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Post by quaysider on Jul 31, 2016 17:51:37 GMT
Yeah - I know you're sick of me asking for advice... BUT...having spent more on the inverter than originally hoped for, I need to sort out a stove. Originally we were going to get a squirrel but funds don't allow for one now - unless we eat dust for the rest of our lives. SO - having had a good look around, I've found one here that a) we like the look of b) is quite compact and c) is not too expensive. link
Does anyone here have any experience of them? - I note from the feed back MOST customers are happy with them ... even a couple of narrowboat comments.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 31, 2016 18:43:58 GMT
No experience (we had a squirrel) but the first thing that strikes me is that doesn't have separate doors for the fire box and the ash collection tray. In that respect it's quite like a Boatman stove which seems to get good reports too. boatmanstove.co.uk/Not in itself a major issue but worth being aware of. I think some complain of more ash getting into the boat with that setup.
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Post by haulierp on Jul 31, 2016 20:17:44 GMT
Probably the one purchase you do want to get right is the stove.I know the Squirrel is expensive but its the only stove I believe where you can retrospectively fit a back boiler to and feed radiators from.Midland have offers on squirrels as do Ely chandlers from time to time.Make sure you exhaust all avenues regarding the Squirrel as this is the one purchase where you buy in haste and repent in leisure.
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Post by JohnV on Jul 31, 2016 21:13:45 GMT
the bloody site just junked my post !!!!! and I had spent ages doing it as well First background, Over the years I have used various types of stoves from pot bellies to Godins and Rayburns but not any normal boaty types. Just over a year ago I wanted to buy a diesel fired central heating system and went to Doncaster to have a look at Bubble Stoves range. I cleverly turned up at their factory when they were closed for their annual close down. However the owner and his wife happened to be there . They let me in, made me a cup of tea and answered all the many questions that I had. They then gave me the grand tour of the works and stoves of all types in various stages of assembly. I was very impressed by them, their attitude to their business and the standard of their products (they are also boaters with a Dutch barge). I am very pleased with my purchase and there are two boats on this mooring with diesel fired Bubble stoves who have had them for many years and both swear by them. Apart from diesel fired stoves they also do solid fuel versions of several types. Obviously I cannot recommend them as I have not used them but if I was looking for a stove I would definitely give these people a look. www.bubbleproducts.co.uk/multi-fuel.html
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Post by Mr Stabby on Jul 31, 2016 21:51:48 GMT
It will do the job but it's fugly.
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Post by Telemachus on Jul 31, 2016 22:08:43 GMT
Things that I'd want from a stove:
1/ fine and precise adjust of the airflow so that it's easy to set the right amount of air to keep it in overnight.
2/ Door glass that doesn't soot up as soon as you shut the fire down for the night (and then never clears again until you clean it).
3/ good riddling system with a fairly large ash pan so it doesn't need emptying everyday when burning coal.
4/ doesn't corrode or crack after a few years
Our squirrel is good at 1/, bad at 2,3,4.
For such an expensive stove the squirrel is really not that good IMO. If we need to get another stove I think I'll get a Woodwarm. We've got a big one at the gliding club and it's great. Steel, not cast. Not a budget option though - we're back to the inverter arguments again, cheap stoves are cheap for a reason!
How does your stove rank in 1/ to 4/?If you don't know, I'd say you were taking a risk.
People seem to like Boatman stoves but I've never used one.
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Post by JohnV on Jul 31, 2016 22:20:47 GMT
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Post by Mr Stabby on Jul 31, 2016 22:27:25 GMT
Another thought .... how about a weekend break in France and a visit to M. Bricolage ? Believe me, you do not want to be going anywhere near Calais at the moment. My mate went to today's German Grand Prix and it took him 14 hours to get from Dover to Calais. He's expecting it to take at least as long on the way back.
