The 'infection' has spread to here ... Jetski's

[rogerthebodger]

I burn several hundred litres of heating oil and many cubic meters of firewood not to mention a quantity of aviation fuel flying to sunnier climes in order to keep myself warm each winter.

May I go on the list too please?

I moves my home to a warm climate so I don't get cold just migrate when the cold comes

 

[Sea Change]

I burn several hundred litres of heating oil and many cubic meters of firewood not to mention a quantity of aviation fuel flying to sunnier climes in order to keep myself warm each winter.

May I go on the list too please?

If you think net zero is a scam or a conspiracy, sure.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

I have an ASHP heating a pile of 200 year old stones and it is fine. A building is heat source agnostic, it doesn't know or care where the heat comes from, it only needs enough heat to match the heat loss. Your heating bills will be higher, like mine, whatever the source, because we have old buildings with poor insulation. But the idea that a ASHP can't cope with this sort of building is an urban myth.

As you say, if you have enough output. No such domestic device yet exists, and even if it did, I’d probably have to change to underfloor heating, my radiators are massive already. The project creep would become endless. I’m not saing never. Just that now, it is in practical and financial terms impossible.

 

[aqua_sax]

No such domestic device yet exists, and even if it did, I’d probably have to change to underfloor heating, my radiators are massive already.

As I said in a subsequent post, you can double up. 2 x 16kW =32kW (but that is still a huge heat loss, I suspect your actual heat loss will be less.) Rads can be a problem, especially in old buildings with small rooms and low ceilings, just not enough wall space without turning the home into a radiator showroom. I ended up using K3s, (three panel) and it worked, with some also larger in area but not all. If your radiators are already massive, some or all of them may already be large enough.

But each to his own, the main point I wanted to counter was the one about heat pumps can't heat old leaky buildings, the fact is they can. But it is up to the owner to decide whether they want to go down that route or not.

 

[zoidberg]

I'd rather have a heat pump than a jet ski....

Does that put me on the side of the angels?

 

[RunAgroundHard]

This is Vic 32, June 2023, not sure if it's coal, but last year I saw her loading some sort of compressed material in a block shape down her coal scuttle. Apparently, steam trains and other such vintage machines are finding it hard to get coal now at a price that is convenient.

https://flic.kr/p/2oLdKnN

Clyde Puffer Vic 32, Sound of Jura, Heading Northwards​

 

[Sea Change]

I think the Vic 32 runs on old car tyres.

 

[RunAgroundHard]

I think the Vic 32 runs on old car tyres.

Can you see the picture, it's just a generic picture icon with a red X for me, yet in edit mode I can see the picture? The image does look as if it is burning old tyres.

 

[Sea Change]

Can you see the picture, it's just a generic picture icon with a red X for me, yet in edit mode I can see the picture? The image does look as if it is burning old tyres.

No it doesn't show up for me, just the red X.

But she does seem to create quite a cloud:

VIC 32

 

[toothless]

Christ, is that burning peat?

 

[Bouba]

This is Vic 32, June 2023, not sure if it's coal, but last year I saw her loading some sort of compressed material in a block shape down her coal scuttle. Apparently, steam trains and other such vintage machines are finding it hard to get coal now at a price that is convenient.

https://flic.kr/p/2oLdKnN

Clyde Puffer Vic 32, Sound of Jura, Heading Northwards​

Is she a working boat ?...or a livaboard or historical vessel etc

 

[Sailing steve]

If you think net zero is a scam or a conspiracy, sure.

I'm well aware of the science of burning fossil fuels and the damage that does to the environment and agree it's a significant problem.

I'm equally well aware that one individual putting their holier-than-thou trousers on and sitting shivering in the dark for six months won't make the slightest difference.

