Arrow Acorn stove.

[Rod a mod from Tod]

We only need a small stove on our boat in both output and size. The Acorn 4kw seems to fit the bill nicely and we have managed to drop on one for £299 which seems a great price when looking elsewhere on the net.

 

Just wondering if anyone has or had one and how good or bad they are for durability, controlling, performance etc. Ta.

Edited December 25, 2011 by Rod a mod from Tod

[mrsmelly]

We only need a small stove on our boat in both output and size. The Acorn 4kw seems to fit the bill nicely and we have managed to drop on one for £299 which seems a great price when looking elsewhere on the net.

 

Just wondering if anyone has or had one and how good or bad they are for durability, controlling, performance etc. Ta.

 

There are some things there simply is no substitute for.....Heres a few for instances...........

 

Pickle MUST be BRANSTON

Brown sauce MUST be HP

Bacon sarnies MUST be on WHITE bread

Tinned tomato soup MUST be HEINZ

Crisps MUST be WALKERS

 

There are others............. As for small output of 4 ish kw stoves it MUST be a morso squirrel, it may be a couple of hundred quid extra BUT it will last twenty years plus so is well worth the extra

[alan_fincher]

There are others............. As for small output of 4 ish kw stoves it MUST be a morso squirrel, it may be a couple of hundred quid extra BUT it will last twenty years plus so is well worth the extra

Which no doubt explains why there have been a number of threads on here over the years where various expensive bits of Squirrel stoves have disintegrated.

 

Personally my strong preference is a stove made out of good thickness welded steel, not one made of iron castings. I have never heard of a welded one disintegrating in the way cast iron ones seem to from time to time.

 

(And yes, we have a cast iron range in Sickle, and yes, they seem to fall apart from time to time to, so whilst it may look all traditional, I will be keeping a firm eye on it for tell-tall signs of early failure....)

 

EDITED TO ADD: If that's a new Acorn Aarrow, three hundred quid sound a remarkably low price - I doubt you'll find much to undercut that for a new stove.

Edited December 25, 2011 by alan_fincher

[bizzard]

There are some things there simply is no substitute for.....Heres a few for instances...........

 

Pickle MUST be BRANSTON

Brown sauce MUST be HP

Bacon sarnies MUST be on WHITE bread

Tinned tomato soup MUST be HEINZ

Crisps MUST be WALKERS

 

There are others............. As for small output of 4 ish kw stoves it MUST be a morso squirrel, it may be a couple of hundred quid extra BUT it will last twenty years plus so is well worth the extra

Grossly overated and over priced in my opinion are Morso stoves.They're the only stove that i'm often asked to repair (Very thin cast iron, top plates buckling and cracking, sides cracking,bolts rusting through,and the thing falling apart,the cast in squirrels on either side probably accounts for the £2oo extra. The Acorn or better still the Boatman which has a mild steel body therefore uncrackable unlike cast iron which is a very treacherous material,are by far better value for money.

[mickeyduff]

I have a Aarrow Becton slightly bigger KW output then the one your looking at, but I have had no problems with it and would have another Aarrow, I've seen quite a few Morso squirrals with completly trashed riddling grates and rods, splits and loose fitting panals, also I prefer the door locks on the Aarrows, I think it's a name thing with the Morso's, I prefer my Aarrow.

Edited December 25, 2011 by mickeyduff

[alan_fincher]

The Acorn or better still the Boatman which has a mild steel body therefore uncrackable unlike cast iron which is a very treacherous material,are by far better value for money.

The Villager Puffin is another contender, smaller than the Squirrel, and I think closer to a need for no more than 4KW.

 

I doubt you'll find one priced anything like as low as the Acorn you have quoted though.

 

Curiously I couldn't quickly find the price of a Boatman on the Northern Fabrication site - don't know if I was just having a blind moment ?

[bizzard]

The Villager Puffin is another contender, smaller than the Squirrel, and I think closer to a need for no more than 4KW.

 

I doubt you'll find one priced anything like as low as the Acorn you have quoted though.

 

Curiously I couldn't quickly find the price of a Boatman on the Northern Fabrication site - don't know if I was just having a blind moment ?

