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Engine runners


The Welsh Cruiser

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It never ceases to amaze me how many people have modern, expensive boats, go out on the system for a few days or maybe a few weeks during the summer, and resort to running their engines for several hours every day. Does it really make sense to run a £7-8K lump, annoying everyone in the area, just so you can have a bit of hot water to wash the dishes? Why doesn't every modern, expensive boat have an instant gas heater for hot water and an array of solar panels?

 

Yes, everyone needs to run an engine of some description during the winter months, when out on the cut. From March to October, unless you don't have enough money to buy a few 200w panels at £80 quid each, there's no way lines of boats (mostly modern, expensive ones) should be annoying each other with the horrible drone of their diesel engines.

 

Running engines should be banned other than for propulsion outside the months when limited stay moorings revert to 14 days. 

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3 minutes ago, Col_T said:

Genuine question - is there a set-up that uses solar panels to charge batteries and generate hot water on a wet, over-cast August day? 

I don't believe so but instant gas boilers are available for less than £500, use a fraction of the fuel to enable folk to have showers, push out far less noxious substances into the air and perhaps most importantly, enable the showers without impacting negatively on others in the area, many of whom enjoy peace and quiet, rather than the incessant drone of modern diesel engines.  

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1 hour ago, The Welsh Cruiser said:

I don't believe so but instant gas boilers are available for less than £500, use a fraction of the fuel to enable folk to have showers, push out far less noxious substances into the air and perhaps most importantly, enable the showers without impacting negatively on others in the area, many of whom enjoy peace and quiet, rather than the incessant drone of modern diesel engines.  

Ok for hot water. What about the charging of batteries on the wet, over-cast August day?

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Its our modern lifestyle that creates the demand for electricity and hot water.

 

When I started on the boats there was only the range for cooking and  hot water, oil lamps for lighting, dolly tub for washing clothes............,full stop. Water came from the can. We washed on the back deck or under the cloths with a flannel, a bowl and a bar of carbolic soap. In cold water!

 

Now we want hot showers, to wash dishes in hot water, wash clothes in hot soapy water in machines, cook in microwaves, ignition on gas appliances, charge phones, hair dryers, wifi, computers, run pumps for water and waste, televisions, sound systems, fans, electric loos and so on, and on and on.

 

No, I would not go back to the primitive days but it was in many respects a lot less hassle. We did not worry about how the batteries were or if the TV could get a signal.

We socialised with others and read books instead. Went to bed early and enjoyed early misty morning cruising. Dug pits in fields to empty the bucket. Got off the boat to explore places. 

 

Eee, 't wa' grand!

Edited by Tracy D'arth
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4 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

When I started on the boats there was only the range for cooking and  hot water, oil lamps for lighting, dolly tub for washing clothes............,full stop. Water came from the can. We washed on the back deck or under the cloths with a flannel, a bowl and a bar of carbolic soap. In cold water!

 

... locks were uphill both ways ...

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5 minutes ago, Bewildered said:

Is it still possible to fit an instant gas boiler under the current boat safety regs?

 

Yes - except where the boat comes under the 2002 BSS regs when :

 

 

Appliances which are not room-sealed but which were installed before 3 January 2000 can continue to be used, as long as they are serviceable and in good condition.

Replacement and additional new appliances to the boat must be of the room sealed type, except for cooking appliances and, in the absence of a direct replacement, instantaneous water heaters.

To help ensure continued safe operation of an appliance any modifications or additions to an existing appliance must be performed in accordance with the manufacturer's guidelines. Defective or inappropriate components could lead to a gas leak or inefficient combustion and the production of noxious gases. [8.2]

 

 

There are now room sealed water heaters available so that exclusion is probably now null & void.

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2 hours ago, Col_T said:

Genuine question - is there a set-up that uses solar panels to charge batteries and generate hot water on a wet, over-cast August day? 

 

Don't heat water with electric. You shouldn't be struggling with your solars in August whatever the weather. I don't even struggle in December.

 

 

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I spent a winter on a boat in Malta 50 years ago with no electric.   Whale footpumps for water, Tilley lamps for light and heat and a paraffin fridge.   Lots of social life for the evenings but we did drink more than was good for us.  Local wine from fourpence halpenny a bottle and brandy twentyeight shillings a gallon.

Malta Gregale.jpg

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I'm with Welsh Cruiser. Add in the guy sitting in the middle of a pleasant country mooring just outside Wheelock with  generator sitting in the hedge, all tidily boxed over so the rain won't stop him running it all day and probably all night. Noise pollution is one of the curses of our time. 

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10 hours ago, Col_T said:

Genuine question - is there a set-up that uses solar panels to charge batteries and generate hot water on a wet, over-cast August day? 

I don't think it would work on overcast days but if you go over the top with solar panels ie more than you really need to charge your batteries then I'm sure I've read somewhere of a solar charge controller that can send excess electrickery to a small emersion heater.

Maybe someone on the forum can expand or I may have dreamt it?

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7 minutes ago, smiler said:

I'm sure I've read somewhere of a solar charge controller that can send excess electrickery to a small emersion heater.

 

All the Midnite or Outback controllers have a diversion load feature that you can configure to send "waste sunshine" to a dump load like a low voltage water heater while still charging the batteries correctly.

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