A Question for Bubble Oil Stove 'gurus'

[mkn777er]

I have a Bubble Corner Oil Stove with back-boiler driving 3 radiators and one towel radiator via a 12v circulating pump. It was 'factory fitted' when the boat was built (10 yrs ago) so I have no reason to believe the installation is incorrect in any way. I am now about to enter my third winter, but still cannot get it to run satisfactorily. I can get the chamber to burn diesel, which burns a nice blue flame so on the surface all appears to be normal. I have recently taken apart the Toby Valve, filters, feed lines etc. and thoroughly cleaned all. On re-assembly, its the same, good blue flame but with the following problems:

1. It never seems to get hot enough. At best, it is warm, and thats just the stove! The radiators are nothing more than "not stone cold", so even in these temperate climates the boat remains cold (and I have had it running for more than 24hrs). The oil control rotary knob appears to do nothing other than switch oil on and off. In other words I have no control over the flame. Do I need a new Toby Valve?
2. The aquastat on top of the Toby Valve does not do anything irrespective of where I position the rotary temperature knob - full hot or min temp - the water in the back boiler never gets beyond warm. Do I need a new aquastat or is this also a Toby Valve problem
3. I can physically see oil flowing into the chamber when I switch 'on' the valve and I see it stop flowing when I switch it 'off'. It has been suggested to me that the flame should go out after 15-20 mins from switching off. Mine can take more than 2 hrs! and still leaves a large puddle of fuel in the bottom of the chamber. Is this an indication that the Toby Valve is allowing oil into the chamber, uncontrolled, hence I need a new Toby Valve?

I have spoken with Terry at Harworth and he seems to think this could be the problem. Having never seen another Bubble Oil stove in operation just wondering what other users had experienced.

 

Many thanks

[peterboat]

Terry is very good he is just up the road from me so its easy for me to get spares. Mine works fine good blue flame if I turn it down it goes down and up I get big flames!! mine goes out as soon as you turn it off so 2 hours seem wrong to me. This is my second bubble and both worked well and the same, have you tried setting up the Toby with the high low screws? just a thought. In my old boat a NB my rads and hot water were hot so I think you have issues somewhere

 

Peter