lesrollins

The batteries are not the sealed type. If looked after how many years could you get from them and what about carbon fibre batteries.

As new liveaboards we seem to be running the engine everyday for about 4 - 5 hours to keep the batteries topped up. We have got a 12 volt tv, fridge, led lights, pumps etc. So its not what I would call an heavy drain on the batteries. There are three 220ah batteries so more than enough. The boat is about 7 yrs old but stood on the bank unused since october 2010. I don,t know how old the batteries are and how well they had been maintained before hand. Since owning the boat I have checked the levels every week and topped them up when needed. The batteries are elecsol as anyone heard of them before and are they any good. I would like to stick with these type of batteries if possible to save me adjusting the container where they sit. Reading on the net they are priced at around 230-250 and have a five year warranty. They do a carbon fibre battery a little more expensive but with a seven year warranty. What are carbon fibre batteries like. And if I had to change the dimensions of the battery box what would be a good alternative battery. Thanx

Thanks for all the information, the engine is fitted with twin alternators one 45amp and the other 95 amp. I was thinking of a smart gauge as an upgrade from a voltmeter when I get new batteries, at around £150 it is pricey but the idea was to look after the new set of batteries better. Or would adding an ammeter to the voltmeter do the same job and keep the price down.

I would like to replace my volt meter with a smart gauge, I have a bank of 3 x 220a bateries which are all connected and a 90a starter battery which as its own connections. Do I need a smartbank as well as a smartgauge and when I disconnect the volt meter can I use the wires as feed to the smartgauge. Is a smartgauge a good thing to have. Thanks

Keep a folder with all your receipts in wh.at you spend on the boat. i have also put the engine hours on any engine receipts oil, filters etc. at least if and when you sell the boat you have some sort of record to show. and think of the money you will save, when i first had my boat i got the brokerage to give it a service. oil, oil filter, air filter, fuel filter and change all the belts £285 thank you very much.

Any views on the bubble range ?

Agreed thats why i thought karndean might be a better option would be nice to see how it would handle around the fire area. especially if you had something drop off the fire i suppose with karndean being a glorified vinyl you wouldn,t have much time before it would easily damage it.

I think the problem with laminate flooring you need a expansion gap around the sides and unless you can hide it under the skirting etc. Beading doesn,t look to good imo

What size kw multi fuel fire would i need on a 70ft narrowboat and are there any goods brands to go for and any to stay away from.

Did you use any special glues with the karndean flooring. I would like to fit it into my boat which as carpet at the moment. My sister had it done in her house but that went onto a concerete floor and was put down by someone. I like the idea of it because unlike laminate and wooden flooring the depth of it would be next to nothing and you do not have to leave any expansion gaps. How would it cope in front of an hot fire.

Hello to all We have recently sold the house and brought a narrowboat been on it for about five weeks now and enjoying it. Can anyone help regarding a fire change. At the moment we are running a bubble oil stove which puts out about 4kw, radiators and hot water is supplied by a mikuni boiler and the engine also supplies the hot water. The mikuni is situated in the back with the engine there are two pipes {flow and return} from the boiler which then come into the galley and then are tee d off down both sides of the boat, one side as 4 radiators with there own flow and return the other side provides two towel radiators and the califior again with there own flow and return. The question. I would like to take out the corner bubble oil stove and replace it with a corner bubble multistove with a back boiler which puts out about 5kw. Would I be able to take the flow and return from the closest radiator to the fire and connect them to the backboiler on the fire. Will the fire run 6 radiators okay Would I need to put a seperate 12v pump in the circuit. I could close the flow and return pipes to the boiler, it would still provide a circuit because of the way it as been tee d off when it enters the galley. The header tank is in a cupboard in the galley so would not be effected if i closed the pipes to the boiler. If I had to fit another 12v pump how would it be effected if I neede to use the mikuni boiler. Thanks

What about karndean or engineered flooring is moisture/humidity a problem to any flooring as a narrowboat would differ from time to time

The water levels are okay i have already checked that. i will take a look under the cover perhaps tommorow so i will be able to say what i find

There are two 90 amp batteries with there own isolation switch fitted in the bow of the boat next to the bt. where is the relay fitted so i can check that. is it under the large round cap on top of the bt or is it in the small box on the side of the bt.

When we picked our second hand boat up last week the bow thrusters were working fine, now when the button is operated for the thrusters it just makes a clicking sound what do i look for. cheers

Whats the best material and easiest material to look after for cratch covers. is it pvc or acrylic cheers

Thanks i will try it

On a mikuni control panel i have got water pump, off and heating what is the water pump selection for. cheers

Never had a survey the boat is 2005 so its nealy 7yrs old. Its been out of the water since sept 2010 so about 15 months and the engine as done about 600 hrs. So its spent about 5 1/2 years in use. It was already blacked I couldn,t see any pitting, it didn,t show any signs on the hull of scrapping or bumping. Its a good straight clean hull showing no signs of abuse. It just makes me wonder if they have carried out the full engine service I have asked them to do.

Hi Les Two colours? Have got the Middle Green, what was the other colour? We don’t necessarily show customers actual workings on second hand boats as such. It depends how far you want to go with this, there is a hand book for all equipment and obviously you can take your time to go through everything on Friday so as not to rush. Well thanks for your help and here is a copy of the email I will name and shame them after Friday if I do not get a little bit of advice. I,m not totaly green as regards engines, electrics and I have managed to do most jobs around the house but I thought it would of been nice to be shown how things work on the boat as it is the first time we have had one. If we didn,t both like the boat so much we would of give up on it. But the keys to the house are being handed in and a deposit as already gone down on the boat and the rest of the boat will be paid on Friday. Its a shame that the brokers have such an atitude towards there customers even thou they are selling the boat for someone else. Boating is new to us nothing like jumping in feet first.

Getting ready to get the new/secondhand boat on Friday just asked the brokers if there will be anyone around to show us around the boat to see how things work inverter, pumps etc as this is the first time we have owned a boat. But they said that they don,t show people the workings of a secondhand boat and there are manuals on board. Any advice about how things work will I need to put anything into the radiator system when filling it back up will it be a sealed unit, does the system fill up when filling the main water tank or does it need filling seperate. Will the pumps to the sink shower etc work automatic or will they need to be used by a seperate switch when emptying Will the invertor need to be switched over from batteries to mains when running the engine Anything else I might need to know. Cheers

Why not get one of the unlimited internet phone offers from three and then tether it to a laptop, that way you can have all the internet you need.

Its going to be Friday 2nd March or Monday 5th March. The keys to the house will be through the estate agents door at 7.00am Friday morning then its a trip up to Stoke. I have just brought an anchor, chain and rope just in case