Tony Brooks
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Posts posted by Tony Brooks
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5 minutes ago, BoatinglifeupNorth said:
What?? he’s talking about spares? Not flexible hoses?
2 hours ago, 1stArthur said:Hi I have a beta tug engine a bd3 . Is beta the only place for spare parts like hoses or any parts come to that.
Please explain why the quote of the question means he did not want information about spare hoses.
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9 minutes ago, Francis Herne said:
I'd also be happy to help with sorting it out, your site's a great resource and it would be a shame to lose it.
Thanks, but no thanks. I lost too much work with encrypted hard drives when they or the computer crashed, so I avoid encryption if at all possible.
Anyway, my time and hence the site's days are numbered. (nothing bad at present, just old age) To be honest, in a number of respects the site is out of date and needs a fair bit of revision, with some stuff like CAN bus and lithium battery system where I don't have sufficient experience or knowledge. I can no longer summon up much enthusiasm, not helped by the way a few posters here treat my best efforts to help others. I have to ensure my wife/children will not be left with trying to close the site down when the time comes, so I must eventually shut it down while I am still able.
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24 minutes ago, 1stArthur said:
Hi I have a beta tug engine a bd3 . Is beta the only place for spare parts like hoses or any parts come to that.
The tractor moulded hoses are very likely to be specific to the tractor, but you might be lucky enough to find a car spares place (not Halfords) who will try to match them up. Also, hoses to and from the skin tank and calorifier will NOT be Beta or JD parts, so a decent chandler should stock them by the metre. Filters and fan bets should be available on-line or from car spares places, as long as you have the filter number. they c n be cross-referenced to another filter/belt manufacturer.
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FWIW, I was told yesterday that Chrome flagged my website as unsafe. How the blankity blank can a text website with absolutely no way of interacting with it, apart from browsing, can be "unsafe" is beyond me. Especially as Chrome is Google, who in my view are one of the biggest exploiters of individuals privacy on this planet. I am sure it is the vested interests trying to force every site to be HTTPS, rather than HTTP. If I were a conspiracy theorist, I might conclude Google are flagging it as dangerous because it does not carry their adverts.
Firefox makes it relatively easy to set an exception, so it does not flag HTTP "dangerous site" messages once set. If Chrome wants to play silly beggars than as far as I am concerned I will save myself about £200 a year in hosting and domain fees and delete the site. Thanks to our member, who I think is @Redhawk106, who contacted me and kindly offered to sort it out, but I am too old to jump through hoops imposed by third parties like Google and other browser vendors.
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I can see some benefit if it is a totally separate system from the domestic water system. It could be used for toilet flushing, general cleaning and cloths washing provided it was got very hot first. It would save a little tank filling, but as for cooking, drinking and washing up, I think it is asking for health problems.
I would remind the OP that many years ago Thames Water was reported to have done checks in domestic properties, and they found that those with plumbed in water filters had worse quality water than those without because of nasties build p in the filter and the filters not being changed frequently enough. I also know what I found when I removed one of the ceramic filter drinking water taps when we bought our boat - lucky SWMBO did not see it.
If the OP is intent on using canal water for general use that he investigates ultraviolet sterilization, but dread to think about the electrical demands.
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The flow can be reduced the next time the boat is out of the water by cutting two or three discs of rubber with a hole in the centre to fit around the rudder stock. Then cut through, one side to the centre and slide them around the stock above the blade with the slots 180 to 120 degrees apart. Push them up against the swim plate. However, as David says, not uncommon and nor really a problem.
1 minute ago, bizzard said:If that's a rusty gap on the edge of the mount and there;s an integral fuel tank rain and water chucked up from the prop will seep through into the tank.
Not if the tube has been properly welded to the plate work under the bearing housing. I would be more concerned about how well the housing mounting bolts are sealed in the tank top.
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3 hours ago, Redhawk106 said:
What about the River Cherwell? What's that like? Is that an option?
At one mouth there is/was a big notice saying No powered craft. If it was a practical proposition, the OP would have been told many posts ago.
