Power Saving Tips

[Capt.Golightly]

I bought 2x 25 litre water containers which I always replenish when filling my tank..as an emergency backup. But realising that most of my water use during the day is for the kettle and very brief spurts of mostly cold water I fitted a tap to the base of one and stood it by the sink..with a short length of hose attached...I fill it from the the sink tap when running the engine and this mostly negates the use of the water pump when moored entirely, a big saving on the batteries...on non cruising days a brief burst of engine power whilst the pump runs takes a few minutes to refill it...and is a good time for a very quick shower too. This also extends the life of the Water Pump saving its endless stopping and starting. I should add here that I have a vintage water (to which I am oddly attached) pump with an intermittent fault and so this measure was as much about sparing it work as saving energy.

Edited October 19, 2013 by Capt.Golightly

[Capt.Golightly]

Your probably right about the propaganda put out.

I once had a next door neighbor Mr Lucas who was a submariner during ww2 and he told me that the officers that went up top as soon as the boat surfaced were given extra portions of carrots for that purpose.

And my mum always tried to make us eat more of them and she new nothing whatsoever of what went on in any of the forces.And you can't argue with mum when your a kid. bizzard.

They would have been told the same story and fed extra carrots to make it more believable it case of capture...Subs used red cabin lighting at night so as not to impair night vision on surfacing...

[ditchcrawler]

Just don't go boating, it will save you loads.

[bizzard]

I bought 2x 25 litre water containers which I always replenish when filling my tank..as an emergency backup. But realising that most of my water use during the day is for the kettle and very brief spurts of mostly cold water I fitted a tap to the base of one and stood it by the sink..with a short length of hose attached...I fill it from the the sink tap when running the engine and this mostly negates the use of the water pump when moored entirely, a big saving on the batteries...on non cruising days a brief burst of engine power whilst the pump runs takes a few minutes to refill it...and is a good time for a very quick shower too. This also extends the life of the Water Pump saving its endless stopping and starting. I should add here that I have a vintage water (to which I am oddly attached) pump with an intermittent fault and so this measure was as much about sparing it work as saving energy.

A better method is to mount a fresh water foot pump below the sink, T'd into either side of the water pump to by-pass it for filling kettles ect.

[ditchcrawler]

A better method is to mount a fresh water foot pump below the sink, T'd into either side of the water pump to by-pass it for filling kettles ect.

 

A better method is to mount a fresh water foot pump below the sink, T'd into either side of the water pump to by-pass it for filling kettles ect.

Bit like a caravan

[Capt.Golightly]

As you were on that idea..though it still stands as an economy..It was basing it on the fact that my lights dip enormously when my pump activates but as I have discovered that new pumps only draw about 4a I think this may be due to knackered Batteries..all this is very difficult to work out as mine is a new boat (to me) and I have been trapped on Shoreline since its purchase awaiting completion of an engine rewire...hence all my posts on such things are based on the anxiety of speculation.....I have amended my op as it wrongly gave the impression I knew what I was talking about, when I finally get to live on my on steam I may have power to spare or a life of twilight... will keep you posted.

A better method is to mount a fresh water foot pump below the sink, T'd into either side of the water pump to by-pass it for filling kettles ect.

That is a better idea mate..bit I still like my emergency supply as running out always creeps up at the worst time however carefully I try to monitor its use.

Edited October 20, 2013 by Capt.Golightly

[jim and pat dalton]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brHqBcZqNzE

 

going to try this one out in the boat and in the campervan

[Robbo]

I bought 2x 25 litre water containers which I always replenish when filling my tank..as an emergency backup. But realising that most of my water use during the day is for the kettle and very brief spurts of mostly cold water I fitted a tap to the base of one and stood it by the sink..with a short length of hose attached...I fill it from the the sink tap when running the engine and this mostly negates the use of the water pump when moored entirely, a big saving on the batteries...on non cruising days a brief burst of engine power whilst the pump runs takes a few minutes to refill it...and is a good time for a very quick shower too. This also extends the life of the Water Pump saving its endless stopping and starting. I should add here that I have a vintage water (to which I am oddly attached) pump with an intermittent fault and so this measure was as much about sparing it work as saving energy.

 

One automatic way of doing this is to get a bigger accumulator (or more than a few), this way it will do what your doing but automatically.

[Justme]

 

One automatic way of doing this is to get a bigger accumulator (or more than a few), this way it will do what your doing but automatically.

 

 

Thats the system we have with a 100L pressure vessel.

 

It also means that you can have a pump that has a lower flow (so lower power draw=smaller cable / less V drop) than you need other wise.

[MoominPapa]

 

 

Thats the system we have with a 100L pressure vessel.

 

100 litres? That's bigger than most calorifiers! Where do you keep it?

 

MP.

[ditchcrawler]

100 litres? That's bigger than most calorifiers! Where do you keep it?

 

MP.

That is small to the ones we had Offshore.

