bluelapsing

Evening all, Happy ending (sorry) - pump has been replaced and the leak has stopped!! Apparently the old wiring was terrible so that's been fixed, too Thanks for all ur help 🙏

Oh nooo! I could probably stretch to following the instructions for fitting a new pump, but beyond that maybe it's best to get an actual plumber on the job.

Yes - exactly there! Need to swan off for a meeting now but when I get back I'll look into switching the water off and having a closer look Thanks everyone for your help, much appreciated.

It's coming directly from under that little blue switch on the main body of the pump. There seem to be a lot of ways of increasing the flop of the dripping, but none to slow it down beyond a drop every second or so. At this point I'll just order a replacement for peace of mind, and in future at least I'll have a record of when everything was last looked at. Relieved this is the cause though, should be an easy long-term fix 😮‍💨

Found it!! It's a slow dripping from the connector on the left. Tightening it up didn't make much difference so I'll dry it out and get something under there to catch the water. DO boats generally have a stop clock to cut off water completely, or do I just have to live with the dripping until a replacement JABSCO arrives?

Yes to all of the above except drying clothes - my surveyor had a peek under the carpet and said enough heat and ventilation would dry the wood out with some holes poked in it, so maybe the battery problem with the pump exacerbated the problem. I'm having to update that the previous owners never replaced, so this might be going onto that list too, and hopefully a lot of ventilation and heat will solve the problem. Will check the connections and air out the cupboard now before ripping up some more carpet and getting a fire going. Thanks both 🙏

OK so it's (almost) definitely the pump, the other bit is probably a separate issue which I've sealed up as much as I can from the outside till I can reseal the windows in the spring. So my new question is: could this dripping pump have caused that damp over a long period of time? Yes and yes, thank you - the pump is running fine now (think that was my fault as the battery just wasn't giving enough charge, now it runs fine and the gruesome noises have stopped) and the lovely people at Wesley Marine Windows, recommended by another forum member, I think, sorted me a new window for £60 incl delivery 😊 I'm about to attack the dark area under the sink with some towels and torches now!

Morning all, After a week of everything seeming to be fixed, a leak has appeared... This is the cupboard under the sink that houses the water pump and has always been a little bit damp. I've had a look and it's damp but not rotten, but seems to be the same by the other window where the floor is slightly raised. Hard to say without ripping up the carpet there. Is there an easy way to check if this is water coming in through the windows (which I'm sure it is) and making its way into the middle of the boat, or to check if it's a leaky pipe connected to the pump, or something else? Laying a new floor is high on my to-do list anyway, but not sure it's a good idea to just lay on top of this without finding a fix or replacing parts of the chipboard, if possible. Thanks

Brilliant - with that information I may now be able to find the inverter that apparently is on-board the boat somewhere. I was scratching my head before but for some reason the penny has just dropped that immersion refers to the calorifier and not some other system whose existence I’m oblivious to. Thanks 🙏 also if anyone knows where an inverter might be hidden for maximum inconvenience pls lmk your best/worst guesses… for context, my switchboard and all wiring runs through the bilge where it’s housed under a step leading directly up to the stern. my surveyor was a bit mortified, so I’m guessing the worst place that you could possibly put an inverter is the place where it will be

Hi all, I have an electrician friend coming over tomorrow to read through the mega-thread on battery maintenance because I think mine are shot to pieces and I have zero competence with anything to do with electrics which was fine before but is now a problem. Batteries are now completely flat, I’m guessing, because nothing works except the plug sockets. I’ll leave him to poke around with the alternator and shoreline etc. but one mystery I can’t get to the bottom of is this Proteus thing. Does anyone have any idea what it could be? and if so, what it does… cheers

Thanks everyone for the advice. Managed to get in touch with a local company in Newark, hopefully they get back to me tomorrow, but will also look into getting a replacement made by a glazing company. Whichever's quicker, I suppose. Neighbour kindly offered to pay as soon as he saw the damage, though he took every precaution he could to avoid it. The winds have just been vicious.

That's just the pane to slide in for the top hopper bit (900x140mm), which I was hoping I'd be able to get on its own. Probably wishful thinking If I need a full replacement they're 36x21" - but for now it's duct taped and seems to be holding up pretty well.

Brilliant, thanks. The pane that's gone was 90x14mm, right angle corner - for now I'll run down to Wickes and get some acrylic (and hopefully nothing else smashes in my absence!)

