Gardner 66 engine new batteries

[Liveapurple]

Hi all

Newbie to boat engines here so please be kind.

My boat has a big old gardner 66 engine and the batteries are dead. I've tried several fixes to get them going but as they are over 12 years old anyway I'm just going to grab some new ones to get her going. When linked up to a friends batteries the engine runs fine so that's good.

Wondering what batteries are recommended for this engine? There is currently two pretty hefty sized ones (50-60cm long) that are set up on a series circuit of 2 12v.

These batteries will just be running the engine alone, leisure batteries are kept separate.

Any suggestions (in simple terms, for me) would be greatly appreciated on what spec I'm after and any other equipment that may be advised.

 

Thanks

Dan

Edited July 2, 2019 by Liveapurple

[MtB]

Welcome Purple...!

 

Probably no-one here has ever heard of a "Gardner 66" which would explain why you have no answers. This is probably a misnomer so could you post a photo of it so we can positively identify it definitively please?

 

The two series 12v batts tell us you have a 24v starter motor and a pair of cheapo 110AH leisure batts will prolly do the job just fine. Most cheapie leisures are just rebadged starter batts anyway.

 

Hope that helps.....

 

 

[BEngo]

I read it as he has 2x batteries in series making 12 V.  ie they are each 6V.

 

In that event something like a single 12 V 643 or 644 will suit, and if it IS a 24 V starter then two of them will do!

However, .more details of the Gardner would help.

 

N

[Alan de Enfield]

7 hours ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

The two series 12v batts tell us you have a 24v starter motor

 

7 minutes ago, BEngo said:

I read it as he has 2x batteries in series making 12 V.  ie they are each 6V.

 

Just goes to show how important the 'unambiguous detail' is when asking questions.

[Liveapurple]

Apologies, I assumed Garners were known of readily.

 

Its difficult to get a good photo of her due to the engine space squeeze, however I have found one listed on ebay the link is 

 

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F133033007881

 

Gardner 6LW 102 hp @ 1700 RPM, Natural 6-cylinder diesel, Cylinder capacity: 8,370 cc.

 

It is an old bus engine

 

Any further details please ask

[TheBiscuits]

21 minutes ago, Liveapurple said:

Apologies, I assumed Garners were known of readily.

They are, but not the "Gardner 66" you asked about!

 

Do you actually have a 6LW or was that just a handy link to tell us what Gardner engines are?

[Athy]

15 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

They are, but not the "Gardner 66" you asked about!

 

Do you actually have a 6LW or was that just a handy link to tell us what Gardner engines are?

Post no. 5 suggests that it is indeed his own engine.

[Tumshie]

30 minutes ago, Liveapurple said:

Apologies, I assumed Garners were known of readily.

Gardners are quite well known yes, the forum has a whole sub forum dedicated to them in the vintage engine section. The problem is there's no Gardner 66 and there are (I think) 3 or 4 Gardners with 6 cylinders. People aren't trying to be awkward, they're just trying to get the correct info about your engine specifically so you can get the most accurate answers. 

 

https://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?/forum/53-gardner/

 

 

[Liveapurple]

24 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

They are, but not the "Gardner 66" you asked about!

 

Do you actually have a 6LW or was that just a handy link to tell us what Gardner engines are?

66 is what the previous owner called the engine.

 

As I said yes the link is the engine I have.

[Liveapurple]

8 minutes ago, Tumshie said:

Gardners are quite well known yes, the forum has a whole sub forum dedicated to them in the vintage engine section. The problem is there's no Gardner 66 and there are (I think) 3 or 4 Gardners with 6 cylinders. People aren't trying to be awkward, they're just trying to get the correct info about your engine specifically so you can get the most accurate answers. 

 

https://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?/forum/53-gardner/

 

 

That's great thanks for the link. I believe there's only one 6LW, unless they kept the name for the upgraded version they brought out some years after which they may have done. I have the first version anyway.

 

The previous owner always called the engine "Gardner 66" so I assumed this was a nick name for the 6LW which clearly isn't. 

 

I didn't think people are trying to be awkward. As I said in my original post I know very little about it currently so knew I would get questions. Plus I expected to get some passive aggressive reponses similar to TheBiscuits. Its a forum, there's always one! ?

 

Thanks

Danielle

[TheBiscuits]

8 minutes ago, Liveapurple said:

Plus I expected to get some passive aggressive reponses similar to TheBiscuits. Its a forum, there's always one! ?

Sorry you took it that way, it certainly wasn't intended to be.

 

I was only trying to clarify that you did indeed have a 6LW, as I didn't find it obvious from your posts.

