Bubble problems... Again!!

[andyberg]

Well after 3 months of fantastic non stop service my bubble bb2 stove is acting up again:-(

Woke up Thursday to a freezing boat , fire virtually out ,central heating cold!

Thoroughly cleaned the burning pot twice ,problem seems to be ... I light it as normal with a firelighter, diesel vapourises into a fantastic blue flame then dies down after 10/15 mins to a smokey cold yellow flame only in about a quarter of the pot, zero heat available to heat water !

Cleaned the pot no carbon around diesel inlet, tank refilled to ensure enough fuel .. What else could cause this sudden change in performance? It's now next to useless ! :-(

Any ideas? Thanks

Edited March 31, 2015 by andyberg

[koukouvagia]

It sounds as though there's fuel starvation. Once the fuel is used up in the regulator no more enters the burner. Have you checked the filter and the pipe leading up to the regulator?

What happens if you take the cover off the regulator and depress the float? If the body of the regulator fills up slowly or not at all then it must be a blockage before the regulator. If the chamber fills up normally but gets no further into the burner pot then suspect there's a blockage at the bottom of the metering stem. My regulator does get clogged up from time to time, especially if I let the diesel tank run low and it picks up gunge from the bottom of the tank.

 

 

eta add.

Another thought. When you take off the filter and drain off a bit of fuel what's the state of the diesel? If it's not bright and pink but cloudy then somewhere along the line you've picked up some water/condensation. Just undo the pipe leading to the regulator and let fuel flow so that you can be certain that it's uncontaminated.

Edited March 31, 2015 by koukouvagia

[mrsmelly]

Not that you want to hear it but 2 friends of mine on different boats had diesel bubble stoves. Both persevered for some years.........both now have morso solid fuel stoves.

 

Tim

[Markinaboat]

Have you adjusted the low and high flame settings? The manual explains how to do it. Also, has the trim of the boat changed?

[koukouvagia]

Have you adjusted the low and high flame settings? The manual explains how to do it. Also, has the trim of the boat changed?

I really wouldn't start fiddling with these until more likely causes of the problem have been eliminated. The OP tells us that all was working well until recently.

[Tuscan]

If we have problems with our bubble stove it's always due to the down draft in windy conditions. Fortunately we have more than method of heating the boat and water.

[andyberg]

It sounds as though there's fuel starvation.

when I depress the plunger I get diesel flowing out into the pot but it definately sounds like a blockage, it lights and roars fantastically for approx to mins....think I may have run it low on diesel so Ill give all the filters/regulator a clean,

I suppose a bit of muck in there could limit the flow enought to cause it?

 

thanks for your thorough help / explanation :-)

[Bro]

For what it's worth I previously had a solid fuel stove but now have a Bubble and my comments are:-

 

Markinaboat has valid point about trim, it certainly has an effect on my boat. Also, when my boat is moored and rock steady I can obtain a realy nice blue flame but with even a gentle movement (eg. walking about) it gets upset and when the wind blows ........... it gets iffy (though never yet gone out).

 

I really wouldn't trust to have it lit when travelling and though solid fuel stoves are messy and give fuel storage issues I do think, on balance, they are preferable.

 

Personal opinion is that Bubble stoves work fine in a static (dry land) situation and with a long flue/ chimney, but problematic on a boat.

[peterboat]

I am on my second bubble stove both have always worked well on the move and both have provided good reliable service, My present one is only used occasionally as its in the bedroom but as a backup it has been great. The other month when it was very cold outside I had to heat the boat for a week without being there which the bubble did well and a solid fuel stove could not. I have a Rayburn as well so I am not anti solid fuel but realise the limitations of it. Any problems that I have had with the bubble have always been filter or water based.

 

Peter

[MtB]

I have a friend with a Bubble stove. Simply refuses to stay alight in any wind conditions of 'stiff breeze' or more.

 

MtB

[peterboat]

I have a friend with a Bubble stove. Simply refuses to stay alight in any wind conditions of 'stiff breeze' or more.

 

MtB

Is the balanced flue flap at the back seized up if it is it will blow out

 

Peter

[MtB]

Is the balanced flue flap at the back seized up if it is it will blow out

 

Peter

 

It doesn't have one! Maybe this is the problem.

 

On reflection, it is a oil fired Squirrel not a Bubble. Can one be fitted to an oily Squirrel?

[ms l.j.]

Sounds like a potential build-up of carbon monoxide if the flame is yellow and smokey and it dies down. Check for blockages and ventilation to the fire, as well as ensuring that the flue is free of obstruction!

Edited March 19, 2019 by ms l.j.
another sign of possible carbon monoxide

[mark99]

2 minutes ago, ms l.j. said:

Sounds like a potential build-up of carbon monoxide if the flame is yellow and it dies down. Check for blockages and ventilation to the fire, as well as ensuring that the flue is free of obstruction!

4 year old thread.

[WotEver]

15 minutes ago, mark99 said:

4 year old thread.

And Peter’s still around too