not sure if it was a good idea?

[peterboat]

A few days ago I changed my trusty reliable Bubble stove for a solid fuel stove! The benefits being its cheaper and I have a good supply of wood (free)

 

However I am not sure it was a good idea or any cheaper I did fortunatly put the bubble stove in the bedroom ( I have a large widebeam ) so it is not to big.

 

The two run in in the same heating circuit so I can use either but I just cant get over how dirty the solid fuel stove is!!!!! and also how much hard work they are to light and regulate 5 seconds sees the bubble lit.

 

On the plus side the real flames look nice for about a minute or so untill the glass blacks over,and as its so cold I move around much faster and I am sure I will lose weight with all the extra work ha ha

 

In short have many others made the same mistake as me?

 

Peter

[n.b.Goldie]

I changed from a solid fuel Squirrel to a diesel stove. It was an unmitigated disaster.

Regards

Ditchdabbler

 

[Grace and Favour]

Our solid fuel stove is not dirty at all . . they don't have to be at all!

 

we keep it alight 24/7 during the winter (using smokeless fuel) and only costs £17:50 per week

 

What type of wood are you using????

[Paul C]

Yeah, we did the same but never regretted it. We found burning wood can be really variable though - really needs to be dry, to be effective. Amazed at how smoky some boats (solid fuel stoves) are that we've passed, and also seen moored near us etc. We're still getting used to using the stove and trying out with different types of fuel, etc though.

[Ex- Member]

It seems some love diesel and some love solid fuel.

 

We have a ~Bubble Stove, it's been run faultlessly almost non stop mostly on low setting for 5 months and kept us amply warm. We did have a slight problem early on with a kink in the door rope, but since being sorted it's run brilliantly. I think it's cost around £400 in kerosene and worth every penny. To be honest we've been wasteful and it would have cost a lot less had we turned it of during the day time, instead we've been opening windows to cool down so I reckon we could easily have saved a hundred quid of that.

 

We've been walking the canal over the past week, and the crap piles of wood and bags of bags of coal slung on roofs and in the cratch and bow & stern of boats not only looks a mess, it clearly is a mess, the stink of smoke as well is awful, and smokeless coal is anything but.

 

I wouldn't care how much money these stoves are supposed to save, or how hot they get, they will never compare to a clean easy to light diesel stove that gives a nice constant flow of heat throughout the boat via it's back boiler and a few small rads.

 

How people swear by this dirty smelly ancient technology is a mystery.

 

Still each to their own, and those who love their solid fuel technology are welcome to it. If you want an easier life though for a few quid more you'll get that with a decent diesel stove.

[mrsmelly]

A few days ago I changed my trusty reliable Bubble stove for a solid fuel stove! The benefits being its cheaper and I have a good supply of wood (free)

 

However I am not sure it was a good idea or any cheaper I did fortunatly put the bubble stove in the bedroom ( I have a large widebeam ) so it is not to big.

 

The two run in in the same heating circuit so I can use either but I just cant get over how dirty the solid fuel stove is!!!!! and also how much hard work they are to light and regulate 5 seconds sees the bubble lit.

 

On the plus side the real flames look nice for about a minute or so untill the glass blacks over,and as its so cold I move around much faster and I am sure I will lose weight with all the extra work ha ha

 

In short have many others made the same mistake as me?

 

Peter

 

 

Hi

 

Ok well done you have got others to bite. I can see through your bull droppings post but well done so far for getting some people to think its genuine Bubble stoves you are having a laugh

 

Tim

[peterboat]

unfortunatly I am not joking maybe its the stove? but the bubble is so very good which is why it has been installed in the bedroom. I am going to insulate the outside chimney with some fire proof foam as it may be the cooling effect that is making it smokey? The bubble never seemed to be bothered by that maybe its the constant heat that does it who knows?

 

Fuel wise I have tried heat logs and various wood also some smokeless fuel which didnt want to burn!! and some house coal which did very well.