[Justme]

100 litres? That's bigger than most calorifiers! Where do you keep it?

 

MP.

 

Next to the 360L thermal store.

(off grid set up not on boat)

[Calzonemuncher]

I'm not following the discussion..

[OldPeculier]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brHqBcZqNzE

 

going to try this one out in the boat and in the campervan

 

This works well for a small area. We put a couple of drops of scented oil on the outer pot just to make it smell nice too.

 

Might be good for a chilly bathroom?

Edited November 7, 2013 by OldPeculier

[DHutch]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brHqBcZqNzE

 

Google says a tealight it worth about 25-30watts, 100-120 watts for four, which feels about right, around the amount heat you get off a decent incandescent light bulb. If its £1 for 100, the're 1p each, so he is taking a day to be 2 sets of 4 candles, over 8hours. Or either way, 1p an hour.

 

Electricity from the grid is about 10p per kWh, so 100watts costs a 1p an hour, exactly the same as sodding about with a load of candles, ever having the displeasure of going to Ikea, or wasting a stack load tealights, aluminium, and everyone's time.

 

Obviously also, as said, the flower pots make no difference to the amount of heat produced, and although they might slightly increase the radiant heat on the person in question if they are close to it, I doubt it makes noticeable difference. Certainly I would not have a precarious concoction of naked flame, molten paraffin wax and plant pots in my house let alone one a boat.

 

Also, he clearly does live in that office. The man's a fool.

 

 

Daniel

[Laurie St Lyon]

It's not stealing if there in't a fence around it... Section 10, Theft Act '68... Ave it!

 

I'd rather keep the fire in all night though, it keeps the water hot for morning and the rad in the bedroom will be cosy and warm when I get up to brew up.

 

LED lights is a good un, as is not staying up til nearly 2am surfing

Sorry Smelly but, it is if you do not have the skip owners permission. Section1 1968 Act "Appropriating property belonging to another with the intention to permanently deprive..." The case law is clear that even in a skip the owner has not given up his rights. Only when the skip is taken away is it no longer his and then ownership passes to the skip company. Always ask. Most of the time you get a yes. Better safe than sorry.

 

To really get the most out of your fuel get a rocket stove heater. Uses 1/3 to 1/2 less fuel. Allows the fire to put out 75% of the fuels calorific value.

[Biggles]

Biggest power saving tip for me is NOT to have Mrs Biggles on board.

[Grace and Favour]

Biggest power saving tip for me is NOT to have Mrs Biggles on board.

Ah - - Is it for her that you'll be buying a smaller narrowboat then?

 

 

( )

[Biggles]

Ah - - Is it for her that you'll be buying a smaller narrowboat then?

 

 

( )

 

Indeed it is. Only if i am lucky enough to be the successful bidder.

[MyLady]

Eat plenty of carrots preferably raw,and so improve your eyesight. (Result) less lights on at night and none at all if a good moon with curtains open.Submarine crews eat loads of em in WW2 to see better when surfacing at night in enemy waters, to charge batteries from main engines.

bizzard.

 

As I understand it from reading stuff about ww2, the carrots thing was just a 'big lie' to avoid the enemy cottoning on to the benefits gained from Radar - a 'secret' weapon we tried to keep secret...

 

Roger

[Robbo]

 

As I understand it from reading stuff about ww2, the carrots thing was just a 'big lie' to avoid the enemy cottoning on to the benefits gained from Radar - a 'secret' weapon we tried to keep secret...

 

Roger

 

Although belive true, carrots are good for eye health so it's not all daft.

[Terryb]

This is a great thread on power useage guys. Keep all the ideas coming.I will need all the help I can get. Anyone got experience with sine wave inverters. What are they ?Also 240v generators.

[ditchcrawler]

Biggest power saving tip for me is NOT to have Mrs Biggles on board.

That quote should be worth a few drinks.

[Mutts]

Gas fridge every time. Also chuck freezers out,most people shop for fresh food every 2,3 days.Its highly debatable whether or not its cheaper to buy

frozen grub or have a freezer running 24/7 and caning the batteries. bizzard.

Also use good,old tee shirts as cushion covers by cutting off the arms and sewing the arm and neck holes up.They also make good pillow cases,in view of the silly cost of anything upholstery. Another wheeze.repair busted trainer uppers with silicone sealant,but clean area with ex white spirit first.

Thats it for now folks,i'm wasting all me laptop batteries.

regards bizzard.

[Phil Ambrose]

This is a great thread on power useage guys. Keep all the ideas coming.I will need all the help I can get. Anyone got experience with sine wave inverters. What are they ?Also 240v generators.

Sine wave inverters produce 240v power which is exactly the same waveform as regular 240v leccy that you get in a house. This means that fussy bits of kit perform OK whereas quasi sinewave or modified sinewave inverters will produce a "dirty" waveform and some bits of kit may well fail to work properly.

Likewise 240v gennies come in pure sine wave (best) and in other waveforms which will perform less well.

 

Phil