Like all rivers the river bed is owned by the surrounding landowners so the same problem in respect of moorings on the Thames applies, and as the Cherwell has not been used by powered craft as far as I know, the riparian owners are likely to get very upset if someone turned up and moored a huge boat on their land and then tramped across it to a road. . As far as I know, unlike the Thames, there is no public right of navigation.
The same applies to the other tributaries in that area
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10 minutes ago, blackrose said:
In other words the OP could save himself an awful lot of time and money by simply buying a conventional narrowboat and planning those tidal journeys carefully, which he would be wise to do anyway whatever vessel he was on.
If it were me perhaps I'd be looking for a slightly higher freeboard, vents, etc, and maybe an enclosed bow but they would be about it. The idea of being able to plough through the water at 10kts is nonsense as you generally go with the tide on these passages and any turn against the tide is short. Anyway, I'm sure the hull speeds of most narrowboats limits them below that figure.
I suspect that he has no idea about what controls hull speed on a displacement boat, but going up the Trent with the tide I did sustain 10 mph on a satnav for a while - probably 5 mph tide and 5mph through the water.
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58 minutes ago, Poppin said:
Could I not install a second Ccumilator tank after the filters?
And as the pump will be on the other side of the filters, exactly how do you think that will help. It will make the delay until the pump cuts in even longer. You will get an initial spurt of water without the filter restriction, but it will soon drop to what you have now, then it will say the same until you turn the tap off, so the new accumulator recharges. Open the tap and the initial spurt, dropping to what you have now will just repeat.
I suppose that if you fitted an enormous second accumulator, it could supply a lot more water until the pressure dropped enough for the pump to cut in, but you have mentioned space considerations. So if you don't have room for a second set of filters, I can't see you have room for a giant accumulator.
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7 minutes ago, Richardcn said:
I finally got around to checking the SG after a few weeks of finding no difference between cell fluid levels since we got back in the water. At 100% charge 5 of the 6 cells were about 1.280, the suspect cell was about 1.250 so still in the green, just! I suppose that could be down to the fact that I boiled that cell and now it's somewhat more diluted than the rest, given that everything else seems fine. Obviously I'll keep a close eye on it but hopefully it'll last out the the year, IF we're lucky.
FWIW the "standard" difference that is acceptable between cells is 0.03 while Lucas used to say 0.025, basically you look OK for now but with a suspect more badly sulphated cell.
"Boiling" a cell should not "dilute" the acid. It would strengthen because it would be just water driven off (probably plus a very small amount of acid mist) it so when you toped up to the correct level and allowed the liquids to mix the strength should be normal. It is far more likely that some sulphur from the acid is now locked in the plates as unrecoverable lead sulphate.
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7 minutes ago, Poppin said:
What do you mean by in parallel?
Two or more sets of what you already have with their inlets fed by a common pipe and their outlets going to a common pipe. That way each may restrict the flow, but you get two or more times the flow by the parallel pathway. Hence, the pressure pre-filters drops faster so the pump cuts in sooner.
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I think what you mean is that the resistance of the filters is so high, that when you turn the tap on the flow from the tap takes too long to drop the pressure in the accumulator and pre the filters, enough to make the pump cut in. I expect the cycling period with an open tap has increased as well. I very much doubt a higher pump cut out will help much because I think it is resistance to flow in the filters. The answer is to reduce the filters' resistances but as the OP talks about using canal water a larger pore size would be inadvisable, so all that leaves is one or more sets of filter piped in parallel.
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7 minutes ago, Tacet said:
Personally, I would settle for a nice big drain at the lowest point.
I agree with that, except the way most narrowboats trim (stern down) and the way the tanks are constructed I think the tank would need a sloping bottom to bring any water and muck to the front f the tank where the drain would be. That means more costs.
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15 minutes ago, Lizette said:
The battery is certainly shot, it's on its knees!
That was the initial problem then, much as many of us suggested.
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34 minutes ago, Lizette said:
Oh blimey! They won't be coming for a few days ,so will see when they arrive. It sounds to me ,from what you are all saying , that there is more going on. I am not sure where to explore further. I shall re look at wiring.
