lighting a diesel stove

[flatplane8]

Hi,

 

I've got a diesel stove on my boat - a bubble I think, looks like a squirrel type solid fuel stove. I've been lighting this by using those little firelighter things, but is there a better way? This seems to work fine and I've figured out (after looking on here) to start the stove off on the lowest settings.

 

Also, there are two controls, an obvious 'off' and then 1-9 type knob, then there is a little lever with a small black ball on it that goes to the same box at the rear of the stove - any idea what this does?

 

I've not touched it and everything seems to work fine.....

[bottle]

Hi

 

Try here harworth heating it may help.

[flatplane8]

Hi

 

Try here harworth heating it may help.

 

Thanks! Just what I needed - never came up on google for me for some reason

[William Martin]

If it helps here is how I light mine;

 

Pour in half a cup of meths followed by a lighted match.

Wait one minute and then turn the diesel onto its lowest setting - during that minute I hold the little lever down - it is some kind of safety cut out I think and holding it releases the system and alows it to burn.

Assuming the burn takes, dont touch it for half an hour before turning it up - to allow it to build up heat.

Then when increasing the heat make changes in very small increments allowing it to settle without flooding

Edited November 14, 2006 by William Martin

[elessina]

I use one of those long gas (hob) lighters.

 

I wait until I can see the diesel, then light the diesel with the gas lighter. Providing I see the diesel early enough, I do not turn the diesel off, just let it run on minimum setting.

 

We always have some smoke on the glass door, I find this very easy to remove by simply wiping it with a paper kitchen towel, just prior to lighting the stove (when the stove is cold).

 

Our 5Kw Bubbles1 stove on setting 1 (low power, 0.25l/hr) heats our 60ft barge by around 10 deg C (so if it is 10degC outside it will keep the inside at around 20 degC. To heat to +20 degrees (3 deg outside, 23 deg inside) we need to set it on 3 (approx 0.5l/hr). It takes a few hours to warm up though.

 

Ian

DB Elessina

[William Martin]

I am curious - you say you just put a flame to the diesel oil?

 

I thought diesel would not burn without either the compression within an engine or the intense heat provided by the pre-heated stove? Surely diesel will not light as you describe?

[elessina]

I am curious - you say you just put a flame to the diesel oil?

 

I thought diesel would not burn without either the compression within an engine or the intense heat provided by the pre-heated stove? Surely diesel will not light as you describe?

 

It does work. Try it. Needs a flame for approx 5 seconds, onto the edge of the diesel. I think I managed it with a match, but there remained some of the match residue (ash).

Ian

[flatplane8]

I use one of those long gas (hob) lighters.

 

I wait until I can see the diesel, then light the diesel with the gas lighter. Providing I see the diesel early enough, I do not turn the diesel off, just let it run on minimum setting.

 

We always have some smoke on the glass door, I find this very easy to remove by simply wiping it with a paper kitchen towel, just prior to lighting the stove (when the stove is cold).

 

Our 5Kw Bubbles1 stove on setting 1 (low power, 0.25l/hr) heats our 60ft barge by around 10 deg C (so if it is 10degC outside it will keep the inside at around 20 degC. To heat to +20 degrees (3 deg outside, 23 deg inside) we need to set it on 3 (approx 0.5l/hr). It takes a few hours to warm up though.

 

Ian

DB Elessina

 

Sounds like we have the same stove, I might look into one of those lighter things - good idea.

[TeeELL]

I follow the same basic technique as William. However, I have some BBQ fluid that I use (but I normally use Meths. Firstly, I hold down the 'priming lver' until I see the discolouration of diesel entering the stove, I turn off the diesel. Put some Meths (or BBQ lighting fluid) in the stove and ignite using a small piece of lit firelighter. Close the front of the stove and wait for things to warm-up then set the regulator on 1 and off wel jolly well go! If the glass becomes over blackened and a wipe doesn't shift it then a squirt of Fairey Power will do the trick.

[Pirate]

Well I have one of these on my new boat so have the correct lighting instructions.

Remove coals and centre bits

Turn oil flow to full position for 30 seconds untill you see an oil patch in the pot the size of a biscuit, then turn off oil flow and use a piece of fire lighter the size of a pineapple chunk to light the oil, replace the centre bits and coals, turn oil flow control to about number 3 and dont leave it untill it`s stabalised.

Only adjust the oil flow in small increments.

Do not try to light a flooded pot.

 

You also have an option of dropping the fire lighter in a little hole at the front covered with a cap thingy instead of removing all the interior bits, but this isnt quite as easy as it sounds.

 

Hope this helps

 

Oh and the black nob is an oil safety shut off.

 

If the temp gets too hot, or you dont put the circulation pump on, (if you have a back boiler) it shuts off the oil and extinguishes the fire, you need to lift it to reset it, you may also have another little red knob to lift on the Toby valve (the bit these levers go into) to make the oil flow again

Edited November 19, 2006 by Pirate