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Firefox 5 Clean Burn Multi-Fuel Stove


dazfaz

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Hi,
I'm just about to purchase my first stove for my Narrowboat and need some advice. The stove is a Firefox 5 clean burn and I want to follow all the safety instructions as much as possible. I spoke to the manufactures of the stove and they state that it must sit on a 2 inch concrete or granite hearth but when I look at http://www.soliftec.com/boat%20stoves%201-page.pdf recommended installation instructions, it states "The hearth needs to project at least 225mm in front and 150mm to each side of the stove OR have a high lip. Made of sturdy, non-flammable material, to fully protect combustibles underneath." So nothing about the base having to be concrete or granite. The FireFox chap did say he was quoting building regulations though but also he did say the Firefox 5 Clean Burn Multi-Fuel Stove was suitable for a Narrowboat.
My question is, are building regulations applicable on Narrowboats when it comes to installing a stove and would my insurance be void if there is a fire and the stove was not sitting on a recommended building regs of a 2 inch concrete or granite hearth?
Any help with this matter would be very much appreciated.

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1 hour ago, dazfaz said:

My question is, are building regulations applicable on Narrowboats when it comes to installing a stove

Nope

1 hour ago, dazfaz said:

would my insurance be void if there is a fire and the stove was not sitting on a recommended building regs of a 2 inch concrete or granite hearth?

Nope. 

 

If you comply with http://www.soliftec.com/boat stoves 1-page.pdf. you’ll be fine. 

1 hour ago, dazfaz said:

Made of sturdy, non-flammable material, to fully protect combustibles underneath." So nothing about the base having to be concrete or granite.

Although a concrete slab is one of the easiest ways to achieve those requirements. 

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Thanks Ian but I did do a search about this and could not find anything specific to my questions, but you are right to a degree as there are many threads which relate to stove installations.

 

Also, thanks WotEver, I did have an feeling that this was the case but I've been all over the internet trying to find the right answers. The fact that the manufacture quoted building regs and a 2 inch concrete/granite hearth did worry me a little.

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That stove does not claim to have a hearth temperature less than 100°C so can not be used with a 12mm (1/2") hearth.  Many that do this are available - my Squirrel is sat on a 20mm thick porcelain floor tile stuck to the floor of the boat.

 

I'd buy a different type of stove rather than try and stay within the installation instructions that say it wants a 125mm (5") deep concrete hearth!

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I would hope that as long as your installation is reasonable and sensible then the insurance company would have no grounds for complaint though they might initially try.

 

I am not aware of any fires starting from heat radiating downwards, its usually heat to the sides and top that is the problem, but you need to think very carefully about what will happen if hot coal or ash falls out of the stove due to the glass breaking or you leaving the door open. Many stoves radiate almost no heat downwards,with our Charnwood we can store logs under it.

 

Our stove sits on a 5mm steel plate though I expect that would concern some people.

 

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

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I actually read the instructions for the installation on their web site and one of the things they specify is the draw on the chimney and says it should be measured at full fire.

 

 

 

 

Capture.JPG

 

Does anyone know how you do this measurement?

Edited by ditchcrawler
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1 hour ago, ditchcrawler said:

I actually read the instructions for the installation on their web site and one of the things they specify is the draw on the chimney and says it should be measured at full fire.

 

 

 

 

Capture.JPG

 

Does anyone know how you do this measurement?

You use a water manometer in the flue test nipple. neither of which you have on a boat normally.

The correct flue length specified by the makers  is impossible to achieve on a boat. For instance for the popular Morso Squirrel it is from memory 14 feet!

The provision of a draught diverter is highly controversial on boats and rarely necessary. Excess draw is rare, insufficient is the normal problem hence the longer chimneys seen on some boats. 

 

Edited by Boater Sam
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31 minutes ago, Boater Sam said:

You use a water manometer in the flue test nipple. neither of which you have on a boat normally.

The correct flue length specified by the makers  is impossible to achieve on a boat. For instance for the popular Morso Squirrel it is from memory 14 feet!

The provision of a draught diverter is highly controversial on boats and rarely necessary. Excess draw is rare, insufficient is the normal problem hence the longer chimneys seen on some boats. 

 

So is that vacuum to atmospheric ? 

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Our Morso 1416 is fixed to a hearth made of two layers of 12mm cementitious board which has the been tiled. It has the necessary projections and has a steel lip. Morso give a temperature for the underside of the stove which the board we used is fine for. To the rear and sides we used 25mm calcium silicate board ceramic tiled on a timber frame with air gap as reccommended in the guide. After 6 years we have had no problems and expect none.

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On 07/01/2019 at 23:41, TheBiscuits said:

 

I'd buy a different type of stove rather than try and stay within the installation instructions that say it wants a 125mm (5") deep concrete hearth!

 

The OP has quoted a 2" concrete hearth, not 5".  This seems quite reasonable and easy to do.  Adjustment of ballast may be necessary, but not much.  In any case it is possible to make lightweight concrete using vermiculite.  

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