Colin Smith

OK, I know the calcs Amps = Watts/Volts etc but am getting a bit woolly when it comes to understanding what it will actually mean to my battery bank – or drain on it to be precise - for various bits of equipment. For example: I’m thinking of getting a TV. The unit I’m looking at is rated at 40W max when ‘on’. The power supply is a 240v to 12v adapter and the bumf says it’s 12v 5A. I have 5 x 110Ah batteries which are not new. I don’t have a Smartygauge as yet so tend to go off the voltage reading from the inverter controller. When fully charged this shows 13V for a short time than drops to 12.9V and stays there until I start to use something. I never let the voltage drop below about 12.3V and charge them ‘til they reach ‘float’. So, for example what will the TV actually take from my batteries? Does the 40W mean it’s drawing 40W over an hour? If so, does that mean it will draw 120W over 3 hours or is there some sort of electrickery thing that buggers up the calcs? If I connect it directly to the 12V supply does that mean it’s drawing 3.3 Amps? If I connect it via the 240V inverter, what will it be drawing in Amps over an hour? (I know I need to add something for the inverter ‘losses’)? Am I going mad? Thank you in advance… Colin

Le Tonkinois I’ve used it on the Iroko timber for my wheelhouse and on the edges of my deck boards. It is fantastic stuff. Very, very easy to use. Simple preparation, no rubbing down required between coats other than a dust over with wire wool to remove any ‘nibs’. It cures in about 6 hours or so with no brush marks. I’ve 4 coats on the external iroko and it builds very well to an amazing hi-gloss finish. I’ve also used the clear filler that they sell and the Gelomat matting agent to give a ‘silk’ finish. I don’t really care what it’s made of or how it works but having used other ‘professional’ products in the past, I’d never go back to any of them. Le Tonkinois is simply the easiest and best product I’ve used. I’ll be using it on all my timber – inside and out. Colin

I looked at lots of different products from the likes of Showerwall etc. Some good stuff out there but expensive. I went with Plastivan in the end because I liked the look, was easy to fit and has been in for over a year now without any problems. I have the mother of all power-showers with a 300mm x 300mm 'rain head', normal shower head and 6 body jets. I used silicone in the joints and Sealux seals My link around the tray. I'd use the same again without hesitation. Colin

FWIW. I have a Mikuni MX60 on my barge (57ft x 11ft) bought new earlier this year. It was pretty straight forward to install and has run like a dream. It is one of the newer ones with the modified ECU and has coped faultlessly with the 'new' red diesel. I run it every day for hot water (takes about 30-40 mins to heat up 95L) and have used it for heating more than I expected over the 'summer'. It's driving 4x 1000mm double panel rads, a 500mm single, a large towel rail and a 4Kw warm air matrix heater, with fairly difficult pipe runs down both sides of the barge. Heats the barge up no problem and I like it Hot! As for running costs: It is costing me on average around 48p/hour to run based on 87p/Ltr. The parts are cheap compared to the other pre-heater types such as the Eberspacher and Webasto although I haven't replaced anything yet! I'll probably throw a new glow plug in it for the winter - about £20. I don't have any other form of heating and although I can appreciate the cost benefits of free wood etc, I didn't want the dirt, hassle or inconvenience of a woodburner. I did look at the Kabolas but the cost was silly compared to the Mikuni and the space required etc put me off. Colin This I want to see! Any info, pics, diagrams??? Colin

FWIW I've got the Sterling A to B charger with dual alternators charging a bank of 5 x 110amp domestic and 1 x 110amp starter battery. I also have the remote controler which is useful for monitoring what its doing. Can't fault it. Does everthing I wanted it to do and was a doddle to install. I used big cables and short runs. I've also got a Sterling 50amp mains charger which is excellent. Colin

Very happy! It all went in without any problems and works well. Must admit the gulper does 'gulp' quite loudly until the water is flowing but other then that, I'd certainly fit one again. I also have a manual override switch just in case but never used it (the connection is already provided with the pump). They are expensive at retail prices but I get a good deal from Whale so it was crazy not to go for it in my case. Don't know why your chandler encouraged you not to go for it - maybe he couldn't get the stock? They are difficult to obtain from chandlers. I guess because they're expensive to have laying about 'on stock'. Colin

Ooops...thanks for correcting me! The Gulley IC is part number S3482B or SG3484B with a longer cable! Cheers! Colin

I wouldn't take any risks at all. Better to have a fully enclosed box with proper ventilation. My battery box takes 6 batteries. The top can be removed for inspection of the batteries and has a perimiter seal. On the basis that hydrogen is lighter than air, I designed it to vent at the highest point with a brushless fan forcing air in near the bottom at the opposite end. It's a 90mm 'computer' fan and the vent is 80mm. An 80mm silicone hose takes the gasses from the top of the box to an external s/s vent on the side of the wheelhouse and out into the atmosphere. The fan is conrolled by a VSR/Timer. So it kicks in automatically when the batteries are under charge and switches off 5 minutes after charging has finished. The parts were pretty cheap and well worth the effort. For some reason the 'system' won't let me add a flickr.com image ("You are not allowed to use that image extension on this board.") but there is a picture at: My link Colin