Don't worry, let's see if RCR have solved it. They were on site, the rest of us are not. Ignoring the 13V you mentioned, there is still every chance it was a faulty start battery, especially as I don't recall getting the cranking voltages or how you measured it, so there is no way we can be sure about anything.
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1 minute ago, PeterF said:
When you come to sell it, who is going to values the extras.
In fact I think it would make for a very gloomy, stuffy boat, so it would probably fetch less than a comparable conventional boat.
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7 minutes ago, BoatinglifeupNorth said:
On his first post he’s talking about electric drive. So maybe he’s going the all electric route? So no big diesel engine.
Ian D answered that pretty fully. If he wants a sustained 10 knots, especially in adverse conditions, then he is going to need a big diesel generator to provide the power when is batteries run out, and at present that won't take very long at all. However, he does seem t be altering his wants to be a bit more realistic.
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9 hours ago, jonathanA said:
Isn't it the barrus engine where there is some convoluted arrangement between the run/stop solenoid and the starter to avoid having a stop switch/engine stop position on the ignition switch ?
That could possibly explain then issue and RCR might have it right... 🤔
If they do, do that, then they are very bad engineers. It just needs a suitable energise to run stop solenoid, like the majority of cars, vans and probably trucks. That is not to say Barrus have not done so, but the only complicated system I have actually come across is the Lister one that converts an earth return engine to insulated return when running.
I still don't see how a faulty stop solenoid can make the starter with a GOOD battery can ever make the starter click. A solenoid on the Lister system probably could though, but then it is not a stop solenoid.
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3 hours ago, jonesthenuke said:
Best wishes for the Hip operation.
Ditto from me.
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I don't think any of that apart from the last is beyond a conventional narrowboat. the reason the last is iffy, is that it is a long costal passage with little, if any, shelter along the way, so it would be very vulnerable to changes in the weather. it is also shallow in sea terms, so is likely to build up larger swells with wind.
My own personal views, others will differ.#
With the comparatively large weight of ballast, most narrowboats carry they tend, to roll less than the narrow beam suggests but are still likely to be uncomfortable. They tend to cut through waves rather than ride over them, so large waves may well swamp an open well deck. If one did roll onto its side the as long as the ballast did not move it would probably right itself like RNLI lifeboats do.
So, a thick (possibly 25mm or thicker) to avoid the need for loose ballast and any further ballast needed being steel and welded to the baseplate. Properly calculated ribs, stringers and possibly a keelson to ensure the hull can stand the extra stresses it is likely to suffer in a bad sea. No windows. but use proper marine portholes, so they are unlikely to blow in if a wave hit them. Trad stern with stern doors that can be close while boating to avoid a following wave flooding the boat. No well deck or a well deck with a removable watertight cover. Large bilge pumps for all bilges and the well deck. Folding or removable mast(s) to mount navigation lights to meet the regulations, also the VHF aerial. Valves on all the hull piercings. High (roof) level air supply vent for the engine. Exhaust with a proper high level swan neck so following waves can't flood the engine internals.
But most of all, experience and knowledge so you don't put yourself and boat into danger. The design would need experience, hence a couple of us mentioning the need for a naval architect for the design and calculations.
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8 hours ago, Redhawk106 said:
Other than the Oxford Canal, are there any other canals/rivers in that radius that have locks suitable for 10ft wide, and more suitable for our purpose?
That question shows that you seem not to have even looked at any of the online maps, guides or bought a guide book for the area. A guide book like Nicholsons will show where the marinas are located and TEMPORARY moorings are. They will also show that there are NO other canals/rivers available for power boating within 25km of Oxford apart from the Thames, its backwaters, and the Oxford canal.
There is a short disused anal above Oxford, but it has not been navigable for years, and the last time I went pas the riier banks around its mouth were full of what looked like squatter boats.
Your biggest problem is the 25km distance limit, if you ignore that you get the Kennet and Avon navigations so, as said, Reading and Newbury. I would mention that Thames and Kennet marina is on the non-towpath side of the river so you can't walk along the towpath into town. It is at the end of a long track at the outskirts of Caversham (south Reading) which is then a bus ride or cycle ride to the station. All day car parking at the station is expensive, so just adds to your costs.
