Great idea for your video - Everybody learns in slightly different ways, and many can't picture electrical circuits very easily. I hope this helps somebody!
Little observation on the stove fan.... These rely on the temperature differential, between the bit that is in contact with the stove and the top heatsink, to generate the power to drive the motor. At the moment you are drawing the warm air over the heat sink on the top. If you set it up so that it draws the cooler air from the room and blow it over the stove, you will have a bigger differential and it should spin faster. But appreciate that this may be difficult to do on a small stove in a restricted space.
Hi James, you will need a solar controller the positive and negative wires from the panels go into the controller as do the wires from the battery. Only the voltage from the solar panels will be higher than the battery voltage. You can then set the voltage in the controller to 13.8 volts which maximum for 12 volt lead acid battery other types of battery are different charging voltages. You will have to look into this when you decide on what type of battery you decide to use. All the best Steve.
Hi Steve - yes that’s right - pos/neg from charger controller into batts - I’m going for a Victron 150/75 which should be plenty for my 990w panels. 3x 110ah batts.
@@TheNarrowboatThatJamesBuilt Hi James I think victory are the best, I thought you were going to put your solar straight into your batteries because that would not be a good thing to , as you didn’t mention a controller. There is a lot of power in a battery so you have to be careful. I’m glad you were aware of the controller, sorry for doubting you. All the best stay safe . Love the work your doing. Steve.
My only question is are you not going to use the boat frame as an earth connection for some stuff and do away with some of the need for the return earth cables throughout the boat ?
Alan, the Boat Safety Scheme requirements state: 'For reasons of personal safety, we recommend that no part of the hull of the boat is used as part of the return circuit because of the risk of personal injury. A further disadvantage is that hull corrosion may be advanced as a result of electrolytic action.'
Ok that’s great I thought it may have something to do with corrosion. If it is a requirement as well it’s a no brainer so thanks for clearing that up mate. Keep up the great work fella. Oh and keep the vlogs coming as it’s getting us through these mental times.
Well done James excellent simple layout of basic electrical system. Have you thought about reading lights at head end of bed and where you will be sitting. Nicholson print seems to shrink as you get older and you don't want to be reading in your own shadow.
I guess it's not too useful for me and yet I found your explanation interesting and clear. I'll leave it for others to comment on the technicalities but thanks for that. I'm off to build a snowman ⛄
i agree been doing research for just over a year now,have about four or five journals full of notes,ideas,drawings,yet i still carnt get my head around the electrics it looks like a bowl of spaghetti i noted a company on a video called loomtech who come to your boat plan and measure everthing make it up off site then you just plug it in
Looks like you've got your head around it...just an observation about your fire, it's not good to run them at low temps, clogs the chimney and not good for the environment. You'll be ok now running it full throttle, if you think it's warm now you wait til it's on full chat😁
What about mains electric hookup connections for when in a marina? Will you have a standalone generator for supplemental power; OR will you be running the engine for hours daily to top up the batteries? BTW, diesel engines dislike running idle (no load).
At BOEING there's a structure for what I believe is called "Interactive Systems Testing", with all of an aircraft's various systems, controls, gauges, etc... on a jig(?), that's manipulated to confirm the systems are working together correctly. No, I don't expect you to go that far. ;-) This is used for a new aircraft, new systems (Customer options and requests), updates, etc...
I really struggle with understanding how the electrics work on a boat so this was helpful. I'm actually looking at doing a course at some point in anticipation of a full rewire on my boat and my plan to get a shell to fit out in the future. This is the course I'm looking at nbsc.org.uk/boat-electric-systems-2
No I don’t believe so. It should go after the isolation switch but I will triple check that. That fuse is to protect the batts if everything was drawing it full current at the same time and a fault occurred.
Both The switch and the fuse should be in such close proximity to the batt. bank that it really doesn’t matter. It is important though that all four connections - two on switch / two on fuse - should be fully insulated.
Posting videos in the day time? What's all that about? I'd put a fuse directly out of the battery, before the isolator. A direct short would melt that 10 mil cable PDQ. Been snowing here for 18 hours, but it's only just starting to lay, now the temperature has dropped below freezing. Take care.
