TNC

I have both types of pump. The barge has a 24v 1.5" Gulper and takes ages. As Midnight says, in Earnest, the 240v 1.5" Jabsco jobby is bloody quick to empty a full tank. The barge poo tank Gulper has never gone wrong, but has not seen a lot of action. Gulpers are not infallible, the newer ones have a steel worm, and if this gets at all rusted, it strips the nylon cog (this happened on the shower waste Gulper on the barge in Ireland - super damp conditions - now replaced with a S/H brass worm jobby) Over 22 years the 240v Jabsco has got through 1 impellor (I carry a spare) and has had to be cleaned out twice, as the impellor chamber gets clagged up with scale. The motor / capacitor has never gone wrong. The 3.5kW Travelpower has only ever failed to start this pump a couple of times, due to being clagged up, cured by removing the plastic fan and rotating a few times with Vise Grips. My old 1600w Victron multi would never start the pump, whereas the new 3000w one does. Last year the Travelpower broke (since fixed - the alternator had only just been refurbished, one of the big output chokes was found to have a fused end) and I upgraded the multi to a 3000w, so now have two mobile ways to start the poo pump and run the washing machine. At the same time to have total belt and braces, I bought a standby 1.5" Gulper. No doubt the 22 year old and untouched Jabsco macerator bog will now go wrong. I have a complete motor / fan / gasket set for this. We also carry a cassette. Over the 22 years we have owned Earnest, I have had to continuously take out ballast as Mrs TNC says it is now a floating junk shop. Next week, we to are heading down to "The East".

Petrol is the way forward. Mrs TNC has just got a 125ps Eco-boost Focus....so far more economical around town than her last 1.6TDCi Focus...and the tax has gone down from 30 to 20 quid!

On NB Earnest I successfully do the opposite, with a Smart Bank. More difficult the other way round as you would have to prioritise charging to the start (lead acid). The reason I do this is I was given 2 x SH 3year old Marathon L6V160 AGM Glass mat batteries in 2005 (ex UPS). I use a pair in series as starter batteries, still going strong. Earnest's house set has always been cheapo lead acids. The Smartbank is set to disconnect charge to the AGM start batteries at 14.10 volts and to resume charge when the alternator controller, or charger goes to float. This was done / set up with Gibbo's blessing... 8 years faultless starting for free can't be bad!

I presently own three Beta Kubota's. I am a BeataKubotaboata. Only one 1999 10,000 hour vintage 43hp BV1903 in a narrowboat, though. Just beginning to show it's age, crankshaft pulley end oil seal just replaced. Beta's techies and parts dept are wonderful (Gold star to Adrain Tomkies), alway on the ball and send things out (even to Ireland) bloody quickly.

Well on here, what would you expect? (popcorn at the ready)

NB Earnest has a 12/1600/70 muliplus compact with earth bonding relay. The Travelpower has the old black box controller. The Travelpower is only ever connected to the Victron when it is in charger mode. All Earnest's 240vAC is switched by 12vDC operated 16A 240vAC Potter and Brumfield relays. This does mean that there is not a seamless transition from Travelpower to inverter / shoreline 240vAC. We do not find this a problem, as it is only used to power the washing machine, assist in charging batteries, toaster, electric kettle, vaccum cleaner, 3kw immersion heater, emergency leccy heating. All I can say is that in my case the Travelpower box has never blown up. The only time it occasionally cuts out, with the rocker switch light going to red is if I use my 16 Clarke welder. A quick off and on with the rocker switch and it is reset. As for your problem, just a longshot, have you checked that the braiding of the alternator to box cable has not worn through at the alternator end and has an intermittent short to any of the wires. ISTR in pre-forum history somebody having trouble with their box which was caused by this.

Well I stuck my head above the (leccy) parapet and said I do it as well. I set up the Vicron in the distant past with dongle and Gibbo help, I am too senile to remember the settings....all I know in my case it works, does speed up charge and the Victron does not drop out of charge and go to float. I have just got off me arse, like Mr DMR suggested and rebuilt the Travelpower alternator, new bearings, slip rings and brush box...amazingly it still works and is now deathly quiet!

I do pruning at locks if I get bored waiting for boat, or it to fill/empty.

Running the Travelpower to heat water through immersion and charge batteries through charger, as Nick and Robbo have suggested is what we always do. It also has the added benefit of loading the engine, getting it up to operating temperature quicker than just powering the alternator. This helps stop bore glazing in some engines.

They get their fair share of carp all the time...and any road kill the locals bring in for them! As for Mink and foxes, Swarvik, the chief Pole is a bloody good shot....but then he did National Service and used to drive a T72!

There's non left at Riversdale!...not after one killed the marinas pet duck "Quacker". <queue mad Poles with guns>

Bottle's suggestion to rewew the lot is a good idea...I can't believe Merlin sent you the whole kit for no good reason. How old is your original Smartgauge?

The other thing that I find strange is how this BW "Hot potato" got passed onto CaRT to sort out...this whole episode is becoming a farce! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBWQCHb95rg (Is that a BW / CaRT sweatshirt?)

Thanks for that Alan. Thinks...Hireboat company "H", someone mentioned by name and an obvious pub!