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Showing content with the highest reputation on 27/08/18 in all areas

  1. I never hear anyone complaining about the noise of my vintage engine i never hear anyone complaining I never hear pardon friday
    5 points
  2. There is no need to feel guilty. Running engines to heat water and charge batteries is normal, and sometimes we don't want to move. Worse things happen. Our engines will sound much better than my banjo practice, traffic and train noise. Rog
    4 points
  3. Had a transit van on bridge 32 of the L+L last year. Driver ignored red lights and kept coming. He stopped on the bridge with both barriers down hurling abuse at me. I spotted a police car in the queue behind him so I called the PC over. White van man was later prosecuted for failing to conform to a red traffic signal. Yeah !!!!
    4 points
  4. This post cannot be displayed because it is in a forum which requires at least 10 posts to view.
  5. Yesterday I cruised for over two hours in pouring rain which topped the batteries up. I passed dozens of solar boats moored up, in the dry, running their engines cos solar provided zilch. The rule seems to be 'I hate running engines ... unless it's mine'. As I said, there's no need to feel guilty, it's what boaters do to have hot water and electric. Boaters will understand Rog
    3 points
  6. Of course they have gone down in price. All fantastic bits of kit fall in price when in great demand!! ?
    2 points
  7. Oh no. Don't go with my advice. Nobody ever does. If it all goes horribly wrong, blame dr bob, otherwise it was my idea.
    2 points
  8. I'm not too sure how many you can get on a squirrel, would think that when the squirrel's legs start to get bandy, you've gone too far. You should get a vet's doc's advice. Think we'll go for Rusty's suggestion... thanks again Rusty! I might get this one for Christmas too
    2 points
  9. https://www.fluesystems.com/shop/baby-equaliser-stove-fan.html @Dr Bob said they are brilliant, he's a doctor. I listened to the doctors advise. It goes round, and i paid more than 22 quid, but not yet convinced it works. The supplier is also good.
    2 points
  10. Thought I’d give an update now it’s been over 6 months since I fitted the 4x new US2200 batteries. Just to say, the batteries are performing very well. As time has passed, they have actually got better. We’ve replaced the 240v fridge with a 12v Inlander and added another 100w solar (total now 400w) and beefed up the solar controller to battery cables. All I can say is that the previous woes of the 4x Halfords 115ahr are over. Over the summer, I’ve not needed to run the engine unless I need hot water when moored up for a few days. Even with the Mikuni running (it’s getting cooler now), inverter on and everything charging (phones,iPad etc), I’ve never seen the battery voltage drop below 12.25 volts under load. Even with a whole evenings TV (240v), the batteries never read below 12.4 in the morning. Any, suffice to say, they done the job for our boat. Hope this helps anyone thinking about fitting US2200 batteries. Yes, I know T105’s are very popular too but I chose US2200 as like to be a bit differently.
    2 points
  11. You know we had that business of teapots on top of boats as some sort of code a couple years back? Maybe we could agree something similar to mean “I’m a grumpy sod so don’t moor near me, run your engine in my hearing or work my locks for me”. Suggestions for what it should be? Maybe a guzunder, decorated or not as preferred, to mean p*ss off!
    2 points
  12. There's only one manifold gasket, it spans all five ports
    2 points
  13. Happened to me on the L&L s few years ago. Lady driver in 4-track drove past the warning lights as the barriers dropped. Stuck between the barriers I just carried on swinging the bridge, much to the amusement of the other drivers. Didn't get eye contact for so,me reason?
    2 points
  14. Swerving off at a tangent Dr Bob, I often see your "LiFePo4" written as "LiFeP04", i.e. with a zero instead of a letter O. Being a chemist I imagine you are writing it correctly. Even my indolent google and perusal of the periodic table has failed failed to answer this question for me. And while I'm on, and you being a chemist, I have this prescription from my doctor, are you open today?
    2 points
  15. This all depends on wether you are a hobby boater or not. Hobby boaters make use of all such stuff in their home much the same as liveaboards who are in their boat home. We never ever run our engine outside permitted hours but need leccy like people in houses and don't live like Fred and Wilma Flintsone. Perhaps we liveaboards should have a banner proclaiming us as such so hobby boaters are forewarned? Ahh so that's why you keep knackering your batteries then Mike ?
    2 points
  16. The old Housing benefit system was a local system with local knowledge and local responsibility. There was access through your councillor. The new system has none of these features and is bound to fail, or at least fail its claimants.