 

By next winter I will have a large amount of dry seasoned ash so maybe that will do better.

 

I have forgot to mention that I have a wispergen as well so between the three systems I am sure that all will be well soon

 

Peter

[jelunga]

A few days ago I changed my trusty reliable Bubble stove for a solid fuel stove! The benefits being its cheaper and I have a good supply of wood (free)

 

However I am not sure it was a good idea or any cheaper I did fortunatly put the bubble stove in the bedroom ( I have a large widebeam ) so it is not to big.

 

The two run in in the same heating circuit so I can use either but I just cant get over how dirty the solid fuel stove is!!!!! and also how much hard work they are to light and regulate 5 seconds sees the bubble lit.

 

On the plus side the real flames look nice for about a minute or so untill the glass blacks over,and as its so cold I move around much faster and I am sure I will lose weight with all the extra work ha ha

 

In short have many others made the same mistake as me?

 

Peter

No. I am keeping my nice clean reliable Bubble stove. Wouldn't be without it.

[Ex- Member]

Hi

 

Ok well done you have got others to bite. I can see through your bull droppings post but well done so far for getting some people to think its genuine Bubble stoves you are having a laugh

 

Tim

 

 

Nice try Tim

 

I wasn't falling for it though

 

:lol:Solid fool stoves, you are having a laugh

 

There again! could this be a double bluff

[canals are us?]

I inherited a diesel bubble stove when I bought my boat end of November last year. Cleaned the pot burner bought some diesel and lit it and there was smoke leaking out the bottom of the stove and filling up the boat with smoke. Found it was leaking diesel and was the diesel on the casing smoking. I was going to change it anyway for a solid fuel with backboiler and so I did!! Sold it for £50.

 

I hated the look of the blue flame and never felt warm as I had to keep the windows open to prevent CO poisoning!! It went like this, Stove lit, smoke filled boat. Switch stove off, open door and windows= Freezing!! Repeat again.

 

Installed tempoary solid fuel stove while I waited for my woodwarm fireview 4.5kw to be made. It's great and very easy to light and so very easy to regulate. Not cheap though at £760. I like it warm and wear a tee shirt indoors as the heat is very good. Lights quick, load fuel and then on a low setting it will burn for 13 hours+ without touching it or refuelling.

The airwash is pretty good as the glass is double glazed like clearview so the inner pane stays hotter, so less deposits. The grate can be set flat for woodburning or open for coal.

 

 

 

I personally wouldn't go back as I like a real fire, but everyone is different which is a good thing. What stove have you got? Black glass is a sign of either wet fuel or a poor airwash design.

 

James.

Edited April 7, 2013 by canals are us?

[peterboat]

Its an anglo by saltfire 5 kw to backboiler 3 kw to room it has airwash but doesnt seem to work! On the heatlogs it has a clean burn but they can burn away to quick. Coal turns glass black instantly!! I will do chimney mod and report on result

Peter

[Phil Ambrose]

Interesting comments about smokey fires I look around our marina at all the smokey chimneys and then I look at mine and er well nothing but heat haze. I like most people burn Taybrite, I do'nt burn wood, too much faff. Not really sure what the difference is must be the way I manage my fire. We have a pot belly stove as it had the smallest footprint which I needed and rather than shut the fire down if too warm all I do is allow fire to burn down so I just have a small fire in the bottom of what can best be described as a ball. I can have a fire burning with just half a dozen nuggets and I doubt that you can do that with a regular fire.

It has been said on here that pot belly stoves are hard to regulate and I suppose that is true to a degree but I developed very easy way of controlling it after a bit of experimenting.

 

We have kept it in 24/7 all winter with no problems, still cannot figure out why it has no smoke,apart from a faint blue when it has just been fueled

 

Phil

[canals are us?]

