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Just a quick enquiry folks, anyone using a kabola b8 pressure fed boiler? I would appreciate there experiences of this unit kind regards Martin....

Hi. now that the temperatures are beginning to drop and the days and getting shorter (how bleak) i have tried out the Efel multi-fuel burning a couple of time on our new-ish narrow boat. to cut to the chase, it smokes pretty much from every crack and orifice (!), until a point about an hour down the line when it is hot and burning coal when it seems to become more efficient. This burner is tall and slender (!) with a small door down below (!) and a slightly larger one at the top, through which you can deliver fuel in whichever form you are using. the flue comes out of the back on the burner, around a third of the way down the upright cylinder of the main body. at the moment smokes leaks heavily out of the top between the body and the hot plate, between the seals of the upper door, and anywhere else it can manage in the upper third of the burner. Is this burner just a shit design?? I've not seen one of these before and can't even find a picture on google. I can see how i might be able to replace the seal on the upper door (some sort of fire-rope type stuff), but how do i totally seal all cracks, gaps and holes??? Does anyone have experience of this burner?? Can it be sorted?? It actually works well after a couple of hours, but by then we have been sitting in a very smoky boat for 2 hours!! Incidentally, despite the different design (tall and thin, opposed to short and squat) it does seem quite useful to be able to fill out from the upper door, so if we can seal it then maybe it will ultimately be a great thing. Anyone? cheers!!!

Hi there I have a 40ft narrow boat which I live on. I have owned the boat for 1 month now and the water pressure has always been bad, but recently I drained the water tank accidentally. From then on my water pressure is extremely low, I have tried running the taps for 40 minutes but not much difference. There is another problem, I can't get any hot water. When I turn the hot water tap on the boiler kicks in and stays on for about 5 seconds in till the water pressure has gone low. (At least I think this is why it stops) Can anybody help me on what to do to solve the problem. Thank you.

BoatMON A comprehensive Monitoring & Control system for inland boaters I am looking for a few people who would be interested in trialling a system that I have been working on for the last two years. The genesis of the project was that I was new to boating at the time and was anxious that during the prolonged periods away from my expensive investment I could be confident that it i) hadn't sunk and ii) wasn't frozen up! As my background is in electronics and for the last 20 years IT it seemed reasonable to combine these skills; thus was born BoatMON. In it's original format it simply worked as a glorified frost protection system using the Webasto heating system to keep the cold out during the winter months and monitored whether or not I had shore power. However during the intervening period much has been added and what started off as a laptop and a large box of electrical ironmongery has reduced to a unit no bigger than a lunchbox. I know there is at least one other product out there (Boat Warden) that purports to do a similar job but to me it seems that this device is not really aimed at inland boaters and to be honest seems expensive. My aims are thus: Reliability Cost effectiveness (I am hoping to be about the £350 mark for the finished article) Flexibility, I am trying to build in as many features as people request. What can it currently do? Monitor 2 DC supplies up to 20v (Starter/Aux batteries) Monitor 2 AC/DC supplies up to 300v (Shoreline/Generator/Solar output - nice to graph this!) Can control diesel heating systems (tested on Webasto so far) via a clean relay contact, optionally can switch up to 2Kw of electrical heating.Heating setting is set by a scheduler, essentially a heating 'diary', start time is automatically offset to achieve desired temperature & time. Additional On/Off and Custom temperature override settings are available, however even when Off it will still frost protect. If required can also use diesel heating to control hot water if piped to do so.Multi-zone security system with most of the features that you would find on a modern alarm system, alarm time-out, auto rearm, zone omit etc.Bilge alarm - operates a local alarm as well as remote notification.Ability to remotely switch up to 4 x 240v/10A relays to operate something of your own choice. One thought I had for this was for an automatic generator start to recharge batteries.Virtual Fuel gauge and electricity credit meter The whole thing is driven from a web interface which can be accessed local through the WiFi network or remotely via an internet connection from anything that can browse the web, PC, smartphone, tablet .... If you don't already have an internet router I can supply one suitably configured with a 'Three' data sim. As well as presenting real-time data in the web interface it also stores data for one year and presents this data graphically again in a web browser. I have found it fascinating over the two years (yes I know I'm sad!) watching the trends not only of temperatures but battery voltages as they change with temperature and age, the latter can be a useful tool in diagnosing failing batteries. BoatMON can email or text you with messages which are prioretised as info/warning/critical so you can choose which to text & which to email SO! where do YOU fit in? I am initially looking for 2-3 people to trial this for me, during the trial you will obviously have direct support from myself, updates and fixes will be downloaded directly to your device and I will try to incorporate all reasonable requests for enhancements into the updates - so you get a chance to have your personal enhancements built in at no cost. I will unfortunately have to make a charge to cover the cost of the kit but I am offering a six month no questions money back guarantee if you are not happy, all I ask is that you have a reasonable attitude to bug fixing and product development and wait until the end of the six months before demanding a refund! I genuinely welcome all comments, pro and against. Remember that I am happy to customise where practicable. So... over to you!

