aread2

We also have a very similar item mounted so it blows across the back step. It's plumbed into the calorifier circuit and keeps my feet lovely and warm on cold days (2.5Kw output). A sort of modern equivalent of the back cabin stove.

Greenie for that. It's what comes of not checking my references.

See Tony Lewery's Book "Colours of the Cut". Just about every canal carrying company's livery. Tons of ideas for colour schemes.

We've got a concealed locking storage cupboard built in. Only really intended to deter casual thievery as it wouldn't take long to break open..

Ours is called Syncopation

It took my 11A car battery charger nearly two days to fully charge a single completely flat 110ah leisure battery. For comparison the Multiplus on the boat has a maximum output of 120A but even this would need at least 8 hours to reach 100% charge as the final 20% will be at low current.

Outstanding!

We use a car JVC DAB MP3 CD head unit with external car aerial. Works fine.

A quick Google shows your 20mm rope will have a breaking strain between 7000kg and 8000kg. I would suggest it would be better to have the rope break than have the fixing point on the boat break so it needs to be capable of taking that much strain at least - and in the direction the rope will be deployed.

Eberspacher make them wit 15mm plumbing for use with their heaters. They're readily obtainable from motor factors:here. Expensive when compared with one taken from a scrap car but designed for use with the plumbing. Do commercial vehicles use larger bore plumbing for their heaters?

I've seen similar behaviour on our system. We have TP+Victron and the alternator wins every time. Victron goes to absorbtion very quickly. The installation was orignally supplied with the domestic alternator indicator light disconnected to prevent the alternator from confusing the Victron. I discovered this when the TP threw its drive belt and after a day at slightly over tickover the batteries went flat. The only way to get the alternator working was to blip the throttle hard enough to get it to excite.

There are frequent winding holes; points where the canal widens to permit boats to turn. Usually a few miles apart so if you did encounter a lock too short you may have to reverse a mile or so.

Possibly, if you can remove the base. The vacuflush is a macerator type toilet. The base has a hole of around one inch in diameter; the vacuum sucks everything through the hole, effectively breaking it up. If there's no vacuum, I'd expect the toilet to block very quickly.

The main problem with our way of life is that it's based on burning fossil fuels at 400 times the rate they were produced in the carboniferous era. This figure is based on 1997 consumption figures.

I fried the innards of my Victron's transfer switch by consistently drawing too much current. The Victron Phoenix Multi Plus 12/2500/120 comes with either a 16A transfer switch or a 30A transfer switch and my inverter has the 16A switch. I was regularly drawing well over the 16A as our 5.5KvA generator was supplying the electric hob and oven via the Victron. The inverter occasionally tripped out with an over load warning. After the unit was repaired I rewired to allow the generator to supply the cooker directly and have had no issues since.

We caught our side hatch in a lock: the hinges at the bottom were bent almost until they were detached and the hatch wouldn't close. The hatch itself was still straight. I was able to bend the hinge back into shape with a piece of wood and a lump hammer. The hinge is constructed with the two halves wrapped around a central pin. One side had been "unwrapped" under the force of the collision and with judicious use of force (quite a lot of force) from the hammer via the wood I was able to hammer the hinge back round the pin. As blizzard said; if there's no glass involved, it's probably safe to use a hammer on it. A block of wood between the hammer and the metal prevents the hammer from leaving marks.

They should be forward of the T Stud (as mine aren't), in a line about 45 degrees forward where the mooring rope will cross the gunwhales. I've lost two fairleads when moored and passed by speeding boats, so I'm not that convinced how useful they are on a narrowboat as they cost a lot more to replace than touching up the paintwork would.

It depend on the fabric. Ours is fabric backed with a thick, shiny vinyl layer so no waterproofing required at all. If it looks like fabric on both sides maybe it will need reproofing after you have cleaned it.

I've had filter covers crack on the water pump until I moved the filter to the correct (inlet) side of the pump.

Many chandlers stock fire rope in a variety of diameters. Usually they sell it in lengths suitable for one stove door or will sell by the metre from a roll. Normally it is just wedged into a channel around the inner edge of the door but you can buy special glue to secure it.

The Power of the Dog by Rudyard Kipling There is sorrow enough in the natural way From men and women to fill our day; And when we are certain of sorrow in store, Why do we always arrange for more? Brothers and sisters, I bid you beware Of giving your heart to a dog to tear. Buy a pup and your money will buy Love unflinching that cannot lie-- Perfect passsion and worship fed By a kick in the ribs or a pat on the head. Nevertheless it is hardly fair To risk your heart to a dog to tear. When the fourteen years which Nature permits Are closing in asthma, or tumour, or fits, And the vet's unspoken prescription runs To lethal chambers or loaded guns, Then you will find--it's your own affair-- But ... you've given your heart to a dog to tear. When the body that lived at your single will, With its whimper of welcome, is stilled (how still!) When the spirit that answered your every mood Is gone--wherever it goes--for good, You will discover how much you care, And will give your heart to a dog to tear. We've sorrow enough in the natural way, When it comes to burying Christian clay. Our loves are not given, but only lent, At compound interest of cent per cent. Though it is not always the case, I believe, That the longer we've kept 'em, the more do we grieve: For, when debts are payable, right or wrong, A short-term loan is as bad as a long-- So why in--Heaven (before we are there) Should we give our hearts to a dog to tear?

Interestingly my TP was supplied fitted by Beta and the 175 A domestic alternator was supplied with the exciter wire disconnected. I'd not have known this was the case if it was not for the failure of the TP drive belt. Unable to source a spare immediately I continued expecting the domestic alternator to take up the slack, as it did until a day of cruising where the engine revs did not get high enough for the domestic alternator to self-excite and the batteries were not recharged. Investigation showed the wire from the charge light on the panel to the alternator had been cut and carefully secured out of the way at the engine wiring loom connector. I remade the connection and now the domestic alternator charges whatever the engine revs. I think the theory behind disconnecting the alternator was that having two charging systems (TP via Victron and domestic alternator) would cause one of them to shut down when it detected the higher voltage of the other.

Definitely best to get TP fitted with the engine when new. Our 5.5kVA one has has performed fine for 4 years (holiday use), driving the washing machine, electric oven and induction hob and charging the batteries via the inverter/charger. Designed as a gas-free boat I originally specified the Beta 11kVA Propgen but they stopped making it before we were ready to buy one (not enough demand). Beta also stopped supplying the 7.5kVA TP at about the same time (reliability issues) so we settled on the 5.5 kVA model and it's just enough for our peak demand. The only caveat I would add is that it's a good idea to carry a spare drive belt for the TP.

And yet on page 10 under "Plastic ball will not close completely" it says use furniture polish or cooking spray. Must get some silicone grease for regular maintenance.

It's a silicone seal. In the manual on page 10 under troubleshooting it says use furniture polish or cooking spray if the ball gets stuck. I know furniture polish contains silicone. Does cooking spray contain silicone too? Or is it made from cooking oil?