20dauntless
New member
Scan Marine recommended running regular pump diesel in my 85DU. They said Kerosene has a shorter shelf life and the quality can be variable. Pump diesel, especially the new low sulfur variant from a high volume station, is apparently the best bet.
Bob, I think you've hit the nail on the head. Few people start threads about how perfectly their Wallas (or other piece of equipment) runs. We tend to take for granted that equipment will work and become frustrated when it doesn't and then post to forums like this to figure out solutions and prevent future problems.
Like all mechanical equipment, the Wallas is prone to (hopefully occasional) failure and needs periodic maintenance. From what I've read elsewhere, it seems all the forced air diesel heating systems occasionally fail and need periodic maintenance, just like the Wallas. The question is if the Wallas is less reliable than other alternatives, and I can't find any statistically significant data one way or the other. My bet is there are more Wallas combo stove/heaters in C-Dory's than any other boat and more active owners online here than anywhere else. Naturally there'd also be more failures reported here.
For now the Wallas is staying on the boat, but I'll carry camping and/or backpacking equipment along for backup. I'm also going to buy some spare Wallas parts to keep on the boat. When it failed last week I was able to take apart and reassemble most of the stove with no real instruction or guidance. In the future I hope to be able to take apart the whole thing, clean the burner, and replace parts if necessary while on the boat. I don't think it will be too difficult.
Now, if it fails again in the next few hundred hours, its gone forever and I'll get something else installed. But one failure and $235 in maintenance/repair costs in close to four years of ownership (even if it wasn't run all that much) doesn't seem too out of line.
I'm heading back up to the San Juans tomorrow to give it a thorough multi-day test. Naturally it's forecast to be blowing a gale again and raining sideways...wish me luck!
Bob, I think you've hit the nail on the head. Few people start threads about how perfectly their Wallas (or other piece of equipment) runs. We tend to take for granted that equipment will work and become frustrated when it doesn't and then post to forums like this to figure out solutions and prevent future problems.
Like all mechanical equipment, the Wallas is prone to (hopefully occasional) failure and needs periodic maintenance. From what I've read elsewhere, it seems all the forced air diesel heating systems occasionally fail and need periodic maintenance, just like the Wallas. The question is if the Wallas is less reliable than other alternatives, and I can't find any statistically significant data one way or the other. My bet is there are more Wallas combo stove/heaters in C-Dory's than any other boat and more active owners online here than anywhere else. Naturally there'd also be more failures reported here.
For now the Wallas is staying on the boat, but I'll carry camping and/or backpacking equipment along for backup. I'm also going to buy some spare Wallas parts to keep on the boat. When it failed last week I was able to take apart and reassemble most of the stove with no real instruction or guidance. In the future I hope to be able to take apart the whole thing, clean the burner, and replace parts if necessary while on the boat. I don't think it will be too difficult.
Now, if it fails again in the next few hundred hours, its gone forever and I'll get something else installed. But one failure and $235 in maintenance/repair costs in close to four years of ownership (even if it wasn't run all that much) doesn't seem too out of line.
I'm heading back up to the San Juans tomorrow to give it a thorough multi-day test. Naturally it's forecast to be blowing a gale again and raining sideways...wish me luck!
