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Big COL

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Posts posted by Big COL

  1. There are plenty of pressure jet boilers that run on 35 sec / gas oil, this is what the bog standard domestic boiler used to be and still are. Drip feed were usually 28sec oil /paraffin/kerosene. The difference between the two systems was that 28sec oil would ignite with a hot wire coil and could be gravity fed /drip feed to the boiler.

    In the case of 35sec oil this system would not work as the diesel would not ignite easily,it had to be pumped through a minute jet atomising the fuel and then ignited with an electrical spark, hence the name pressure jet.

    Now before you all jump on me and say my stove is gas oil gravity fed and that works, this is true, the two systems described previously are for automatic start up, in the case of drip feed diesel stove these have to be started manually.

    The principle of the ignition is different, with a drip feed diesel stove the burner chamber has to be pre-heated, usually with a firelighter, this then heats the base of the burner pot so when you turn the knob on the fuel regulator to start the flow and the diesel arrives at the burner pot, as it dribbles in it is vaporised by the heat in the metal on the base of the burner pot.This vapour is ignited by the remnants of the flame from the firelighter. The difference being here you are igniting a fuel vapour as opposed to igniting an atomised fuel.

    A correct burn is when the fuel ignites about 12mm above the burner pot base. with what looks like empty space between but is actually rising vaporised fuel.This is why if you overdo the fuel flow and turn it up too much you can actually cool the burner pot with diesel and the burn rather than being vapour will become diesel boiling and sounding something like a hot chip pan, which is exactly how chip pan fires start - the hot oil boils over and ignites, this then fires the vapour and as it's in free air the cycle just continues.

    I used to short cut the start up of my stove by heating the burner pot base to red hot with a turbo gas torch. Start up time 2 minutes as opposed to 10. Just keep your face away from the hole when you start up as the fuel will vapourise very quickly and on ignition will blow up through the lighting port.

  2. A quick google and it appears that oil condensing boilers only run on 28sec oil (paraffin/kerosene which gives you a choice either fit a second tank for 28sec oil or find the most efficient boiler that will run on 35 sec oil.

    These boilers are still made and when choosing compare the efficiency figures.

  3. This is my 7kw diesel genny, imagine hearing this after 8pm, According to the 'rules' I can happily run this all day before 8pm...it's bl**dy loud :lol:

     

    boat030.jpg

     

    Only if no one complains. Should they then the dreaded Dbs come out to play, so many Dbs at differing distances.

    What you should rember it's you and your family that are at the greatest risk you're the nearest.

  4. Soon be crimbo and we can all play Chinese whispers :lol:

    Any hard facts to substantiate such statements, any murmurings of where the gas oil surplus will be going perhaps to a country that doesn't give a tinker's cuss about greenhouse effect, global warming, or any of the green issues.

    Cheap fuel for them and their industries, talk about giving people bullets to fire back at you, they will be in full production making products for us because we can't compete and by then will only be able to afford to buy cheap imports.

    I have seen this in operation, some years ago due to public and government pressure the poultry industry voluntarily agreed to stop using any animal byproducts IE bone meal, feather meal, in the production of chicken feed.This caused a huge increase in the price of poultry food and subsequently forced the price of poultry up. Never mind this is what the British public wanted.

    This action caused a surplus of bone meal and feather meal to accumulate, this surplus was sold off to the far east who then started to produce huge quantities of very cheap chicken and lo and behold guess what, a large British supermarket imported this cheap chicken, grown with byproducts that the British public didn't want and sold these chickens to THEM causing the British poultry industry to collapse.

    You can call me a cynic but believe me go live it first and see how it feels to know what's happening and not be able to do a thing about it, Government's response comes under the heading of market forces. Ostrich syndrome nearer the truth.

  5. I remember seeing a drawing showing proposed safety dimensions regarding the installation of stoves. There are always the manufacturers recommendations and from memory if these were carried out to the letter there wouldn't be many stoves on boats.

    The best solution is to insulate the surrounding area to the upmost possible using the highest rated heat insulation and leave as much free air as possible, the manufacturers instructions will advise you on the minimum. In the absence of any definitive regulations that's the best you can do to sleep easy.

  6. Yes - I still have details of this tool as an addendum to the Triumph Mayflower Workshop Manual!

    Funny how we hang on to things, Mayflowers have not survived well but I bet there are still plenty of Workshop Manuals about - it was a very comprehensive document in loose leaf format so that it could accept the frequent factory updates.

     

    There were two mayflowers in the classic car section of the Earls Barton steam fair this year. As a child they seemed quite big cars as did the zodiacs, by todays cars they are actually a lot smaller than memory serves, the same with the motor bikes.

  7. Fairly certain it looks like some variant of a Coalbrookdale "Little Wenlock".

     

    These come in various models it seems, some of which are significantly different, others of which are very like this. Could this be a "clone"?

     

    Try Googling for images for Coalbrookdale Little Wenlock, and it may give some pointers.

