KirstieH

I must say the black jack has worked really well in fairness. it must have been a combo of soft diesel worn blacking and a power wash which knocked it back. Ah well I will cry in two tears when £300 of Rytex washes off than £90 of black jack lol

I am a teacher i like to follow instruction lol? can you recommend a diesel unfriendly one....I was advised that rytex was better than most. Many thanks

Yes Diesel a problem in marina v busy scraped off old spend a week on it and power jet wash. yes it was rock hard as it was boiling. 72 hours between each coat and immersion June. yard. water brackish. i think we did the best we could do. more tools now :)

Thanks all. Yes I am a girl but I must admit I do imagine most posters to be male too!! terrible I know. As ever, very generous with your advice and replies. We are going to de rust with a grinder fertan and then rytex 2 coats with 3 on waterline...drag her out in two years and have a proper hull inspection (base more pitted than the sides eep!). if she is sound then two pack. I have checked...and I am ? Correct ☺

Hello After 2 years of happy narrowboating having worked really hard on prepping and blacking our boat, we pulled her out of the water and jet washed her and low an behold....the blacking just pretty much washed off! The hull looks great just a little rust round the waterline and stern where the blacking didn’t go high enough (Duh). We used Black Jack (On advice from an old hand narrowboater - we were young and naive - turns out he doesn’t use it grrr) and are wondering if it just wasn’t high grade enough? We are using Rytex this time (Ouch) so hoping it won’t disintegrate. We do have a transformer and the anodes are 60% gone. Does this sound about the right kind of wear in that time? I wondered if we have put the wrong stuff over the top. It does have some coloured paint in patches underneath where the blacking should be so maybe it is the wrong stuff... Any advice welcomed

Yes it does sound a bit like that. Strange it has only just started after a few years though..... thanks for your reply

Oh good point. As it is new i hadnt noticed it getting hot yet. I have worked out that it increases in noise not when i use items on my boat but when everyone else on the pontoon does! I will try the rubber feet idea not my feet obvs! Yes i understand that but the case isn't vibrating. Tried the pillow idea (dampner) and still the same. Coming from inside.....

Hello I have just noticed a new noise from my boat calorifier...when i turn on the tap hot or cold a kind of crackling sound comes from the tank. Not knocking banging or hissing. No leaks pressure from taps ok but cracking / crackling for 2 secs when tap turns on...is it gonna blow

Thanks everyone. I don't think it is the vibrating of the case it is the coils inside. so i think I might just sound insulate the cupboard and put up with it. At least my boat is a bit protected so it might be worth it....

It has learned to hum, what if it learns to whistle

Hi Yes I did expect it to hum but naively thought if most stuff was off at night it would quieten down. My recorded noise (Attached) is with everything off. No it is not vibration it is in a very secure panel - thick oak cupboard no steel no wobbles no rattles. Bit gutted really as I just don't think I can sleep through it I want my old isolator back...sniff.....

here is the annoying noise for your diagnosis....58secs in for max annoyance:) victron.wav

Hello Does anyone have a Victron Transformer 3600 transformer fitted and if so, is it noisy? Mine had to be fitted in a cupboard in my stern cabin and it is making the most annoying sound /s. It is kind of like having a fridge in the room, albeit in a cupboard. I expected it to make some humming when under load, but at night I only have a radio plugged in and maybe the TV on standby. It is kind of a low level humming changing volume / pitch regardless of load. Is it normal? Thank you

It is an isolation transformer. Not an Inverter or battery charger (clue in the title) just a plain old Victron 3600w transformer not combi - to deal with the earth current currently working its way through my hull I will pay someone for the other 70%...it is what they went to school for lol

I understood 30% of that thank you. Will borrow a multimeter! Yes

Hello. Forgive this potentially dumb question but...i bought a transformer from a chandlery but on delivery the box had been opened and the fixing plate was bent. They have assured me it was not a customer return and if it it faulty i can return it they have replaced the plate.....dum question coming up....how will i know it is "transforming"....its not like a normal product which you can tell is working straight away. It doesnt seem to have lights or an on button. Grrr

Thanks tony. Very clear advice. Will look today

Thanks everyone. Some brilliant tips here. Trial and error and working through seems to be the best solution. I love my boat even if it doesnt love me back! All the best to everone who commented

Mmm totally dry at the front of the boat...57ft and woodburner keeping it dry maybe...still removing skirting lol

Hi thanks. No no obvious leaks. We are working through the boat bit by bit. I think deffo header tank but that isnt accounting for the clean water build up in the rest of the boat. Grrr its gonna be a long winter tracking this down! I think the previous owners had issues as the have taken all the kick boards / skirting off and cut some inspection hatches and a big chunk of floorboard under the bed. Makes it easy to check though lol. When asked they said they were not aware of any issues...mmmmm

Hello friends. We are very new to living aboard and are tackling dampness on the boat. We have looked down the sides of the floor boards and there seems to be glistening water / moisture on the hull of the boat round the edges near the walls. More in some places than others up to 2mm. The hull is rusty under there too. I know its not ideal but is it common? Can it really be condensation or is it a leak? It is very clear water but at the back of the boat it could be heating water / anti freeze as it smells sweet and the header tank has depleted. I was worried the dehumidifier was sucking it away! All the best anc merry xmas

Can i just check that when it reaches temp the light goes out? I have a switch with a red light when its on (making noise) but goes off when its gone quiet. It would make sense as we do have a calorifier and i just upped the thermostat and it came back on. Does the thermostate measure boat / room temp or coolent temp? Just wondering if it turned off as the stove is on, thus already at the right temp in the boat. Thanks NMEA I think i am going to dispense with the thermostat and just pop it on when we need a boost for 90 to 120 mins. It is so great to have you guys. We have no one to help us and too much reading has you going round in circles but i am learning so much. I hope i can help someone else one day!!

Ahh. I thought it was wrong!. It was fitted with a danfloss?? timer and when i factory reset it, it defaulted to these times...i wondered if that was more for house central heating and not narrowboat style! Cant thank you enough for your advice

Mmmmmm what is a short cycle? Anything less than an hour? Bum!