Morning all, This wind has done a quick one on my window (flying solar panel from next door) - two questions: 1. Is this top panel relatively easy to replace? I feel like it should just slide right in... 2. Is it possible just to buy that one pane anywhere? TIA

Evening all, I've read through a few threads where I think something similar is happening but still unsure what's going on... So the water pump (SHURflo Marine Fresh Water Pump) runs continuously now when switched on. I'm connected to shore power and the noise was initially brief (around 3 seconds) and intermittent. Thought this might be due to the tank being low which initially it was, but since then it's started again except now it's non-stop! I've checked all over and can't see any obvious signs of leaking. The manual mentions air trapped in outlet side or pump head and checking for correct voltage to pump, and also something about pressure switch operation or internal valves being open. Another weird factor is when I ran the engine yesterday I left the pump on and the dodgy meter outside, which is below 12V when I'm starting up the engine, ticked over a bit and when I switched the engine off and came back inside the noise had stopped (until I ran the taps again). Does this electrical/mechanical hogepodge indicate an obvious problem to anybody, ideally with an equally obvious and simple solution? For context, the boat is 20 years old and I don't know when they installed or changed and parts on the pump, but suspect very rarely since the boat was usually left standing on a leisure mooring for most of the year. I'm away from the boat tonight but can provide pictures/further details in the morning TIA

Thanks - I’ll take this advice and upgrade this afternoon. Doubling the weight will at least give it a better chance of working as intended. Hopefully I’ll never find out 🤞

The receipt calls it a ‘Britany anchor - photo attached. It wasn’t too pricey but it was the only one they had in stock, so hoping it’s not the most ineffective, at least. So far come over two sections of the Trent at Alrewas and Derwent Mouth and they were fine, but the stretch coming up is longer (and also fine, so everyone says…) but I’ve seen enough people in trouble on the Trent over the years - from the comfort of land - to be a bit more cautious.

Morning all, As I’m still stuck out Sawley waiting to navigate the Trent down to Nottingham, I’ve taken to opportunity to fit an anchor. The man at the marina wasn’t exactly sure what I needed, but a few phone calls and Google searches led to the following for a 35ft narrowboat: 10kg anchor 10ft of 8mm chain 10 metres of 14mm rope A few 13mm shackles Two questions: does this combination sound like it will actually work in the event that I have to deploy the anchor; and secondly any tips on installing the thing? I’d guess that the anchor shackles to the chain and then the rope is tied to the chain and shackled on the bow, but better safe than sorry…. TIA ☀️

Thanks - not exactly what I wanted to hear, but certainly the sensible option. No point taking unnecessary risks at this point. I’ll wait it out in Alrewas until things have returned to normal from now — obviously it helps that Alrewas is absolutely gorgeous!

Any educated guesses as to when the stretch at Alrewas (where the Trent joins the canal) might be open? 👀

Oh dear 😰 Apparently a boat on the Trent (the fast part near the City Ground) is leaving a lot of match goers scratching their heads. I’d have a meltdown - just looking at the Penk on my walk this morning gave me a mini panic So what does it mean when the canal is listed in red on the CRT notices section? Their website isn’t very clear and their wording isn’t very helpful, either. Appreciate they probably have their reasons but to a complete beginner their language is a bit of a mystery I was supposed to be back weeks ago and not have to worry about any of this but here we are 🙄

Ah fantastic - I’ll get a (cautious) move on then. thanks a lot 😊 Just the canal coming from Stafford side, then turning right at the junction

This is what’s confused me a bit - lots of boats moving (obviously much more experienced boaters) but I know my insurance isn’t valid if I move and it’s probably a more difficult job than it looks from where I’m stood at the minute. Incidentally a lovely couple just cruises past at a pace and insist it’s brilliant all the way to Great Haywood if you’re careful 🤔

This is the confusing part - it kind of is (in that the canal is still, the weather is good, my ropes look fine) but there level has risen quite a bit since yesterday and Deepmoor Drain, where the River has burst its banks, is a lot closer in reality than it is on the map. The playground that’s currently underwater tells me it’s definitely not meant to be this close… I need to get to Rugeley by Monday from Baswick Bridge so may set off slowly and proceed with caution Thanks all 😅

Morning all - a lot of boats on the move near me, but having never been in a storm or flood warning before I’m stuck wondering if it’s advisable to do that now the rain has stopped? There are only a few locks between me and the next closure which is about 15 miles up the road in Alrewas. Ideally I’d like to get moving but no idea what it’s like further up from here and the CRT website (afaics) isn’t massively helpful…