The Boatman was probably the cheapest of all.There are other mild steel bodied stoves on the market now too,i think Arga make a small one.

The boatman was originally made by Northwest narrowboats and i believe made from steel off cuts from their steel boat manufacturing,that Co ceased trading a few years ago,and as you say they are now made by Northern Fabrications.I'll try their site later in the week.And yes the Villager is a sturdy little stove,i know of two and both have been trouble free.

[bizzard]

I have a Aarrow Becton slightly bigger KW output then the one your looking at, but I have had no problems with it and would have another Aarrow, I've seen quite a few Morso squirrals with completly trashed riddling grates and rods, splits and loose fitting panals, also I prefer the door locks on the Aarrows, I think it's a name thing with the Morso's, I prefer my Aarrow.

Yes the Aarrow Bectons,7kw i think, two of which i've installed over the last couple of years both of which are in wide beam boats and run pretty well flat out all the time,and no trouble with them and so are proving themselves to be a good solid job.

[Québec]

We installed the Arrow Acorn 4kw on our 40' trad two years ago. Very happy with it re: operation, heat output and look. (Worth adding perhaps that two friends, each with Morso Squirrels, have had a series of problems requiring some serious repair and replacement).

[Taslim]

We installed the Arrow Acorn 4kw on our 40' trad two years ago. Very happy with it re: operation, heat output and look. (Worth adding perhaps that two friends, each with Morso Squirrels, have had a series of problems requiring some serious repair and replacement).

 

Are their 'grades' of morso squirels? I see people complaining of unelyability but I have used one, well second hand when it came to me, for 20 years+ in various houses/vehicles & it's been spot on. Only replacment has been the door glass when a pratt chum put on a log & slamed the door.

 

taslim.

[Alan de Enfield]

We installed a "Pipsqueak" stove earlier this year.

About 3Kw but it does throw out the heat. Just as a trial we managed to get the rear end of our boat up to 54 degrees whilst the front was at about 30 degrees (no fan).

These temps were at 'waist height'.

 

Being so small it falls outside the new recommendations for stove installation - we installed it to the recommendations and a good job as well - the porcelain tiles get totally un-touchabley (spelling ?) hot

 

Click the link :

 

http://www.salamanderstoves.com/docs/52/the_pipsqueak/

 

Under £200 for the stove. The stainless steel flue, collar etc we used cost about as much again

Edited December 26, 2011 by Alan de Enfield

[Rod a mod from Tod]

EDITED TO ADD: If that's a new Acorn Aarrow, three hundred quid sound a remarkably low price - I doubt you'll find much to undercut that for a new stove.

 

Thats just what we thought. I did a Jimmy Finlayson style double take myself when we saw the price. Hope they haven't made a mistake and have readjusted the price when we go to buy it after the hols.

 

If anyone is after a stove and are local enough (which i doubt) the shop is just before Hebden Bridge on the left coming from Tod.

 

When i spoke to the guy who make the Boatman stove a few weeks ago the price was the same as the Acorn we found the other day. We thought that Arrow was more of an established name but not sure if it makes it a better product!

 

I,ve been having a google about for some twin wall flue earlier this morning (why do i still wake at getting up for work time when on holiday).

 

Gawd!! What a price :o It's coming in at about £400 for what i need. Anybody know any good cheap suppliers.

[Taslim]

Thats just what we thought. I did a Jimmy Finlayson style double take myself when we saw the price. Hope they haven't made a mistake and have readjusted the price when we go to buy it after the hols.

 

If anyone is after a stove and are local enough (which i doubt) the shop is just before Hebden Bridge on the left coming from Tod.

 

When i spoke to the guy who make the Boatman stove a few weeks ago the price was the same as the Acorn we found the other day. We thought that Arrow was more of an established name but not sure if it makes it a better product!

 

I,ve been having a google about for some twin wall flue earlier this morning (why do i still wake at getting up for work time when on holiday).

 

Gawd!! What a price :o It's coming in at about £400 for what i need. Anybody know any good cheap suppliers.

