vicvdb

Yesterday saw me take a couple of hours away from the usual stuff to have a go at the from windows. Halfway there with this one done, now just need to do the small windows in the loo are (which are frames but need the surrounds done. Then it's the question of fillets for the corner or something that works (what have others done with this I wonder?)

This is the best laugh I have had for ages. There was a curator at the little museum before the Blissworth tunnel who was seriously explaining to an American how the canal had to be shallow enough for the horse to swim ahead with a rope attached to get the boat through the tunnel. Thank you - made my day thus far ?

It's taken all the money we got from the insures and more besides but the boat that has emerged is so very different in that it's lighter and airier (the glass behind the fire is a help) and the losing of the pump put loo and so many other changes have left us with a boat that still has six berths but now it's two doubles and two singles of one double and four singles and the addition of the cratch and a clarifier (so gas only used for cooking now) has transformed it. I reckon there's about four months of finishing things off proper and then with it painted inside and out I can start on sourcing an electric vehicle and working on a new greener form of propulsion. That said the original engine runs so well - temperature sits at 80 deg C and starts on first click of the key but I'm sure the day is coming when , like Amsterdam, the fleet will be electric. The wife wants to buy a horse!! I hope you have and much fun as we have had on your project (the bumps are what we climb on ? ) As for economic sense - working in my business it's about being and doing so has been cheap (where else would I have our kids sawing, planing and doing so much us both as we all designed, built and now use as a family and as individuals. And the value of the thing has increased so there's an offset there if we need a balance sheet. Look forward to seeing what you're doing and how it's going. V

Thought of sending an update many times but life’s conspired to distract me. The rebuild has been hampered by COVID and a time away whilst we had bottom replayed (generally good but there was putting and it was decided that we’d bite the bullet and o it, transform the bilge into a dry place and change a few other ‘metal based’ things. fire was fitted and slowly we have found ourselves doing the things that make it look finished. Thanks to those who have sent the odd mail to ask what’s happened and sorry for not posting before this.

Always happy to become rich ? thanks

Sorry Tony, keep dropping in between manic work life and obviously stepping on the cracks.Wwill leave this thread and stop frustrating you and probably others). Charging, when not running is a purpose designed digital black box with when checked fully charges. Running, I have a rewound alternator which is seeing batteries @ 14.4 volts (on Sterling and Fluke DMM). Monitoring is bog standard Volt meter (which show's charging).

So many things (power and energy - think I do know difference, though various tutors and supervisors might disagree - probably lost in the rushed scribbles as run in and out sorry, textual skills rather than electrical and physics (which I always thought were the same). Agree about the over-discharging and under-charging, I've found that to be a major culprit in problems friends have had. 'Brand new' is never the case as many boat yards have them in stock for months - so 'new' is best label and thats three weeks (but will check manufacture),. Was going to connect toy from traction and heavy-current days which loads and plots on graphical display (I think I know where one still resides) but will go check charging again). Sorry for dashed off bits but the world is having a day where I am and so this is a pop in, sniff, think, and run back out. I'm hedging it's batteries but don't have spec' sheets for inverter and wondering whether it's also part of the issue (if not has to be 'fridge as that's all left :-)). Thanks for the grist - getting me thinking. V

