DandGNWales

Would you be able to fit a normal household LPG Gas Boiler to a Narrowboat?

Would you be able to fit a normal household LPG Combi Boiler to a Narrowboat ?

Well, I have just been on another spending spree, new Leasure Batts, new starter batt and ended up getting a unit with 5 MCB's to future proof the system and agree with Alastair a good mix of 12v for instant and like the option of some 240Vac as my eyes tend to suffer in low light if trying to read etc, so will get it installed and fingers crossed when I secure the batts get a BSC pass, then get her licensed ready for the mega journey Wales bound, wish us luck, we are going to need it

Hi All, The boat re-fit is about to gather pace, so here is yet another question: What size consumer unit do I need for the 240v electrics? At the moment she is wired just like a caravan but with no curcuit breakers, so to get her through her Boat Safety we will need to start afresh and fit a new consumer unit, so what little knowledge I have, I thought the following 1 for 240v sockets 1 for 240 Lights as we have no invertor I will have to read up a lot (Just ordered the book How to fit out a narrowboat) So would a 5 channel unit suffice or is bigger better?

Yes I understand what you are saying but struggle to find a decent Ammeter, got loads of top end Multimeters but they only go to 10 amps so suspect this is not enough ?

As some of you know we are re-fitting our Narrowboat out but have to bring her from Barrow on Soar to Chirk Marina in North Wales, so checking on the ropes they are not in very good condition, so my question today is : 1. Is there a certain type that will last longer than the others? 2. What is the typical length we would need for bow, stern and middle ropes

I may just change them as a matter of course it's not the £40 that is the trouble it's the thought of snapping one in the head, but will see how she starts with a brand new starter battery

Slow count to 25 seconds for heater plugs with full throttle reduced as soon as she fires so not over revving while the oil gets around, does that sound right ?

Cheers for that Pete, it's the least of my worries at the mo,got to get her serviced and legal then a 9 day steam from Loughborough to Chirk Marina North Wales, then begin the full re-fit

Thanks all for the replies, I will try a new starter battery first and see how she starts, the lady I bought her off only used to live aboard her, so don't think she has been out to cruise in 4 years, she was using easy start to fire her up so I assumed that the heater plugs may be goosed, but seeing as you can snap them in the head, I will try them with a new starter battery first. Also thanks for the manual links that is a major help, I think the least I can do to the old girl is give her some new oil & Filters. She has just failed her boat safety but only on 2 x fuel pipes and the batteries need securing so nothing major

I have had a quick look at the wood and it's not the best, so was having a chat with a local builder that frequents our pub and he agrees with the choice of Iroko wood and oil it as Ally suggested, but all good info supplied above just in case we try to fix the excisting, so thanks all for your help, this is a great forum for newby boaters like us Cheers Denise & Geoff

Thanks for the replies guys, it does have a tank, I have a poor camera phone slightly out of focus pic of the engine and gearbox that I will attach. Just tried to upload my picture but says I have run out of space, strange as I have only uploaded 1 pic Anyway back to skin cooling, does this then require anti freeze ? I am good around engines and used to build race bike engines for road race and enduro bikes and also Autograss cars, so I'm used to twirling the spanners, just never worked on marine engines before, but if I can find out if the old girl is skin tank cooled at least I can search the forums and google to glean more info To try and help out, our boat is a 55 foot Davison Brothers Cruiser stern with BMC 1.5 and I think a PRM Gearbox built in approx 1978

Hi All, Please excuse my daft question, but just bought our first Narrow Boat and it has a Marine BMC 1.5 Diesel, so as I have not had a good look lover her as yet, are they Raw Water Cooled or do they Have a Rad like a car? Also I have found a pump on the engine that looks very similar to the pump we used to grease the stern shaft on the rental boat, I assume this is to drain the engine oil at service time? Also what make of glow plugs are the most reliable v cost Also anything else to watch out for on the engine? Cheers Geoff

After being on the boat today need to give it the once over as no 12v electrics are working, but never had any tools or meters so suspect a goosed battery, so another 200 plus round trip to do some TLC, so all get ready for some boat fit out questions lol

Thanks for the info, I will have to have a look around our local builders yards to see if they can get it for me, but after completing the boat handover earlier today will probably start on the inside now and concentrate on the outside after the winter.

Will pick them up on Monday from Lime Kiln on my way to a meeting in Coventry so should be the correct ones I hope our guy is that organised?, but will pick up the little brass type plates when I pick up the fire extinguishers, but your guy seems to have the correct attitude

Thanks for the warning, I thought they were all built to a certain standard ?, anyway will be buying them from Lime Kiln as mail ordered 4 normal anodes and 2 of the tapered side anodes and they sent 6 normal but charged me the extra cash for the tapered anodes, so will also pick up them isolation badges as well

If you don't mind me asking were did you get the brass plates from ? Hi Mike, We only do the handover tomorrow afternoon so not sure what is on board fire fighting wise so thanks for the screwfix tip, but they are a little expensive compaired to Wickes £25 v £13.99 so will go and take a look at our local Wickes

Cheers for that Mike, that seems the easy method, just got to buy 3 x dry powder 2KG Extinguishers now and a fire blanket and fingers crossed on the rest

Yes it's all good news

Thanks for your reply Tim, I need to visit Lime Kiln Chandlers as ordered some normal and side anodes and they have charged the extra for the chamfered side anodes and supplied normal ones so will pick up some then Cheers Geoff

Hi, Just spoke with our Boat Safety Examiner, he is inspecting our narrowboat on Monday or Tuesday I can only get to the boat for Sunday so need at short notice a Battery Isolater, Fuel Isolator and Gas Isolator Stickers asap, I have a label making machine, so would this be good enough or do the labels have to be a certain size or shape?

Chirk, just been for a look round today and had a chat to some boaters, it seems very friendly

Yes my bad I do mean the cabin, I just thought all above the water line would be classed as the top side so don't want to start ww3 so is Craftmaster the best as what I have read in the old threads they are well thought of

We love seeing the different named boats, ours is called Willoughby but we are to re-name her Little Else, it's a reference to my recently deceased mother Mrs Elsie Roberts, plus my deceased mother in law was also called Elsie Roberts, so keeps my wife and I happy to remember the 2 great Elsie's plus I used to tease my Mam and call her little e, that was our original name choice, but we think Little Else will be all we have left after re fitting and re-plating her lol