Theo

I would suggest that there can be a number of reasons why you would want a separate generator. 1. The size of the generator's engine can be matched to the electrical power output. This means that you don't get the problems associated with running a diesel on very low load. 2. The diesel generator can be very thoroughly sound insulated so running the washing machine is not accompanied by the racket of a JD3. 3. I suspect that the fule efficiency of running a propulsion engine just to generate electrical power is rather low so by having a dedicated machine you will do less environmental harm. Nick

A prettier idea is to use a piece of 5mm copper tube with the end pinched in with the mole grips. You can keep this polished. We have one at home and have used it for aeons. N

Sorry. Forgot to look for yours in particular but I didn't notice any boats with only half the windows showing. Send me a picture of her so that I know what I am looking for next time I am down there> Nick

How very odd! I never thought of insurance. I am grateful for the tip. Nick

I am sure that that sparks came from inside. Smoke certainly came from inside. And thanks for the warning. I am quite happy to be taught about sucking eggs if it helps to preserve my life!!

I suppose what it does reduce is the amount of fuel that has to be fed to the power stations in the summer. Nick

600W Modified sine wave Genius. The three internal fuses that I found are all intact. I did not check the feeder fuse but my first attempt at repair was to leave it on a CH radiator for several hours until it appeared to be completely dry and then connected it up again. More smoke, more smell, more sparks. :-( As I say the smell was horrid but when I opened it up there was no visible damage. However I did only look at the component side of the pcb, not the solder side. N

At last we have Theodora at her home moorings in Thurmaston. I was amazed to discover when we had got her moored, that she was kept at that Marina (Raynsway) before. And not only in that marina but in the same berth! Nick

I assumed that he was intending to run it from his batteries via an inverter! This cannot be the case! He must be running it from his shore line or 230V generator. Duh! N

Damn and triple damn! I blew up my inverter last night. I splashed it while filling up the CH header tank (Who would put an inverter under a CH header tank?!) Lots of sparks and a nasty smell. Is it likely to repairable or do I just grit my teeth and buy another? Nick

What about when you sue the PC for internet banking? Nick So they could, over time, build up a good profile of your internet usage and might just be able to extract some rather important passwords? N

I fear that the calculation is amiss. Power = volts x amps Amps = power/volts In your case 2.5kW = 2500W Amps = 2500/12 = rather more than 200A Nick

Getting back to the rain genny thing: It is done al the time with hydroelectric power. To get energy from the rain as it falls would require some considerable ingenuity because the amount of KE carried by a rain drop is teeny weeny and the amount of PE that you could use would depend on storing it at a height above the narrowboat and then letting it drive somink like a waterwheel or a little turbine. Nick

I cannot think of any reason for running both generator and propulsion engine at the same time. Blake, the NB in question, has a 230V alternator which would do the job of the generator. The reason that Victoria wants the additional generator is to provide a source of electricity which is significntly quieter than the main engine. Nick Edit. I suppose that all is not lost even if they connect up to the single skin tank and it is not successful. They can try it out and if it does not work properly then they can try another method. As for the raw water cooling idea. I would prefer not to follow that route. Theodora has raw water cooling for the propulsion engine and I have found it a bit of a chore and a rather uncertain chore at that, to add antifreeze to the mud box and then run the engine for a time which is hit or, more probably miss to get the antifreeze to the necessary parts. Nick

Ah. The Southampton University Guild of Change Ringers. They were doing their annual canal trip and tower grab when I was there. In fact they introduced me to ringing and the canals. My first trip was ina 70ft Willow Wren with 12 berths. I remember that we did the Midland Ring and one of my early questions was "Will we go through any locks?" (We were sensible, Though) Nick

You are going to a beautiful part of the country. I know that you will enjoy it! Nick Edit: Well, I don't know really, but I am sure that you will.

It is perfectly sensible if you want to talk about the rate of change of current! I bet the maximum rate of change of current in an AC electric fire is quite big! Nick Just a bit of nostalgia. A few years ago there was someone regulalry advertising solar panels and the associated gear in the WW. The advertisements were such a load of electrical nonsense that I felt I could use them in my Physics A level classes for the kiddywinks to rewrite. I decided not to because I couldn't word out what they were trying to say! They used the term A/hr IIRC. Nick

Theodora came fitted with two small solar panels croc clipped to the batteries: on eto the engine battery and one on the domestics It appears that they have their own controller which flasses a little blue led in very low sunlight levels. "Very good", I thought, "but how useful are they?" So I took them to school to give them a quick test. Open circuit in today's overcast conditions they gave about 13.5V. As soon as I connected them to a 112ohm load the voltage dropped to 1.5V and there was no current measurable on a meter which measured down to 0.01A. Are they useless or should I wait to test them on a real 12V battery or higher resistance (counterintuitive!) or wait for brighter days? Nick Sorry folks. I acccidentall posted this isn thr wromng place. Can I move it or do I have to copy it across? Nick

I am sure that you are quite right, Bottle. Why didn't I think of this? It seems from the Mikuni manula that this is just what my CH boiler was designed for! Nick

Not entirely convinced about this, John, though I am sure that it would be OK if both engines were running. Since the cooling water pump is centrifugal can't the water just back through the stopped one even with minimul pressure? Nick

A quick calculation shows that to get this power from a water fall with a head of 25cm needs at the very least, and assuming 100% efficiency, 600 liters /second. This seems quite a big stream. I would guess that the overall efficincy might be in the region on 20% in which case you would need 3000 litre per second! Seems a lot to hope for! Nick

My sister is thinking of having a diesel genny fitted under the side bench in the boatman's cabin. Obviously it needs to be cooled. Can its water cooling be plumbed into the same skin tank as the propulsion engine? I can see possible problems with the cooling water's choosing to flow through the propulsion engine rather than the skin tank but do one way valves exist which would prevent this? Nick

I imagine that he was going to moor on the triangle while he dropped his passengers. Nick

I would agree with Liam. Always going clockwise means that you have a tight turn if you are turning from the basin on to the Regents. I have had a brush with the Waterbus there and was unimpressed by the general loving kindness shown! Nick