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Richardcn

By Richardcn
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Richardcn Community Regular

Richardcn

Posted
Posted

Can somebody tell me what this (the white box) might be please. I thought 'dehumidifier' at first but it's positioned roundabout where I have seen many 'show' engines fitted, so I was wondering if it's just a cocooned engine of some sort? Seems awfully small tho! The boat ad says it has a Beta BV1903 fitted if that helps.

 

http://flic.kr/p/nbeg5S

http://flic.kr/p/nbecMK

 

Cheers

Richard

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Paul's Nulife4-2 Influencer

Paul's Nulife4-2

Posted
Posted (edited)

Hi ya,

If it isnt a compleaty enclosed Sound proof Eng Compartment !. Like a Beta .

To my eye,it has all the pointings to a Fully automatic Combi unit, Generator, Inverter, Battery Charger ecta compleat Power management unit that are made by Panda, Mastervolt and alike.

Have a look inside ?

Is there a makers mark ?

Is it full of Donuts ?.

Edited by Paul's Nulife4-2
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arbutus Contributor

arbutus

Posted
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I think this will be a super silent Beta marine box.

See http://www.betamarine.co.uk/inland/Beta_SuperSilent/supersilent_inland.html

 

It contains a diesel engine and probably a 3.5KVA Travel Power AC generator. The gearbox will probably be a PRM hydraulically operated mechanical gearbox so the drive shaft for the prop is fitted to the gearbox at the one end of the cocooned engine box, and the drive shaft runs under the raised floor to the propeller.

I think some of these Beta units may alternatively have a larger AC generator fitted and run the engine at a constant speed to produce electrical power. It then uses a trolling valve to vary the speed of the prop shaft. http://www.tadiesels.com/newage_prm-trolling-valve.html

 

This could cause confusion to some people when passing moored boats at high engine revs but at a low boat speed.

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aread2 Collaborator

aread2

Posted
Posted

To confirm, it's a beta acoustic housing. That's where the BV1903 is housed. It's likely to be the main propulsion engine, as it's in a narrowboat. Can't see the prop shaft from this picture but I'd guess it runs under the raised floor between the back hatch and the engine housing so it's unlikely to be a hydraulic drive. We've got the same arrangement with a Beta 43, but with deck boards covering the engine as well,

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Capt Ahab Proficient

Capt Ahab

Posted
Posted

It is a sound insulated Beta - it looks identical to one on Areandare which drives a hydraulic propulsion system - with the engine operating at a constant RMP. A bit disconcerting till you get used to it.

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Richardcn Community Regular

Richardcn

Posted
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Hi all

 

Thanks for all the replies. I've been reading up from some of the suggestions so I'm up to speed now I think. So this is something like the modern equivalent of a Russell Newbury, no! I mean there's a hatch there for viewing and everything . It's coupled to a PRM150D3 apparently, is this a hydraulic drive? I wasn't keen on a boat that I looked at when we began our search that had a Beta Propgen once I researched how it all worked and how the fitted hydraulic drive was relatively inefficient. Is this a similar arrangement? If so, another one bites the dust I fear!

 

Regards

Richard

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alan_fincher Veteran II

alan_fincher

Posted
Posted

It is a sound insulated Beta - it looks identical to one on Areandare which drives a hydraulic propulsion system - with the engine operating at a constant RMP. A bit disconcerting till you get used to it.

 

We are told, (but I don't have personal experience!), that one of the issues is that when passing moored boats people base their perceptions on how fast the engine is running, not actually how slowed down the boat is through the water.

 

I can imagine that people who have an engine that continues to buzz away at the same RPM as when the boat is at full cruising speed probably get shouted at far more than most!

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Tony Brooks Veteran II

Tony BrooksDonate to Canal World

Posted
Posted

Hi all

 

Thanks for all the replies. I've been reading up from some of the suggestions so I'm up to speed now I think. So this is something like the modern equivalent of a Russell Newbury, no! I mean there's a hatch there for viewing and everything . It's coupled to a PRM150D3 apparently, is this a hydraulic drive? I wasn't keen on a boat that I looked at when we began our search that had a Beta Propgen once I researched how it all worked and how the fitted hydraulic drive was relatively inefficient. Is this a similar arrangement? If so, another one bites the dust I fear!

 

Regards

Richard

 

No, its not a hydraulic drive that pushes oil through pipes from a pump on the engine to a hydraulic motor on the shaft. Its a hydraulic gearbox that uses oil pressure to change gear.

 

Please check for a shaft connected to the gearbox yourself. Vendors details have been known to be incorrect.

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Richardcn Community Regular

Richardcn

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Posted (edited)

No, its not a hydraulic drive that pushes oil through pipes from a pump on the engine to a hydraulic motor on the shaft. Its a hydraulic gearbox that uses oil pressure to change gear.

 

Please check for a shaft connected to the gearbox yourself. Vendors details have been known to be incorrect.

Thanks for that Tony, that's a good point and one that I'll remember for all aspects of boats that we think fit the bill in future. I'm not sure if this boat will fall by the wayside, the engine arrangement would be fine (if it's not a hydraulic motor) but there are a few other things that are not 'ideal' (for one the cross-bed, I'm 6ft!) so some head scratching still to do. Any 6 footers out there sleeping (comfortably) on cross-beds?

 

Regards

Richard

Edited by Richardcn
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Up-Side-Down Rising Star

Up-Side-DownDonate to Canal World

Posted
Posted

Looks like a Beta Whispergen unit to me.

I may have that name slightly wrong but a cocooned engine

 

On a point of detail: the Beta device under discussion in this thread is a Travel Power (with the odd reference to their Propgen).

 

However, the Whispagen was an external combustion - or Stirling - engine sold by Kurunda 10 or more years ago.

 

Notable for its high price (£7500 in those days IIRC) its purpose was to generate about 5kW of heat (for space heating the boat) in conjunction with 750W of electricity for battery charging. Similar units have been trialed in houses (there was an initiative in Leicestershire a while back I recall) with the electricity produced being fed back into the grid when not consumed on the spot.

 

Does anyone have one of these devices still in operation on their boat as I'd be very interested to hear about their experience?

 

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