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Advice on Morso stove please - Repair or replace?


Kate89

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The OP should in my opinion replace the complete stove installation. I have attached a link for a PDF file issued by the Solid Fuel Technology Institute which he he would do well to consult

 

http://www.soliftec.com/Boat%20Stoves%201-page.pdf

 

 

 

Meanwhile back here in the real world the OP will tie herself in knots trying to comply with that on a narrowboat.

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The reference to a Morso Squirrell at £400 was , i think , made by Dave Payne in another theead started by himself . I believe it was a refurbished stove , not brand new .

Definately would not allow knackered stove to get in the way of buying an otherwise suitable boat . It may even give you the chance to consider re siting the stove if required .

Also it doesn t really have to be a Squirrell stove . I ve not owned one so i dont understand how they re better - maybe they are . I expect lots if people " have heard theyre the best " and get one .

Mine is a becton bunny . If it failed tomorrow i d go and buy ..... a becton bunny . Admittedly , its the only stove ive ever owned but its looked after me for the 4 winters ive been on my boat and i expect it was new when the boat was built in 2001 and has proven its longevity in my opinion .

Maybe my next boat will have a Squirrell and i ll get the chance to see what the fuss is about ? Mind you , if it was better i 'd admit it

Edited by chubby
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The reference to a Morso Squirrell at £400 was , i think , made by Dave Payne in another theead started by himself . I believe it was a refurbished stove , not brand new .

 

 

Excellent, thanks for the pointer.

 

 

 

Also it doesn t really have to be a Squirrell stove . I ve not owned one so i dont understand how they re better - maybe they are . I expect lots if people " have heard theyre the best " and get one .

 

 

 

I've owned both so it isn't just hearsay. Here is 1,000 words or so by me explaining in detail all the ways in which a Squirrel stove is better than a Boatman stove!

 

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=79126

Edited by Mike the Boilerman
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I don't know if the Morso Squirrel is significantly better than other similar types, it's certainly a better choice than the Boatman though.

 

The main thing to look for in a stove that does service on a narrowboat is a separate ash pan door. This is because you by necessity have a short flue on a boat so the "draw" needs all the help it can get especially when lighting from cold.

 

But these types of stoves are usually quite a bit more expensive than the single door type.

 

 

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Ha

 

Ive read MtBs thread before but cheers , I 'll read it again shortly . I seem to remember it making me laugh !

Im certain that a Squirrell is better than a boatman . But i suspect that the maker of the Boatman isn t trying to compete like for like with the Squirrel . Its priced very differently and i think its unarguably very good for the price . Id prefer a seperate ash pan door BUT if i were looking for a new stove and wanted a backboiler I ,d probably bite the bullet and get a Boatman as stove manufacturers seem to charge absurd money for a little metal box with two holes in it . The Boatman i think is £100 extra , which i think very fair .

 

My comments were essentially to suggest other options are available . Sometimes it seems that theres Squirrells and Boatmans and little else but there is middle ground like the Hobbit & Becton Bunny . Both function well , both have ashpan doors , both have backboiler options but neither appear to carry the hefty Morso price tag .

Mind you , if one has thier heart set on a Morso ,& i expect they are very very good , then perhaps a Freaky Friday deal or a refurb can make the costs less painful

 

cheers

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Squirrel is a great Stove, certainly very nice to use.

 

The original one on our boat suffered the same failure mode as the one shown here and was replaced like for like. The boat is now 26yo and stove two still looks as good as new.

 

Use high temp silicon when joining the pipes, the slight flex helps a lot as it allows movement rather than cracking, and it can't hold water a freeze. Use a solid flue not twin wall.

 

And competent diy'er could change a stove, especially if changing like for like.

 

Check what's behind the tiles,it should be a fireproof board with air gap beyond.

 

The outside chimney just drops on, get a twin wall stainless replacement.

 

 

Daniel

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Meanwhile back here in the real world the OP will tie herself in knots trying to comply with that on a narrowboat.

I agree. The idea is to comply with as much as one can. As it says in the PDF "The Code isn't compulsory...."

I have seen two or three boats with stoves in full compliance (BS 8511:2010) but they have been fitted by professional

installers who should ​apply the standard. A couple did not look very great with the big fat insulated chimney really spoiling

the cabin appearance others looked OK. (The simplistic BSS Checks do not cover this code but the RCD I believe should)

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