've tried both methods, extra bricks and the coal inserts, and on balance preferred the inserts although they seem quite expensive for a couple of cast items.

Roger

[GUMPY]

Yes they are worth having in my opinion. They keep the fire base a bit more compact which helped to keep the fire more under control. As you have observed, the coal sitting on the side ledges doesn't burn well. I've tried both methods, extra bricks and the coal inserts, and on balance preferred the inserts although they seem quite expensive for a couple of cast items.

Roger

Rare event I agree with Roger!

Used two engineering bricks on their sides for 10 years until I got some inserts made, they are better but if you have to buy them not that much better.

[Albion]

Rare event I agree with Roger!

snipped

 

Yep, but then again, you're so often wrong!

Roger

Edited December 1, 2009 by Albion

[Rog Davies]

Rare event I agree with Roger!

Used two engineering bricks on their sides for 10 years until I got some inserts made, they are better but if you have to buy them not that much better.

 

Thanks for the replies guys - think I'll try a couple of engineering, or firebricks first, and if OK maybe invest in the real ones later.

Cheers

Rog

[bottle]

Recent thread on this very subject (cannot be bothered to search for it), we have recently got them (inserts) and they do enable a smaller, controllable fire that burns everything and does not waste fuel at the sides.

The Squirrel will still whack out more than enough heat.

Yes probably expensive for what they are but given time you will get your money back from the saving of all that wasted fuel.

[Andy Woods]

Firebricks from Wilko's work great in a Morso Squirrel...mine have been in for at least 3 years now...Cheap too!

[johnjo]

Sorry, but I don't understand, why is the unburned fuel wasted? surely it does the same job as the extra firebricks would and when you relight the stove that unused fuel gets recycled or am I missing something?

Edited December 3, 2009 by johnjo

[blackrose]

Thanks for the replies guys - think I'll try a couple of engineering, or firebricks first, and if OK maybe invest in the real ones later.

Cheers

Rog

 

Excuse my ignorance, but what are the real inserts and how do the differ from fire bricks?

 

 

Sorry, but I don't understand, why is the unburned fuel wasted? surely it does the same job as the extra firebricks and when you relight the stove that unused fuel gets recycled or am I missing something?

 

You're right, it's not wasted - it gets burned eventually, but if you have a big firebox it's easier to have a smaller tighter fire which is more controllable if you reduce the volume with some bricks.

[bottle]

Excuse my ignorance, but what are the real inserts and how do the differ from fire bricks?

 

SNIP>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

They are cast iron and when fitted slope at 45º

[Rog Davies]

Great info guys - thnx. I'll be off to Wilkos in the morning

[blackrose]

They are cast iron and when fitted slope at 45º

 

Thanks. Would they act any differently from angling firebricks at 45 deg?

[bottle]

Honestly, I do not know, as have not tried firebricks.

 

One reason for fitting them instead of firebricks may be they would last as long as the stove and not need replacing.

[churchward]

Thanks for the replies guys - think I'll try a couple of engineering, or firebricks first, and if OK maybe invest in the real ones later.

Cheers

Rog

You don't really have to use engineering bricks you can also use ordinary household bricks (they were fired to a high temperature after all) they will split and crumble in the end but it takes a while and they are easier to come by.

 

We have been using two household bricks for two years now and they are still fine. One thing though is that with any brick make sure they are fully dry before placing in the stove and lighting it. Wet bricks will split or even explode.