Kathymel

I have only had to log in a couple of times in three years, but the app behaves very differently on different platforms. It’s quirky to say the least. &nbsp The forum is very friendly (though there are lots of spurious posts for points to earn freebies). I’m Lockfairy if you do venture on there 😊 It was delivered from Vactan the day before.

Quite possibly. I spend a bit of my time on Renogy’s own forum. There are many things about Renogy I dislike, and I and many other members have spent much of the last couple of years complaining about them and some of their less functional kit on their forum. What you said makes me realise that, whatever their faults, at least they could never avoid owning up to multiple kit failures as a result of this. (Having slagged them off, I should probably mention they have improved a lot lately!)

The metal was at 20° when I started around 7am and appeared to be completely dry. There aren’t any deep pits for any water to be hiding in either. I used a solvent degreaser and two cloths to wipe on and wipe off (John Barnard’s technique). It’s a bit of a mystery, really. It will be interesting to see what the new bottle does. I know what you mean about trying to paint the roof. It was the first thing I set about painting several years ago. It was May, but as soon as I started it became the hottest May ever. I was having to get up at stupid o’clock, dry all the condensation and then wait for that brief window of time when I was sure everything was dry, but before it got too warm to touch. No need to apologise, I don’t mind. Any company that isn’t aware that their customers are quite likely to be talking to each other these days is a bit thick and is taking a bit of a risk lying to them 🤣 I hadn’t heard that about the post office scandal. I still find it gob smacking that, even with the volume of identical cases they had, they still blamed the postmasters.

That’s what I thought!

Had a very nice email from Andrew, the owner of Vactan this morning: “Sorry to hear you feel you are having issues with the Vactan. Firstly the product is made in 1000lit batches and we have not had any other customers concerned about the bits you see. HOWEVER Vactan is based on a naturally occurring powder called Tannic Acid and occasionally someone may receive a container with larger than normal amounts of undesolved powder impurities. We can send further material no problem if it is an issue.” Couldn’t really ask for a better response from a company, so there’s another bottle on the way.

That’s what I was using before and, I agree, it seems very similar to Vactan. I’ve tried a lot of different brands over the years and Kurust was my current favourite but I couldn’t get hold of it this time (and it’s stupidly expensive).

I did wonder if the fish eyes were the rust spots, but it didn’t behave like that all over the only large patch of rust on that section. Also, there are fish eyes on the test piece where there was no rust. I have had a couple of replies now from the woman who answers emails (not someone on the technical side of things, I’m inclined to think). The first one was to tell me the weather was too hot and it is drying too quickly (it does actually say you can apply up to 40° (which I just wouldn’t do, regardless)). I told her it was only 20° at 7 am, at which point she suggested the steel had retained heat from the day before. I told her I use a laser thermometer every time before I apply anything in this weather, but by that time she was knocking off for the weekend and will tell her director on Monday. So, I’m left with the decision of whether to start building up coats in the hope that it will be fine or leaving it until I get a response. I think I read that thread when I was trying to decide which rust converter to try next. Is it the one where the OP gets roasted? It’s been such a PITA even just getting a rust converter. None of the local big DIY stores currently sell it, so I had to get it online which caused several days delay (and a blisteringly hot 11 mile ride to the nearest DHL drop location yesterday to pick it up) and now this 🤦‍♀️ I did wonder if it was the first brush I used which was why I did a test piece with it another new but different brand brush. When that did the same, I realised the bits were in the liquid. I take your point about cleaning brushes first though – I may start doing that. I did shake it pretty well before I used it. A lot of the bits are stuck to the side and they’re not moving 🤷‍♀️ The reply above is mostly to you as well, but I forgot to hit the quote button. I bought it direct from Vactan.

Yes, it’s that one. I watched all of his vids last week 😊 The reason I didn’t go with Fertan is because it has to be washed off and the only water I have to wash it off with is diesel-contaminated canal water. The Vactan was on and dried by 7am before it got too hot. As a committed late riser, this heat is challenging in more ways than one 🤣 The paint I’m using is a bog standard polyurethane. It’ll be fine with the Vactan (so long as the Vactan is fine).

There are hundreds of tiny rust spots on that side. It was easier to paint the whole thing and it doesn’t hurt.