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Post by JohnV on Jul 31, 2016 22:38:14 GMT
Another thought .... how about a weekend break in France and a visit to M. Bricolage ? Believe me, you do not want to be going anywhere near Calais at the moment. My mate went to today's German Grand Prix and it took him 14 hours to get from Dover to Calais. He's expecting it to take at least as long on the way back. I'd forgotten about all the delays at the moment !!!!! I only thought of France as I remember going into the Monsieur Bricolage in Limoges and standing in amazement at the rows and rows of stoves for sale, all at knockdown prices compared to here. (as I said only a small proportion were multifuel the vast majority were wood only) there was also a lot of oil burning stoves and ranges ......... I only went in there to buy some knotty pine tongue and groove (beautiful stuff, and cheaper than the crap in Wickes)
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Post by Saltysplash on Aug 1, 2016 6:07:12 GMT
It will do the job but I prefer wheel vents. We fitted a new stove at the end of winter which I bought off ebay for £200. It was 1yr old and in excellent condition having never been used. Its downside is not having a separate ash pan door nor a riddler, so its more like a real fire where you have to give it a good poke. Thats its only downside.
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Post by Telemachus on Aug 1, 2016 6:38:13 GMT
I notice that Midland Chandlers are selling what looks like the identical thing under the Hamlet brand which would make me feel a bit happier about it, and also that it does really seem to be British made (not a rebadged Chinese offering). Don't forget you need a means of securing the stove feet to the hearth, I saw mention of a mounting kit somewhere. www.midlandchandlers.co.uk/store/category/1975/product/hs-235.aspx
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Post by Deleted on Aug 1, 2016 7:07:53 GMT
I have an identical looking stove called Arada AX in the boatman's cabin. It's very small but lights easily and belts out heat when you want. It will stay "in" overnight and the air can be adjusted to slow it right down. "The beauty of the AX stove range is the fact that they are built in Britain, spares are readily available across the UK and they offer both primary and secondary burnt together with an air wash system which will keep your glass door sparkling clean. The body of the stove also comes with a 12 month guarantee and it is very difficult to see where you could get such value for money when you bear in mind the cost of the product. There are some slight variation between the AX1 and the AX2 and we have detailed the specifications of the AX1 below for your information.Heat output on this model is up to 4kW." - from their website. £275 inc VAT
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Post by Deleted on Aug 1, 2016 7:24:56 GMT
I notice that Midland Chandlers are selling what looks like the identical thing under the Hamlet brand which would make me feel a bit happier about it, and also that it does really seem to be British made (not a rebadged Chinese offering). Don't forget you need a means of securing the stove feet to the hearth, I saw mention of a mounting kit somewhere. www.midlandchandlers.co.uk/store/category/1975/product/hs-235.aspxI wonder why they think they can get away with charging a full £75 (26%) more for what is obviously the exact same thing as that which is in the OP, just branded differently. Because they can I guess.
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Post by Telemachus on Aug 1, 2016 7:35:25 GMT
I notice that Midland Chandlers are selling what looks like the identical thing under the Hamlet brand which would make me feel a bit happier about it, and also that it does really seem to be British made (not a rebadged Chinese offering). Don't forget you need a means of securing the stove feet to the hearth, I saw mention of a mounting kit somewhere. www.midlandchandlers.co.uk/store/category/1975/product/hs-235.aspxI wonder why they think they can get away with charging a full £75 (26%) more for what is obviously the exact same thing as that which is in the OP, just branded differently. Because they can I guess. It's called making a profit. But it does seem as though they would negotiate on price. www.midlandchandlers.co.uk/page/forms/price%20match.aspx?pid=HS-235
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Post by haulierp on Aug 1, 2016 7:38:18 GMT
I notice that Midland Chandlers are selling what looks like the identical thing under the Hamlet brand which would make me feel a bit happier about it, and also that it does really seem to be British made (not a rebadged Chinese offering). Don't forget you need a means of securing the stove feet to the hearth, I saw mention of a mounting kit somewhere. www.midlandchandlers.co.uk/store/category/1975/product/hs-235.aspxI wonder why they think they can get away with charging a full £75 (26%) more for what is obviously the exact same thing as that which is in the OP, just branded differently. Because they can I guess. They do say its a "starting price" in the OP Martin,so maybe its not all its cracked up to be value wise
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