     

    Hi Alan

     

    Had a look at the aga little wenlock nothing I could see with a similar division on the door

  8. *NOT RECOMMENDED*

    A friend of mine used to weld petrol tanks without flushing them out. He would simply drain them and leave the filler cap off so that the subsequent explosion had somewhere to go! It used to scare the S**t out of me but he was still alive the last time I heard of him a few years ago.

     

    George ex nb Alton retired

     

    I knew a repairer who would weld motorbike tanks without neutralising them first. He used to empty them of petrol leave them to vent overnight fill them with water the next day and the weld the hole up.

    No problem did loads of them until he sent one through the workshop across the street and into the lounge of the house opposite took the door and frame out with it as the tank passed through needless to say last tank he ever welded.

    He survived the blast with just singeing of hair and eyebrows what went wrong this time was due to the shape of the tank it left a small air gap and unfortunately it was just where the hole was.

  9. Because Island Plastics, Seamaster, and Fairey no longer exist

     

    Coat!

     

     

    Hi Fuzzy

     

    Seamaster still exist they were taken over by Viking. Some of the Seamaster range is now being built by Viking still under Seamaster logo, and I think to the original Seamaster hull specs.

  10. Hi everyone. We are thinking of getting some sort of wheelhouse canvas cover for the cruiser stern of our widebeam, as the inclement weather draws in so that we can do some cruisng in the rain...does anyone out there have any pictures of options we could consider? We are a bit stuck for ideas as there are not many boats like ours over here. Thanks.

     

     

    Try

    Wilsons of Kinver they were the cheapest out of 4 quotes I had.

  11. I'm surprised by the comments that boat prices are in free fall.

     

    The brokerage I'm associated with has been selling boats consistently and we generally get somewhere near the asking price. Our main problem is getting boats to in to sell as we seem to turn them over so quickly that we just can't build up a decent stock. And we've sold boats in the £80K region as well, so we are not just selling them cheap.

     

    Perhaps the idea of "free fall" comes from people just greatly over-valuing their boats. In the end the boat will usually sell for what it is worth; if you've overvalued it by £10K, then that is how much you will have to drop in order to sell it.

     

    Hi Dor

     

    Conversely if the broker undervalues the boat by £5,000-£10,000,a buyer will see and realise a bargain is on offer. With the sale done the broker has only reduced his earnings by £250 or £500 relatively at a 5%brokerage, the client is down 5 or 10 thousand.

    This may answer just why boats are selling in a recession, this is fair if you are upgrading as it is only about the differential in price between the boat being sold to the boat being bought, both suffer the same underpricing so there is no loss and it generates sales. The losers are the people who are giving up boating, these poor souls are well out of pocket.

    Dor you have been in boating long enough to know you just cannot build a new boat spec for spec for anywhere near the prices used boats are being sold for, this disparity in itself tells you boats are being undervalued.

  12. Yes.

     

    Our boat was built 18 years ago by Stoke on Trent Boatbuilding. They finished merely a few days late, for the agreed price, and produced a boat that was so good we still have it 18 years later. We wouldn't change it for anything and if we wanted to get a new boat we'd go straight back to SoTBB.

     

    Following on from Alan's comments I would also stay with our boat builder which was ColeCraft.

    Having had one of our boats being stretched, and them suppling us with a new sail away without the slightest hint of a problem is enough reason to recommend them.

    If you have a good experience with your builder then you want to recommend them quality is the test of time after years of building boats they are still in business, that must say a lot for any boat builder.

  13. I wonder / worry that some of the stuff put about by oil companies, and to an extent engine manufacturers, is how INFREQUENTLY oil needs to be changed with their engines or oils.. in an attempt to sway (lure ?) you towards their products...

     

    I think few would argue that during use, an oil is subjected to some quite wide variations of temperature, humidity from these temperature changes and products of combustion, carbon from blowpast and burning, metal particles being worn off surfaces which are in close proximity / touching at times, even just briefly during startup perhaps .. etc etc...

     

    So there will be a time limit for effective life of an oil, measured in a combination of months and heat cycles / engine starts...

     

    Naturally some oils with effective additive packages will delay the deterioration of the oil, so making it last longer...

     

    For those who want their engines to last a good long life (me) I would think it prudent to change it at least once a year, however little use it is given, and probably at the end of the "busy season", probably in Autumn for most people, so the acid-laden oil is not sitting in the engine for maybe 5 or six months over winter... Others may think that around £20 an oil-change, it is cheap enough to do the oil-change twice a year - it's not particularly expensive compared with fixing broken or prematurely worn out engines...

     

    Oils today are really a lot better than even 10 years ago, so assuming it is of a viscosity appropriate to the engine and close to the original requirements of the manufacturer, then all should be well... I think it is more important to change oil more frequently, than to change it less frequently using a more expensive oil, as the oil will definitely be degraded with use and collect impurities during its life. Most canal boat engines are working at pretty low specific power outputs and are low-stressed, ( less than 20 bhp / litre) which in turn will not be demanding oils appropriate for a F1 racing car engine with maybe power outputs of 800bhp from ? 3 litres or ten times the output.......