 

Why use twin wall flue? Is this to do with boat saftey reggs? I run a moreso using a stainless steel pipe had for not-a-lot from a scrapyard. It is no longer bright, it gives back the heat from the exaust gas. It is important that you get the exit collar right though or y' could set the roof alight.

 

edit to sort grandmar & speeling.

 

taslim.

Edited December 26, 2011 by TASLIM

[Athy]

Is the "Aarow becton" mentioned above the same stove as the Becton Bunny? If so, a vote for that one, we had one in our last boat, it produced trememndous heat for a smallish stove. That boat was a 40-footer and the stove, which drove two radiators, heated it with ease.

[jenlyn]

We only need a small stove on our boat in both output and size. The Acorn 4kw seems to fit the bill nicely and we have managed to drop on one for £299 which seems a great price when looking elsewhere on the net.

 

Just wondering if anyone has or had one and how good or bad they are for durability, controlling, performance etc. Ta.

We have an aarrow 9 on Jenlyn, 60x10. Fitted with a single flu in 2009. We never have any condensation, it's 28 degrees in here! Clean it up at the end of winter, looks like new again. Wish I had got the 7 tho

[mrsmelly]

Are their 'grades' of morso squirels? I see people complaining of unelyability but I have used one, well second hand when it came to me, for 20 years+ in various houses/vehicles & it's been spot on. Only replacment has been the door glass when a pratt chum put on a log & slamed the door.

 

taslim.

 

Yes you are right they are UNBEATABLE. In over twenty years of useage of more than one stove, some old some new the only thing I have changed have been glass and riddle thingy. They are extremely well made and very controllable. Maybe if fitted to hobby boaters boats they dont like just ocasional use ? but in continuous winter use they are superb.

[system 4-50]

The Villager Puffin is another contender, smaller than the Squirrel, and I think closer to a need for no more than 4KW.

 

I doubt you'll find one priced anything like as low as the Acorn you have quoted though.

 

Curiously I couldn't quickly find the price of a Boatman on the Northern Fabrication site - don't know if I was just having a blind moment ?

I have a Puffin and I'm very fond of it. It can take the inside of my 60ft NB to tropical temperatures with ease.

But:

 

1. The control of the single bottom vent is extremely fine. The slightest twitch when setting the vent size makes quite difference to the level of the fire.The AF mod or similar is a must!

 

2. I can't see the vent gap size without getting down on my knees (but I do have the stove at floor level).

 

3. The grill at the front that keeps the coals in is ridiculous, it is held at a midpoint on either side so that it can pivot about a horizontal axis. If the top leans out it can damage the glass. If the bottoms leans out it presents the door closing. In a well built-up fire this can be quite awkward to resolve.

 

4. The feet are only secured at the back and the angle brackets supplied are weird

 

5. There is a gap in the fire bricks for the door latch. If a coal gets in here you can't close the door. If you disturb the fire bricks you can't close the door. On a well built-up fire I did this, ash fell down and prevented me pushing the fire brick back, and I had a roaring fire that I could not control.

 

6. The front grill (again) is not as high as one would like, limiting loading the fire for long burns.

 

7. The ash pan lever is designed to cause you to drop the full ash pan - one day.

 

8. The grate grooves run across not front to back, to encourage you to displace the front grill.

 

9. You need to cement up small holes in the back if you don't fit the boiler unit.

 

10. The vent knob comes unscrewed. If even only slightly unscrewed the gap is invisibly but substantially increased and the fire roars away and nothing you do seems to quieten it down until you work out what is the cause.

[rjasmith]

Only thing I would add is that if anyone is going for a new installation and wants it to be compliant with the BS 8511 Code of Practice, it's a REALLY GOOD idea to get a stove that's built and tested and "CE" marked to BS 13240. Not all of them are and unless something has recently changed the Aarrow Acorn 4 isn't!

 

However Arada, the company that makes a whole variety of these budget priced stoves like Aarrow, Hamlet, Becton, Villager and many others, has a strange policy of only testing and putting the "CE" mark on some of them.

 

That's why I went for the Hamlet Hardy 4 which is identical to the Aarrow Acorn 4 except for the name and the fact that it has the CE plate and the Acorn 4 doesn't!

