jonathanA

they just get wet.... even as standard the 'wading depth' of a typical defender is quoted as something like 2ft... the first 90 I had some years ago had a 'wading plug' that you were supposed to fit to stop water getting into the cam belt housing - don't recall ever even seeing it or fitting it... I also had a v8 engined defender and that used to wade in deep water quite happlily although once during a very ambitious wading attempt the engine cut out in a very big and deep 'puddle' and I had to resort to squirting Wd on the ht leads to get it going again... never had any issue with starters or alternators - other bits falling off /not working but nothing to do with deep water as I recall....

thats certainly the case for the 'fixed wiring' but isn't the case for telephone extension leads or 'patch cords' Telephone extension leads are generaly flex of some sort, the better ones being more robust (and flexible). the most likely problems here are: problem at any connectors (line jacks) particularly if they are exposed to the damp, faliure of the micro filter (you can run without one especially if you re not actually using the landline for phone calls) or break down of the 'extension lead' either physical damage ( coming through window/door for instance) or repeated flexing breaking the insulation or conductors If the router has a wireless capability I would try plugging it straight into the BT socket and seeing how it works to prove the ADSL service/router then add the extension leads /filter

I love cats .... they taste just like chicken... <COAT>

I too have never had any problem with tar either coming back down the chimney or leaching through the brickwork/plaster and one of my previous houses was a 19th century brick/stone terrace on 3 floors with 6 open fireplaces ! Which were the only form of heating until i fitted gas central heating. I guess I'm slightly sceptical that the people who tell us we need liners, we'll have problems with tar/chimney fires etc are the same people generally, that have a vested interest in making these things seem complex and dangerous... When a good bit of common sense is whats needed (plenty on this post - thanks) I'd be changing the stove myself except I want the certificate as there is a possibility of needing to rent out the property...

yes I must admit to having some difficulty with this business of liners. I can see why in the 70's when a lot of people converted from open fires to gas fires there might have been a problem, but I'm confused why houses that have had open fires/ranges/stoves at the bottom of stone/brick chimneys for years and years suddenly need these lining.... been no mention of needing a liner so far, but i think although its a brick chimney about 60 years old it might have a clay pipe liner - will have to shine a torch up I suppose...

thanks useful info. LOL - yes might have £300 cash but 'have' to write a cheque for £350...

thanks all rang 3 he was the only one who turned up.... Martin - thanks for the link - that should help me get another quote. defintitely worth getting another quote i think.

not strictly a boat related question so i beg the forums indulgence... I'm hoping for some guidance. At home - I've been quoted £350 to have a woodburning stove removed and replaced with another stove of similiar size, but without a back boiler, so the heating pipes will have to be capped off. The chap reckons its a days job and i guess he will need to sort out the tatty short bit of flue pipe that goes into the chimney thats rusted through. He is a proper 'hetas' guy and will certify the install. Seems chuffing pricey to me but I've nothing to compare against... the £350 doesn't include the replacement stove (£100 off ebay secondhand) Thanks.

I use an oil filled rad with a timer (and stat on the heater it self) for frost protection mine was only about £25 from argos or somewhere and has a 500w or 1KW setting. you could also use the 'tube heaters' which are typically about 100w per foot of length. but I think they are quite expensive for what they are, but you can tuck them away or place them close to things you want to proect from frost. I think in your case where you want your moggie to be comfortable - an oil filled rad seems more sensible to me.

propellant solvent... the propellant on mine is my finger as I use a trigger spray gun, but even in the aerosol is either c02 or butane. the main constituent is parafin (or kerosene) and I'd be worried if parafin could dissolve the insulation on my windings... seems somewhat unlikely to me. I do think the point about WD possibly removing any remaining lubricant in the brushes etc is a fair point, so maybe a light spray of Wd to get rid of the water and duck oil to try to provide lubrication?

I didn't find the 'hit the swan neck' with big hammers method very effective. what I did (as recommended by Tony Brooks) was loosen the big nut then place metal wedges under the swan neck to lift the tiller/swan neck slightly, but not enough for the tiller to come out of the skeg cup bearing and then whack the bignut/top of the rudder stock to separate swan neck/rudder. You obviously don't want to damage the threads on the rudder stock. The round bit on the end of the swan neck on my boat was a lot bigger (38mm nut !) and hadn't moved for a long time, you might be luckier...

I can't see how it would do any harm ? the whole point of WD is to displace water...

David, if your missing that 'K&A' experience just try the L&L exactly the same issue.... although they seem to have tried managing it from either end and the middle to no avail....

I had something similiar on a Mitsubishi and the solution was a longer dip stick.... They even did a recall for the dealers to fit longer dipsticks....