Hello everyone, I've bought a 47ft Narrowboat and will be starting to live aboard very shortly. One of the things on the (ever growing!) list that I want to take a look at is the water heating. The boat is relatively young in years (2007) and hot water is coming from a calorifer fed from and heated by the boat engine. This has been working great whilst cruising however on a long term basis, when I'm moored up for a week or two at a time I don't want to keep starting the engine every day just to get a shower in and wash the dishes... I'm not going to have shore power available and having had a look and the option which keeps coming up are gas water heaters (Alde, Morco etc) However I was of the understanding that these could now not be installed under the new guidelines set out in the boat safety certificate? My certificate is due in on October, so I want to look in to an option that'll pass through no prob's... guess theres always a kettle and a bowl! Any advice would be greatly appreciated - and thanks for all the comments and posts on the forum to date, they've been so useful! Cheers, Andy

Can anybody help me sort this out? When I bought my boat it came complete with a non functioning Eberspacher D5W. I was told it needed a control board and we agreed a discount on the basis that it wasn’t working and that the part has being sought then when it arrived it would be forwarded to me. However when it did arrive some 3 months later the vendor said I would have to pay for it which is not what I thought we had agreed. I thought the discount was for my inconvenience and the fact I would have to fit it myself or pay someone to do it. Long story short I still have a non-functioning Eberspacher. I have posted 3 pictures of what I have. I do not need automation or remote control or a timer, I am happy to turn it on and off manually. It would just make more sense to me to be able to brew up a tank of hot water without running a 2 litre Diesel engine for a couple of hours. As you can see from the pictures I have a heater, a wall mounted box and a pull switch on a knob. When I connect the heater to the box with the plug and socket by the heater unit (both present and correct) and turn it on nothing happens. So can anyone tell me what is missing and or what I need to do to make this kit functional. In anticipation of your useful advice and replies, Thank you. David

Hi, My domestic hot water is lukewarm at best when my immersion heater turned on. I'm guessing the element is in need of changing and I think I understand how to change one (there's plenty of tutorials online which seem relatively straight forward to follow). However, I was wondering if anyone has done this themselves? Any pointers/advice? The only thing that I am unsure about is a gas canister which is connected to the system. I'm guessing this regulates the pressure to and from the hot water tank? See pic Thanks a lot, George

Hi, Can anyone recommend a good firewood supplier that delivers in Northampton? (Seasoned hardwoods) Thank you! George

We have just bought our second hand nb and everything seems fine. We are a bit confused about the radiator heating. The setup seems standard. 2coil calorifier ( engine and webasto). Both webasto and engine produce lashings of hot water but only the webasto heats the radiators. Should the engine heat the radiators by convection from the calorifier as there is no separate circulation pump or do we need to operate the webasto and use its pump and rely on it throttling back when the engine is running. I have checked there seem to no valves shut etc. Thanks from a newbie!

Hi, i'm new to the forum, fitting out my own boat currently! My horizontal calorifier is fitted and fed by a webasto and the engine take off hoses for heat, twin coil, and connected to accumulator and expansion tank just after the hot water out pipe from the calorifier. I only get 2 litres or so of hot water before it becomes cold, checked and bled the coolant side of the circuit, all fine, adjusted the thermostatic mixer valve to make sure it's not all cold mixing in. Water does come through from the hot tank, just a very small amount, so unlikely to be a blockage as water is flowing from the tank...im at a loss, any ideas??

hi I like a boat but capped off fin radiators suggest they weren’t working well so in addition to the solid fuel stove . I’m thinking of adding back boiler to stove if possible connected to radiators and a diesel heating system too. Would anyone have rough idea of possible cost as a retrofit. Thanks

