Pipsqueak stoves

[chubby]

Hello

 

Im already thinking about wintertime & considering the idea of one of the Pipsqueak stoves . I can t do a link to them as hopeless with computers & for the reason im unable to put up a photo either . Sorry ,

 

I ve considered options such as a back boiler to my current stove but its too big a job . My current stove is at the bow & i need heat at the back of my 58 ft trad . Probably not all winter but during the worst bits . So , after research im now considering the Pipsqueak or the Davey hotpot to go in my bedroom so as to heat the back of the boat . I dont need a full on stove & more importantly theres not sufficient room . So it has to be small & i m sure i want solid fuel not diesel type .

Has anyone got either of these on thier boats ? How do you find them ? Im veering towards the smaller which is the Pipsqueak as its small but sufficient , uses coals not just wood , comes with a hearth plate & in all honesty , i think it looks nice too .& im happy with the cost at £199 .

It requires an 80 mm flue so any recommendations where to order from ? Also , im aware how ideas such as these can have unseen costs so if you have or similar did it cost more to install than originally planned due to unforeseen things or just simply not costing things correctly .

There are some nice looking woodburners of similar size on ebay & elsewhere but i m sure a stove thats multifuel is preferable & this Pipsqueak model appears to tick most boxes ... all of them actualy but has anyone got real world experience using them .

As always , your opinions are very much appreciated

cheers

[Alan de Enfield]

We installed a pipsqueak on our boat ( 3 boats ago) It was only a 30 footer so we took out a wardrobe and put it in there.

 

Good :

Excellent heat

On a trial got the boat up to 54^oC before we gave up and opened all the doors

Very frugal with fuel

Stays in all night and most of the next day

Comes with all tools and heat proof mitt

Comes with own hearth

Does what it says on the tin (3.5 Kw - at least !!!!!)

 

Bad

Can only get 10 lumps of solid fuel in

Cannot get 'logs' in - just 'matchsticks'

Fire box is only 8" cube

Flue 'unusual' size.

 

I thought the flue was 76mm (maybe I'm wrong or maybe they have changed it). Very, very few places to get a flue that size we ended up with stainless steel flue and the entire flue and roof collar package exceeded the cost of the stove. I believe they now recommend a supplier of the flue system.

 

Would I recommend it - YES

 

[Bee]

Its a bit too small for firebricks so may not last very long. I have one but only use it for chilly spring and autumn days. Think I would get a boatman for constant use or a bigger boat.

[chubby]

Thanks folks ,

 

I did check out the boatman stove & indeed it sounds like a good bit of gear . Ive only got limited space at the back of the bedroom against the rear bulkhead . The main reasons i considered the pipsqueak were because the stove needs to go between the rear steps from engine room ( modern type trad ) on the right & a cupboard on the left . The cupboard has the calorifier inside & a stove requiring a full size hearth will make access not possible . Now , i dont use that cupboard for anything , the shelves above yes but the cupboard no but i think it unwise to shut off access . Nothings gone wrong with the calorifier since i fitted it two years ago but at some stage i may need to get in there .

The pipsqueak will take up less space and IF i need to do so its small enough to move out the way if indeed it is even in the way . I would adapt the cupboard door to fold in half to allow access . I have about 2.5 foot wide & 2.75 ft depth to play with .

 

Good to hear that its a good stove Alan . The company are calling me back at some point to discuss the flue arrangements . The website i looked at states the flue diameter " 75 mm to fit 80 mm flue " . I ll see what they have to say & do some maths at the back of boat to see if it ll work as the sliding hatch may yet scupper the plans

 

cheers again

[Bee]

I reckon I get more heat from the flue than from the fire itself. Mine is difficult to turn down, badly fittimg door and ash pan opening so cannot stop the draught. be careful of radiated and transferred heat.

[ChimneyChain]

Will that fire stay in over night ? I doubt it, in which case you have to faff about in the morning re lighting it.

 

Darren

[dmr]

I have a suspicion that the pipsqueak is no longer available, which would be sad as it was quite a unique stove.

Maybe you find a used one on eBay

[Alan de Enfield]

Will that fire stay in over night ? I doubt it, in which case you have to faff about in the morning re lighting it.

 

Darren

 

The pipsqueak certainly stayed in overnight and occasionally most of the next day as well - seemed to depend the 'draw' up the chimney.

[chubby]

Hi folks ,

 

The stove is very much still available . A firm called Wood Fuel Cooperitive just sent thru a quote of various bits n bobs .

 

Stove & hearth £199 . Costs escalate from here . The following was recommended :

Fit an adaptor from 80 mm - 100 mm ( £18 ) . Im advised 100mm is " standard " at which point the flue becomes easy to acquire .

Then fit a T piece at back to allow for flue cleaning (£56)

then fit 1m of 100 mm single wall flue

then fit an adaptor to switch to twin wall flue .( price not ascertained yet )

He then mentioned " flashing " for the exterior but i expect id need an iron collar instead , which i ll google for costs

Then i d need a small chimney i guess .

