Oil Stoves - are they economical, efficient and provide a good heating supply?

Sorry, the float valve is the oil control valve. In at the back of the stove, inner right, but models can vary. Float is generally what they are called as they have a float inside them.

The most important part of the installation is flue & ventilation. As they are open flue natural draught appliances, it is critical to have both of these right. And if it's not commissioned properly you will have nothing but heartache with them.

My advice is to contact Murphy's in Galway as they are the main agents for Ireland. They will have a network of approved installers so they will put you in touch with somebody local to you.
Any dealings I've had with Murphy's has been excellent & very helpful.
 
The tank is raised so it should be ok regarding the float valve. We've already had a look at Murphy's showroom and we're just trying to decide between the oil stove and a solid fuel one.
 
Bottom of oil tank must be a minimum of 300mm above the float valve.

Your choice will generally be made for ease of lighting, ease of control & ease of cleaning.
Solid fuel has its merits also, great heat & nicer to look at.

Both require careful attention to flue & ventilation.
 
On the drawings it looks like the float valve is at the bottom of the stove so that should be fine. You're right, the solid fuel is definitely nicer to look at. The oil stove is completely lacking in character by comparison. That said, it looks like it will win out because of practicality.
If we get one I'll report back.
Thanks for the advice.
 
Efel Oil stove cleaning

I have an Efel in use for over 5 years now. It is very satisfactory when run on a 24/7 basis. However I have an issue with the oil flow every so often which is not solved by use of the built-in decoking rod. What happens is that the small diameter copper pipe that delivers the oil from the Toby oil regulator (which houses the float) at the back of the stove, gets clogged with gunge in the last 3 cms or so just where it joins up with the barrel section attached to the burner pot. The only way to clean this pipe is by removing it from the stove and usung a piece of wire clothes hanger or something similar to scrape out the gunge at the end that is clogged. Blowing through the pipe is also useful. I think this problem is more likely to happen after the stove has been in use for a few years and it is likely a plumber will be needed for the job.
 
I have an Efel in use for over 5 years now. It is very satisfactory when run on a 24/7 basis. However I have an issue with the oil flow every so often which is not solved by use of the built-in decoking rod. What happens is that the small diameter copper pipe that delivers the oil from the Toby oil regulator (which houses the float) at the back of the stove, gets clogged with gunge in the last 3 cms or so just where it joins up with the barrel section attached to the burner pot. The only way to clean this pipe is by removing it from the stove and usung a piece of wire clothes hanger or something similar to scrape out the gunge at the end that is clogged. Blowing through the pipe is also useful. I think this problem is more likely to happen after the stove has been in use for a few years and it is likely a plumber will be needed for the job.

This can be from two origins.
Firstly, always install a Crossland oil filter. They filter both sediment & water whereas typical gauze filters only filter sediment. The water content will attract algae growth.
Secondly, kerosene due to EU Directives has become low sulphur content. This leads to very poor burning conditions for oil vapourizing burners.

Finally, frequently check the oil tank for water content. Water naturally occurs in oil tanks. When oil tanks are low, the air air content is high within the tank. The water content in air will condense on the walls of the tank & this condensation will run down the inside of the tank. It meets the oil & as water is heavier than oil, it sink to the bottom. Depending on the location of the tank & weather parameters, with age it can develop into a serious enough quantity of water in the bottom of the tank.
If you ever clean the oil filter & find black sludge like material, this is algae & caused by the above.
You can check the water content in your tank with water detection paste. Your local service engineer will carry it & should check for you. Installing a Crossland filter can assist in keeping it from reaching your appliance.
 
Stanley Oil Stove Tara MK3
I recently had the 2016 Log effect Model installed. The glass keeps going black and the log flame effect is very dull. Does anyone else have these problems or does anyone have a suggested solution. Service man has attempted to solve problem several times.
 
As from previous posts, I had a Nestor Harmony 5 oil stove installed about three years ago. It was a replacement for a Waterford Stanley one. Worked fine as it can be ignited with electric push button switch. For some reason, switch not working. Got it serviced by registered installer. He said that it can be ignited manually until switch is replaced which could take weeks! A month after service I have turned it off as glass was sooting up and did the de-coke. Am not too confident about lighting it manually? Anybody with this type of stove got tips on this procedure?
 
Hi,

I was considering buying a solid fuel stove but was nearly talked into buying a oil stove by supplier in Galway on the basis that it would suit my lifestyle as I dont have easy access to solid fuel and no storage facilities and also that oil is actually cheaper than solid fuels. Has anybody purchased a Nestor Martin recently its the Harmony model. If so are they economical and efficient and provide a good heating supply.
Hi,
Wondering how your oil stove is holding up? I have a Nestor Martin one in my home and I've found it the worst thing I've had the displeasure of owning in my home. It's sooty, smelly, tempramental and a torture to light. I'm not sure if the wasn't properly installed, I'm doing it wrong or its just a poorly made device.
 
Hi,
I know this is a very old thread but I hope someone is still out there!
Having worked well for years, my stove has developed an issue. The installers tapped into the oil supply line, maybe 30/40 cm before the boiler. When we turn on the boiler for the central heating, it seems to be robbing the oil from the stove. For a while it was ok - the stove flame would go down but recover after once the boiler was up to temperature. However, it's become unworkable at this stage. I turned on the central heating last night and the stove quenched in a few minutes.

We did clean filters a few months ago, wondering if the line was blocked, but it wasn't so bad. Also, I don't think the line is blocked because the stove and boiler both work fine independently.

Does anyone have any ideas?
 
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