dor

Looks pretty neat. Does anyone have any views on voltage stabilisers for LCD tv's? I've heard they can be sensitive to over-voltage, which you could get if the engine is running with an external regulator holding voltage at 14.8V. In other words, are these necessary: http://www.amperor.co.uk/prod_cps_55a.asp (12v) http://www.amperor.co.uk/prod_adp_90dc-125525.asp (12/24V)

My first thought was one of the portable DVD players, but then you will still need a tuner, unless there is one around that has that included now. The quality of these things is very variable, and not necessarily proportional to price. There are some good 7inch ones around. The Venturer at Argos is quite good for the price. It has a scart to phono adapter cable included so you could use it with a freeview box.

A 57ft semi-trad fully fitted out. Dream on david

Yes, read it again. Question stiill stands.

So John, are you saying that external regulators and "battery management systems" are a con and a waste of time?

Hi Richard THere are definitely vacant mooring spaces at Hurleston.

hmmm when did you last see a Lengthsman?

Henhull has gone up by £3 to £60 perr metre.

Doh. Good point Richard!

The irony of all this is that, if the new tax changes come in, you will be able to buy red diesel for your stove, but not be able to use it, and have to buy white diesel for your engine, which doesn't need it!

Now and again we cycle along the tissington Trail, High Peak Trail, Manifold Valley etc. These are disused single track railways that have been resurfaced and walkers and cyclist are encouraged to use them (and very good they are too). Despite being only a few feet wide for the most part, there is no conflict between walkers and cyclists. With my cyclist's hat on, I think that people who expect everyone else to jump out of the way deserve to have a stick accidently caught in their front wheel. (difficult to feel sympathy for the fishermen who get their rods run over though)

I could think of a few special names for members..........

good point Martin, however you are not exactly a teenager so perhaps they are not too potent!

Part of the problem here may be what is meant by "silicon sealant" There seem to be dozens of different varieties on the diy market, start looking at trade suppliers and professional applications and it becomes a minefield. So I think it is likely that some are vapour-permeable; but maybe others are not. Some may stick better than others. Some are high-modulus, some are low modulus - what is that supposed to mean (I presume it is something to do with its flexibility but...). So talking about "silicon sealant" as though it was one single product is bound to lead to conflicts of experience.

The Peltier-effect boxes take a long time to get anything cold. OK to keep stuff cool if it is already cold, but I wouldn't consider one as a substitute for a fridge.

I think the answer to the teenage dirty laundry problem is to get a fisherman's keep net and hang it over the side. Put in the propwash when you run the engine. The canal can't be worse than teenage socks!

Ah Richard, your post got in just ahead of mine, which should have followed John's!

Well it sounds convincing, even if it is a load of bull. Try putting "Seebeck Effect" into Google, loads of info then.

I thought at first it was the Peltier effect, but that is the other way round. These work on the Seebeck effect: The generator module is a unique semiconductor device that relies upon the Seebeck effect to generate electricity. When two dissimilar semiconductors (p-type and n-type) at the same temperature are connected together they establish a static electric potential difference. With the introduction of a temperature difference heat flows across the joined semiconductors which in turn permits electrons to flow. With the electron flow or current comes the ability to power electrical devices such as the fan's motor. More efficient than basic thermocouples.

And Martin moors above hte audlem flight, I'm below it - so is Hurleston.

ER nb Maggie: I seem to find myself in almost complete agreement here! (although I will stick with my (12v) electric fridge). I can see a point in a liveaboard needing a washer-dryer, and maybe an iron. But then I know people who run theirs off an inverter without having a huge battery bank.

Modern CWR track is pretensioned to allow for expansion. This coupled with being fixed to the sleeper and sleepers being heavier and more firmly bedded is supposed to prevent buckling. Also shoe is designed to allow a small amount of vertical distortion to take some of the expansion. Remember 29 mm was for a 50 degree range, I think the source was canadian, hence the wide range. Anyway, the figure agrees almost exactly with my previous calculation, with standard figure for coefficient of expansion, so I'll stick to that. Wasn't Concorde supposed to stretch by 2 feet at Mach2 due to high skin temperature? Or was it 6 inches. Maybe a foot.

I've got the two blade. The temperature at head height with the stove going is still around 30 degrees near the stove, but moving back through the boat (50ft) it is noticable more even. I was very sceptical about the effect of these fans at first, and even after getting one I still had my doubts. However having spent a night or two now with temperatures down to freezing, I am pretty convinced they work. Whether it is better than fitting a computer fan in a bit of 4" pipe is another matter. And they still seem expensive for what they are. But they do seem to work.

Just for interest, found this: "Thermal Expansion and Thermal Stresses: When the temperature is rising, the rail is expanding. As an example, a rise in the temperature with 50 degrees © on a 50 meter long rail results in an expansion of 29 mm. If this thermal expansion is prevented (intentionally or unintentionally) the thermal heating will give rise to normal forces acting in the long direction of the rail. " this suggests a 20 metre boat (66 ft) would expand 11 mm (0.45 inch) over 50 deg. C if it expands at the same rate as steel railway lines. Or about a quarter of an inch over 25 deg. C.