Its an anglo by saltfire 5 kw to backboiler 3 kw to room it has airwash but doesnt seem to work! On the heatlogs it has a clean burn but they can burn away to quick. Coal turns glass black instantly!! I will do chimney mod and report on result

Peter

 

Does the glass go black on smokeless coal or just house coal? Looks like a Chinese made stove. I burn Wildfire which isn't smokeless but I would say very little smoke and keeps the glass 95% clear. Soots up 5% overnight but a good burn and its clear again.

Another coal I have used that I rate is Taybright.

 

James

[Grace and Favour]

Interesting comments about smokey fires I look around our marina at all the smokey chimneys and then I look at mine and er well nothing but heat haze. I like most people burn Taybrite, I do'nt burn wood, too much faff. Not really sure what the difference is must be the way I manage my fire. We have a pot belly stove as it had the smallest footprint which I needed and rather than shut the fire down if too warm all I do is allow fire to burn down so I just have a small fire in the bottom of what can best be described as a ball. I can have a fire burning with just half a dozen nuggets and I doubt that you can do that with a regular fire.

It has been said on here that pot belly stoves are hard to regulate and I suppose that is true to a degree but I developed very easy way of controlling it after a bit of experimenting.

 

We have kept it in 24/7 all winter with no problems, still cannot figure out why it has no smoke,apart from a faint blue when it has just been fueled

 

Phil

 

I believe that the two most common causes of smoky stoves are:

 

Burning unsuitable fuel (green or treated timber or house coal)

Dirty flues / poor air supply

 

Like the previous poster - our stove doesn't smoke other than for a couple of minutes every four or five hours when we add fuel

[Pykebird]

I also swopped my bubble diesel for a solid fuel squirel, after spending a year trying to beat the bubble into submission! It coked up on a regulary basis and always broke down when it was freezing outside!In fact we actually gave 2 away as no one wanted them.

I can burn wood and coal on my squirrel which I find eay to regulate, even burnt old socks when I had damp wood!

You do get dust in the boat, but to be honest I don't notice it as the boat spends most of the time with a layer of dog hair and its a small price to pay, I also get wood for free, so suits me.

[peterboat]

Hi Think my problem is that my bubble was brand new and worked great from day one it burns kero and just needs cleaning once a month. as I say it is now in bedroom and as it looks though this cold is here for a few weeks yet so I will gaffer the solid fuel stove. I will get some taybrite and try that, the heat logs burn well they are only 3% wet so they keep the glass clear and stove is hot. I must say that my hoover has never had so much exercise!! ( budgies hate it ) anyway work calls foaminf on chimney to do cheers

 

Peter

[Tuscan]

Bubble is great but I find the wind effects it, classic range in the back is my favourite when motoring on a cold day.

[Bunny]

Our Bubble is 8yrs old and wouldn't change it. Had it serviced before this winter (just because I thought it might appreciate it). Has a nice glow with it's 'coals', easy to light, uses about 20lts a week (24X7) and I clean it out once a month. Bunny

[Robbo]

Our Bubble is 8yrs old and wouldn't change it. Had it serviced before this winter (just because I thought it might appreciate it). Has a nice glow with it's 'coals', easy to light, uses about 20lts a week (24X7) and I clean it out once a month. Bunny

 

Think you may need to do your calculations again. The minimum consumption of the bubble is .18 or .22 (I forget which) which would use 20 liters in around 4 days not a week - in addition, it won't heat a boat fully at this level if the temperature is freezing outside (unless your boat is really small ofcourse)..

[Ex- Member]

I hated the look of the blue flame and never felt warm as I had to keep the windows open to prevent CO poisoning!! It went like this, Stove lit, smoke filled boat. Switch stove off, open door and windows= Freezing!! Repeat again.

 

You're at more risk of CO poisoning from your wood burner than you are a diesel stove.

[Ex- Member]

Think you may need to do your calculations again. The minimum consumption of the bubble is .18 or .22 (I forget which) which would use 20 liters in around 4 days not a week - in addition, it won't heat a boat fully at this level if the temperature is freezing outside (unless your boat is really small ofcourse)..

