Wallas Redux

redbaronace · Posted: Fri May 24, 2013 3:21 pm Post subject:

I dropped off the unit at Scan Marine. From what the shop person said, the stove is in good condition but in need of an overhaul.

I don't think this has worked for some time and unfortunate that we have to shell out for this as it was not in the budget. At least it was not corroded.

Will be nice to have a fully functioning stove/heater on the boat. The good news is that I will not have to spend additional hours on end trying to troubleshoot it. Hopefully it lasts for awhile.

I will post my repair bill once returned for future members reference.

starcrafttom · Posted: Fri May 24, 2013 3:42 pm Post subject:

I helped pull this unit out and the fuel line from the pump to the burn chamber had dried crumbly fuel in it and was decomposing. This unit must have sat unused for a long time. Never have I seen diesel turn to a hard crumbly state like that. I suspect that the fuel pump is toast if it contains the same old fuel.

bridma · Posted: Fri May 24, 2013 4:34 pm Post subject: Wallas Redux

Run your Wallas for a minimum of one hour a month, every month. That's what my Wallas chappy told me. Falls into the "Use it, or lose it" category.

Martin.

redbaronace · Posted: Fri May 24, 2013 9:04 pm Post subject:

From dropping off the stove, it appears that my bill might be around $350-400 or more. This is considered a service visit from what they said.

Hard to believe that something used this infrequently is more expensive to maintain than the servicing on our house stove AND furnace.

I would have ditched this stove based on cost of repair, but the alternatives were also equally expensive if not more.

Will have it back on Tuesday so the turn around is definitely quick. Hoping for a working Wallace heater and low bills going forward though im thinking that the two may be mutually exclusive.

TyBoo · Posted: Sat May 25, 2013 12:44 pm Post subject:

Scan Marine does good work and does it fast, but it is not cheap. Also, I get the feeling they are more apt to give you what they think you need rather than what you tell them you want.

When I sent the stove up there I included a note that was very clear about wanting to get a noise from the blower fan fixed. To show them what I meant I even left the stupid wedge in the thing that has to be positioned just right to make it quiet. Well, it came back with the wedge still in place and not fixed. Today it is louder than ever. I paid those guys $75 for the fan upgrade a few years ago. I would have paid them $150 to fix the stupid noise this time.

Also, as noted before, they put in used parts. Maybe the used parts are OK, but they should have checked with me first. I would have said no.

primative · Posted: Sat May 25, 2013 5:22 pm Post subject:

The same pattern for me Mike regarding Scan and my 1999 model 95DU. Enjoyed for the first couple years then one thing after another. It is in my garage in the Coleman cooler I mailed it in completely refurbished, including upgraded circut board. They said I should be able to use it or sell it which ever I choose. When the unit became more problematic, I started sending it to them per their reccomendation so nothing would be missed as they have testing equipment I don't have access to. If I remember correctly one such testing device would be precise exhaust/combustion measurement, which I would think be tied to calibration decisions.

Rather than see if the refurbished 95 would be more reliable or risk repeating what I have been through, I decided to stay with the Wallas brand and upgrade to the 85 a few years ago for several reasons. 1) efficiency of the fuel to weight/space factors 2) convenience of a combo. heater/cooker and 3) because I was told by Scan they are more robust in some ways, and less prone to the failures of the 95. We will see and the results asso. with my 85 will determine whether I will continue with Wallas.

I was told my newer model 85 gives them access to how many hours are on it when they test it on their equipment so it helps them with service decisions. I also need to be able to know when to service the unit since they have made it clear, if you want more reliability, treat the unit like you would any machine that needs routine maintenance, like your tow vehicle. So as some others have suggested on this site I installed my own hour meter so I have the opportunity to follow their servicing recommendations, and for me some way to monitor what is happening over time. I bought my hour meter through Napa and was instructed by Scan how to connect it.

My brother lives in Alaska within the Upik Eskimo culture. Years ago he told me a story I can identify with now as I apply it to my Wallas. I don't remember exactly how he told it but it went something like this. Someone would tell the elder eskimo this is what is best, and the old man would respond, "we will see".

I am hoping the hour meter will help me to more objectively do that.

Tom