Swampfrog Posted September 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2012 Well, what can we say.......never have had so many replies all saying the same thing. We have spoken to our builder and to confirm we WILL have a solid fuel stove AND diesel central heating. Cheers people for the comments and the laffs...... keep your eyes out for the SWAMP FROGS coming to a Canal near you next April. Rob and Suzie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grace and Favour Posted September 12, 2012 Report Share Posted September 12, 2012 Well, what can we say.......never have had so many replies all saying the same thing. We have spoken to our builder and to confirm we WILL have a solid fuel stove AND diesel central heating. Cheers people for the comments and the laffs...... keep your eyes out for the SWAMP FROGS coming to a Canal near you next April. Rob and Suzie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lundyshopkeeper Posted September 12, 2012 Report Share Posted September 12, 2012 The one thing I regret is not retro fitting back-boiler with calorifier connection to my morso when I had the money to do it. There is no way I would attempt to live onboard through some of the recent winters without a solid fuel stove. This will be my 5th winter. My eberespachboing thingy is never used for heating, just for hot water - 30 minutes a day on average. Oh, and looking at the forcast and clearing skies, I think I am going to light it now. Many thanks Matty40's - you have been the first to confirm what I am thinking Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athy Posted September 12, 2012 Report Share Posted September 12, 2012 Well, what can we say.......never have had so many replies all saying the same thing. We have spoken to our builder and to confirm we WILL have a solid fuel stove AND diesel central heating. Cheers people for the comments and the laffs...... keep your eyes out for the SWAMP FROGS coming to a Canal near you next April. Rob and Suzie Hoorah! We'll recognise you by the plume of smoke emanating from your stove chimney as you cruise cosily past. pS look at the Becton Bunny stove. It can drive radiators too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ange Posted September 12, 2012 Report Share Posted September 12, 2012 Well, what can we say.......never have had so many replies all saying the same thing. We have spoken to our builder and to confirm we WILL have a solid fuel stove AND diesel central heating. Cheers people for the comments and the laffs...... keep your eyes out for the SWAMP FROGS coming to a Canal near you next April. Rob and Suzie Woo hoo! Glad we were of service - I'm sure it's a decision you'll never regret. Make sure you post when you start on your maiden voyage so we can share your excitement and know when and where to look out for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob18 Posted September 13, 2012 Report Share Posted September 13, 2012 It is my understanding that having a stove is part of the definition of being a "proper" narrowboat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackrose Posted September 13, 2012 Report Share Posted September 13, 2012 (edited) Well, what can we say.......never have had so many replies all saying the same thing. We have spoken to our builder and to confirm we WILL have a solid fuel stove AND diesel central heating. Cheers people for the comments and the laffs...... keep your eyes out for the SWAMP FROGS coming to a Canal near you next April. Rob and Suzie Good decision. If you're liveaboard CCers I doubt your webasto would have worked for very long as the only source of heating. By the way, try to get the stove located somewhere near the middle of the boat if you can rather than at one end or the other. You'll find the heat will dissipate more evenly through the boat. Edited September 13, 2012 by blackrose Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackelle123 Posted September 23, 2012 Report Share Posted September 23, 2012 We have taken the plunge finally - this will be our 5th winter and we were potentially going to pay approx £600 plus for an IBC of diesel to last us through the winter. In stead we have bought a multi-fuel stove and in currently in the process of fitting. Heat boards done, new tiling done, stove in place just waiting for the new flue kit and got to make a bigger hole in the roof. We previously had a Kabola Old Dutch - so beautiful and efficient but we just can't afford the lay out on the fuel costs. And lets not forget diesel will not get any cheaper! Now I'm trying to find ways of saving more money and going to learn to cook on the new stove too, just hope we have done the right thing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsmelly Posted September 23, 2012 Report Share Posted September 23, 2012 We have taken the plunge finally - this will be our 5th winter and we were potentially going to pay approx £600 plus for an IBC of diesel to last us through the winter. In stead we have bought a multi-fuel stove and in currently in the process of fitting. Heat boards done, new tiling done, stove in place just waiting for the new flue kit and got to make a bigger hole in the roof. We previously had a Kabola Old Dutch - so beautiful and efficient but we just can't afford the lay out on the fuel costs. And lets not forget diesel will not get any cheaper! Now I'm trying to find ways of saving more money and going to learn