[Washing machine pump/fill problem]

Wondering if anyone has any ideas - I have a Beko washing machine plumbed into the cold supply, has been working perfectly for six months and then a few weeks ago a weird fill issue started:

 

When I turn it on, the washing machine starts drawing water, the expansion tank level drops and the pump kicks in, however, what seems to happen is the pump only runs until the tank is full again then cuts off. The washing machine continues to pull water but at a trickle until the tank is empty again, pump kicks in, fills tank, cuts off. 
 

Previously I would just turn it on and it would fill without issue. 
 

Taps and shower are all fine. 
 

Filling the washing machine drawer with a bottle of water also works but means having to stand next to the machine and wait to hear for it trying to draw water, which is a faff. 
 

Any ideas? I’ve tried repressuring the expansion tank to no avail and given the taps all work, feels like a washing machine issue.  
 

Thanks!

[BMC 1.8 Overheating / Oil leak]

Thank you both, so nothing catastrophic which is reassuring. 
I’ve just bled the skin tank, lots of air in there and I ran the engine for a couple of hours, nothing major though a steady stream of steam emanating from the front of the engine. I’ll try and have a look at the water pump (thank you Tony) though it sits mighty close to the bulkhead. 
 

Glad to know the oil leak is something obvious, I was worried it was related to the overheating and thought I’d cracked something. 
 

I ran the engine with the coolant filler cap off just to see what was going on, how ‘bubbly’ should that be? I wonder if when I connected the calorifier up, I introduced air into the system. 

[BMC 1.8 Overheating / Oil leak]

Good evening!
 

Hoping to gain some advice. I’ve got a BMC 1.8 that overheated and cut out, billows of steam in the engine bay and burnt paint. Checked the coolant, couldn’t see any (despite virtually full a week or so earlier). Bilge always has water in so hard to tell where the coolant went. 
 

After the engine cooled down, the following day I topped up the coolant and it’s been reasonably fine since however I’ve been keeping a close eye on it and can see steam coming out of the front of the engine (near the alternator) shortly after starting it up. Coolant also seems to be dropping again but can’t see where it’s leaking from. 
 

Secondly, while looking for coolant leaks I spotted an oil leak coming from the side of the engine next to the air filter. When running it streams out and then when I shut the engine down I can hear a splash of oil dropping into the bilge. No idea if this is connected or incidental finding as prior to the engine service a few weeks ago, I’ve never had a problem with oil levels. 
 

Engine is skin tank cooled and has a calorifier which gets hot. 
 

Pictures and videos attached. 
 

Any help would be greatly appreciated. 
 

 

 

[The Big Solar Install]

11 minutes ago, Puffling said:

Looking very nice, though.

Just out of interest, did the courier turn up at the time they advised?

I'm also getting three panels from Bimble later this week ⚡

I received a phone call when I ordered asking if I could take delivery today, then an email last night with confirmation that they would be out for delivery today with a three hour time slot. This morning a text from the delivery man saying he would ring when within 20 mins and to text him if needed. They turned up bang on time and carried the panels to the boat for me. 
Can’t fault them. 
 

While I’m at it, Alpha Batteries have been excellent after I ordered the wrong MPPT, refunded, changed and new one sent out within a day. 

[The Big Solar Install]

Well the panels arrived today. Needless to say, measuring does not compare to an actual 3D object, these things are huge. 

[The Big Solar Install]

20 hours ago, LadyG said:

I think the bracket angling business was developed when panels were really expensive, personally I'd just keep it simple. minimal drilling,

People have engineered fancy designs, but in the end, it makes little difference unless you can angle your panels to the sun, turning continuously., And of course they would take off in stormy weather if they were perfect in that regard.

There are some figures floating around showing the increase when tilting, particularly in winter but you’re correct in that it would then require tilting throughout the day, which may not be practical for me as I’ll be at work. 
 

Does this look like the best way to wire the 230v side? I wasn’t sure whether to put the RCD before or after the inverter but with wanting to isolate the immersion from the inverter side, this seems to make sense? Switch not required as the victron auto switches between shore power and inverter. 

[The Big Solar Install]

2 minutes ago, blackrose said:

 

How do all those loose cables flapping around pass any BSS inspection? Shouldn't they be clipped to a bulkhead, etc, not just cable tied in a big bunch and left loose? 

Absolutely no clue how it passed, hence my now 2 year effort to rebuild, finishing with the engine room electrics!

[The Big Solar Install]

5 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

Please will you give me a link to the Cyrix unit. As far as I can see they are just voltage sensitive relays so would just link two batteries. Yours seem to be linking a number of charge sources.

Do you mean the box in the middle? It’s a Lynx Power in, effectively just a bus bar with fuses…

[The Big Solar Install]

 

Crude wiring diagram but helps me start thinking about how things will look. 

[The Big Solar Install]

20 hours ago, Tony Brooks said:

As long as you ignore the % charged and use tail current to know when the batteries are fully charged they are probably all as accurate as each other. Some are easier to read than others.

