42 feet of pure prettiness

[Dave Payne]

I reckon the biggest killer of your batteries is those tube lights, plan to get rid of them.and replace with led, not lsd as this will lead to wondering around stroking stuff that's not there.

 

The fridge looks ok, just need to sort the seal, don't scrap it till you get the batteries replaced and see how it performs.

 

Your doing a grand job, on your own, away from a familiar place, keep going through the winter, get solar sorted and life will become awesome, till next winter!

 

I am though still thinking there must be more boaters up that way who can pop along and offer advice, if you we're my way in the midlands I would offer help.

[The Bearwood Boster]

Miss Max -don't know where,don't know when,don't know how...but I have got to meet you! You are totally,utterly mad & I love it!!!!!! (& you?).

[luggsy]

Have you got any of your black magic paint left to update your fridge door

[patty-ann]

Miss Max -don't know where,don't know when,don't know how...but I have got to meet you! You are totally,utterly mad & I love it!!!!!! (& you).

Same here..

[Naughty Cal]

If I leave a bottle of cider out tonight, will the boat fairy pay me a visit with his magic wrench and make my boat perfect ?

 

 

I think it's cider..... It's in a bottle. I found it on the boat

I'll clean the fridge and test its power constipation tomorrow

 

Still looks like a 80s throw back

You can modify how it looks easily enough. Ours has a white grp door which fits to the fridge door so it matches the rest of the cockpit.

 

I will get you a picture when I get out of bed!

I reckon the biggest killer of your batteries is those tube lights, plan to get rid of them.and replace with led, not lsd as this will lead to wondering around stroking stuff that's not there.

 

The fridge looks ok, just need to sort the seal, don't scrap it till you get the batteries replaced and see how it performs.

 

Your doing a grand job, on your own, away from a familiar place, keep going through the winter, get solar sorted and life will become awesome, till next winter!

 

I am though still thinking there must be more boaters up that way who can pop along and offer advice, if you we're my way in the midlands I would offer help.

You can buy LED replacement tube lights now. We have one in our shower room on the boat.

[Naughty Cal]

Her you go. Our Engel fridge with its exterior door to make it look nicer.

 

 

[Nightwatch]

Max. As has been said. Order some replacement LED lights online from, say, bedazzled, get them delivered to the post office in Skipton. Go into the post office first to say you are getting something delivered 'Post Resente' spell check that, get it delivered and collect. We had a number of items delivered whilst in Skipton.

 

I will endorse, you are cracking on superbly. Don't do yourself down. Text me anytime Max. I can't get to you but you can off load your frustrations onto my shoulders.

Martyh

[Athy]

say you are getting something delivered 'Post Resente' spell check that,

Perhaps "poste restante"?

I do like "poste resente" though - we've all known postmen who had that attitude.

[MissMax]

Free hugs for everyone excep Lugsy who gets the 'Adopted One' and a kick in the moussaka.

 

It's taking forever to sort this boat out (maybe I should have listened to the grown ups).

 

Man I supposed to get random night pumping? Taps are off but it still happens.

 

Why did no one tell me about the COLD !! Getting out of bed is like being wrapped in ice. Why did no one say that once the fire goes out the ice age begins! Blooming silly mamoths would need thermal underwear being on this boat.

 

Post some pics of what my fingers have been touching. I thought it was old insulation

[Naughty Cal]

Turn your water pump off at night.

[mrsmelly]

Free hugs for everyone excep Lugsy who gets the 'Adopted One' and a kick in the moussaka.

 

It's taking forever to sort this boat out (maybe I should have listened to the grown ups).

 

Man I supposed to get random night pumping? Taps are off but it still happens.

 

Why did no one tell me about the COLD !! Getting out of bed is like being wrapped in ice. Why did no one say that once the fire goes out the ice age begins! Blooming silly mamoths would need thermal underwear being on this boat.

 

Post some pics of what my fingers have been touching. I thought it was old insulation

 

Keep ya fire in 24/7 all winter

 

Tim

[Dave_P]

If I leave a bottle of cider out tonight, will the boat fairy pay me a visit with his magic wrench and make my boat perfect ?

 

 

I think it's cider..... It's in a bottle. I found it on the boat

I'll clean the fridge and test its power constipation tomorrow

 

Still looks like a 80s throw back

The 80s throwback look is cool. Many a hipster would covet your fridge. If you must get it out, then take the sensible route and sell it. Then they have to get it out.