to cook on the new stove too, just hope we have done the right thing! Congragulations, you have done the right thing. There is quite simply no alternative to a solid fuel stove Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bag 'o' bones Posted September 23, 2012 Report Share Posted September 23, 2012 (edited) As has been mentioned, diesel heaters can be noisy. Out of consideration for your neighbours you probably wouldn't run it late at night or early in the morning. Some marinas may make this a rule. If you've got both then you have flexibility when things go wrong (they will). Oh, and I actually enjoy lighting the stove! We parked next to a hire boat with a diesel heater on full pelt. Sounded like a jet taking off! In my opinion a narrow boat is not a narrow boat without a stove. Edited September 23, 2012 by bag 'o' bones Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Gunkel Posted September 23, 2012 Report Share Posted September 23, 2012 It's always interesting to read these threads about heating and see the comments about having two types of heating as a backup for when one goes wrong or breaks down. Having originally had diesel heating that was constantly going wrong which was later replaced with a solid fuel stove, i have yet to find what it is that can suddenly go wrong with a solid fuel stove to leave you with no heating I have replaced the grid on my stove a couple of times in the last 5 years, and reseal the flue every year, but these are maintenance jobs, not sudden failures. Since fitting the SF stove, my heating costs have dropped substantially, maintenance is minimal and I haven't ever felt the need for a backup system. Even on cool Summer nights, it takes only a few moments to chuck in a bit of kindling and a couple of logs to quickly take the chill off. Spending a couple of grand on a diesel backup seems pointless. I can certainly understand though spending £2-3000 on a full diesel central heating system then needing an extra few hundred on solid fuel for when the diesel packs up Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athy Posted September 24, 2012 Report Share Posted September 24, 2012 i have yet to find what it is that can suddenly go wrong with a solid fuel stove to leave you with no heating Running out of coal. Running out of wood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John V Posted September 24, 2012 Report Share Posted September 24, 2012 i have yet to find what it is that can suddenly go wrong with a solid fuel stove to leave you with no heating :unsure Getting too old and decrepit to be able to carry 7 or 8 tonnes of misc. fuel along jetties Been thinking of adding diesel as supplement Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FadeToScarlet Posted September 24, 2012 Report Share Posted September 24, 2012 It's always interesting to read these threads about heating and see the comments about having two types of heating as a backup for when one goes wrong or breaks down. Having originally had diesel heating that was constantly going wrong which was later replaced with a solid fuel stove, i have yet to find what it is that can suddenly go wrong with a solid fuel stove to leave you with no heating I have replaced the grid on my stove a couple of times in the last 5 years, and reseal the flue every year, but these are maintenance jobs, not sudden failures. Since fitting the SF stove, my heating costs have dropped substantially, maintenance is minimal and I haven't ever felt the need for a backup system. Even on cool Summer nights, it takes only a few moments to chuck in a bit of kindling and a couple of logs to quickly take the chill off. Spending a couple of grand on a diesel backup seems pointless. I can certainly understand though spending £2-3000 on a full diesel central heating system then needing an extra few hundred on solid fuel for when the diesel packs up Roger It is quite easy to crack the glass on some stoves. I broke a friend's with a recliner chair, and ours has cracked in the past. We've now got a metal blanking plate, so can make a repair, but if we didn't.... I suppose you could also lose your chimney and not way t to use the stove. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackrose Posted September 24, 2012 Report Share Posted September 24, 2012 It is quite easy to crack the glass on some stoves. I broke a friend's with a recliner chair, and ours has cracked in the past. We've now got a metal blanking plate, so can make a repair, but if we didn't.... A metal blanking plate? Why can't you just carry a spare stove glass? That's what I do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wanted Posted September 24, 2012 Report Share Posted September 24, 2012 I posed this question before, 'what would you do if your glass broke whilst the fire was on and going well' Carl came up with the answer use a 'raosting tin and sash cramps until all dies down' Sounds like the best idea to me. Not sure I would want to replace glass when stove is proper hot... