Wallas maintenance/traveling repair kit

[primative]

We sent a message to Pete on Adeline and he suggested we post the conversation for everyone. So here's our message plus his answer:

Just returned from a week of boating and though it didn't totally fail, I'm having problems with the Wallas. It was real mind rot. To start I always had to have the engine running (which used to happen only when the battery was low), sometimes banging noises & puffs of smoke. Read your comment about Wallas users taking apart their stove, etc. I'm at a place where I need to do just that. From what I've read so far of all the postings, I should check fuse corrosion, igniter plug as shown in your pdf. Perhaps replacing the fuel pump will stop the occasional banging noise at start-up?
Back in 2004 I talked with Carl about a spare parts list for extended traveling. He said take a glow plug, bottom mat (in the combustion chamber), and 1/16 inch drill bit for cleaning out the fuel injection tube. From what I've read I've seen star nut on vent fan coming loose.
Do you think I should get the above parts for repairiing the stove and have a second set of parts for a back-up kit? Or what do you recommend for back-up for traveling in remote areas?
One other thing. I looked under the stove to get a general idea of how to unhook things... any technique for unhooking the fuel line and containing the fuel?
Anything you have to add would be welcome. I'm not on the site regularly but definitely am passionate about our Cdory. I really appreciate your photographic instructions in the Library under cabin interior.
Thanks,
Tom & Rene Eisenbart (primative)
.........................................................................................................

From: Adeline
To: primative
Posted: Thu Nov 02, 2006 2:36 am
Subject: Re: Wallas stove

Hi Tom and Rene, I'll try and help but please know that my stove is 15 years old and, I suspect, quite different from the newer models.
Quote:
To start I always had to have the engine running

I do too, or I run my generator. Starting voltage is very important. On start up, there is an electrical coil that requires a high current to ignite the fuel. I like to see my voltage at 13.3 volts or higher. I also select "both" on my battery switch so that the voltage remains high throughout the startup cycle.
Quote:
banging noises & puffs of smoke

This sounds like poor fuel to me. Water in your fuel is the cause of the popping/flaring, I believe, and condensation is the source of the moisture. Consider that the fuel-return is feeding hot, unburnt fuel to the tank continuously as the stove is running. The inside of the tank is warmer than the air around it. Water condenses on the inside(warm) walls of the tank, much like a glass of ice-water on a warm day. Try and keep your tank full to minimize surface area for the formation of condensation.
Quote:
Perhaps replacing the fuel pump will stop the occasional banging noise at start-up?

I think it's unrelated.
Quote:
I talked with Carl about a spare parts list for extended traveling. He said take a glow plug, bottom mat (in the combustion chamber), and 1/16 inch drill bit for cleaning out the fuel injection tube.

I follow Carl's advice and on Adeline I carry a glow coil and a spare wick. Your use of the term "Bottom Mat" is foreign to me. I suspect your stove is newer than mine, and different.
Quote:
general idea of how to unhook things... any technique for unhooking the fuel line and containing the fuel?

I have a low profile 10 liter tank with two openings, fill and return. I use a plastic dishpan(K-Mart or Fred Meyer) and playtex dishwashing gloves. I place the dishpan next to the tank, unscrew the return cap, withdraw the fuel return cup/line/ pickup through a folded paper towel to collect any fuel which might drip. Then the cup/line/ pickup are set into the dishpan. I have a spare cap that I install in the return hole then I remove the tank.

To conclude;
1) High voltage on startup
2) Fresh, clean fuel. If it pops on start-up it's no good. And once started I like to see a steady flame. I look for a pulsation associated with the click of the fuel pump as the first sign of a problem such as poor fuel or a bad wick. Flaring/popping is a sign of a more severe problem.
3) Carry spare parts.
4) In the comfort and security of your home/shop, disassemble the combustion chamber and learn how to replace your glow plug and/or wick. Take lots of digital pictures and make copies of them. Keep the copies with your spare parts to guide you so you can repair your stove aboard the boat, atop the dinette table.
One last thing, I have had better luck not using alchohol in my fuel. I know that 3-5% is recommended but mine seems happier w/o it.
If you have any questions your welcome to PM(email) me but it might be helpful to others if we worked through this publicly on the C-Brats website. Pete

_________________
Pete

[primative]

Thanks for the quick response pete. I've been putting 3-5% alcohol, 99% type, with no.1 grade kerosene for a couple years now. I thought that was the best upgrade from diesel at the time. I'm on my 2nd 5gallon can from Hm. Depot using approx. 1per yr. I treat the whole 5gal. can with alcohol and fill my 5liter stove tank as needed. From what I've read seems the synthetic keresene is now best. Are people adding alcohol to thier synthetic kero?

I do some remote travel, and I would like to hear more from you wallas guys on parts lists or whatever else. Dan of Doggone... I have an older and in this case probably a wise brother who lives in Bethel who made me fall in love with boat/wall tent shore camping. When I got the wallas in 1999, and told him words like high tech, computer like, he said, " Well now, if you ever have any trouble just take your shotgun and blow a hole through the ceiling, run a stove pipe out and start a wood fire". That's his answer for " Wallas or not" queries.

tom

[journey on]

primative, where's Adeline's pdf page?