Nicely explained, James. Having been a part-time FE / 6th-form college lecturer for several years, I think your way of explanation regarding the physical basics of the DC electrical flow in a boat was very well presented. Well done mate. Just one point, should the main fuse not go between the battery and the isolation switch? Incidentally, you can buy positive battery terminals with a built-in fuse so it’s literally connected straight on top of the battery, therefore doing away with the need for an in-line fuse as such, in the engine bay, or in the case of lithium batteries, within the cabin area, as they (like me) are not keen on really cold mornings! I will probably be going for this type of option on my fit-out boat build www.12voltplanet.co.uk/battery-terminal-cube-fuses.html
Thanks - well you’re the 2nd to say that so I’m going to triple check the fuse. If you can fused batt terminal connectors then that would clearly suggest that the fuse DOES go before the isolation switch. Hmm Enjoy your Sunday 🍺
@@TheNarrowboatThatJamesBuilt The BSS requirements imply that the battery is connected directly to the isolation switch because it lists that connecting cable to be checked for current carrying capacity. The fused battery terminal is a neat solution. Incidentally the BSS seems to require 25mm2 cable for this and some other cables.
Boat design is still 19th century. Boat electrics 20th century. Improvement in designing a narrow boat has remained the same. Pretty but not improved on. Billionaire super yachts are in Stella space with their design build quality because money is there. Narrow boats are not in the same league. Boats at the Crick show are same same same pretty but prices up up up year on year. From a new build boat owners mess about with them and on the whole ruin them. It would seem the only regulations refer to the boat safety certification. No regulations on DIY Electric work or alteration to construction change.
As someone that knows nothing about electrics, this was fascinating 👍🏻👍🏻
Great idea for your video - Everybody learns in slightly different ways, and many can't picture electrical circuits very easily. I hope this helps somebody!
Educational James. If only because I had to pause the vid to look up "Whale Gulper" Now I know. Enjoying the progress. Thanks.
Great video! Really enjoy your channel. Thanks for sharing your journey.
Thanks Mike - that’s kind of you to say 👍🏼
Thanks for that, very helpful. Cheers.
Good work James always fuse first as close to the batteries as possible same for the isolation switch. No snow man today then.
I was looking for a video like this! Awesome explanation
Excellent... Im learning so much .. your a great teacher ... stay safe 🙏
Visual learning--very helpful. Thanks, James.
Very useful. Thank you, this knowledge will come in rather handy.
Little observation on the stove fan....
These rely on the temperature differential, between the bit that is in contact with the stove and the top heatsink, to generate the power to drive the motor.
At the moment you are drawing the warm air over the heat sink on the top. If you set it up so that it draws the cooler air from the room and blow it over the stove, you will have a bigger differential and it should spin faster.
But appreciate that this may be difficult to do on a small stove in a restricted space.
You made it all very clear! Thank you
Electrifying stuff James! 😉🤭
I’v got snow in Kent and you are welcome to it 😄
Hi james people need to know about voltage drops and cable rating .
There are narrowboat electrical diagrams on the internet, just google them, they explain everything you need to know
Hi James, you will need a solar controller the positive and negative wires from the panels go into the controller as do the wires from the battery. Only the voltage from the solar panels will be higher than the battery voltage. You can then set the voltage in the controller to 13.8 volts which maximum for 12 volt lead acid battery other types of battery are different charging voltages. You will have to look into this when you decide on what type of battery you decide to use. All the best Steve.
Hi Steve - yes that’s right - pos/neg from charger controller into batts - I’m going for a Victron 150/75 which should be plenty for my 990w panels. 3x 110ah batts.
@@TheNarrowboatThatJamesBuilt
Hi James I think victory are the best, I thought you were going to put your solar straight into your batteries because that would not be a good thing to , as you didn’t mention a controller. There is a lot of power in a battery so you have to be careful. I’m glad you were aware of the controller, sorry for doubting you. All the best stay safe . Love the work your doing. Steve.
Another great video James, shame about the snow though, still tomorrow looks promising.
My only question is are you not going to use the boat frame as an earth connection for some stuff and do away with some of the need for the return earth cables throughout the boat ?
Alan, the Boat Safety Scheme requirements state: 'For reasons of personal safety, we recommend that no part of
the hull of the boat is used as part of the return circuit because
of the risk of personal injury. A further disadvantage is that hull corrosion may be advanced as a result of electrolytic action.'
Ok that’s great I thought it may have something to do with corrosion.
If it is a requirement as well it’s a no brainer so thanks for clearing that up mate.
Keep up the great work fella.
Oh and keep the vlogs coming as it’s getting us through these mental times.
Well done James excellent simple layout of basic electrical system. Have you thought about reading lights at head end of bed and where you will be sitting. Nicholson print seems to shrink as you get older and you don't want to be reading in your own shadow.