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bowten Posted September 24, 2012 Report Share Posted September 24, 2012 The one single reason why most of the 'live the dreamaboards' jump ship after the first winter in the marina we run from is: 'couldn't cope with the cold' Diesel heating will not cope and I am surprised at your builder not telling you this in a blunt fashion. Get an ecofan as well. Most builders don't live on a boat so don't really don't give damn what heating requirements the customer wants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackrose Posted September 24, 2012 Report Share Posted September 24, 2012 (edited) In my experience when a glass breaks it generally just cracks and you know it's time to replace it. I may be wrong but I've never heard of one shattering and falling out onto the floor? If it cracks you're fine to carry on using it until the fire dies down because the fire will be drawing air in through the crack rather than pushing fumes out through it. 'live the dreamaboards' Edited September 24, 2012 by blackrose Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athy Posted September 24, 2012 Report Share Posted September 24, 2012 Oh, I like "livethedreamaboards" - I missed that when it was first posted. Perhaps CDs (Continuous Dreamers)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Gunkel Posted September 24, 2012 Report Share Posted September 24, 2012 (edited) Running out of coal/ wood..... With two types of fuel, you would have to be pretty dumb to run out of everything burnable, so really a non argument against, particularly as the same argument can be applied to diesel or gas. Breaking stove glass.........not a failure, just a nuisance as you will simply have more air being drawn in, so will have to do a temporary repair as others have suggested. A crack in the glass in far less of a problem, a friend of mine has been using his stove with a crack in the glass for the last 3 years. Being too old and infirm to fetch coal/wood........Come on , get your coal in smaller bags, carry smaller logs. If you have reached that stage, then how are you going to get on and off your boat, moor up to fill up with diesel, carry gas cylinders , empty the toilet or get out of bed. Losing your chimney........ Secure it properly, perhaps add a thin safety wire incase you knock it off on a bridge. Even a total loss can be overcome with a bit of imagination to knock up a temporary chimney with a bit of drain pipe or pop rivetting one up with a bit of thin Ally sheet. Try getting a quick repair done on a failed Eberspacher or Webasto over a freezing Winter weekend, or in my case on Christmas eve. It took 3 weeks!! None of the above render a SF stove totally unuseable, which is why they are the only sensible solution to full time liveaboard heating in my opinion. Just a metal box to burn things in, can't get simpler and more foolproof than that, apart from a bonfire. Edited for spulling mistooks Roger Edited September 24, 2012 by Roger Gunkel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athy Posted September 24, 2012 Report Share Posted September 24, 2012 Running out of coal/ wood..... With two types of fuel, you would have to be pretty dumb to run out of everything burnable, so really a non argument against, particularly as the same argument can be applied to diesel or gas. Roger Dumb possibly. Marooned just as possibly, e.g. frozen in some distance from the nearest coal merchant. You wouldn't have run out of diesel because you had not been using your diesel heating, saving it as back-up for when you had exhausted your supply of solid fuel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FadeToScarlet Posted September 24, 2012 Report Share Posted September 24, 2012 A metal blanking plate? Why can't you just carry a spare stove glass? That's what I do. I cut a metal plate to use whilst waiting doe an ordered in stove glass to arrive, and kept the plate in case it happens again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackrose Posted September 24, 2012 Report Share Posted September 24, 2012 (edited) I cut a metal plate to use whilst waiting doe an ordered in stove glass to arrive, and kept the plate in case it happens again. Worth keeping the plate I suppose, but it might be a better idea to keep a spare stove glass onboard, then when it does happen again you won't have to do the job twice. Edited September 24, 2012 by blackrose Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave_P Posted September 28, 2012 Report Share Posted September 28, 2012 Basic principle to keep boat going nicely: 2 ways to heat water 2 ways to heat the interior 2 ways to charge the batteries This is so right and so important. I'd say at least 2 ways for each as a minimum. Things break on boats more often than you'd want, and you always need back up. Solid fuel stoves are by far the most reliable way of heating your boat if you don't have mains hook-up. For the last month I've had mains electric (which is something of a novelty for me) so I now have: 3 ways to heat water (immersion, alde, engine) 3 ways to charge the batteries (hook-up, genny, engine) 4 ways to heat the interior (electric, squirrel, alde, engine) and when I finally get round to fitting a back-boiler to my Squirrel, I'll have 4 ways to heat water! When the Zombie-apocalypse comes, I'll be better prepared than most! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grace and Favour Posted September 28, 2012 Report Share Posted September 28, 2012 i have yet to find what it is that can suddenly go wrong with a solid fuel stove to leave you with no heating Running out of coal. Running out of wood. If you run out of coal, AND wood, then just burn £5 notes it's still cheaper than fitting an "Eardrumsmasher" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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