 

You can use a non plated stove in a BS 8511 compliant installation, the only problem is that to be sure you are compliant you really need to rely on the manufacturers instructions for clearances etc. As these are only written for houses they are impossible to achieve in a boat. Alternatively you would have to put the non plated stove through the BS 13240 tests yourself - obviously a ridiculous idea!

 

Richard

[mickeyduff]

Thats just what we thought. I did a Jimmy Finlayson style double take myself when we saw the price. Hope they haven't made a mistake and have readjusted the price when we go to buy it after the hols.

 

If anyone is after a stove and are local enough (which i doubt) the shop is just before Hebden Bridge on the left coming from Tod.

 

When i spoke to the guy who make the Boatman stove a few weeks ago the price was the same as the Acorn we found the other day. We thought that Arrow was more of an established name but not sure if it makes it a better product!

 

I,ve been having a google about for some twin wall flue earlier this morning (why do i still wake at getting up for work time when on holiday).

 

Gawd!! What a price :o It's coming in at about £400 for what i need. Anybody know any good cheap suppliers.

 

 

I wouldn't worry about the double skin flue, there are more boats on the waterways with single then double and I see new boats being built with single skins, the new guide lines are only advisory and not compulsory, please see the recent thread http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=43038&st=0&p=790060entry790060 and there is probably more on the single/double skin flue debate.

[Rod a mod from Tod]

Thanks for all the replies. A few points and more questions.

 

I have found a couple of the Hamlet stoves at a similar price to the Acorn and the Boatman. So the Hardy is also in the play offs now. In fact it's probably favorite due to CE mark, size and appearance which as stated is very similar to the Acorn. I have had a look on the Boatman site and can see no mention of CE mark so am assuming it does not have it. Having said that the Hamlet site has no mention of it either.

 

As to the flue we have more or less decided on twin wall due to the location and set out of the boat. This is a picture we took when looking at the boat. Its not quite as floral now.

 

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

 

There has been a stove installed previously but it has been removed and a gas Therm x fitted. The stove will be reinstalled in its original position under the vase of flowers. What is not clear on the picture, and i know its not a good picture, is that there is a 4-5" void behind the fire on the bulkhead and a 0-3" taper on the cabin side which will be retained. This framing which form the fireplace will be retained or replaced and lined with fireboard and tiled, thus giving a good air gap around both sides.

 

The flue will leave the stove vertically and then offset back towards the window near the roof to go through the existing original hole which in my opinion is to close to the curtains. I feel that twin wall will emit less heat than stove pipe to surrounding wood and furnishings. Am i being over cautious. Other boats have the same scenario.

 

I am thinking this will be classed as a new installation, in which case is twin wall not compulsory for BSS.

 

As always opinions welcomed and appreciated.

Edited December 26, 2011 by Rod a mod from Tod

[Alan de Enfield]

.... The stove will be reinstalled in its original position under the vase of flowers.....

 

Not a good idea as they will dry out and become a fire risk.

 

Seriously tho' you will lose probably 50% of your heating capability by using insulated flue.

[Rod a mod from Tod]

Not a good idea as they will dry out and become a fire risk.

 

Seriously tho' you will lose probably 50% of your heating capability by using insulated flue.

 

 

OOOOOO! You are a one.

[alan_fincher]

Acorn's "list" price for the Aarow 4 stove is (since November) £539.

 

I do kind of wonder about one being sold at £299, the more I think about it. That price undercuts anything I can find on the net by a large margin.

[Robbo]

Not a good idea as they will dry out and become a fire risk.

 

Seriously tho' you will lose probably 50% of your heating capability by using insulated flue.

 

Most stoves are designed for a 4 meter plus flue not 2, a insulated flue helps here especially with a efficient stove.

[mickeyduff]

Your boat will not fail a BSC if you use a single skin, the BS8511-2010 is only advisory and not compulsory please see the following link http://www.soliftec.com/Boat%20Stoves%201-page.pdf for fitting a stove to a small craft, as for the CE mark I've never known a boat's stove to fail on that issue, You probably stand more chance of killing yourself by using that gas fire, Do stoves need to be CE marked to comply with the BSC????