[Dave_P]

Free hugs for everyone excep Lugsy who gets the 'Adopted One' and a kick in the moussaka.

 

It's taking forever to sort this boat out (maybe I should have listened to the grown ups).

 

Man I supposed to get random night pumping? Taps are off but it still happens.

 

Why did no one tell me about the COLD !! Getting out of bed is like being wrapped in ice. Why did no one say that once the fire goes out the ice age begins! Blooming silly mamoths would need thermal underwear being on this boat.

 

Post some pics of what my fingers have been touching. I thought it was old insulation

If your water pump is 'cycling' then your water system is losing pressure somehow. The two most likely culprits are:

1.a faulty pressure release valve which is leaking water somewhere, hopefully overboard but not necessarily.

2. a leak somewhere in your pipework. This may explain the water in your bilge. Go searching over all your pipes feeling for a wet bit.

 

Your fire should not be going out during the night. The main problem at the moment is that it's hard to keep a boat cool enough while the stove is on. Wait until it gets really cold. It's only autumn. When I was in Yorkshire over winter, we had drifting snow which came past my waist in places. Learn to adjust the air intake on the stove to get it right. If the stove goes out in the night and in the morning there's still unburnt coal, then you need to give it more air. If the stove goes out in the night and all the coal has turned to ask, then you need to put more coal in before you go to bed. Really heap it up in there, until you can get any more in without it rolling out.

[Athy]

When I was in Yorkshire over winter, we had drifting snow which came past my waist in places.

...and that were inside t'boat, lass. We 'ave it tuff oop North, tha kno's.

[chubby]

One way of checking for leaks is to simply place a sheet of kitchen roll under each join wherever you can gain access to the pipe runs . Check 12 hours later , if any joints have failed it will be obvious which has failed .

Also try to get some beneath the PRV - pressure release valve located on the calorifier . If the pressure within the calirifier is too great this fitting releases water to reduce the pressure inside and this is designed to reduce stress on the calorifier itself .

If theres no pipework from the PRV to a skin fitting to vent overboard it will instead remain in the boat , eventually ending in the bilges . As said above it may be the cause of , or one of the causes of water in the bilges .

Personally , i always switch off the water pump overnight and whenever im not onboard .

cheers

[MtB]

If your water pump is 'cycling' then your water system is losing pressure somehow. The two most likely culprits are:

1.a faulty pressure release valve which is leaking water somewhere, hopefully overboard but not necessarily.

2. a leak somewhere in your pipework. This may explain the water in your bilge. Go searching over all your pipes feeling for a wet bit.

 

There is a third, and quite likely possibility. The non-return valve on the pump is letting water slowly pass back into the water tank, leading to the water pump running to re-pressurise periodically.

[Alan de Enfield]

There is a 4th and quite likely option.

 

When running the engine, or the fire / back boiler / immersion heater the water gets hot.

As it gets hot it expands.

During the night as the water cools, the water contracts, reducing the pressure and allowing the pump to run to 'top up the pressure'.

 

Our pump (on the NB) did this every night - just a couple of 'burbles' of the pump every 30-60 minutes.. On our cruiser the cauliflower is much better insulated and doesn't cool down thru the night (not enough to activate the pump anyway).

[rusty69]

There is a 5th.

 

The magic boat fairy, having drunk all the cider you left out has got very thirsty fixing your boat in the night and has helped herself to your water.

 

I would start to get really suspicious if your bog starts filling up in the night!

Edited November 5, 2016 by rusty69

[MtB]

There is a 4th and quite likely option.

 

When running the engine, or the fire / back boiler / immersion heater the water gets hot.

As it gets hot it expands.

During the night as the water cools, the water contracts, reducing the pressure and allowing the pump to run to 'top up the pressure'.

 

Our pump (on the NB) did this every night - just a couple of 'burbles' of the pump every 30-60 minutes.. On our cruiser the cauliflower is much better insulated and doesn't cool down thru the night (not enough to activate the pump anyway).

 

This will only happen on a faulty installation, i.e. one with no expansion vessel or an expansion vessel too small/not working. One of the reasons for fitting a correctly sized and working expansion vessel is to prevent this happening. So all a bit circular!