Kwh pa = 212 212/12 (which gives approx Kw hours per month) = 16.7 Kwh per month 16.7/30 (gives Kw hours per day) = 589 w hr per day (some look at the 25% duty cycle and come to a figure of 147 watts per hour) Now some will look now divide by 24 to give Kwh per hour = 24.5 Of course these figures are based on the approximation that 1kw is about 4A in ac world. Having worked on early inverters (a change from 440 and 150V dc and 33kV) we experiments on waveform design and quiescent currents (which are, as someone said, all about efficiency) and the effect of loading (not a linear game). I was expecting a low stand by current (<2 A at worse case scenario). I have three brand new 150Ampere hour batteries in parallel and find that they last some five hours when powering the inverter - and Now I'd expects more than this. The batteries are on a discharge/charge cycle and are generally run on an electronic sensed trickle charge during the season (whenever that was this year thanks to Covid). I am going to take a proper (old-fashioned battery tester with a nice resistive load built in) and check the things but I'm also wondering if the inverter has gone a bit off too. Just doodling in head and tying to see whether I try one of the few lower wattage inverters I have in a box (meant to give them away and yet they remain!!!) and see how long they take to run down batteries on quiescent state, then recharge and run on load OR run sterling and repay the last process. Thanks for comments - all grist to the mill ? Monitoring is pretty much there - have been toying with some of the more Gucci tools for the tech panel, but need to finish the rebuild before extending into that area. Things are pointing to a duff cell (which I will check) and a poorly inverter (which is another possibility - is there a life to these things in a damp nautical setting???). Oh what fun ? Thanks again, V

Find this all very interesting as I have a low consumption fridge/freezer (212KWh pa - which works out at about 580 watts a day max, but with 25% duty cycle that probably no more than 150w in real terms) on start it draws around 350 watts and then looks like no consumption (as it's so low). The inverter is 1,500 w pure sine wave Sterling device and the thing lasts for no more than five hours when powered from a bank of 3 x 150A leisure batteries which seems a bit off. I know I've over-engineered the inverter and can probably do with something smaller, so here's my (stupid *) questions: Anyone know what the quiescent state current draw of a Sterling 1,500W inverter might be (think that may be answered in this thread, but belt and braces, so looking for confirmation)? I'm thinking that I can live with something much, much smaller in the inverter size - what size of inverter do people here use with regards to a simple fridge and the odd charging of technology. Using the same question as above: how long do they get from their batteries? Thanks (and hope this isn't too obtuse a set or queries, V * RSM once told me, "The only stupid question is the one you didn't ask!"

Thank you for the encouragement. Easy to come into a thread later on and respond, but sentiments re merely right and valid still. Thanks again, V

The reality with Dandelion is that had we not endured and refitted her we couldn't have enjoyed her! The money we received from the insurance bought back the hull and paid for the materials to fit her out and the time taken could have been shorter if I'd have been a little less of a workaholic methinks. Still, that said, I've collected all the photos and will be putting them up shortly. Anyone got plans for window liners (channel glaze top hopper) as I need to make some Thanks again to those who have offered encouragement. Vic

Thanks P&H for info - will have to experiment

We've just completed our first trip out on the newly fitted out boat and having done almost eighty hours of cruising with no real issues I have to say that generally everything looks like it's in the right place and works. Been a long journey but the joy of having her back has taken the pain away. Losing the shower and pump out tank appears to have been a great success as were the new settee/bed arrangement - downside is that the hanging cupboard was pants and will be replaced by additional storage boxes. Been trying to add photos but can't seem to make it happen (will try again) Now comes the finishing off phase - loads of work, but worth the time it's going to take I'm sure. Can't wait for next trip this week. Thank you to those who have contacted me with words of encouragement and support. Vic VDB Why can't I add photo's - obviously used to be able to do it!

Been staying in Birmingham for the past few days - CRT chap was adamant that they'd be reopening Fazeley canal on Monday at 8am - met quite a number of people who having been stranded for some time have gone off for Netherton and the Staffs and Worcs route. Latest CRT update: Stoppage: Navigation closed between Minworth Locks 2 & 3, Towpath closed between Hansons Bridge and Forge Lane Bridge 29 Jul 2013 - 12 Aug 2013 Associated Regional Office: West Midlands Waterways UPDATE (07 August 2013): Due to the complexity of the works required, we have unfortunately had to delay re-opening the navigation until 8am on Monday 12th August. (Enquiries: 0303 040 4040) That said we've had a great time in Brum and had a day out to Norton Junction too (know where I'm off to next) - what a beautiful bit of canal (and we've seen so much on our travels this year)