Morso Squirrel safe?

[Nev]

Hi,

 

Was on the boat over the weekend and after lighting the fire there was a crack sound and the top of the Squirrel looked like this..

 

 

 

The Co alarm is directly above the fire and we did not get any alarms at all. I have seen replacement top covers at Midland Chandlers, without taking it apart (I may need help on that one....) is the cover part of the combustion chamber or is it decorative covering the back boiler etc?

 

My plan is to use some fire cement to tidy it up and black it in. Boat safety time coming up, will this be a fail ?

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Nev

[GoodGurl]

Just looked at mine and it looks like it is a replaceable part, not cheap tho.

ed to add link Top plate

Edited October 22, 2012 by GoodGurl

[luctor et emergo]

The patented Morso business model: flog the punter an eyewateringly expensive stove, then sell them even more eyewateringly expensive 'consumables'..

 

;0)

[pmms]

Hi,

 

Was on the boat over the weekend and after lighting the fire there was a crack sound and the top of the Squirrel looked like this..

 

 

 

The Co alarm is directly above the fire and we did not get any alarms at all. I have seen replacement top covers at Midland Chandlers, without taking it apart (I may need help on that one....) is the cover part of the combustion chamber or is it decorative covering the back boiler etc?

 

My plan is to use some fire cement to tidy it up and black it in. Boat safety time coming up, will this be a fail ?

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Nev

Not sure if that is on a part of the top that overhangs the backof the stove outside the internal fire space, if so then should be no probs. BUT is that an incipient crack forming in the reducer socket (left of picture)?

 

There is a new (advisory) check coming with the BSS checking procedure review, due to be implemented in 2013, check 8.10.5, "are solid fuel appliances free of unintended gaps" so any cracks should throw up an advisory notice, but not inhibit the issue of a certificate. Once an advisory item has been brought to the attention of the boat owner it is their responsibility to rectify/ignore as they choose.

 

Paul M

[canals are us?]

I would check the back casting as well to see if thats cracked. It may be easier to buy a new stove. It really depends on how corroded the fixings are that holds it all together.

 

I'm going to buy a steel stove!

 

James

[mrsmelly]

The patented Morso business model: flog the punter an eyewateringly expensive stove, then sell them even more eyewateringly expensive 'consumables'..

 

;0)

 

Hi

 

I may well not be the most experienced live aboard by a long way but, after 20 odd years living aboard with squirrels I can state that they are first class. As with the best of anything they are not cheap, the best never is. i would make a quick repair and keep it, you will not buy better.

 

Tim

[Odana]

See these threads from earlier this year about this very thing. In the end the cost of bits plus RWLP to fit em made me decide it was cheaper/easier to fit a new stove. Depends how handy you are. Remember if bits crack and fall off when you're not home, then you may not have a home to come home to! I woudn't advise filling in and ignoring it having now had a good look at my broken one.

 

My link

 

Other link

[bizzard]

Looks like local overheating possibly due to soot and crud build up on the boilers top coupled with the weight of the flue pipe resting on it. The cast iron tops of those Morso stoves are painfully thin. The side panel looks like its coming away from the back panel too.

Edited October 22, 2012 by bizzard

[Higgs]

There's such a lot of crud ends up at the back of the boiler. It's a good idea to get behind with the flexible hose of a vacuum after the flue has been cleaned. It's a fiddle, but worth doing.

[GoodGurl]

Hi

 

I may well not be the most experienced live aboard by a long way but, after 20 odd years living aboard with squirrels I can state that they are first class. As with the best of anything they are not cheap, the best never is. i would make a quick repair and keep it, you will not buy better.

 

Tim

like what he said as long as it's only the top then a repair should be fine.