     

    Nick

     

    Nick

     

    The other side of the coin to changing acid ladened oil in the autumn is that over the winter serious condensations will take place. An accumulation of water could be added to the fresh oil and on commencement of the new season one could start off with a water contaminated oil.

    Perhaps we should empty the sump and leave the drain plug out until the new season and then refill with clean oil.

    Did I just write that? Where are we going with all this Bol---s, for years engines have survived under normal oil changes, why complicate a simple situation.

     

    Ps anyone interested in joining the flat earth society please pm me

  14. Because narrow boat engines are not modern car engines and Beta says (in their latest manual)

     

    Quote:

     

    Engine oil quality should have the minimum properties of the American Petroleum Institute "API" classification CF (CD or CE).

     

    :Unquote

     

    it also says

     

    Quote:

     

    A good quality SAE 15W/40 mineral based multigrade oil used in most car diesel engines will meet requirements.

     

    Do Not Use 'Turbo Diesel Oil' or additives, and the use of synthetic oil is not recommended

     

    :Unquote

     

    Note: it was previously stated that only API. CC was suitable, it may well be for older engines still the recommended specification but a phone call to the manufacturer/mariniser of an engine would confirm.

     

    Edit: sticky fingers.

     

    Interesting, manufacturers state lots of differing guff about oil. True fact is mineral oils are getting harder to obtain, some large vacuum pumps run on a straight mineral 30 grade, this is starting to become rocking horse sh-- you can still get it but at a price.

    We changed over to part synthetic on our diesel vehicles two or three years ago, and that did not take into account how old or how many miles the engines had covered. There have been no ill effects to date, it seems to be general practise to use part synthetic in smaller garages, I can't speak for the main agents I would think they are on full synthetic.

    Mercedes have been using full synthetic for years, we had a new Mercedes van and after its pdi the next service was at 55,000k, reason given it was running on full synthetic and did not carbon up as it would running on mineral oil.

    Go figure as I just don't know.

  15. That makes sense Col, thanks for clarifying. Have just re-read Tony and Alan's posts and they were talking about pumps being fed into the dip stick opening rather than the permanently fitted type.

     

    I am not sure if they are still currently used but there was a system that the auto trade used that vacuumed the oil out via the dip tube. The hand type were mainly aimed at the DIY market as the position of drain plugs were b------s to get to.

  16. Our Shire engine / PRM 260 gearbox came with two brass pumps already fitted, I obviously use them when oil changing and never touch drain plugs. Seems odd that they are fitted like that if PRM recommend using drain plugs because of the shelf Tony mentions.

     

    Thats probably because when you fit a pump to any sump, engine or gear box an adaptor is used screwing into the hole where the drain plug has come from. Which should be at the lowest point in the sump allowing you to evacuate all of the oil. Shimples

  17. The slings have no spreader bars, risking collapse of the boats hullsides?

     

    And the slings look rather close together, but that might be the angle of the photograph.

     

    As for the position of the crane's outriggers, I don't think that the weight of the boat is that substantial.

     

    Spreader bars could be low down, one point though if the guy in the yellow jacket is the banksman he is in the wrong position, the crane operator should be taking instructions via hand signals from his banksman in this picture this would not be possible

  18. A example of complete and utter incompetence and total disregard for the treatment of our heritage.

     

    http://www.narrowboatworld.com/index.php?o...t&Itemid=16

     

    Can anyone tell me what is wrong in this picture?

     

    Whatever is perceived to be wrong, one thing is certain. A risk assessment will have been carried out either by BW or the crane company if they were contractors. You try and hire a crane these days, not only expensive but bogged down with little people legislation ( Elf and his mate safety )

  19. Hi

    I have always used a fernox product, besides the anti freeze part of it you get all the other benefits as well.

    Plumbcentre/plumbworld or any good plumbers merchants will stock it.

    I can't remember which one I used, make sure you tell them for what type of system it's for.

  20. The BSS is a bit odd here.

     

    To follow good engineering practice would mean a fuse in the main battery lead, as close electrically to the batteries as possible but not in the actual battery compartment. Then on to the isolator switch, then on to the panel.

     

    However the BSS insists that all circuits are protected by a (suitable) fuse or pass through the isolator switch. Rather odd, but that's what it says.

     

    This means that the main battery fuse doesn't actually have to be there. Though it is certainly safer to have one.

     

    Gibbo

     

     

    Quote from a BSS inspector, and I still can't believe this. "If there are no fuses in the electrical system on board the boat, there's is no requirement for them to inspect the installation. If this is a true statement can you imagine the death traps that would pass. He did add that all inspectors wrer having to attend an electrical course sometime soon.

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