[dmr]

I am no expert at all on Gardners but do take a general interest in engines. Half remember reading somewhere that there was an uprated version of some of the LW engines, could this have been known (either officially or otherwise) as the 66?

 

.................Dave

[BEngo]

So, all we need to clarify now is if the starter is 12V, when a single 643 or 644 size battery will be fine, or 24V when it will need two of them.

The only difference between a 643 and a 644 is the terminal positions.

Shield Batteries or Tayna or any other decent battery supplier will have them in stock.

N

[Liveapurple]

14 minutes ago, dmr said:

I am no expert at all on Gardners but do take a general interest in engines. Half remember reading somewhere that there was an uprated version of some of the LW engines, could this have been known (either officially or otherwise) as the 66?

 

.................Dave

Good point

 

According to wiki the upgraded was called 6LX, I will have to get someone to look at her, as he made a point that I know it was a 66. She's in need of a going over soon anyway..

[dmr]

I assume this engine is in a very big boat? I half remember that there is one in the square rigger Zebu that lives in Liverpool.

 

............Dave

[OldGoat]

A 6LW is a mighty beast (A certain boat moving specialist had a 4LW in his NB and it went like a bat out of hell)...

 

Just in case the battery bank voltage is still under discussion - as it's a bus engine it is quite possible that it is 24v, thus may be sensible to sort that out with certainty?

 

[Liveapurple]

1 hour ago, dmr said:

I assume this engine is in a very big boat? 

I guess, but not exceptionally. It's a 45ft, 11 tonne. It replaced a steam engine so although lovely I would have preferred the original!

2 minutes ago, OldGoat said:

Just in case the battery bank voltage is still under discussion - as it's a bus engine it is quite possible that it is 24v, thus may be sensible to sort that out with certainty?

 

Yes I've just checked with a neighbour and the total required power is infact 24v.

 

He also suggested I get a "charger pack to provide a trickle charge" (?!!). I assumed I could just get the new batteries and start her up every couple of weeks to keep it all ticking over

 

[WotEver]

1 minute ago, Liveapurple said:

He also suggested I get a "charger pack to provide a trickle charge" (?!!). I assumed I could just get the new batteries and start her up every couple of weeks to keep it all ticking over

Do you have shore power where you are moored or do you continuously cruise?

 

Thsts a huge engine for a 45ft boat - it must take up half the space. Do you regularly tow water skiers by any chance?

[Liveapurple]

4 minutes ago, WotEver said:

Do you have shore power where you are moored or do you continuously cruise?

 

Thsts a huge engine for a 45ft boat - it must take up half the space. Do you regularly tow water skiers by any chance?

Yes always power on shore where its always moored, apart from the odd day here and there. 

 

Haha. It is a beast. But fits perfectly  (albeit snuggly) in the engine space under the wheelhouse floor.

Edited July 3, 2019 by Liveapurple

[Tumshie]

19 minutes ago, Liveapurple said:

I guess, but not exceptionally. It's a 45ft, 11 tonne. It replaced a steam engine so although lovely I would have preferred the original!

I'm not sure it's allowed for you to say something so intriguing and not elaborate a bit more. 

 

 

Edited July 3, 2019 by Tumshie
In the words of Cuthound: to unmangle the effects of spell checker

[Jen-in-Wellies]

17 minutes ago, Tumshie said:

I'm not sure it's allowed for you to say something so intriguing and not elaborate a bit more. 

 

 

Definitely not! A curious lot here. ?

[WotEver]

2 hours ago, Liveapurple said:

Yes always power on shore where its always moored, apart from the odd day here and there. 

Then yes, it would be a good idea to get a small 24V battery charger/maintainer. 

[MtB]

2 hours ago, Liveapurple said:

I guess, but not exceptionally. It's a 45ft, 11 tonne. It replaced a steam engine so although lovely I would have preferred the original!

 

You realise we now desperately need photos of this whole intriguing boat.... 

 

Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeease!!!!!!

 

And I can post up some photos of the 6LW page(s) in my 'history of Gardner' book for you... ?

[Alan de Enfield]

All for sale :

 

 

Gardner 6LX

 

 

Gardner 6LXDT

 

 

 

Gardner 6LXB

 

 

 

 

Gardner 8 LXB

 

[OldGoat]

We're getting somewhere at last.

It would be most helpful if you could update your profile to give some idea of location - it only needs to be general "Scotland" would do  or approximately where the boat is.

'We' now know you've got a proper engine and with a wheelhouse it's a proper boat. If is was a steamer - could it be a 'Puffer' or mebe something similar?