 

4 hours ago, Sea Dog said:

Agree - although he should take into account the maximum current capacity of the shunt. 

Noted, thank you. Shunt is 500amps. 
 

 

Victron Multiplus II 3000 ordered, additional cabling ordered. Picked up the ply today so that I can start laying out the board on Monday. 

[The Big Solar Install]

Solar panels are arriving on Tuesday. The rest of the equipment on Monday. Just need to size the correct cabling and order. 
 

Any thoughts of BMV’s? I’m aware they can’t be taken as gospel. 

[The Big Solar Install]

3 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

Also consider which panels you buy - I have 120v panels (many are just 19v, or 30 volt) this means that (in theory) for every amp coming out of the panel I get 10 amps going into the batteries - In reality due to losses, and charging at 14+ volts,  and not always having enough Sun to make 120v, I usually get 7x or 8x rather than 10x.

 

If you use (say) 19v panels you get roughly 1.5x the panel current going into your batteries.

 

You will be gald of MPPT controlers at each end of the season' as test suggest that you actually get 30%more output than with PWM controllers, so in October - you may get 4 amps instead of 3 amps

 

Here are the panel specs:

Watts	400
Maximum Power Voltage - Vmpp(V)	41
Maximum Power Current - Impp(A)	9.76
Open Circuit Voltage - Voc(V)	49.5
Short Circuit Current - Isc (A)	10.12
Panel Efficiency (%)	21.3
Height (mm)	1646
Width (mm)	1140
Thickness (mm)	30
Weight (KG)	19
Cell Type	Mono Percium

 

 

So 41v?

Just now, Alan de Enfield said:

 

 

 

O' dear I spy Twin and earth grey cable .

 

THATS A HUGE NO NO for boat wiring.Hopefully you know that and its not some thing that you installed.

 

If you are doing the rewiring yourself then make sure you use cables and installation practices to ISO 13297:2020 which covers 'small craft wiring'.

 

 

 

 

 

The boat was full of grey twin and earth when I bought it, couldn't work out what was 12v and what was 230v, all been ripped out since. I think that's probably the last remaining remnant. 

That's the plan and is why the solar installation has expanded somewhat to include rewiring the batteries, shore power etc as I'm fairly certain it's all on the cusp of being unsafe. 

[The Big Solar Install]

Now that the MPPT issue has been cleared up, I've had a look at my space for mounting everything, seems like it should be enough. I'll put a piece of ply over the tongue and groove so that there is a little more depth to screw in to.

 

 

[The Big Solar Install]

1 hour ago, Tony Brooks said:

 

Agreed, but the OP showed no signs that he had even considered series connection. All I am suggesting is that he does a bit of research about it.

I had considered series but discounted it for the previously mentioned concern regarding shading.

 

As a happy compromise, it looks like a 100/50 to run 2x400w and a 100/30 for the other panel seems like a nice setup, ticking the cost box and adding in some redundancy. 

[The Big Solar Install]

Ok so, if a 60a controller will suffice, can I simply use one of my 30a controllers (that I already have) wired into two panels (800) and the other taking a feed from the other panel? 
 

 

[The Big Solar Install]

I can’t quote particularly well via the phone so just trying to summarise the advice given above. The suggestion being I can use a smaller regulator than a total of 90a for 1200w, in this case why are there mppt calculators and what about the information in the data sheet?

 

Ignoring for the moment the issue of having 3 mppt controllers and just assume I buy a 100a unit, why would I spec this at 60/70a?

[The Big Solar Install]

3 minutes ago, robtheplod said:

what sort of solar brackets will you use - flat or angled? - sorry forgot to say I'm really nosey!

 

Still deciding. It will definitely be something that I can angle but want to try and stay away from the triangle ones. 

 

3 minutes ago, doratheexplorer said:

I doubt you'll need anything like 90amps though.  I have 525w and a 40a controller.  I now know that a 30a controller would have never been exceeded, and a 20a would be fine for 99.9% of the time.  Unless I've been misinformed, if I had a 20a controller, nothing bad would have happened if the solar energy exceeded 20a briefly, but the current into the batteries would top out at 20a.  In the real world, using a 20a controller would have made a negligable difference to my charging arrangements.  On that basis, in the real world, a 50a controller would be fine for you, as on the very rare occassion it was exceeded, you'll be fully charging your batteries that day anyway with more electricity going in that you can use.

 

I was basing this on the Nominal PV power on the data sheet - the 100/50 goes up to 700w and I have 1200w?

[The Big Solar Install]

3 minutes ago, PeterF said:

You state that you will be fitting solar isolators x 3, I assume you mean breakers between the solar panels and the MPPT controllers. Please be aware 

that some types of breaker/ fuse sold for solar are known to be poor such as the types shown, giving high resistance due to poor contacts. See a thread from last month which covered this very topic showing one with high resistance. https://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?/topic/115089-solar-controller-over-voltage-cutout-problem/#comment-2791824

 

I have a DC MCB (miniature circuit breaker) between my panels and MPPT, Bimble Solar sell these amongst other suppliers.