I guess it's not too useful for me and yet I found your explanation interesting and clear. I'll leave it for others to comment on the technicalities but thanks for that. I'm off to build a snowman ⛄
Lucky sod
i agree been doing research for just over a year now,have about four or five journals full of notes,ideas,drawings,yet i still carnt get my head around the electrics it looks like a bowl of spaghetti i noted a company on a video called loomtech who come to your boat plan and measure everthing make it up off site then you just plug it in
Looks like you've got your head around it...just an observation about your fire, it's not good to run them at low temps, clogs the chimney and not good for the environment.
You'll be ok now running it full throttle, if you think it's warm now you wait til it's on full chat😁
At 1st I thought you were going to show a whole narrow boat wiring loom in 1 go
What about mains electric hookup connections for when in a marina?
Will you have a standalone generator for supplemental power; OR will you be running the engine for hours daily to top up the batteries?
BTW, diesel engines dislike running idle (no load).
At BOEING there's a structure for what I believe is called "Interactive Systems Testing", with all of an aircraft's various systems, controls, gauges, etc... on a jig(?), that's manipulated to confirm the systems are working together correctly.
No, I don't expect you to go that far. ;-)
This is used for a new aircraft, new systems (Customer options and requests), updates, etc...
I really struggle with understanding how the electrics work on a boat so this was helpful. I'm actually looking at doing a course at some point in anticipation of a full rewire on my boat and my plan to get a shell to fit out in the future. This is the course I'm looking at nbsc.org.uk/boat-electric-systems-2
Where the h.... have you been ???! lol
I was hoping for this ten hours ago over my two boiled eggs and a view over the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok.
Oh that’s way better than my view of the skip. Sorry bud for the delay, but you might get two today so get yourself another view and meal
Look up wiring harnesses and how to do them
I’ll have to look up a whale gulper lol
Should the fuse not go before the isolation switch?
No I don’t believe so. It should go after the isolation switch but I will triple check that. That fuse is to protect the batts if everything was drawing it full current at the same time and a fault occurred.
A fuse is to protect the cable and not the battery I believe
Both The switch and the fuse should be in such close proximity to the batt. bank that it really doesn’t matter. It is important though that all four connections - two on switch / two on fuse - should be fully insulated.
@@Nils337 am I right in saying the fuse needs to be capable of covering everything if on at the same time - say 50amp ?
@@simonamjones the fuse protects against the risk of starting a fire. Not the cable itself.
Just realised it’s Sunday and there’s no roast dinner in today’s film
Posting videos in the day time? What's all that about?
I'd put a fuse directly out of the battery, before the isolator. A direct short would melt that 10 mil cable PDQ.
Been snowing here for 18 hours, but it's only just starting to lay, now the temperature has dropped below freezing.
Take care.
Missed my saturday night fix of a new vid......You been too busy keeping warm by the fire? :-))
Sorry bud - you might get two today though if that helps
@@TheNarrowboatThatJamesBuilt Seriously, one a day is great going James, and thoroughly enjoy every one of them.
Nicely explained, James. Having been a part-time FE / 6th-form college lecturer for several years, I think your way of explanation regarding the physical basics of the DC electrical flow in a boat was very well presented. Well done mate. Just one point, should the main fuse not go between the battery and the isolation switch?
Incidentally, you can buy positive battery terminals with a built-in fuse so it’s literally connected straight on top of the battery, therefore doing away with the need for an in-line fuse as such, in the engine bay, or in the case of lithium batteries, within the cabin area, as they (like me) are not keen on really cold mornings! I will probably be going for this type of option on my fit-out boat build www.12voltplanet.co.uk/battery-terminal-cube-fuses.html
Thanks - well you’re the 2nd to say that so I’m going to triple check the fuse. If you can fused batt terminal connectors then that would clearly suggest that the fuse DOES go before the isolation switch. Hmm
Enjoy your Sunday 🍺
@@TheNarrowboatThatJamesBuilt The BSS requirements imply that the battery is connected directly to the isolation switch because it lists that connecting cable to be checked for current carrying capacity. The fused battery terminal is a neat solution. Incidentally the BSS seems to require 25mm2 cable for this and some other cables.
💙👊😎
Boat design is still 19th century.
Boat electrics 20th century.
Improvement in designing a narrow boat has remained the same.
Pretty but not improved on.
Billionaire super yachts are in Stella space with their design build quality because money is there.
Narrow boats are not in the same league.
Boats at the Crick show are same same same pretty but prices up up up year on year.
From a new build boat owners mess about with them and on the whole ruin them.
It would seem the only regulations refer to the boat safety certification.
No regulations on DIY Electric work or alteration to construction change.