 

[RunAgroundHard]

Is she a working boat ?...or a livaboard or historical vessel etc

Skippered and crewed charters. There are three kicking about, Vic. 32, Auld Reekie, and Vital Spark. The Vital Spark has a diesel engine that was installed around the late 1940’s and is berthed at Inveraray. She’d has it sailed for decades. Auld Reeki was owned by a wealthy American who was having her refurbished at Crinan Boat Yard. He died and the boat ownership was transferred to someone, or an organisation, not sure. At that point, a few years ago, she was on the slip with her side cut open for the start of a boiler repair or replacement. Fast forward and she is now fully refurbished and now back steaming again. This year she did her sea trials after the long refit (happy to be corrected on that, but that is what I understand). Auld Reeki (colloquial name for Edinburgh) is looking good.

The Vital Spark was originally a Vic, ended up as the cargo vessel EILEAN EASDEAL, with a hydraulic crane. Was laid up and bought for pleasure use. She has never really been a puffer. In fact, none of them are technically puffers as that term derived from a type of steam engine that puffed steam out, and if I recall was not a recirculating, steam condensate recovery system. That type of engine was rapidly superseded and none exist in use. Others will no doubt know better.

Vic 32 will be subject to a maintenance period in 2026 and will not be available for charter according to their web page.

 

[Bouba]

Skippered and crewed charters. There are three kicking about, Vic. 32, Auld Reekie, and Vital Spark. The Vital Spark has a diesel engine that was installed around the late 1940’s and is berthed at Inveraray. She’d has it sailed for decades. Auld Reeki was owned by a wealthy American who was having her refurbished at Crinan Boat Yard. He died and the boat ownership was transferred to someone, or an organisation, not sure. At that point, a few years ago, she was on the slip with her side cut open for the start of a boiler repair or replacement. Fast forward and she is now fully refurbished and now back steaming again. This year she did her sea trials after the long refit (happy to be corrected on that, but that is what I understand). Auld Reeki (colloquial name for Edinburgh) is looking good.

The Vital Spark was originally a Vic, ended up as the cargo vessel EILEAN EASDEAL, with a hydraulic crane. Was laid up and bought for pleasure use. She has never really been a puffer. In fact, none of them are technically puffers as that term derived from a type of steam engine that puffed steam out, and if I recall was not a recirculating, steam condensate recovery system. That type of engine was rapidly superseded and none exist in use. Others will no doubt know better.

Vic 32 will be subject to a maintenance period in 2026 and will not be available for charter according to their web page.

Thanks for that !... I can see the appeal of puffers from Whisky Galore and numerous other films and tv

 

[Chiara’s slave]

I'm well aware of the science of burning fossil fuels and the damage that does to the environment and agree it's a significant problem.

I'm equally well aware that one individual putting their holier-than-thou trousers on and sitting shivering in the dark for six months won't make the slightest difference.

We just all have to do our bit in the best way we can. And hope the government does it’s bit in the best way it can too. Breaking down a little more uranium instead of fossil gas, perhaps. Individually, refraining from buying utterly pointless watercraft is good too.

 

[oldgit]

VIC 56 is in Chatham.
From memory, tales of her bilges being filled with concrete to stop her sinking ?

 

[Chiara’s slave]

So she now has a ferric oxide and concrete construction, we assume.

 

[Boathook]

VIC 56 is in Chatham.
From memory, tales of her bilges being filled with concrete to stop her sinking ?

Concrete was a fairly common repair material for all boats, especially during WWII.

 

[toothless]

Concrete was a fairly common repair material for all boats, especially during WWII.

Seems to be a shortage of it these days, if the potholes near me are anything to go by

 

[westernman]

As you say, if you have enough output. No such domestic device yet exists, and even if it did, I’d probably have to change to underfloor heating, my radiators are massive already. The project creep would become endless. I’m not saing never. Just that now, it is in practical and financial terms impossible.

We use ducted air with air to air heat pump in our little house. It can cope on its own and maintain temperature inside at 23C when it is -10C outside.
We tested that one day last winter. Temperatures here are usually in the range +5C to 38C winter low/summer high.

In the main building on our site (about 3000 sq ft) which we will use for offices, we have 3 such units installed - and they are a bit bigger than the one for our house.

You just install enough of them to cover your heat losses at the desired ambient temperature.