log burners

[Dave Payne]

simple question, can you use any type of log burner on a narrowboat or does it have to meet a certain requirement?

 

Cheers

[Alan de Enfield]

I think you may be restricting yourself if you look at solely log-burners.

 

Consider multi-fuel that will burn both logs and 'coal' (smokeless fuel etc)

[Dave Payne]

Thanks, So any multi fuel stove will be ok on a narrow boat?

[nicknorman]

Any type as far as I know, but not too big since much over 4.5kw will be too scorchio. The stove also needs to be bolted down to the hearth so it can't move, so it's easier if the stove comes with some suitable holes in the feet.

[Dave Payne]

thanks!

[bizzard]

Proper log burners are unsuitable in boats, especially narrow boats They are very long in depth and would need to be fitted sideways to avoid having to jump over them. They have no grate-firebars and burn the logs on the flat bottom plate. They are purely functional and so are usually ugly.

A multi-fuel stove is the way to go, although not as efficient in heat output burning wood as the proper log burner.

[b0atman]

Bizzard would putting a steel plate over the grills make it more efficient as would then be more like a log burner

[cuthound]

Had a Squirrel on the first share boat. Great little fire until the side cracked after about 8 years.

 

The second share boat had a Villager. Larger than the Squirrel, but easier to control and keep in overnight. Still good after 12 years.

 

There are many different multi-fuel stoves, and I'm sure other will add their experiences.

 

Current boat has a Kubola Old Dutch oil stove. It has its pro's (easy to light, clean and controllable) and con's (doesn't burn blue with the shorter cruising chimney and affected by strong winds resulting in puffs of smoke occasionally in the cabin, more expensive to run than coal).

[bizzard]

Bizzard would putting a steel plate over the grills make it more efficient as would then be more like a log burner

Unless you left the door open 'no'. With the door closed bottom air, or indeed hardly any air would reach the fire bed of wood at all and it would quickly go out.

[Mac of Cygnet]

Unless you left the door open 'no'. With the door closed bottom air, or indeed hardly any air would reach the fire bed of wood at all and it would quickly go out.

 

I suppose it depends on the type of stove. I burn only wood, and so I transferred the grate of my small Carabo stove onto the floor of the stove, replaced the ashpan on that, and burn the wood on this base, just like a proper woodburner. The air inlet is now at about the level of the burning wood, as it should be.

 

Result is that it stays in better, and the ash compacts so that I only have empty the ashes once a week instead of every day. A result, I think.

[bizzard]

 

I suppose it depends on the type of stove. I burn only wood, and so I transferred the grate of my small Carabo stove onto the floor of the stove, replaced the ashpan on that, and burn the wood on this base, just like a proper woodburner. The air inlet is now at about the level of the burning wood, as it should be.

 

Result is that it stays in better, and the ash compacts so that I only have empty the ashes once a week instead of every day. A result, I think.

Yes, but I think the Carabo stove is like the small Boatman stoves which has the single large and deep door which encloses the ash pan area too. On stoves with lower ash pan door as well as the main door would find it more difficult.

[Alan Saunders]

If you have a continuous supply of truly seasoned logs or, better, off cuts from from furniture etc. production, a 'Log-burner' (insulated base, no riddling grate) will suit you best but wood storage will take up a huge volume compared to coal and smokeless fuels.

 

Morsø, the manufacturers of the (expensive) 'Squirrel', with a grate more suited to coal than wood, suggest in their instructions that it should not be used with solid fuel.

 

Alan

[canals are us?]

I would go multifuel and not rely on wood only. I have a woodwarm stove grate that can be set flat by a lever to burn wood only or open for coal. Charnwood, clearview and woodwarm stoves have this feature, but check. It isn't just a riddling grate. Some just let the ash build up in the stove so as to cover the grate and control the burn with the secondary upper air vent, if your stove has one.

 

As for stoves I would go for steel bodied with cast iron doors. This stove seems cheap. No idea if it's any good.

http://www.woodburningstovesandflues.co.uk/HenleyStoves/Druid5kwMultifuelWoodBurningStove

 

James