Bubble Stove

[MikeHughes]

Hey Guys,

 

We have recently moved aboard our boat (2 months now) and I have a question for the more knowledgable/experienced out there. We have a Bubble stove installed in the living area along with central heating rads throughout the length of the boat.

 

I know there is a lot of controversy over which is the best in terms of solid fuel or diesel and I have obviously very little experience of either at the moment. However, I do like the idea of a wood burner rather than a diesel stove - the only time I tried the Bubble, it was difficult to get going and gave off a lot of sooty black smoke.

 

So, the question is, can a Bubble stove be converted to burn solid fuel or not?

[peterboat]

I have had 2 bubble stoves both worked well I have a BB1 in the bedroom which is connected to the central heating. I like it because it is easy to light doesnt cause any dust and no smell. If yours doesnt do these thing then it needs a clean/service. I also have a Rayburn Royal solid fuel which runs the central heating and hot water it also works well but is messy so you pay your money and takes your chances

 

Peter

[MikeHughes]

Well thanks for the reply Peter, but that doesn't answer my question. What I want to know is, can I burn solid fuel in my Bubble stove as well as, or instead of diesel, perhaps after a conversion?

[cuthound]

You cannot burn anything other than diesel or kerosene in your bubble stove ascit is. Not sure if it can be modified. Ask the makers Haworth:

 

http://www.oilstoves.co.uk

[MikeHughes]

Thank you cuthound

[ETS Jess]

I have a Bubble and asked the same question last year.
If you open the glass door and have a good look at the insides, you'll see the fire box is totally different than that of a solid fuel (have a Google)

Say you could somehow modify it, solid fuel burns much hotter, the fittings and flue of your bubble may not be able to take that heat as it's not what its designed to do.

The bubble is easy once you know how, it's less maintenance than solid fuel, you fill the tank, light it and leave it on tick over all winter, solid fuel you have to keep an eye on a lot, keep it stoaked, empty the dust pan etc and if it's running your Rads too, you have to manage the temperature so the radiator water doesn't boil over. If it does, you have to keep the water topped up else you're at risk of your pipes exploding and throwing boiling water on you and guests.
(I love the real fire of a solid fuel stove too, i'm not dissing it!)

 

The bubble works by dripping diesel into the pot. Diesel isn't the easiest thing to light, you need to get it warm and the rising fumes are what burn.

Remove the "stones" and the top "pot" (the one made of mesh) Turn the fuel on, up to 5 or 6 on the dial. There is a stick on the side of the stove. Twist that round and round and back and forth (don't pull it out!) and after a few seconds, you'll see fuel entering the stove. I use a "fire clicker" (Yes, these are all technical terms) you know, like a lighter on a stick. Hold the flame near the fuel and it will light eventually. If you can't wait, snap a bit off a "Fire lighter block" and light that. Drop it in and reassemble the stove.

 

If you're still having trouble, it might need a bloody good clean. This is what i do:
Close the fuel pipe. Somewhere on the side of the "mechanism" at the back, there's a little round/triangle shape plate. That's the fuel filter. Put a tray under it and remove. I soak it in washing up liquid, clean a rinse really well. Pop it back in.

Put a dust sheet down all around the the stove feet. Put on rubber gloves and a dust mask. If you have the "real fire effect" stones in, take them out and gently clean them with a stiff paint brush. Take the two "pots" out and clean them too. Remove the metal piece under the flue (i'm not sure what its called but it's across the top of the inside of your stove. Give it a wiggle, it will come off.) Clean that.

Put a bowl inside the stove under the chimney, shut the door and then get on the roof with a chimney brush and give it a really thorough brush all the way down (if you don't have access to one, a broom handle with a wire brush gaffa taped to to it will do, you just have to rotate it as you sweep up and down.) Your chimney on the roof will come off, it might need unscrewing, but it will come off, so remove it so you're only dealing with the flue.

Have a cuppa while the dust settles, then open the door and remove the bowl of dust. Next, i use the brush adapter on the vacuum and scrub/vac all the soot out from the sides and all the nooks and crannies.

Clean the vacuum filters after, i can just put mine in the sink with washing up liquid and remove the soot out of the vacuum cone by tapping it (do this outside). Sound like a faff but it's a 10 minute job.

Reassemble Stove (I have never used the fire with the "Stones" in, it makes no difference other than a "real fire effect" -less faff to light the fire if they're already out.)

You will might need to get air out of the fuel pipe. There is (apparently, but i can't find mine) a pump on the back of the stove mechanism to do such a job.
Now, I'm a Brummie and rough as a bear's arse, so i turn the fuel on to 3 or 4, put a J-cloth over the fuel tank breather pipe and blow down it. The cloth catches the moisture in your breath and stop you getting diesel on your lips (yum). But i obviously can't advise you to do that.

Whole job takes half an hour, and i only do it twice a year, once before winter and once after.

Hope that helps
Jess

[peterboat]

Well thanks for the reply Peter, but that doesn't answer my question. What I want to know is, can I burn solid fuel in my Bubble stove as well as, or instead of diesel, perhaps after a conversion?

Sorry I should have said When I was chatting to Terry who makes and sells the stoves they are completely different stoves give at clean as above set it properly and you will be rewarded with a clean warm well running stove like mine and Jesses above nthey are very good

 

Peter