I think we are in violent agreement... you pays your money and takes your choice...

we did well to get to post 35 before the inevitable... to use nicks analogy some of us are happy with £3.99 wine some are happy with £10.99 wine, me I prefer to pay £3.99 for £10.99 wine... sometimes though i only get 3.99 wine for my £3.99.... The argument about resistors vs proper regulators is fatuous. so my 'resistor' led light might use 3W (lets call that .0.25A ) and a 'proper' one might only use 1.5 W (and I'm being generous) so thats 0.125A as the comparsion is usually with a 20W halogen drawing nearly 2A its not really anywhere like significant. - 87% reduction versus 94% in other words both give about a 90% saving... ,

it looked like an exact copy of Lady Teal (albeit with 10 foot more length)... i hope they had a long conversation with Nick and Gina off the teal before investing their 'life savings' into the venture- I wish them well and whilst I think its a risky business I envy them for being able to live /work on the canals. Can't help thinking a tinge of jealousy might be behind some of the less charitable comments....

if you do a quick calculation 317 units over 3 months (317/90) gives about 3.5 units a day. assuming 1unit = 1KWh thats about 145watts an hour - so roughly the equivalent of a couple of 60 w light bulbs on all the time... Have you left anything on like a fridge ? the batteries will take a bit maybe half of that to keep them charged (assuming you have got 3 or 4 110A lesiure batteries. I'd check to see if you have left anything on like fridge/freezer/lights and see if your batteries are taking a lot of current perhaps because one or more are failing in some way ? Have you got anything like an immersion heater on a thermostat or central heating on a timer/stat that could be switching on and drawing mains or 12V power ? failing that someone else is plugged into your supply !

I've never done this on a boat but I regularly switch camping stoves, boiling rings and gas heaters from propane to butane and back again depending on what bottles i have to hand and providing you don't mix up one of the propane high pressure (1 bar) regulators with low pressure equipment there's never been a problem. I don't think insulating your bottles will help and I think it will make things worse as these types of gas bottles rely on the liquid gas turning to vapour in the bottle and this is done by effectively drawing heat out of the bottles surroundings (hence the condensation on bottles when in use). if you insulate everything no heat will get in to turn the liquid into gas. ... The usual solution is to warm up the regulator as thats usually the problem so it might be worth insulating the regulator/pipes but definitely not the bottles. I've had to use warm water on the regulator of bulk tanks before today in winter to get gas flowing... fortunately it was on land and we could use an electric kettle to get some warm water... there's no doubt you will be better off on propane which burns hotter anyway. my understanding is that calor put an additive into the (propane) gas in winter to make it less susceptible to freezing (that's what I've been told for bulk tanks anyway) Shaking the bottle and laying it on its side sometimes helps too. I should point out I'm not a 'gas safe' qualifed person I've just used a lot of 'calor' type gas equipment over many years so feel free to disregard anything I've said !

and these cost how much.... probably better to just change cheaper ones every year or two....

Latest.... worth looking at piccies - links posted at end UPDATE (06 November 2013): Further to our stoppage notice of 22 October 2013, works remain on going on site. The canal embankment has now been stabilised and the canal bed has been built up with puddle clay and liner installed to fully waterproof the canal. Rock armour protection has been laid over the liner - this can be seen on the photograph. The towpath has been reconstructed and needs the final topping and topsoil on the verge. The culvert liner has been designed and fabricated in Germany and is due to be delivered and installed next week. We hope to be in a position to re-open the canal and towpath on the 23 November 2013. A further update will be issued 20 November 2013 To view updated photos please follow this link:http://canalrivertrust.org.uk/media/library/4765.pdf ---------------------------------------------------- http://canalrivertrust.org.uk/media/library/4591.pdf http://canalrivertrust.org.uk/media/library/4508.pdf http://canalrivertrust.org.uk/media/library/4377.pdf http://canalrivertrust.org.uk/media/library/4275.pdf

well they are saying that the L&L will reopen on the 23rd november... not sure what stoppages there are further east though on the L&L over winter.

when switched on... I very much doubt they were packed vertical on the boat from china.... and certainly the ones I've bought have come in boxes with no particular orientation and one was delivered by courier...

nothing i would have thought... The most likely issue is that you will get a small current flowing to earth from live or neutral which will trip the RCD on the shore supply (or should). The other issue is that one or more of the connections will rust/corrode and then you will probably get lumpy electricity as the connection fails causing (amongst other things) flickering lights/intermittant supply until it fails completely. I usually smear grease or vaseline on the cable connections when I'm assembling these type of conenctors, but doubtless someone will come on tell me why thats a bad idea and that it contravenes some namby pamby european directive.... none of this will affect the the actual function of the GI itself, although I would want to protect the 'box' by perhaps hanging it off the bollard or putting it in a sheltered position ETA- there is a small possibility that you could get an earth connection (to the 'real' earth as in wet grass/damp soil) via the socket/cable after the GI and therefore bypass the GI. I think its highly unlikely though - but not impossible. If the GI is 'on board' where it should be, this can't happen.

so we are agreed then - your post refers to something completely different and not a waste of money.... I have to laugh that you chose to try to make your point by referring to a notorious ambulance chasers website. its scum like these people that are making the OP think he needs to try to protect himself against .. well people like that....