Wallas oven install - Narrowboat
We bought our 45ft sailaway narrow boat in September 2018. We were keen to avoid the risks and installation hassle of gas cooking appliances. The original plan was for electric cooking but we soon realized that even with a biggish 500amp/hour battery bank an electric oven was not viable. We did though Install a Siemens 2 ring induction hob which has a power reduction setting that allows it to draw as low as 1500W maximum. This works well as a hob.
The options for a diesel oven install are limited and we soon settled on the Wallas 86D oven. Although it is expensive it comes from a well regarded manufacturer and is imported by Kuranda UK Ltd who are near to us and who provided fantastic levels of support that meant I was able to carry out the Wallas Oven Install with ease.
We had specified an extra 6mm diesel fuel line when Yardarm was built because we had originally intended to fit a diesel stove. We changed our mind about the stove but were able to use the line for the Wallas oven install. This fuel line was reduced to 1/8 diameter pipe then connected to the Wallas solenoid fuel shut off then through their filter then into the back of the oven.
The control panel is mounted on a bulkhead and the electric supply can come direct from the leisure batteries or, as we did, from the main fuse board where there was a spare 16A MCB.
The oven sits within a carcass built from birch ply. This was lined with stainless steel sheet which was cut to size with a knife and screwed onto the ply. There is a gap of 10mm all around. To make the oven look more integrated we fitted a frame of 20mm stainless steel box section onto the carcass edges.
The ventilation requirements are quite simple and because the oven vents externally the BSS calculations for ventilation are low stress. There is a large space behind the oven as it is only 45cm deep and we cut a vent into the worktop above to allow excess heat to escape. The oven does produce significant heat from its back and we were careful that the vent matched the 100cm2 specified.
Fitting the flue was probable the trickiest bit as the low profile external flange flue could not sit perfectly vertically inside because of the gunwale. A compromise was reached and the external flue was connected to the oven with flexible metal tubing.
The oven performs very well. It heats up to 150 degrees in 25 minutes, 200 degrees in 35 minutes and 250 degrees in 50 minutes. The fans and pump do make some background noise but this lessens to a very quiet ticking sound once the oven is up to temperature.
The only disappointment is with the door mechanism which is a bit rustic in its finish inside, is a little stiff, and lacks the insulation that we’ve come to expect from domestic oven doors.
Overall the Wallas is excellent solution for us and with custom front frame it looks smart and integrated.
Thank you to Steve Hastings for providing us with his account of choosing and self-installing the Wallas 86D diesel oven into his narrowboat – Yardarm.
If you are considering the Wallas diesel cooking options for your boatand would like to discuss in detail then please do call us on 01663 734800.