Running Wallas Underway?

In case anyone's interested, I made the following measurements tonight. I placed a small black anodized aluminum plate (about 2" square and about 1/16" thick) flat on top of the stove and measured its temperature using a handheld infrared thermometer. I had the stove running with the control knob set at the 9 o'clock position, which is moderately low.

The plate quickly stabilized at 380 deg F centered on the cooler side of the stove. I moved it to the center of the 'hot' side and it immediately went above the 500 deg F limit of my meter. Back on the cooler side, I turned the knob up to about 12 o'clock and soon the plate was a little over 400 deg F. Moving it off the the rear corner on the cool side dropped the reading to around 280 F. I didn't do much investigating beyond that. I was mostly interested in figuring out which EcoFan I might want to order. I think the basic inexpensive one, built for higher temperatures, is appropriate here. The cooler range model, for gas stoves, isn't needed and it costs more money anyway.

With the knob at 9 o'clock I could just barely see the red glow under the hot side with the cabin very dark. At the 12 o'clock position it was much easier to see the glow, but it was no where near the bright glow you get with the knob dialed up to maximum warp drive.....

People have been commenting on turning the knob to high when switching off to help burn off the fuel faster, but I've turned it off with the knob set lower and I hear what I think is the stove spooling itself up to a higher heat mode anyway during the shut down cycle. I think it's taking care of things quickly by itself. That's probably why the manual says it doesn't matter where the knob is set during shutdown.

They just recommend having it on high during startup, at least until you get the steady red light.

This is what an engineer does for fun when left unsupervised.....

Jeff
 
I have always started and shut down in the high position. I am puzzled by something mentioned earlier about squeezing the tank to "prime" the pump. I am pretty sure my tank is vented so I don't see what good squeezing the tank would do?
 
My experience is the same as Dan's. In high winds on the starboard side, the wind pressure forces fumes back up the exhaust. I have also experienced some waves that covered the exhuast port with water while under way. That got my attention. I hear it through the sink drain all the time but the Wallas port is a little higher. Now when I hear the sink drain being submerged, I shut down the Wallas, change my angle of approach on waves, or turn around. In some cases it is all the above.

We also need to observe and note a completely straight post from Dogon Dory. Dan you're slipping. I had to have hurt the polar bears somehow by exhausting my Wallas into the pristine waters of Prince William Sound if only for a second or two.
 
I use mine underway, at the dock, on the trailer, in the winter, in the summer, just about all the time. It is great. I think the majority of the problems associated with Wallas stoves is they are not used enough, for a long enough duration to stay clean. I love mine and I think it works great for what it is.
 
Home Depot has them on sale online now for $47 for the basic model. $58.55 including tax and shipping to SoCal. It's shipping from Las Vegas.

They have another model listed, but it's out of stock. Maybe it could be ordered, though.

Jeff
 
Re: Squeezing the fuel bottle - mine shrinks and buckles as fuel is used, so the vent is prob not working well.

My problem, I think, is that sometimes the pump loses it's prime. Squeezing the 2/3 empty bottle raises the liquid level so the pump does not have so much head. On one occasion, I lifted the fuel bottle up to help get flow started.

I am not a detailed expert, just a frequent user, and these were my superficial observatons.

I do appreciate the engineer's thermal analysis! Amazingly different temperature ranges in different areas.

John
 
jlastofka":wy8fd9mc said:
Home Depot has them on sale online now for $47 for the basic model. $58.55 including tax and shipping to SoCal. It's shipping from Las Vegas.

They have another model listed, but it's out of stock. Maybe it could be ordered, though.

Jeff
Click to expand...

In case anyone missed that post, this is a HOT deal! We just ordered one. Thank you, Jeff, for bringing this to our attention! :thup

Brent and Dixie loaned us their EcoFan last summer when we went to Desolation Sound... and we used it most mornings and several evenings. Certainly it is more quiet than the regular Wallas fan, but it also uses no electricity and allows you to heat and cook at the same time. I meant to buy one, but without any cold weather to jog my memory, it wasn't on the "front burner." :wink

This deal was too good to pass up. The sale is good through March 26 - online only; we stopped at the closest Home Depot when we went to the TWIC office, and they had never heard of an EcoFan.

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
I just tried to order an Ecofan from Home Depot. Guess what, Alaska is not a state they will ship to. At that point, I called their toll free number to ask for an explanation. It was quite simple, Home Depot does not ship to Alaska in spite of the fact they have 6 stores in the state. I was free to try to order from their international department, and they would ship to Alaska.

As far as Home Depot is concerned we are not part of the US. Does that mean we can drill in ANWR now?
 
Geez, Tom - bummer. You of course have other advantages in Alaska, like all the fish you can catch and eat, free money, and all that. We just ordered our Ecofan, Home Depot does ship to Washington State. :lol:
 
I have ordered 3 Ecofans from Cabelas, and I suspect that they will not have a problem shipping to Alaska. The dogone things are made in Canada, so one could always go to the manufacturer.

Oh wait, I just stole Dan's moniker. Make that the blasted things. :oops:
 
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