With the flashing , adaptor , T piece & 1 m of single wall flue it came to £377

 

The jury is yet to return a verdict , but if its a good little stove i might just go for it .

I ll need to nail down the costs as i cant be doing with it getting out of hand .

 

Can i just use 80 mm flue pipe ? Or is it best to switch to 100mm using the £18 adaptor . ?

Can i just use single wall flue for the entire length ?

 

cheers

[David Mack]

Hi folks ,

 

The stove is very much still available . A firm called Wood Fuel Cooperitive just sent thru a quote of various bits n bobs .

 

http://www.woodfuel.coop/pipsqueak-multi-fuel-stove.html

[MtB]

Th ebig drawback of the Pipsqueak is the rear exit flue. Means the stove has to be installed a long way out from the back wall, and usually needs the flue to have a pair of 45 degree bends to bring it back to over the top of the stove. Flue component costs usually far exceed the cost of the stove!

 

I have a Davey Hotpot where the reverse applies. Cheap, straight flue but the stove itself is nosebleed money

[chubby]

Cheers again

 

I did look at the Davey hot pot & noted that MtB had one & Magnetman from reading older threads & it does seem to be very good .

I found only one place to get it tho , called Marinestore for £449 . But theres a thru roof fitting needed that costs over £100 i think .

Right now theres a refleks mk66 on ebay at a decent price & these stoves claim to use 0.12 L fuel per hour on low if ive read the spec correctly . Theyre also i believe , very reliable & i also read on older threads that they can be fitted into small spaces ok because the stainless steel conducts less heat out of the sides & can therefore be fitted closer to walls tho i appreciate there d need to be a hearth still .

The one ( & only one ) on ebay at present has a drip tray & flue & ceiling fitting ( if suitable ) and is on for £250

 

Could this be more suitable & less expensive . It looks tidy enough in the 12 pics on the listing & with a diameter of 24 cm it ll fit & itll be clean

 

I think it might be worth a punt ?

 

Thanks again for your thoughts

[Neil Smith]

The boatman is small enough to fit in your space.

 

Neil

[chubby]

Cheers again ,

 

ok , ive measured the space available & its 60 cm wide & 40 - 45 (45 max ) cm deep . This 45 cm max depth ( i d prefer 40 ) allows enough room to then access the front door of the stove for cleaning etc & a decent sized hearth .

I made a cut out template of the boatman dimensions and it does indeed fit , but its installation blocks access to the calorifier cupboard & im reluctant to do this . Ive had to tear out a galley because the last owner just failed to futureproof his workmanship , of lack of & think it unwise to block the calorifier cupboard off ( not that i have to go in there but who knows ... )

So , im now considering the idea of a woodburning only stove . Reasons - cost of purchase & size . My plans would involve the use of heat logs & compressed sawdust block type things , which isnt the cheapest way to create warmth but im not looking for the ultimate cheapness but the best compromise & i like those heat logs , they bang out a good heat and this stove would be for the back of the boat , during the coldest bits of winter & because i often get back to my boat late at night in winter ( for the time being atleast ) . The becton bunny at the front of the boat would keep the temperature up & the stove at the back of the boat is for back up & short term usage .

The Davey hotpot looks the perfect option but its alot of money & i suspect they rarely turn up on ebay . The stove at 449 i could stretch to because its perfect for my needs , can be bulkhead mounted & so i could do that but with all the other bits n bobs its likely to be a dear do . The Collar thru the roof alone costs £132 on top .

 

Looking at " Gypsy Stove " on ebay throws up some options and firms such as WindySmithy have nice woodburning only stoves so the considerations can continue . I think i ll email the BSS folk to see what they say about wood only burners , but if allowable they may be a cost effective , attractive & suitable option & it would only operate when im actually onboard

Edited July 16, 2015 by chubby

[Bee]

Just out of interest. Clarkes stoves. cheap, attractive, any good? lots of potbelly ones on e bay. I don't want one but others might and a few opinions could be useful as some Clarkes stuff is built down to a price and stoves need to be safe.

[chubby]

When i looked thru old threads & general google-age i found several references to these pot belly stoves being generally bobbins . Poorly made & cheap . Especially those fron Machine Mart but that older ones are better .

Ive been looking at woodburners from firms such as Windysmithy & Glastonbury Burners , but no decisions yet .

Incidentally , when looking thru old threads i found several good comments about Pipsqueak stoves & the Davey Hotpot too but yesterday i found an old thread from 2012 which i hadnt seen before . The general concensus was that the rear exit flue ( as MtB points out above ) was the problem & the thread became quite " heated " as the OP was determined to make it work in his boat tho the installation was to be far from normal . Had i have seen that thread earlier id have re considered putting up a question about the same stove .

Anyway , theres no hurry to decide the best way to create more warmth at the back of the boat so i ll keep thinking on it

[PeterG]

What about the Hobbit stove then which is a little bigger than the pipsqueak but still quite a compact size?

[Doodlebug]

I have a pipsqueak which we dont want any more that had been used once before we got it and then I never installed it. I did put it in the for sale section though not sure it appeared.

 

But if you are interested PM me, on the grand union heading north.