Hello lovely boaters, I'm most of the way through installing my heating system, I have a 75L calorifier which will be heated by the Webasto Thermo Top C. The Webasto will then go on to heat a load of rads. My question is, does the header tank have to be at the highest point. I fitted it without giving any real thought and now after thinking about it I would imagine it needs to sit higher than the highest radiator. Is that right or can I get away with having it around 30cm lower than the highest point in the system. The header tank is currently in the engine bay, nice and out of sight. I will have to move it inside the utility room if it needs to be higher, no real issue just a pain in my arse, a pain I would rather avoid. Help is much appreciated. Beau

Hello lovely boaters, I've been fitting a Webasto Top C unit on my boat and today was the day it was supposed to all come together and work. As I expected it did not happen. After connecting up to the battery bank the unit would make some noise, as if it was sucking air through, I could feel the air coming out of the exhaust, no fumes. Then these diesel pump would start making a clicking noise, which got faster and faster, the unit speeds up and sounds like it's about to kick in and then it just doesn't. I did this 4/5 times hoping that it just needed a few attempts to get the diesel into the unit. Still no joy. Am I missing something obvious? It's a reconditioned unit and came with all the parts needed, anything missing I bought with Spencers recommendation. I'm hoping that I'm just being a Muppet and that I'm forgetting something simple. Please help :) going to post in a few places to gather the greatest amount of boater knowledge. If no one can help then I will look for a webasto engeneer to come and help out. Thank you all x

As the winter is quickly approaching, I'm working on installing a wood stove on my stoveless (yet) boat. I'm restricted by price and size (the smaller the better). My question is from two parts: 1. What are your experiences with burning wood in smoke control areas? This seems to be a nice and cheap stove, but it is not defra approved: https://www.gr8fires.co.uk/mazona-signet-4-kw-multi-fuel-wood-burning-stove?nosto=nosto-page-category2 2. The Hobbit stove and Hobbit SE (smoke exempt) seem to be good stoves too. It looks like they have the same specs, but Hobbit SE is defra approved and allowed to burn wood in smoke control areas, while standard hobbit is not. However, Hobbit SE is £70 more expensive. Does anybody have an idea if there is going to be an actual difference between the two stoves, or it is simply the certification that puts one stove at a higher price range? The link to both stoves: https://salamanderstoves.com/the-hobbit-stove Also I'm open to any suggestions about other stoves! Thanks!

Hi all, Am new t this forum but my girlfriend and I recently purchased our first narrowboat, but unfortunatel the eberspacher central heating system which hasn't been used since last winter won't turn on. We're currently moored in Uxrbidge and plan on bringing the boat across to east Lonon eventually. Does anyone know of any engineers that could help with this in the Lonon area? Many thanks Malcolm

Hi I had my Lockgate diesel-fuelled stove serviced a couple of months ago, but have been unable to test it due to an apparent blockage in the fuel line. Now that the weather's beginning to turn, I need to sort it out. It has been suggested that I get a simple pump and install it inline, close to the stove. This will allow me to run it very briefly until I can see fuel entering the bottom of the stove, then flick it off again. I'm not sure, without removing wooden panels, whether I have a 12v supply near the stove but I definitely have 240v as there is a wall light right next to it. So, I'm thinking that 240v will be fine, especially as I will only want to run it for a few seconds at a time and when I'm on the cut, this won't draw too much from the battery bank. Has anyone else done this before? Can you recommend a pump? Is this a good idea?? Many thanks

Hi everyone, My partner and I live on a tidal part of the Thames on a little wooden boat. We're in the process of building out new dream home - a steel Dutch barge, and we're looking into the best ways to heat it. At the moment we're strongly considering a pellet stove boiler, linked up to a thermal heating store. We could also link up a solar heat panel to the thermal heating store too, to give us a bit of leeway in the summer months. One major concern for us that this point is that boats move! We wanted to see if anyone has any insight or opinion on the impact this could have on the plumbing, and specifically the thermal store. We're unclear on how robust the various pipes leading in and out of it are, the connections between the pipes and the store, as well as it's internal mechanisms. Is it something that could break if it moves around too much...? We could keep it as secure as possible so it isn't bumped, but we certainly can't prevent the boat rocking when faster boats whizz by, as they often do! Any and all insight really welcome! Big thanks in advance, Gabs

The stern end of my boat is freezing! But I don't want to constantly run my noisey & expensive diesel powered central heating all the time. Is there a small heater, perhaps paraffin, gas or something else that is safe to use, easy to install and that would heat just this room inexpensively? I already have a multi fuel stove but that is at the other end of my 70 foot boat. Many thanks!

