Wallas on the fritz

breausaw · Posted: Sun May 25, 2008 8:31 pm Post subject: Wallas on the fritz

The Wallas quit on us this weekend, it starts and the red light comes on but goes into shutdown after about 5 to 10 minutes-red LED starts to blink then the unit stops just like during shutdown.
After trying about 10 times to get it going it finally took off and ran most the night then quit. I was getting cold so looked out and saw it was dead, so switched it off/on and it took off for the rest of the night. We made coffee in the morning then it wouldn’t run again.
I’ve read everything in the owner’s manual, but not much help there.
Say’s a blinking red led @ about 0.25 sec means overheat, and that's what happens but how could that be.
Checked to make sure all electrical connections are tight, the fuel is fresh diesel, and the pickup filter is at the bottom of the jug.
Start the unit on high….It's always worked great...
This is a relativly new Wallas stove on a 07 boat with problable only about 5 or 6 tanks run through it.
Any Idea’s?
I’ll call Wallas after the holladays, but hope someone out there has had similar issues.

jennykatz · Posted: Mon May 26, 2008 10:41 am Post subject: wallas

HI I bought a cc23 with a single burner wallas but no instructions does anyone have instructions for these single units do they run the same ? when I sea trialed the boat The wallas started after a few times there is a roatary dial with an on /off switch Is the rotary dial for the amount of heat or for cooking or what ?? Lots of questions

Doryman · Posted: Mon May 26, 2008 1:23 pm Post subject:

L@@K HERE for an excellent manual on the care and feeding of the Wallas stove.

Warren

breausaw · Posted: Mon May 26, 2008 2:48 pm Post subject: It seems to be working now

Doryman · Posted: Mon May 26, 2008 4:38 pm Post subject:

This is anecdotal evidence only, but I have had no problems with my Wallas since switching to Kleen Heat (despite what the factory says about using diesel.) -- Knock On Wood!

Warren

RichardW · Posted: Mon May 26, 2008 4:55 pm Post subject:

Hello JennyKatz,

I installed the single burner Wallas (Safeflame Model 800 mini cooker) on our CD 22 shortly after we got it (Jan. 2006) and it has, for far, run flawlessly and it gets used A LOT! When the Wallas operates correctly, it is a very simple beast.
Some guidelines that we follow (from Scan Marine and others) that should help keep it working properly are:
1. Use Kleen Heat fuel (synthetic) - burns super clean to reduce carbon build up
2. Start and shutdown the Wallas on the highest setting (we just leave it there with the exception of sometimes running it as a heater on lower settings).
3. Do not interrupt power to the unit while it is cycling. The processor automatically cycles the heater on and off in order to minimize carbonization of the burner and to optimize efficiency.
4. Make certain that it is wired to the Starting battery (through the correct fuse). I use a voltage monitor to ensure that the voltage to the Wallas is at least 11.5 under start up load. This should be no problem normally, but if you need to, you can start your engine and let it run while the Wallas cycles up. It draws 10-12 amps for a short period during start up and then the current draw is very low. I am going from memory, so you may want to look at my Power Consumption chart in the C Eagle album to confirm.

You can get a copy of the users manual for your Wallas at this URL: http://www.scanmarineusa.com/operations_manuals.asp if you want a hardcopy.

I will make a copy of the manual and send it to you if you cannot get one from Scan Marine.

Hope this helps......

Rolling Eyes

doc · Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 5:04 am Post subject:

Jay, I am having exactly the same issue as I speak. Of course we are supposed to be heading out for Elfin Cove in the morning but now have to trouble shoot the Wallas as I try to use it for the first time this year. I quit for the night but will venture forth again in the morning. If all fails, I will have to buy a standby stove/heat source for the trip. Let us know if its still working. Steve

Pat Anderson · Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 9:31 am Post subject:

I maintain there are only two kinds of Wallas owners: those who have had problems, and those who are going to. We had one on our 22, and have one on our 25. They are great when they work, and really difficult to deal with when they don't. According to Scan Marine, they need periodic service, cleaning the fuel chamber and replacing the glow plug. If the circuit board goes bad, it has to be replaced ($590), they do not repair them. We had ours to Scan Marine a short time ago, and got it back in the boat just before Friday Harbor last weekend. After reinstalling, it would go into its startup mode and pump fuel, but the fuel would get just so far up and then run back down, and the unit would go into shutdown mode. The culprit there was the connection between the fuel line and the fuel pump, it has to be REALLY tight. Then it would pump the fuel and it would stay up, but never get all the way to the Wallas. The fix this time (thanks to John Livingston) is that between every startup when you are trying to get it back into service, you have to disconnect the power for a full reset. This is one cranky little unit with a lot of "tricks" and very poor documentation. The best, as you have seen, is the manual Tom and Renae put together here. although I don't believe it mentions the need for the full reset when trying to get it going again after disconnecting the fuel line (or maybe they didn't disconnect the fuel line). If I were starting from scratch again, I would go with something simpler, no question about it.

jkidd · Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 10:19 am Post subject:

I did get the manuals with mine, in them it says if during a startup there is a failure it will shutdown and flash the lights. To fix it you need to remove the power wire to the stove and connect it backup up. This resets the Circuit board and it should startup like normal. Scanmarine told me that the biggest problem is if you turn off power while it is in a cool down cycle it will cause this to happen. Since I started following that I haven't had it do this. I was shuting it down and then turning off my battery switches too soon for it to finish the cool down. Hope this helps.

flapbreaker · Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 2:42 pm Post subject:

Jay,

Just a thought, was there anything blocking the exhaust port on the outside of the boat? Not sure what happens when you do that but I imagine it would over heat the wallas. Just something to check.

breausaw · Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 3:13 pm Post subject:

breausaw · Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 3:19 pm Post subject:

breausaw · Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 6:35 pm Post subject: will keep using ULSD

After having an additional conversation with Scan Marine think I'll stick to using Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) from the pump. It has a much longer shelf life then KleenHeat and burns as clean, plus produces more BTUs. Some marinas still have the old diesel so gas stations are the only reliable place to buy ULSD. My stove produces no smell at all since I dumped the old kerosene from the tank-which had probable gone stale over the winter- and replace with fresh ULSD.
The big problem they see with using off the shelf products is you don’t know when they were produced most of the time, and at 10 bucks a gallon for KleenHeat ULSD is a bargain over the long term.
Scan Marine’s opinions not mine.
If KleenHeat is working for you I’m not advocating that you change, but feel content in knowing that ULSD is a fine product to use with our Wallas stoves.

Alasgun · Guest

Remember your Boy Scout Motto? Be Prepared! Lots written here about the woes but nothing for a trip saver. (short term fix)

There are a ton of small stoves on the market that serve very well, I carry the whisperlite from my bygone days as a sheep hunter. Boils water in under 3 min, burns about anything, is very compact and easily stored.

Mike

Pat Anderson · Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 8:01 pm Post subject: Re: Wallas on the fritz

We used to carry a one burner butane stove, now carry a Coleman Fold 'n Go two burner propane stove, the one with round burners that fold up like a clamshell. We use it a lot even when the Wallas is working fine, it is just quicker to boil water out on the cockpit and doesn't heat up the cabin on hot days. That covers cooking. We also carry a Mr. Heater Buddy propane heater. So we are prepared, but obviously we need the Wallas to be functional, and for the price, you should not have to carry backups for both cooking and heating!