If you ignore the 25km limit the Burghfield Moorings operator was on here last year saying they had spaces for live-aboards, that is on the river Kennet so subject to flood flows. No such a long walk to a bus stop for a probably hourly service into Reading. Two marinas in Newbury, I think, and walkable to the station, but that means a change at Reading for Oxford if a car is not to be used.
I fear that you have picked an area which is very popular with live-aboards, with all the problems that causes.
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12 minutes ago, Redhawk106 said:
Would be willing to find a marina, all options are currently being looked at, just don't want to give up on boat life. And at this point im just looking for more information on what we can do. Thanks for the suggestions so far, I'll look into the marina's mentioned.
I agree that getting a narrowboat would make things a lot easier as we would be able to use the Oxford canal, and potentially much more, however, I don't think this would be an option, as my fiancee has already said she actually wants to get a bigger boat (proper widebeam rather than our narrow 10ft widebeam), as we need more space with the new addition of the baby.
Also aware that even going up and down the thames, its going to be hard going/impossible with pump out and water facilities which seem few and far between.
There is a requirement to live within 25KM of Oxford, so I don't know if that makes things more flexible or worse...
So.... hence I'm nervous its going to mean we have to give up on boat life. I'll look into the marina options mentioned and hope that someone can suggest more things to look at.
Thanks for the tips so far, appreciated.
Water and pump out facilities are adequate on the Thames. The EA provide water points at a number of locks, while pump outs are at some locks and various boatyards and marinas.
Those places where there is no riparian owner or the riparian owner does not enforce their rights are few, and those that there are seem to be full of "squatter boats" for much of the time. This includes some of the backwaters around Oxford. There are official EA moorings but they are for 24 hours only and some allow a longer stay but at £x a night (I have no up-to-date figures). I would suggest £10 would not be too far out except in places like Henley who charge more, especially during the regatta and festival.
So you need to be within 15 miles of Oxford so there may be moorings at Abingdon Bridge Marina or Abingdon Marina. That would be a bus commute. Oxford seems to hate cars, so make driving into the city diffcult.
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3 minutes ago, Lizette said:
At £65 call out ,it is a make lots of money job.
2 years ago it was only £30.I do think they are brill though!
I might need you to explain further. So,you guys think that perhaps that is not the problem with non starting; it's an additional problem.
I think on the statements that you have given us that diagnosis has a number of inconsistencies UNLESS the battery had problems right from the start.
Explanation: A lead acid battery in good condition and a good state of charge can probably provide thousands of amps for a while, a starter draws a few hundred amps rapidly dropping as the motor speeds up to perhaps something over 100 amps.
Now, for a faulty stop solenoid to prevent the starter working it would have to draw many hundreds of amps so it robs the starter of the current it needs and all those amps would have to run down a small cable. That means the cable would get very hot, the insulation start to burn, and then the copper strands would melt so the cable would disconnect itself, then the solenoid could not draw any current so the starter could draw all it needed.
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1 minute ago, Lizette said:
Hey Sorry- it is the stop solenoid- 😆 just testing. It is to the right and tucked under part of the engine.
Thanks, that makes much more sense as far as the smoke is concerned, but unless the battery was in a poor condition or state of charge at the start of this saga, I go along with Paul C's scepticism. If the solenoid was drawing enough current to prevent the starter working, I think it's relatively thin cable would have caught fire and melted. Once the cable parted, the starts should be able to spin the engine, but possibly it would not actually start.
I have my fingers crossed for you.
Releasing air lock via the first fuel filter
in Boat Building & Maintenance
Posted
First of all Google does not recognise Lister Petter PW4A48, but returns hits for an LPWx where x is the number of cylinders. Google also shows LPW lift pump as mechanical, so turning the ignition on will do nothing to help bleeding.
I think that you need to clarify exactly what engine you have, you also need to clarify if you have a mechanical or electrical lift pump. If you don't know, then post photos of your engine showing both SIDES so we can identify the lift pump and advise.
Bleeding engines is not usually particular difficult, and those Lister engines seem to bleed automatically, but I would not do that if the lift pump has a priming lever.
I think we await the clarifications.