Hello, and welcome to our website.  We are Patrick and Eileen.  In 2018 we decided to quit the rat race by giving up our jobs and selling our home to buy a narrowboat to continuously cruise the inland waterways of the UK. We bought a 57 foot Bickerstaffe boat which we named Dunworkin.

This is a record of our journey, Our Narrowboat Quest to explore the navigable waterways of England and Wales, to continuously cruise throughout the year. Join us as we experience all seasons, the wonders of our beautiful countryside, towns, villages and cities and even our industrial heritage,  nowadays an ironic contrast to its raison d'être.

We hope you will return from time to time as we are intending to post regular blogs to accompany our videos,  information about our boat, and what it is like to live on a narrowboat all year round along with maintenance tips and tricks.
We hope you enjoy browsing at the content and find some of the articles of interest

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1. What are we talking about in this video?
2. Why are we changing our current battery system to lithium.
3. What did we do to determine we required lithiums.
4. What are the problems that we faced in the past three years.
5. How do we think lithiums will improve our system.
6. why we feel it is necessary to change our current electrical system  on narrowboat Dunworkin.

Disclaimer- All the information and considerations in this video are purely from our own experience and information gathering. 
Our experience will not necessarily apply to any other installations as other people’s circumstances may differ, however this could be used as a general guide. 
We have not been sponsored by Victron or any other company to make this video. 

We have now had the boat for more than 3 years. Our current system consists of 5 12volt sealed lead acid batteries totalling 710ah. A 3000w inverter  which provides 230 volts, 
We also have 4.4 Kva generator, a dedicated leisure 110a alternator connected to the engine and 6 x 100ah solar panels.

Over the last 3 years we have used all of these systems extensively.   
Pat is going to give you some background information of his experience of electrical systems.  
My career before becoming a engineering manager,  was as a  electrical controls engineer working  for Honeywell controls systems in UK for around 15Years.
My job consisted of working on large commercial buildings, maintaining the building controls infrastructure or BMS building management system, The BMS is a computer controlled electrical system which controls all aspects of heating, cooling, electrical,  inputs and outputs and many other functions within the building, One of my primary roles was to make sure that the buildings computer suite which contained multiple service systems were supported by a cooling system and a UPS, uninterrupted power supply, this was made up of hundreds of lead acid batteries.
This has mean’t  Pat has   approached the difficulties we faced with our current system in the same way as he would a project at work, by evaluating and quantifying what is needed to give us the best options for winter cruising. 

All of my calculations and results have been defined around the British Standard 17th Edition Electrical Installation Regulations.
( But I am not a Marine electrical engineer ) 
We installed test equipment to first determine what was happening with our current system and why we were not getting sufficient power for our means. 
We installed 6 battery shunts, 1 for each battery with a relay isolating each battery connected to a control panel which collected data from all of the battery’s and sent them to a cloud Victron remote monitoring system, Known as VRM. 
This was set up in November 2020 while on the Llangollen canal. As a result we have data for the past 6 months.
The results of this have been quite enlightening


​The first graph shows our solar yield from December 2020 to May 2021. As you can see the solar collected over this period during the winter months is extremely low but picks up as the year progresses into Spring. 

The next graph shows the battery voltages over the same period.

On average our lowest voltage was 11.4 and the highest 13.2. Also notice the areas highlighted which were as a result of being plugged into Shore power for a period. 
This is when our batteries would have had the chance to be fully charged and in Float. 

​The conclusion from this graph is that during this period we were only using the engine alternator to charge the batteries and as you can see this comes nowhere near the float condition required to keep the batteries in good health. 

​The next graph shows the load consumption on the batteries in Amps.

as you can see there are some peaks and troughs but on average our consumption over that period is relatively consistent. 

We want to continuously cruise throughout the year. 
To look after and get the best out of a lead acid, Agm, gel or lead carbon system we would need to go into a marina to hook up over the winter period as our data has shown us  in this country we don’t get enough winter sunshine to run on solar.
And our engine alternator will not provide the correct voltage rise to sufficiently maintain the battery health.
A lead acid system has a 3 stage charging process. 
When charging lead acid,AGM, Gel or lead carbon batteries, the first stage is Bulk, this is when the battery is of low resistance and accepts the charge quickly as the name suggests. 
2nd stage is Absorbtion, when the batteries are almost full, this stage conditions the battery. 
3rd stage is Float which is just a trickle charge to maintain the battery at a full stage of charge. 
 From the Bulk state to reach Float can take a considerable amount of time which has a cost implication. 