    2 points
  17. Oxfordshire Narrowboats are particularly well situated between locks, about a mile one way and a mile and a quarter the other way. Whoever does the first show out north, goes to the lock to do lock demos for all the northbound boats and whoever does the first show out south does the same for boats in that direction. They rest of the show outs are given steering tuition to the first bridge and then sent on their merry way to the lock, the guy doing the show out then walks back to base to do another show out. all customers are sent by email a copy of our hand book and a link to the CRT boating video. On check in they are asked if they have read and understood the hand book and sign in to say that they have, or asked to read it then sign. they are then shown through how every thing on the boat works, given a demos on how to tie up etc and boat handling tuition whilst underway. whilst 70-80% of customers do what is told to them the rest seem to think they know better. Many boats come back to Heyford for their last night, as they are due back at 8:30-9:00am; when I walk the dog of an evening it is quite unbelievable how many of them are using bow, stern and centre lines to moor up; with ropes at 90% to the boat instead of the 45% they were instructed to do and with ropes tied to the mooring pins instead of going around the pin and tying to the boat, again as instructed. Often this is done next to Armco railing with the nappy pins left in the lockers. So whilst some may say certain hire boat companies don't do enough training you also need to realise that some people don't or won't listen and a vast proportion of people are so terminally thick that is a miracle we ever managed to climb out of the Stone Age
    2 points
  18. Hello, Below I will post progress pics of my widebeam project which I have been working on and off for a few months now in between work. This is my second boat project after selling my last one Before Pics Works Began Fitted diesel stove with back boiler to supply 2 x double radiators & towel rail Modifying pipework behind bathroom wall to re locate towel rail & H&C for basin, wall so thin I could not use push fits so soldering required Back boiler flow & returns bent in 22mm copper 6mm mdf panelling Hand made interior doors building a door frame to separate the sleeping area new staircase, this is fitted on hinges so It can be tilted back for more storage laminate flooring Kitchen Area integrated fridge & washing machine Control panel wiring removed so it can all be housed inside a wall unit. Finished article 2 days later! Sink & breakfast bar Wall units on floor so worktop overhangs for breakfast bar Routing worktop bolts Worktops oiled Bathroom Existing bathroom Metro tiling on opposite wall with tails for new towel rail Tiled half way with towel rail fitted Shower area tiling new shower enclosure & mixer bar fitted 6mm ply glued to existing floor ready for new vinyl to be laid Finally decided on a floor after pulling up the wood I had laid! Bedroom Wardrobes Fitting 6mm panelling on exterior of wardrobe doors & new handles New stairs being made
    1 point
  19. This post cannot be displayed because it is in a forum which requires at least 10 posts to view.
  20. We came down the flight a few days ago during the early rush at 0900 - I thanked the volockie for opening both locks to clear the queue. Two CRT guys then gave him some grief for not consulting them first - he gave a spirited rebuttal along the lines that they were not there at the time?
    1 point
  21. Yep its because ..... wait for it... they dont work. Our bulkhead is 9 feet from the fire. Our bed is against the bulkhead. It was cold. we bought an eco fan. It turned at speed. No change. Looked at wind pattern with smoke. It stops 4 feet from stove. All fan does is turn heat into bearing noise. The floodgates are open. Eco fan myths abound. Time to book flights back to australia.
    1 point
  22. Blimey, just seen the price down from £74.40 to £22.32 - like you said a steel!
    1 point
  23. We have a four blade fan that came free with our hobbit stove, I think the more blades the better.
    1 point
  24. LiFePO4 Put sub and /sub in square brackets before and after the 4. So {sub}4{/sub} except with square brackets. It’s far more effective to use your tongue.
    1 point
  25. Eeeeeee what are you like you unbelievers!
    1 point
  26. Don't listen to Roland. You simply need the latest chocolate one. Together with a chocolate fire guard you then keep very warm and very safe.
    1 point
  27. well dogless i am sure we can get away with to banjos ,,image over 200 of them .thats where mr is heading for this weekend ,i wonder how many engines would you need to run to drown out that lot ..lol.
    1 point
  28. Thanks For the input. I like the fact you don't even know what make they are ? The only reason I know mine are still fitted is the wife is at present watching telly so mine must still be there ?
    1 point
  29. 's probably as broad as it's long. I fitted my 4 AGM batteries in 2013 and, as you say they are probably twice the price of cheapo batteries but, at 5 years and still OK (tempting fate once again) they've lasted just over twice as long as your flas seem to do (if you say you get two years out of them). I tend to try to keep mine fairly well charged as a liveaboard but I'm pretty much permanently off grid. Don't know if that helps. ETA I haven't even looked at the batteries since they were fitted, I don't even know what make they are.
