[Mobile welder needed asap]

Hi all thanks for your replies. Still haven't found someone who can do the job though. In the dry dock now and running out of time.Any other leads?

[Mobile welder needed asap]

Hi all

My 56ft narrowboat is coming out of the water this Saturday (1st may) and I need some welding done.

My welder has just cancelled last minute.

The boat is coming out at winkwell, Hemel Hempstead , they don't have their own welder these days.

The job is a bit of overplating on the side plate where the bow meets the accommodation  (on the bend). Roughly 50cm square.

Anyone know any welders that might be available? Or is anyone out there able to do it?

Thanks 

[Hot water circulation from boiler]

Update

I got a lot of air out from the return to the boiler, where it leaves the calorifier. This made the pump a lot quieter and improved circulation. Thanks for the help

22 hours ago, Tony Brooks said:

The vent should run from the highest circulating pipe in the circuit so maybe in front of the top red valve but better from the top run of the pipe that comes from the top of the boiler. You don't want any pipe runs higer than the vent.

 

How important is It that I move this pipe?considering that I now have much better circulation 

[Hot water circulation from boiler]

2 hours ago, David Mack said:

Are you sure both of the gate valves on the calorifier circuit are open?

I once had to sort out a friend's central heating where a gate valve was jammed shut, even though the handle opened and closed as normal.

Thanks I will check them both. I checked the top one already and it was a bit jammed so.maybe the bottom one will be similar

[Hot water circulation from boiler]

Hi all and thanks for replies.

 

The white pipe behind the timber(vent?) Goes up and drops into the header tank. So I guess this is a vent pipe? Where should it be if not there?

11 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

 

Your plumbing is a dog's breakfast

Yes I agree. A few things on this boat seem to be fit for a dog.

I have tried the top red tap already and got no air bubbles there. I will try the t at the back 

7 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

to add if t is air there is probably nothing wrong with the Bolin pump

This would make sense, the pump seems fine. Although when tested out of the circuit It was only slowly sputtering water, maybe this is usual?

[Hot water circulation from boiler]

I bought my boat 2 months ago and I'm now trying to get the hot water working. The last owner said it was slow but it didn't work at all, the main problem being a faulty pump I think.

The water is heated by an old boiler made by Ellis and sons, Northampton, via a calorifier.

The boiler also feeds two radiators. The hot water for the radiators does not go via the calorifier, there are t junctions behind the boiler and the pipes go left and right to the two radiators at each end of the boat. The radiators seem to heat up well so I don't think there is a problem with the boiler. (Except that the flame is very orange so it may need a service or clean?)

The problem is somewhere between the two red taps. I replaced my old bolin pump with the cheap black one shown in the pictures to see of this would help, and it has, a bit. However there seems to still be a circulation problem because the boiler flame goes back to pilot at intervals even though the return pipe to the boiler is not hot. After an hour of the boiler being on the return pipe is finally warming up and I can have a warm (Not hot) shower.

My questions are :

1. Why is the flame going up and down before the water is hot?

2. The pump is very loud - has this got anything to do with it? Any tips for making it quieter?

3. What should I do about the fact the flame is so orange? 

4. Does anyone know about bolin  pumps? There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with mine but it just slowly splutters water.

[Charging batteries from generator]

Just now, Alan de Enfield said:

You need a IT when connected to a shoreline because the earth is common between you and other boats which can set up an electric current and erode your metal parts.

The generator is 'yours alone' so you do not get the problem.

 

 

 

Nice, thanks

[Charging batteries from generator]

2 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

I hope you mean that you will be running the Generator ON THE BANK SIDE at the front of the boat, and NOT in the boat.

 

Running a generator in the boat is potentially very dangerous,

 

Use the (normally orange) shore-line that you use when you connect to the mains, but instead of connecting it to a bollard, connect it to your generator.

Purchase a battery charger and install it next to the batteries and wire it into the mains circuit.

I originally intended to run the generator from the strong box (on the front deck) I have designed for  it, with plenty of ventilation. But after reading about the horror story on Windermere I realise this won't be wise.

I think i will go with your advice alan and put in a charger near the batteries, but after the rcbo as woteva highlighted.

 

2 hours ago, Tony Brooks said:

The following does not apply to using the generator but it you use a shoreline without an isolation transformer or a galvanic isolator then your hull is at risk  from electrical corrosion.

Why will I not get corrosion on my hull when using the generator?

[Charging batteries from generator]

Hi, relatively new to the water and trying to improve my electricity situation

I have a Honda eu22i generator and I'm hoping to use it to keep my batteries topped up.

It has an lpg conversion, so I will be using it at the front of the boat where my gas locker is. Unfortunately my battery bank is at the back.

From reading I have learned that I will need a decent 3 stage charger (and I can't see one yet installed)

I could go via the shoreline plug at the back of the boat but I don't think this is wired to the batteries - it just goes straight to the 240volt plugs on board. Perhaps I should add a charger in here.

The two other options I have considered:

1. Plug a charger into the 240v of the generator and run a cable down the Inside of the boat to the batteries 

2. Set up a new battery bank at the front of the boat. This seems excessive.

Any advice would be much appreciated

Thanks