I used a JT Ultracast tray (1200 x 900) on my barge. The tray is 80mm high and with a Niko Sienna Quadrant shower enclosure (@ 1850mm high)it has a total hight of 1930mm - just 5mm under the lowest part of the ceiling! I didn't have to inset the tray into the floor but I did re-enforce the floor under it. The whole thing is pretty heavy but added some much needed ballast in that area! One of the good things about the JT Ultracast tray is that it takes a 50mm waste unlike many 'domestic' trays now on the market. So I was able to use the Whale Gulley IC waste (SG3248B) also 50mm with the Gulper IC pump. JT do a range of trays in different sizes and Niko do loads of different enclosures/doors. JT Trays Niko Shower Enclosures Whale IC Colin

I've used Speedfit (not very good IMO), Polyplumb (looked crappy IMO) but have used Hep20 barrier pipe throughout the barge for both heating and the hot/cold water supply. Easy to install but you need to take care and concentrate! You have to be careful that there are no scratches on the pipe ends (where they push into the fittings) or you can get leaks. Having said that, I've put something in the order of 160m of pipework in to the sink, dishwasher, bathroom basin, Shower panel, toilet, calorifier, Mikuni, 5 rads & towel rail etc. and not had one leak! All the main pipework is in 22mm with spurs off in 15mm. If you're fitting heating, use 22mm for all but the rad valve connections and where possible, use the steel pipe bend formers rather than elbows. It reduces the 'drag' in the pipework enabling the pump to move the water around more freely (faster warm-up on the heating) and reduces the number of fittings so save a bit of money. If you hunt on eBay you can pick up bargains or alternatively go to someone like PTS Plumbing, Graham Builders Merchants etc and set up an account - you should get at least 30% off the rrp and most of them will deliver foc. I was brought up with copper tube and solder so I was sceptical of the plastic stuff but having used a lot of it, I wouldn't use anything else now except Hep20. Colin

Lots of room for two to play in though!

Get a widebeam.....my bed is 1600mm wide x 2000mm long

I'm oop north near Chester so Daventry is a bit of a hike - thanks anyway! Am going to go with laminated. Now the question is tinted or clear?!!

Thank you all for your comments. I must admit that I hadn't really thought much about the safety issue but now that it has been mentioned, I think it would be a good idea to go with laminated. The wheelhouse is 9'6" L x 8'6" W and the windows are a little over 2' high. I've been quoted £10 a pane for 6.4mm laminated (there are 13 panes) which doesn't sound like a bad price to me. Thanks again, Colin

Nearing completion of 5 coats of Tonkinois, I'll soon be ready to glaze the wheelhouse windows. I'd like to fit DG units but the cost is way too much at the moment so will be single-glazing for now. I was thinking of fitting laminated glass but should I fit toughened? Does it matter? Any suggestions? Thanks, Colin

Lynch website Been around for about 20 years......The bloke that invented it has now left the company and has designed another DC motor...which looks quite interesting!! Agni Motors Colin

Sterling 3500W PSW Inverter seems to do the trick.....My GF's GHD's don't seem to take much out at all but the hairdryer she uses before the GHD's uses more power than the microwave oven!! Actually, that's a thought........I wonder if her head would fit (if I took the glass plate out of the oven first)?

Hi Tony, you are probably right.....they retail at around £200 with the VAT although you can get it cheaper than that. It is a pretty compact unit though and a doddle to install. It isn't in the (crappy) online shop - a lot of their stuff isn't for some reason. I got one because it was a solution and I didn't want to (or have anything like the knowledge to) safely mess about with relays and the like. Colin

I'm no expert - the Barge engine is my first ever Diesel! However, I'd add the Barrus Shire to the list. I have a Shire 65Hp (think it's now been bumped to 70Hp). Pushes my 57 x 11 boat along easily. IMO a superb package with dual alternators, PRM 260 and very well priced. It's based on a Yanmar industrial engine. I've found mine to be quiet and very frugal on the fuel. Always on the button and easy to service. I've also found EP Barrus to have excellent after-sales service and be very helpful (and tolerant) regarding my 'numpty' questions Colin

Might be rather late in the day but wouldn't it be easier to just get one of these? Link. I have one and it seems OK. I have two shore power inlets - one either side of the boat which are connected to a selector switch then on to the shore power in connection on the auto switch. The genny will be connected to the next power in connection and the inverter on the last connection. The AC Battery charger is connected via a contactor switched by the auto switch. So it is only available when on shore power or genny. Colin

Me too!!

57 x 11 widebeam 750Lt Fresh Water + 350Lt to go in when I get round to it! 90Lt Calorifier 800Lt Black Water 350Lt Diesel Colin

Been using these for years in motorsport and have an F15 and F3 for the boat Mr Funnel. Water droplets in fuel can cause many problems - not just in the tank and fuel-line (bug etc). In extreme cases you can get ice forming in the injection system, venturi etc - I've experienced all of that with all sorts of engines from 2-stroke kart engines to poweboat stuff. They work - simple as that. They filter out all the crap AND any condensate/water in the fuel. They were originally developed for piston-engined helicopters because the threat of carb-ice was a potential killer. Obviously condenstaion in your tank will still be a potential problem but in the last couple of years I've had my boat, I've never had any problems so I guess it at least helps. The F15 has two filters and the flow rate is more than enough for pumped fuel. Never had a problem with anyone filling up the tank via the filter. I wouldn't fill up without one and they last for ever so a small price to pay in my opinion! Colin

Ahhh....takes me back to Ibiza in the 80s

Sounds interesting and something I've been thinking about. Any chance you could post a picture? Colin