    1 point
  30. I've always called them "midday" and "midnight", seems to prevent confusion ☺"
    1 point
  31. I like the old Logo of the C&RT and the British waterways, so I got on the scroll saw and cut these. Looks better than the old brittle plastic wallet that stuck on the window at the moment.
    1 point
  32. Not a chemist, though my father was. Lithium Iron Phosphate - LiFePO(subscript)4 is how it should be written. But I haven't worked out how to get the subscript
    1 point
  33. I suppose I'm a hobby boater as my liveaboard days were twenty years back. Hot water and fridge run silently on gas, 9" TV doesn't eat much battery and new LED lights even less. Hobby boaters shouldn't need to run their engines anyway, they should be out cruising about charging their batteries, not sitting under a tree for ages running their washing machines. I only really object to engines running when they poison me with fumes. Musicians tend to get irritated by outside noise, especially stuff with an irregular beat - old trad engines nearly drive me insane. So I find it disturbing, but I've got the choice of staying and putting up with it or, luckily, I've got an engine and can bugger off. I'm not denying anyone the right to run the damn things within the usual hours, it's my own reaction that's the annoying thing. Gareth was probably hearing the noise from Creamfields Festival at Daresbury - apparently it was annoying everyone in Northwich too.
    1 point
  34. Just remembered Victron do something similar..... how ever it’s input is 7amps from car/solar or 3amps from mains, so not a great improvement. https://www.victronenergy.com/batteries/peak-power-pack just re-read you can fast charge via a battery charger on one of the inputs to 40amp. So it may be what your looking for?
    1 point
  35. Bizzard started it by talking about pins and effergies ?
    1 point
  36. Strange thing to say? Re read your own posts at # 16 and # 24. Between 8am and 8pm you are welcome to run your engine when moored near me. It's part and parcel of boating. Rog
    1 point
  37. Knocked this up with an old ladder and two fancy lockable hinges.
    1 point
  38. I get people knocking on the boat complaining that I turned the Kelvin OFF. "Hey mate, I was enjoying listening to your engine, why you turn it OFF?!"
    1 point
  39. Running engines is a regrettable part of boating life for those who are not hurtling around the system everyday. Solar is not reliable enough in this country .Modern engines are not that noisy and is a steady constant noise .The worst is the Generator which ramps up and down as load changes these tend to be sat out in the open .The so called trad engine is far noisier but who will complain about that noise.
    1 point
  40. This post cannot be displayed because it is in a forum which requires at least 10 posts to view.
  41. Not in my case. I leave the microwave in the boot of the car (only use it when we're in the marina) and cooking is gas. We also opted not to use the 24" TV and DVD player last night to save a few AHs. The batteries were only needed to power a coup!e of LED lights, the water pump and, most importantly, the 12v fridge. Don't want my sausages from https://thepigplace.co.uk going off!
    1 point
  42. Just out of curiosity, when you heard the other engines being run, why didn't you run yours at the same time? If everybody did the same you'd achieve your ideal result.
    1 point
  43. Ah shirley lift bridge. Loads of fun. We usually get stuck on the black bin bags on the way in or out. This promotes witty refrain from the local mumsies like, cant you move? i need to get to the school? you are in the way...( state the bleedin obvious) my normal response is Friday, no, or ‘ ... ‘ off Koko , none of which they understand. When we finaly get off their rubbish on the bottom of the canal , and try to get the barriers sorted out there is a grand prix start, to attempt to kill the bridge operator. one day this resulted in a minor head on. finally they charge off either to yoga to relax, or to the gym to reduce their weight, or to work to pay off part of the lease depreciation on their wange wover. Solihull its a new world out there. And then there are the local white van drivers. Proof that Darwin was wrong.
    1 point
  44. Ah, I see - I always sail early from those because there always seems to be folk running their engines...
    1 point
  45. Do you score points for the length of the queue (double for 4x4's)? We do at the lift bride at Wrenbury ! I am the champion at the moment with 4 cars,1 white van ,a bus AND the bin lorry ! Also at the same bridge I had a cyclist try to run the lights ....he came to a rather undignified halt ?
    1 point
  46. Or even just charged them when we were cruising and bothered no-one?
    1 point
  47. Through the side of the hull, silly.
    1 point
  48. Don't you just love it when a car driver sitting at the barrier asks the bridge operator "Are you going to be long?". The correct answer is "About 48 feet" [or whatever applies to your particular boat].
    1 point
  49. This post cannot be displayed because it is in a forum which requires at least 10 posts to view.
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