As you can see from the 2nd graph showing the voltages, running the engine to charge the batteries via the alternator, which is only  50% efficient means the batteries never reach Float stage, which is considered fully charged. 
This is why we purchased a generator with the aim to charge the batteries more efficiently on 230v
Running a generator is more efficient and float can be achieved however due to the 3 stage charging strategy the generator would start off at running at high revs and as the batteries become fuller the generator would reduce its speed running at a much lower speed.  This resulted in the injector becoming clogged and sooted up leading to the generator choking up. 
In the summer however, we use our solar panels to charge the batteries, which also has a 3 stage controller, and providing we have long enough sun spells we can charge the batteries to the float condition. 
Another consideration for battery technologies are that regardless of whether they are lead acid, AGM, Gel, lead carbon or lithium they all will degrade over time but will degrade faster if the temperature in the area they are stored are above or below certain values.

The fourth graph shows over the same period our engine bay temperatures this is measured from the top of the batteries and therefore is a good indication as to what temperatures the batteries are working under. 

Lead acid battery chemistrys  do not perform very well in cold conditions. Their output voltage and current drops dramatically when the The temperature is too cold.  The chemistry cycle within the battery slows down and therefore will not yield as much output performance as at normal operating temperatures.  Adversely in high temperatures the batteries will over produce and Sulphation will harden and thereby reducing the life expectancy dramatically.

This is why large companies spend tens of thousands of pounds protecting their batteries by making sure that they remain at the correct temperature.
So lets talk about some cost implications. For the same period we kept a record of our fuel costs. Last winter we mainly used the generator to charge the batteries on days that we did not travel.  During this winter, which of course we travelled very little we used our engine mainly to charge our lead acid system. Our overall average cost was significantly higher for this year. 
In addition this meant that our running hours increased significantly and our service costs have also gone up.  
Battery manufacturers will talk about cycles and give you a value of 300 to 1000 cycles for a lead acid battery and 5000 cycles for a lithium battery
So what is a battery cycle it is one charge and one discharge that is a cycle so every time a battery is charged and discharged it counts as one cycle even if the battery has only been discharged by 30% and recharged that is classed as one cycle

But of course all this is dependent upon the temperature in the conditions that they have been stored in and are used in and how they are charged and how long they are discharged all of these things will be a factor in its cycle life
The ideal situation is to control all that goes in and all that comes out of the batteries keep them in the correct temperature and treat them the best you can this will give you the longest life out of any battery
For current to flow through any battery a voltage is required.   For a 12 volt system this is typically 12.5 to 13 volts, however as the temperature rises  falls the voltage can be affected.  Equally when the battery is being used and the current is flowing from the battery to the load,  a lead acid battery will have a discharge sag meaning that the voltage will drop from say 12.5 to 12 or even lower.  
This battery sag creates a problem for some electrical appliances which require a 12 V supply and therefore may they may not work efficiently

So why Lithium’s?

One characteristic which makes lithium batteries better for us, is that the charging cycle is not required and the batteries will charge much faster.   Lithium can accept a higher current input into the batteries, meaning we can charge them at a higher rate and at a faster time.  
Using the generator will be the most efficient way to charge the batteries in the winter when there is little solar.
This will mean that our generator will need to work harder and will be put under more load, thereby reducing the possibility of choking up. 
Look back at the 4th graph, any battery that is stored in high temperatures will degrade quickly. 
Lithiums require the  temperature to be between 25 and 10° C to work efficiently.  
For this reason  we will be installing the batteries in an inside cupboard rather than in the engine bay.
Space is also a consideration,  we need to install them in an inside cupboard and we only have a small cupboard where we can install all of the equipment necessary for our new lithium set up, the lithium technology  provides a  higher amp hour rating than lead acid in a smaller package. 

Size Matters

One of the biggest pros for having lithium batteries is that they have a stable voltage output and do not have a sag as much as lead acid. This means that their output remains quite stable and electrical equipment will work better. 
Even though the initial investment is considerable, we believe that the overall cost savings on replacement batteries, fuel, engine servicing, stable voltage and ease of control and monitoring will lead to a much improved and worry free electrical system. 
In the next of this series of videos we will be discussing out Lithium requirements for now and the future. What we are getting and Why?
Potential future plans and what what other systems we considered.

We decided not to film our return journey a) because we were now going to head for the Llangollen Canal and we had already filmed that section of the Trent and Mersey twice  b) it gives us a break from filming and c) we were about 7 weeks behind with filming so it gives us a chance to catch up with ourselves. 

