enter an amateur

[giftedamateur]

Hi all, I am a 63 year old, reasonably intelligent retired engineer living on a narrowboat. This has, over the past ten years, thrown up a variety of plumbing/gas fitting problems which I have been able to sort out because I am "competent" rather than trained. I ask lots of questions and then act based on good instinct. I have always succeeded, never had to do a job twice, and recently designed and fitted a system to use a wood/multifuel stove with back boiler to drive a couple of radiators using thermosyphon.

Well that is the background, now I will duck whilst everyone criticises my lack of professional training......
Paul

 

[Toddyplumb]

What field of Engineering did you retire from ?
Gravity central heating , no pump running costs then

 

[Puddle]

Hi Paul

Welcome to the forums,hope you enjoy and feel able to get involved

 

[PlumbBobBob]

hi paul welcome to the forums

steveb

 

[giftedamateur]

Large scale computer printers, water cooled computers.
The priority had to be for low or NO running costs, as we have to generate all our own leccy and I did not want the fire to go out overnight. It is not a grand project, involving a 4KW stove and two rads measuring 25X12 inches each (in old money). They are K2 rads and I have a 30 degree difference between feed and return which works well. The rise is just over 14" on 22mm pipe feed and 15 return, and the rads are in two different rooms.....result.....warm bathroom in the mornings!!!

 

[Toddyplumb]

Nice one !
One for debate : I find Engineers ( I mean Engineering Council Engineers ) come up with some ...great ...old fashioned .....sound in principle ....etc ideas . which work great as long as the designer is driving the machine (when the tank is boiling shut the damper )
Today it does not work !
Gifted amateur welcome , your heating is of course vented !

 

[easyt]

The trouble with engineers is it takes twice as long for us to come up with a solution. We are never happy just to find a solution - we want as many solutions as possible (practical or not) so that we can decide on the one we want.......Sometimes it's the right one

 

[Garryaca@yahoo.]

Welcome to the forum, you'll get some great advice on here......My brother lives on a narrowboat, I think he is on the river Lee at the moment although he does scooch around a bit!