Is the reason to put alcohol in the kerosene to remove the water? I would think that alcohol would lead to more problems.

One last question. My stove doesn't have two lines feeding back to the supply container. Have they changed the design to have the feedback line in the stove?

The southern Boris

[primative]

Boris,
The document is in the LIBRARY under DOCUMENTS and is called WALLAS SERVICE DOCUMENT.
Click on that and you can download the pdf which is called: Wallis service.pdf (yes it is a creative spelling, one of many).
The pdf shows great detail pictures of the glow plug.

Our stove has only one fuel uptake line also.

The alcohol... My understanding... it doesn't actually remove water. It is supposed to help keep the water that is already there dispersed so it can be burned along with the fuel and prevent parafin blockage. But we'll be switching to Klean Heat fuel. Anyone know who carries it in the Portland area? I tried two Home Depos with no luck.

I'm in the process taking my stove apart. Found a plugged fuel injector tube which I cleaned with a drill bit as Carl recommended a few years back. Also found the porcelain cracked on the heat sensor (also called thermo switch). We think that's what it is. Not sure of correct part terms.

I asked Karl (Scan Marine) 10-4-04 what to take for repair kit. He recommended , glow plug, bottom mat, and 1/16 drill bit rotated with fingers to clean injector tube. ( my injector tube looks just like a big hypodermic needle with the beveled tip which can be seen after removing from the heat box. The bottom mat is in the combustion chamber and apparently gets damaged in the process of cleaning the soot out of combustion chamber. I will be checking that out today. I have not taken any of this stuff apart before, but am starting to gain some confidence. Hopefully will be ordering parts monday.

[MOOSE]

I'll be interested to know what you find out. I'd like to take my glow plug out for a preventive cleaning, probably next season. But I'd like to try to do it with the stove still in place in the boat, if possible. The glow plug appears to be right toward the front of the stove so, other than working on my back (again), it shouldn't be too difficult. But let me know if, with what you find, you think otherwise.
TX
Al

[primative]

Al,
Once I get the stove back in to the cabinet I may be able to see if the glow plug can be replaced without removing the stove. It would be nice if it works.

After taking everything apart that I could, removing both fans, even taking off the circuit boards, I couldn't figure how to access the combustion chamber to remove the soot. If I don't hear from someone about how to do this I'll call Scan Marine Monday. Anybody?
Tom

[primative]

Called Scan Marine yesterday and got some critical info. I now know that country western song 'Lookin in all the wrong places' regarding location of the bottom mat. It is in the dome shaped portion of the combustion chamber which is accessed by removing the radiation element that is within the combustion chamber. When I initially looked at the combustion chamber I did'nt realize it contained this 2nd part the radiation element. I removed this by using a narrow flat tipped screw driver to press in two retaining tabs which hold the radiation element in place.

Mike the tech guy I talked with warned me about reassembling its position EXACTLY as it was,or it will not work correctly, and also will rattle/move if retaining tabs are not tweaked just right. I think he said the tabs that the element rests on must be considered as well in this tweaking to prevent rattle/movement process, but I'm not sure.

When I told him I had cleaned the injector as carl had suggested with the 1/16 drill bit, and debre had come out, he pointed out that I had most likely pushed in or left remaining debre there. At their shop they use a longer drill bit and disconnect fuel line at the fuel pump at the outlet nipple and back flush the fuel line to prevent blockage. They also use high pressure air if necessary.

We talked some about the combustion fan and he said with age they slowly lose thier voltage, and if I understood him correctly the stoves temperature is not correct and the stove trys to adjust to this until it can't anymore. He said they use a tool at their shop that tests for this that I would'nt have.I'm not sure what it is. But in the scheme of what the stove must have to operate, and what I would need to fix it while on a trip this fan is essential.I think he talked about close tolerences of fitting not too loose not too tight, and I'm not sure just what parts he meant, maybe shaft lock nuts? In briefly talking about the squirrel cage fan maybe he was referring to that? Also mentioned the
importance of correct polarity with the connections of one of the fans, not sure which one? Can someone help here?

I also was told ownership has changed . I ordered new/spare parts talking with Doug one of the new owners. I think Dougs brother is the other.

I will reassemble my stove after receiving parts and getting a longer drill bit and doing the back flush thing described above.

I forgot to mention, Mike said these stoves usually provide 1000 to 2000hrs. of maintenence free operation, sometimes 3000. He said most of the time he receives stoves that have failed and not for maintenence. He emphasized that if the wallas receives some maintenence before it fails it would be better for owners in getting more consistent use from thier machine. He gave the example of a car that gets some maintenence is less likely to have that breakdown on the hwy. we want to avoid.

Tom

[Sea Wolf]

Nice report primitive! It sounds like some regular preventive and technically competent maintainence is pretty important here.

Might be easier to carry a small propane cannister stove for emergencies rather than to carry a lot of required tools and some spare parts in case of a failure.

Just my 2 cents!

Joe.