Hi All, I am in the process of buying my first narrowboat, 46ft and it has a really rubbish wood burner that I would like to rip out and put in a new bubble diesel stove. The little 4kw corner one. What I am struggling with is approximate costs for retro fitting one. Has anybody done this and what were the rough costs involved. I know it's really dependant on the boat etc, but I I am mainly wondering how much to budget. Not including the stove are we talking £500? £1,000 £2,000 etc. I don't currently have a dedicated diesel tank, just the main one. Any help appreciated.

Hi everyone, Me and my partner have just moved on to our 57 x 10 wide beam and are having a slight nightmare keeping the boat warm! Where we are moored we're not allowed to use the multi fuel stove so that leaves us with either the 5kw Webasto or electric fan/ convection heaters. The Webasto heats the radiators and we've balanced them so that all get equally hot but there are only three and all are small so it does very little to actually keep the boat warm. The electric heaters do warm the boat up but over the long run I'm assuming the cost will be more than other heating options? We are permanently moored with 240v I think our options are 1) take the hit and use electric to keep it warm 2) buy a bigger webasto and presumably also bigger / more radiators or 3) install a diesel fuel stove? Although I'm not sure if this would be allowed either (I would need to check), the issue with the solid fuel stove is the smoke it creates, even smokeless coal Any suggestions about which option to go for? Or anything else we could do?

Hi, I’m hoping someone can help answer this as numerous google searches have failed. Pfft Technology! Basically we’ve set our hearts on a heritage style range which we’ve seen can run on red diesel, we just don’t know how?? And whether we can buy an oil fired range (much, much more affordable) and it run on red diesel - convert it or something I assume? I’m hoping someone can enlighten us...please pass on your knowledge Thanks in advance

Hi Everyone, Does anyone make back boilers to fit small stoves? Width would need to be less than 280mm. If not could I just use a zigzag of 28mm copper pipe inside the stove. I have access to a mag drill so cutting the holes should be relatively simple. I'm replacing my broken morso squirrel with back boiler with a slightly smaller 2nd hand cast iron stove and would like to fit a back boiler to it as I already have the pipe work and radiators. The squirrel boiler is just a little too large.

Hello Just when i thought I'd got our Eberspacher D4 Hydronic sorted out ... something new, which I have not seen discussed elsewhere (apart from maybe in a section of the Murkin Bros' site under 'Weird Faults'. Ebbie had failed a few times so took it to bits and found it was in a bit of a state - badly coked, gaskets falling to bits, glow-pin screen coked and blocked. Sorted all of these out. Still not happy on restart and showing a code 052 so replaced (rather than just cleaning) the fuel intake filter and made sure no gunk in the fuel intake pipework. Now it starts up, runs for about 25-30 minutes, though not sounding 100% happy - labouring a bit. Then smokes, makes a booming/honking sound which causes a bit of vibration, and cuts out. Error code 030 which is: "Fan impeller of combustion air fan motor blocked (frozen, dirty, stiff, lead chafes at end of shaft …)". There doesn't appear to be any blockage or damage to the fan, and I am puzzled as to why it runs for the length of time it does before conking out. Any experience of this or similar problems? I've learned that error codes tend to report only the last in a sequence of things going wrong (!) so trying to understand what root cause of this might be ... wiring/connections to the impeller motor? Any thoughts? Before I go and buy a whole new impeller unit which I might not actually need? Patrick

Our Paloma MkV is playing up. The pilot light has a tendency to go out and when I tried to relight it last week there was a bloody big fireball! I've since had Buster over to have a look at it and he's got it working again. He advised that we replace it with a sealed unit, as we have a newborn on the boat. Also he said that it's not really suitable for our situation as we have a bath and the Mrs likes to indulge every so often. Apparently the Paloma isn't designed to heat a bath's worth of water, having a recommended run-time of about 5 mins? Can anyone advise on a good replacement? Obviously needs to be about the same size so that it fits in the same nook in the bathroom. OK, not sure why the image got rotated. Turn it clockwise in your mind.....

Hello, I hope you can help. I have a single coil calorifier heated from the engine. I also have radiators heated by an eberspacher. They are on separate systems. Is it possible to connect the two systems so that the calorifier can be heated from both sources? As the eberspacher is mounted higher than the engine, would there be a problem with water from the radiators circuit causing the engine cooling circuit to overfow? Thanks!