 

What nonsense

 

We have a 10/6 wide beam with full open plan for the first 45f/t of living space. We've run the Bubble with back boiler and 4 small rads. Stove is run mostly on minimum setting up to freezing point and it's generally too hot, it needs turning up slightly up to about -3 and again to half @ - 5 If we run it full in the coldest weather we've had this year we can only do so for about 30 minutes or it gets too hot.

 

In addition to that running constantly on low we measured fuel consumption over a 100 litre fill @ .16 of a litre but that is still 28 litres per week.

 

Also we're currently out of the water up on sleepers, so the entire hull is subject to below freezing temperatures where it wouldn't be in the water, so it's coped ok subject to even colder temperatures than on the water.

 

I would suggest that if a 4kw stove can't keep a boat warm then it's badly insulated or too drafty. Nothing to do with the stove unless faulty.

[Robbo]

What nonsense

 

I would suggest that if a 4kw stove can't keep a boat warm then it's badly insulated or too drafty. Nothing to do with the stove unless faulty.

 

It may be a 4kw stove but at 4kw it would be using half a litre an hour at that rate - at .16 litre you would getting be around 1.28KW.

 

We've run the Bubble with back boiler and 4 small rads. Stove is run mostly on minimum setting up to freezing point and it's generally too hot, it needs turning up slightly up to about -3 and again to half @ - 5 If we run it full in the coldest weather we've had this year we can only do so for about 30 minutes or it gets too hot.

 

If the Stove is too hot for the majority of the time (we hardly go below freezing point in the UK) then it's a pretty useless stove. The minimum setting is as important as the maximum and what your saying is that the minimum isn't good enough.

 

 

PS. I'm not against diesel stoves, (i'm actually looking at the Bubble PJ), just dis-information on there consumption.

Edited April 8, 2013 by Robbo

[Ex- Member]

It may be a 4kw stove but at 4kw it would be using half a litre an hour at that rate - at .16 litre you would getting be around 1.28KW.

 

But it should keep a boat warm even if run on full surely?

 

Insulation is key, not the heating appliance.

 

Well we do have decent insulation on the boat a mixture of 50mm Rockwool and thinner layer of Cellotex on top . We can also keep the boat warm with a 2kw leccy fire, on half setting 1kw if not using the Bubble, It's on now actually and baking in here, o/s temp is up to +7 though.

 

I will say our rads don't get boiling hot, but a continuous steady heat does the job for us.

Edited April 8, 2013 by Julynian

[Tuscan]

But it should keep a boat warm even if run on full surely?

 

Insulation is key, not the heating appliance.

 

Well we do have decent insulation on the boat a mixture of 50mm Rockwool and thinner layer of Cellotex on top . We can also keep the boat warm with a 2kw leccy fire, on half setting 1kw if not using the Bubble, It's on now actually and baking in here, o/s temp is up to +7 though.

 

I will say our rads don't get boiling hot, but a continuous steady heat does the job for us.

 

 

Agreed insulation is the key, I have found the bubble is more adjustable than the squirrel that's just my opinion, the fact is both can give adequate heat so it's just personal preference.

[Robbo]

But it should keep a boat warm even if run on full surely?

 

Insulation is key, not the heating appliance.

 

Insulation is key as in the long run it will save money. But if your stove can't be kept at a comfortable level because the minimum setting is too high for a good part of the year then you either won't use the stove or you'll open windows to let the heat out, either way the stove sounds mis-specced for your boat.

 

Just checked the minimum settings on the Harworth site here: http://www.oilstoves.co.uk/webdocs/prices/BUBBLE_Marine_Oil_Stoves_1st_October_2011.pdf

 

BOAT BUBBLE 1: 1.6KW - .24 litres/hour

CORNER BUBBLE: 1.0KW - .18 litres/hour

Edited April 8, 2013 by Robbo