I’m having a problem with the Vactan I received yesterday. I have contacted them, but I don’t know how long they’re going to take to reply so I thought I’d ask on here as well. I applied it to the side of my narrowboat this morning before it got hot. The steel has had the previous paint removed (hundreds of tiny rust spots), been sanded with 60 grit and been degreased. Some of it was previously coated with Kurust which I sanded off again yesterday. This morning, I gave it a thorough wipe with a fast-drying degreaser and applied the Vactan. I used a brand-new brush fresh out of its wrapper and a clean plastic pot. I noticed immediately that there were small darker dots (like paint fisheyes) appearing all over the surface where the Vactan didn’t appear to be coating as well. Initially, I thought it might be reacting with the remains of the previously applied Kurust, but it was happening where I hadn’t applied that as well. Also, there seemed to be lots of small bits in it. In order to double check that I had done everything right, I scraped, sanded and decreased another small strip of metal and, using a different new brush and a different plastic pot I tried again. The same two things have happened. After this, I examined the remaining liquid in the pot and also the bottle and I can see scores of tiny pinkish bits floating in the liquid. At no point did I return any of the Vactan to the bottle. So, as far as the bits go, that’s a them problem. However, can anyone think of something I might have done to cause this myself. For instance, perhaps it’s the degreaser? I used UPOL system 20 S 2001/5, in case that’s the issue. The photo shows the second test patch that I coated showing the tiny fish eyes.

Sorry for the delay in replying. I’ve still got issues so I came back to read through the thread again. I’m a bit discouraged to learn that you top up the corrosion inhibitor every two years. The whole point of my using the 10 year Ford was so I wouldn’t have to worry about degrading corrosion inhibitor. Is the Ford claim that the corrosion inhibiting aspect of the coolant lasts up to 10 years not realistic?

Thanks for that. I was kind of thinking that might be the best for now until I can get to a Ford garage, but it’s good to hear someone else say it.

Sadly, no. There’s only one seller on eBay that does click and collect and they only have 1l of ready mixed left and I need more. I have now found Prestone on Amazon though so maybe I’ll ignore the purist on the motor forum and get that. They do guarantee compatibility (though I’m going to end up with mud-coloured coolant).

Thanks, I’ll have a read. I suggested a similar universal one (Holts G12+/G13 and several other letters) on the motor forum and there was a bit of a sucking in of air through teeth. I don’t know why the manufacturer would make the claim if it wasn’t true but someone who knows more than me (antifreeze is too flipping varied these days!) said they wouldn’t be happy with something that claimed to be such an all-rounder 🤔 Maybe it’s ok if you’re not a purist? I don’t know enough. Thanks. I’ll look them up and give them a ring tomorrow.

Hello. I had a small leak in my coolant system. I’ve used the spare antifreeze I had left over which brought it up to the bottom of the header tank, but I’m really struggling to get hold of some more. I need to use eBay click and collect or Amazon lockers but Ford won’t deliver that way and I can’t find anyone else who does. Can anyone suggest something that may mix with the Ford? I’ve tried a motor forum but mostly got US suggestions which didn’t lead to a solution. I’m on the south Stratford and don’t have a car. Thanks in advance.

I came here on the off chance that someone might have some information about hose IDs on this engine after one of mine sprung a leak and I just want to say, I bloody love you!

Of course, but if it keeps it going for long enough to do a proper fix

The OP managed to get his going again with WD40 and a few taps of a hammer.

Thanks. I did a visual inspection and there’s no obvious bad connections or corrosion, but it was getting dark and the pub is calling, so I’ll get on that first thing in the morning.

My turn to have this issue now. 4LB1 33hp. Solenoid part no. MV1-77 897209-1140 My stop button is taking longer and longer to stop the engine. Having read this thread, I guess the first thing to do is take some WD40 and a hammer to it. If it fails completely, are there any updates to the comments already made? Engines Plus don’t have the part listed so I’ve emailed them and am waiting for a reply. There are some listings on eBay that say they will replace a solenoid in a 4LB1, but the part no. they list as replacing is not the same as mine, so I doubt they will work. I’d be grateful for any suggestions including how you go about installing a manual engine stop. Thanks, Kathy

I was trying to comply with the instructions. If the instructions are over complicated, that’s hardly my fault. Thanks very much Tracey. Much appreciated.

Good evening, I’ve just received a replacement R&D coupling along with instructions. Seems very straightforward except there’s no way of getting a socket on to the bolt heads to get the torque right. I can’t find a torque wrench that takes open ended spanner heads that doesn’t require me to mortgage the boat. So my question is, how important are the torque settings and is there a guesstimate I can use? Cheers, Kathy

Thanks for the link, Alan. The figures you’ve quoted from appendix G are for unsealed batteries. If I decide on an interior siting for my ‘sealed’ batteries, I won’t be keeping them in an unventilated space, as I mentioned earlier, they will be ventilated to the exterior.

Thanks Jen, I have a fair bit of moveable ballast in the form of steel bars and a great deal of wood on the roof that I’m used to moving to adjust my trim. Kathy

Noted, thanks.