PeterF

Presumably you have the CRT license / index number, pop it into this web page and it may have some details if you are lucky. i tried searching just on the name but there are 50 Badgers recorded. If you do find anything, come back and let us know what you find. https://canalplan.uk/boats/boats.php

I believe it was often called "gas liquor" or just "liquor" but "gas water" is descriptive. The generation of towns gas gave as byproducts a mixed organic liquid, "coal tar" and a mixed aqueous liquid "gas liquor" which contained a lot of ammonia along with other soluble compounds. This was used to generate ammonium compounds such as ammonium sulphate for use as a fertiliser. It could easily have contained cyanides as these are another nitrogen based compound like ammonia.

Many years ago I worked at a chemical manufacturer, Robinson Brothers ltd, that was based canal side just above Ryders Green locks. This was started up in the 1870s distilling coal tar as the Robinson family had a history owning gas works and managing gas works for councils. The company history states that it was served by narrowboats. They were involved with the other tar distillers, such as Midland Tar Distillers at Oldbury and Four Ashes. Some of the sites are still operating manufacturing speciality organic chemicals based on this heritage.

Posted on stoppages a few days ago 28/03/2024 11:18 Following on from our update in February, we would like to offer a further insight to the repair work at Lock 7, on the Marple Flight, Peak Forest Canal. Our contractors have finished installing the concrete piling, and over the coming weeks our engineers will conduct thorough integrity checks on each of the installed piles. Once completed, piling caps will be added, and a structural concrete will be poured as our teams work towards rebuilding the lock chamber. The repair is progressing well, and we anticipate the works to be completed on schedule, with navigation resuming on Friday 24 May.

Putting a larger inverter in will probably need the DC cables increasing in size if you stayed at 12V, but in my view, the 3000 units is the max you should run at 12V, if you go to the 5000 unit then I would recommend 24V. If the boat is 12V now, then going 24V is going to probably need a dual voltage system plus some method of charging at 24V. The AC system will also need upgrading to handle higher current, new breakers, possibly new circuits. Regarding kit, I used to have an old boat with a mix of cheaper inverter, battery charger and solar control, it all worked OK. I had a new boat built a few years ago, all Victron, all works together seamlessly via the Cerbo GX with good monitoring and I have not regretted the extra expense of the Victron gear.

If the inverter works OK and he wants to add solar then he just needs to get a Victron Smart MPPT solar controller which will connect to a phone via Bluetooth using the Victron Connect app. He could add a Bluetooth dongle on the inverter for basic monitoring on the inverter. Does he have a shunt and battery monitor to get a better idea of the state of the batteries. The Cerbo is a nice thing to have, I have one connecting my Victron gear together but not 100% necessary.

Webasto manuals state 25% antifreeze.

As long as you do not reduce the flow too much and overheat the burner. However, it will still run at 80degC.

Have a read of the workshop manual which can be found at the link below. per the extract attached. 80degC is the target operation temperature at which the heater reduces the firing. As far as I know this is not user resettable. It might be with diagnostic kit.I https://www.webastomarine.co.uk/products/thermo-top-evo-5kw-narrowboat-kit

Poseidon's trident. 🫣 It appears to have a hook at the top of each upright so maybe ot is for putting a washing line on so you can put more stuff out on 3 lines.

Inverter motor washing machine, also called direct drive use a brushless motor to drive the drum directly without belts and the inverter function appears to mean a variable speed motor controller. If it will work depends more on the electronics in the speed controller.

If you want to run it off the ignition switch then you need a 12V relay, connect a lead from your ignition switch to the positive coil on the relay, negative coil goes to battery negative. Then connect from the battery positive to one side of the relay switch, the other side of the relay goes to positive on the fan then from the fan negative to battery negative. The fan could be wired to either engine battery or domestic battery, the relay keeps the fan circuit isolated from the engine electrics. Do not forget fuses.

Am I being optimistic if I think (fantasize) that the significant costs of reservoir upgrades and repairs over the past 4+ years since he Todbrook incident should diminish over coming years, releasing (hopefully) more cash for routine navigation maintenance.

List of moorings https://bridgewatercanal.co.uk/boating/mooring/

And if you want to extend your stay on the Bridgewater beyond the free 7 + 3 days you can pay on line here. https://bridgewatercanal.co.uk/boating/pay-online/