[Dave Payne]

Can someone explain how the expansion vessel works, when i got the boat the pump only ever kicked in when the taps were opened, i have moved the pumps and vessel and although its not a lot they do occasionally kick in for a second or two every now and then, so im guessing the vessel needs air putting into it by the bicycle pump method?

[MtB]

Can someone explain how the expansion vessel works, when i got the boat the pump only ever kicked in when the taps were opened, i have moved the pumps and vessel and although its not a lot they do occasionally kick in for a second or two every now and then, so im guessing the vessel needs air putting into it by the bicycle pump method?

 

 

Yes. The expansion vessel is a container with a bladder inside pumped up with compressed air. The air pressure needs to be set to match the switching pressure on the pump (typically 2 bar, 30psi). Then when the pump runs it partially fills the expansion vessel with a litre or two of water then the pressure rises and the pressure switch turns the pump OFF.

 

This means that same litre or two needs to be drawn from the system before the pressure falls to pump switching on pressure again and the pump runs.

 

This also means when the pump runs, it will run for 20 or 30 seconds at a time for fewer cycles than if there is no working expansion vessel. Your pump 'blipping' on occasionally tells us your vessel is not carrying out this function.

 

Turn the pump OFF and open a tap to relieve the system pressure. Leave the tap open. Now pump up the valve on the expansion vessel to 2 bar (or whatever the pump switching pressure). A litre or two of water will be expelled from the open tap while you do this.

 

Now shut the tap and turn the pump back on again, and it will run for several seconds before turning OFF. And run far less frequently.

[Dave Payne]

Thanks mike, how do i know im putting 2 bar in though, do you just use one of the foot pumps with a gauge on it?

 

http://www.halfords.com/workshop-tools/garage-equipment/tyre-inflators-pressure-gauges/halfords-essentials-metal-barrel-foot-pump-and-gauge

[MtB]

Thanks mike, how do i know im putting 2 bar in though, do you just use one of the foot pumps with a gauge on it?

 

http://www.halfords.com/workshop-tools/garage-equipment/tyre-inflators-pressure-gauges/halfords-essentials-metal-barrel-foot-pump-and-gauge

 

 

Yes. Either that or use a hand held car tyre pressure gauge to check.

[Dave_P]

 

There is a third, and quite likely possibility. The non-return valve on the pump is letting water slowly pass back into the water tank, leading to the water pump running to re-pressurise periodically.

Yes, forgot that one.

[Iain_S]

 

 

Yes. The expansion vessel is a container with a bladder inside pumped up with compressed air. The air pressure needs to be set to match the switching pressure on the pump (typically 2 bar, 30psi). Then when the pump runs it partially fills the expansion vessel with a litre or two of water then the pressure rises and the pressure switch turns the pump OFF.

 

This means that same litre or two needs to be drawn from the system before the pressure falls to pump switching on pressure again and the pump runs.

 

This also means when the pump runs, it will run for 20 or 30 seconds at a time for fewer cycles than if there is no working expansion vessel. Your pump 'blipping' on occasionally tells us your vessel is not carrying out this function.

 

Turn the pump OFF and open a tap to relieve the system pressure. Leave the tap open. Now pump up the valve on the expansion vessel to 2 bar (or whatever the pump switching pressure). A litre or two of water will be expelled from the open tap while you do this.

 

Now shut the tap and turn the pump back on again, and it will run for several seconds before turning OFF. And run far less frequently.

 

Gotta disagree with this!

If the pump is a 30 p.s.i. one, it will cut out at 30 p.s.i. If that is the pressure in the accumulator, said accumulator will do nothing, and might as well not be there.

 

Accumulator pressure should ideally be JUST below pump cut IN pressure, as that allows the maximum diaphram movement between the pump starting and stopping.

 

To find pump pressures, using the accumulator valve as the measuring point, it's best to let the pressure in the accumulator down before you start. When the water pump stops running, measure pressure using a tyre pressure gauge. This is the pump cut out pressure. Now open a tap slightly. After a while, the pump will start. As soon as it does, switch off pump and tap. (May require an assistant!) Measure the pressure, which will be the cut in pressure. Now open the tap again to de-pressurise the system. Pump air into accumulator until pressure is just below the second pressure measurement. Turn off tap, and switch on pump and Robert is your father's brother.

 

If the above is too much faffing about, setting the accumulator to about half the cut out pressure (i.e. 15 p.s.i. for a 30 p.s.i. pump) is usually not too far off.