 

 

 

Thanks Peter! I noticed that thread the other day so by solar isolator I do mean breakers and plan on using the same as you, DC MCB between the panel and the MPPT, labelled to each panel. Does this seem right?

[The Big Solar Install]

2 minutes ago, robtheplod said:

ok.. makes more cabling/switching needed though - have you got the room to mount them? 

 

are you going to make three holes in your roof for the panels?  could you combine into one or use a mushroom. Generally best to keep holes to a minimum..?

also which panels do you have in mind, those nice black 400w ones on Bimble?

 

This is the only downside but yes, three holes (one already present) or going via the mushroom nearest the engine room.

And those are the panels, hopefully get them on order today along with the rest of the equipment needed, that way I can start wiring all of the stuff inside, paint my boat roof and then fit the panels. 

[The Big Solar Install]

10 minutes ago, robtheplod said:

Interesting... I'll be following this thread as solar is on my radar.....  what is your reasoning for using three separate controllers out of interest?

Primarily cost - 3 100/30 controllers cost less than 1 100amp controller (the Victron in particular). I've read that it also maximises efficiency and, should anything go wrong with one, I've still got solar from the other two. 

[The Big Solar Install]

Ok, it’s not actually that big at 1.2kw but I thought I’d create a thread mostly for the benefit of myself so that I can document what I’m doing and therefore, not forget things n

I have limited knowledge of solar installs/12v systems from my campervan, the rest is entirely theoretical from reading/YouTube/12v boating Facebook group/this forum. 
 

The Plan

I’m reaching the end of my interior fit out and I need to get the boat ready for continuous cruising sharpish thanks to a very tight deadline for starting a new job. 

The entire electrical system in the engine bay needs an overhaul so not being one to do things by half, I plan on rewiring as I go along. 
 

The solar will be 1200w (3x400w panels) feeding whatever LA battery bank I currently have in there (lithium in the near future but not right now). 
 

Equipment 

400w solar panels (x3)

100/30 Victron MPPT controllers (x3) (Tick)

Victron Lynx Power in bus bar 

Solar isolators (x3)

Battery Isolator 

Shunt (?)

6mm solar cable MC4

Battery cable

Solar brackets 

Roof glands (x3)

Mega fuses

Crimps/ferrules/lugs/heat shrink/label/crimping tool 
 

Inverter/charger 

DC2DC charger (?)

Lithium Battery

The list likely isn’t finished so feel free to mention if I’ve forgotten anything. I’m going to start assessing the space to fit everything today, pictures incoming. 

Please jump in with any critique/knowledge/emotional support!!

[New Student Boater (Nearly)]

1 hour ago, booke23 said:

 

I'm just pointing out that your assertion that a boat CANNOT fail on ventilation is wrong.....it SHOULD NOT fail but all boat owners know the idiosyncrasies of BSS examiners.

Why would I complain to the BSS about a safety issue? The vents were put there in the first place to comply with the RCD so while not strictly necessary for BSS on a private craft they are there for a reason. I'd hardly call an examiner rogue for advising on them. 

While I could have pressed the point and insisted the ventilation complied with BSS, what would my insurance company say if I had to claim and they discovered my blocked vents?......well we all know what insurance companies are like. 

In life, some battles are not worth (and perhaps not wise) fighting.

 

 

Perhaps a self adhesive frosting on the glass?

 

I'd quite like to be able to see out though. Perhaps something removable. 

[New Student Boater (Nearly)]

4 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

Can you still open the doors as an emergency exit? If the vents are still in the bottom of the doors you could vent under the bed and under the draws.

 

I can, as above, the bed is lower than the doors and it doesn't have locks/catches so can just open in an emergency. 

[New Student Boater (Nearly)]

Talking of safety, I'm starting to think about curtains however would obviously need to keep material away from the flue, any nifty suggestions to cover the window behind the flue?

[New Student Boater (Nearly)]

Just now, Alan de Enfield said:

 

It is certainly a tidy, well done job, but .... I'd be very reluctant to have a door that was not easy to access in the dark and event of fire, and panic.

With your fire being close to the other door and, presumably your cooking equipment being between you 'big bed' and the door there is a fair chance that the fire would be between you and the 'other door'.

 

Is the bed higher than the bottom of the door, does the door easily open outwards ?

I would just do your safety analysis to ensure that can escape if the need arises.

 

 

 

Ventilation is not a requirement of the BSS so even without ventilation it CANNOT fail.

 

Thank you! It's been a long old slog. I agree however that having an escape route is vital so I made sure the bed is lower than the door (even with the mattress on) and doesn't have any locks or catches, just push to open. Similarly the rear hatch is only lockable/unlockable from the inside to prevent getting trapped.