Best place for a flue please?

[Zayna]

Can you use any kind of flue or are there special ones for narrowboats? Yes, gormless here. Husband is doing the job not me and he does know what he's doing but I just like to check.

 

Where do you get them, best and cheapest?

 

[WotEver]

1 minute ago, Zayna said:

... best and cheapest?

Be aware that those two requirements are usually mutually exclusive. 

[cuthound]

I find that fitting one between the stove and the cabin top is the best place for a flue ?

[Zayna]

21 minutes ago, WotEver said:

Be aware that those two requirements are usually mutually exclusive. 

Yes, thanks. It's just that never having bought one, I don't want to be ripped off. So is it best going to Midland Chandlers, or any other chandlers, or going to a log burner store, or even ebay?

[Neil2]

Anything that connects the stove to the outside world will do there are those who will tell you you need an insulated flue these days but you don't and IMHO a waste of money.  Most will use 3mm mild steel rather than the thin walled stuff which is just for connecting a stove to a flue or flue liner and will not last a season.  I guess wherever you buy it it's about £30 a metre..?  A while since I bought any so that may be way out..

[Zayna]

Thank you Neil, our old one has an elbow, do you have to have it specially made? Apologies if I am asking dumb questions, we've had the boat for years but this is the first new flue we've needed.

[Tonka]

Can you get it in one straight piece or will it have to have elbows welded in

[Zayna]

5 minutes ago, Tonka said:

Can you get it in one straight piece or will it have to have elbows welded in

Not just me that needs to know then..  

[OldGoat]

FWIW I hate and detest flues that go up at an angle, so I got a local blacksmith (not many of those around nowadays...) to make me one. I think the pipe is 1/4" thicKk and he found two 135 degree bends so that the main pipe(s) are vertical. The result is perhaps just as weird looking - but the seals to the top and bottom collars are at least in line.

[Alan de Enfield]

3 minutes ago, OldGoat said:

FWIW I hate and detest flues that go up at an angle, so I got a local blacksmith (not many of those around nowadays...) to make me one. I think the pipe is 1/4" thicKk and he found two 135 degree bends so that the main pipe(s) are vertical. The result is perhaps just as weird looking - but the seals to the top and bottom collars are at least in line.

Is that the 2018 version of the Eco-fan ?

Does that model ACTUALLY work ?

[mrsmelly]

55 minutes ago, Zayna said:

Can you use any kind of flue or are there special ones for narrowboats? Yes, gormless here. Husband is doing the job not me and he does know what he's doing but I just like to check.

 

Where do you get them, best and cheapest?

 

Limekiln chandlers. Then get a loca boaty bod to cut and weld how you need it. My friendly local bod did mine for £ 30 and Limekiln are good price and fast delivery for the flue.

[Neil2]

Much depends on how much of a journey the flue has to make before it reaches the roof.  If you are lucky you can get away with a straight pipe cut at an angle either end but I take OldGoats point it may not be easy on the eye.  Most boatyards would be able to weld in a corner/bend etc if needs be.  Angle grinder is best for cutting to size tho it can be done with a hacksaw especially if you fancy some vigorous exercise...

 

I positioned my stove so I could get the flue dead straight - easy to replace then when the time comes.

 

You can use a length of 4" plastic drain pipe, dead cheap, to experiment with, if it's complicated.  Or just a length of 4" wide ply if you have any knocking about.

[OldGoat]

1 minute ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Is that the 2018 version of the Eco-fan ?

Does that model ACTUALLY work ?

I assume the first line above is rhetorical! 'Twas taken some years ago when we first started boating for real and (your second question), no it didn't work as an eco fan, nor a TV aerial. The only good thing is that it has a massive magnet which is so strong it's stripped the paint away from underneath it. It's up in my loft waiting for a use.

In place of an eco fan I have a jury rig of two computer fans which move the hot air around beautifully taking diddly-squat  DC power.

 

[dmr]

Get a length of thick walled steel tube from a steel stockist, these can be slightly intimidating places but don't be put off. It will most likely need a couple of bends putting in it. Find a boaty type welder who understands this and they will do it quickly and likely for less money than buying elbows for a thin walled flue, and it will look better. The welder will likely turn up with some bits of wood and clamps or screws and make a quick template before taking the flue to his workshop for the cut and weld. Often it can be arranged that the flue follows the line of the tumblehome which looks quite pleasing.

 

.................Dave

[Tonka]

Where is the boat. Not sure about the flu shown in the photo. How does the flu brush work around that bend 

[Tony Brooks]

I had the body shop lads at College cut and weld my flue because I wanted the longest angled run so the angle was less. A flue brush should go straight through it.