[Sir Nibble]

I've done this job. First, parts. www.oilstoves.co.uk

Obtain your replacement top. Remove the chimney, back boiler and firebricks. Using a couple of stout pieces of wood or steel and a pair of sash clamps clamp the stove together front to back to prevent it spreading when the top is removed. By carefully measuring the position of the fixing bolt holes on the new top mark the old top correspondingly and drill the bolts out, There is no hope you will be able to undo them. Fit the new top using new bolts, they are standard 6mm threads and I recommend using stainless fastenings from the chandler. Remove the clamps, re fit back boiler, firebricks and chimney.

You MAY fing more damage as you progress but at oilstoves prices I replaced top, back, grate fixings and all ropes together with stainless fixings for a little over £200 including rust treatment and genuine morso paint.

It is a filthy job. You will need to do a lot of rust removal and treatment and it helps if you are competant with hand tools maybe being used to car repair or something but oilstoves make it viable. For instance, glass retaining clips £5 a set of four from e bay, 25p each from oilstoves. Highly recommended for price and service.

[by'eck]

Our local fireplace installer refuses to sell them now since they started making them in China.

 

Having one myself, I've been trying to persuade myself that given Morso's good name they wouldn't accept any rubbish, but then I hear of this

[Nev]

Many thanks for all of your very helpful comments and an apology for not doing a good enough search to find out others have had similar problems. It would seem these stoves are great for regular use but suffer from use as we do weekends and breaks aboard.

 

So what to do.... I think I am confident enough to do the job of replacing the top, but I think I'll do it in stages so I know if there are other bits that will take the cost past what I'd like to pay out to recondition the stove.

 

Big thanks to Sir Nibble, I'll follow the instructions and hopefully save me some time and swear words ! I'll leave it for this winter as I'd like to be aboard in some comfort. I'll rely on the CO alarm above the fire but feel confident it is safe to use.

 

Great forum with such a depth of knowledge, many thanks again, safe boating

 

Kind regards

 

Nev NB Waterlily

 

My Waterlily Blog

[Iain_S]

When the time comes to replace the flue, it is worth while to make the joint between flue and roof collar as near to a sliding joint as possible. I have used the fibreglass rope sold for the purpose, plus a bead of silicon.

 

If this joint is solid, the stove heats up, the flu expands, and something gives. (In our case, it was the roof collar )

Iain

[Nev]

When the time comes to replace the flue, it is worth while to make the joint between flue and roof collar as near to a sliding joint as possible. I have used the fibreglass rope sold for the purpose, plus a bead of silicon.

 

If this joint is solid, the stove heats up, the flu expands, and something gives. (In our case, it was the roof collar )

Iain

 

Thanks Iain, more valuable advice,

 

Take care

 

Nev

[Djuwenda]

Many thanks for all of your very helpful comments and an apology for not doing a good enough search to find out others have had similar problems. It would seem these stoves are great for regular use but suffer from use as we do weekends and breaks aboard.

 

So what to do.... I think I am confident enough to do the job of replacing the top, but I think I'll do it in stages so I know if there are other bits that will take the cost past what I'd like to pay out to recondition the stove.

 

Big thanks to Sir Nibble, I'll follow the instructions and hopefully save me some time and swear words ! I'll leave it for this winter as I'd like to be aboard in some comfort. I'll rely on the CO alarm above the fire but feel confident it is safe to use.

 

Great forum with such a depth of knowledge, many thanks again, safe boating

 

Kind regards

 

Nev NB Waterlily

 

My Waterlily Blog

 

my 2p...

 

I recently went throught a very similar experience when the blanking plate at the back of my stovebroke off due to corrosion.

 

I also noticed a crack on the top plate, although nowhere near as bad as yours!

 

Bearing in mind the cost of the replacement bits (120 for the top), plus any other bits you may find you need as you go along, which is quite likely- working on these is a right pain, everything is seized beyond hope and you have to expect to retap new threads etc.

 

and the cost of a new stove = £560

 

 

and the potential cos of failure - ranging from a few days without heat all the way to proper drama, burning boat and closed casket funeral...

 

I opted for peace of mind, I wont have to worry about this next winter, or the one after that, or the one after that... you get my point.