8th September to 16th September 2020 (not filmed)
We leave our mooring at Froghall after our 24 hour stay and over the next week we return to Etruria. The weather is now quite hot and humid during the day but with some rather chilly evenings.  At Cheddletton, we stay for a few days and we meet up with Pats sister Carol and brother in law Colin. We manage to take in a visit to Cheddleton flint Mill and return to their caravan which is near the Tissington Trail, where we had a lovely walk. As Cheddleton was only 48 hour moorings we moved down to the moorings outside the Hollybush Inn where we stayed for a further 48 hours and enjoyed a couple of meals at the pub with Carol and Colin. 
On 15th September we had a lovely cruise from engine Lock to Etruria, where we stayed overnight and managed a trip to Tesco to stock up on provisions. The following day we cruised onto Westport Lake where again we stayed for a couple of days, visited the Aldi and took a cold but lovely walk around the lake. 

18th September 2020
Our passage through Harecastle tunnel was booked for 9am, so we left the Lakes at around 8am. It was a cold start to the day but it soon warmed up, and  we arrived at the  tunnel entrance at around 0830 only to find 6 boats in front of us.  Of course this meant that there would be 6 boats in front of us going down Heartbreak Hill!!  We stopped at the boaters services to allow some time for the other boats to sort themselves out but in the end we decided to stop at Church Lawton as there were still 4 boats waiting to go through each lock.  
We completed the remaining Cheshire Locks to Wheelock the following day. We really love this section of the Trent and Mersey as it is so isolated but after 20 locks we were knackered and really understood why the old boatman called this section Heartbreak Hill!

20th September to 1st October 2020
We made our way up to Middlewich where we stayed for a few days. We had the Webasto boiler serviced at Kings Lock and we ordered Pat some new glasses. ( He had broken his frames a few weeks beforehand and was wearing them all glued up!). We cruised up to Park Farm Marina where we left NB Dunworkin while we visited my sister in Wiltshire to celebrate my 60th birthday. 

2nd October to 11th October 2020
Left Park Farm Marina and moored at the flashes for a couple of days where we met Pete and Ali from Moor 2 Explore who moored up behind us.  On the 5th October we moved back to Middlewich where we picked up Pats new glasses and met up with Mark and Debbie from Well Deck Diaries. Sadly she had just had investigations into breast cancer which later proved positive, we wish her all the best with her ongoing treatment. 
On the 7th October we cruised through the Middlewich Locks and onto the Middlewich Canal and moored at the 2018 breach site where we met up with Martin and Mandella on Beau Romer, another Bickerstaffe boat and also Jenny and Trevor from Life of Riley whom we last met on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal more than a year ago!  These two lovely couples had met on the Llangollen canal and were now travelling together. 
The weather was wet and windy for the next couple of days so we didn't leave our mooring until 11th October, when it was bright and sunny so we moved up to a mooring by Aqueduct Marina which is where we take up filming again!

​12th October 2020
​Following a break from filming you catch up with us on the Middlewich Branch of the Shropshire Union Canal. Heading West, we pass Aqueduct Marina, Church Minshull Lock, Venetian Marina and Cholmondeston Lock before turning South at Barbridge Junction. We contacted Dave on NB Snowgoose to let him know when we would be arriving at Cholmondeston Lock and he came out in the rain to assist our passage through the lock. (Thanks Dave!!) 
We soon arrive at Hurleston Junction and ascend the 4 locks here. With a total rise of just over 34 ft (10.4m) , the first lock (Lock 4) we encounter has been subjected to recent major repair work undertaken last winter. The Canal and River Trust have built a hidden retaining wall behind the original brickwork as movement of the 233 year old lock wall, meant that passage for narrow boats had become increasingly difficult. Opened on 1805 the lock flight was built by famous canal engineers John Fletcher and Thomas Telford.
We stop at the boaters facilities at the top of the locks before torrential rain stops us and we moor just pass Bridge 1A on the Llangollen Canal.

30th July to 23rd August 2020

Our last video left us just before Fazeley Junction and since we have already filmed this part of the Birmingham and Fazeley, Coventry Canal and Trent and Mersey, we decided to have a break from filming and just enjoy the cruising.  We were on our way up to the Caldon Canal as we had arranged to meet Pats sister and brother in law who were bringing their caravan down to Ashbourne.  We have passed the entrance to the Caldon Canal twice, last May on our way up to the Ribble Link and then again in January this year when the Canal and River Trust were repairing the staircase lock so we were unable to access the canal. We were really excited to be going at last!
We have had some of the best of the weather in this last month and for several days we were on the look out for some shady mooring spots.  We had the advantage of keeping the boat cool but the disadvantage of no, or very little solar,  we ended up having to run the generator on some of the hottest days of the year!
We also managed to catch up with( or rather they caught up with us) our lockdown buddies, Andrew and Julia on NB Lingalonga.

24th August 2020

So, after making our way up the Trent and Mersey Canal to Etruria, we have turned onto the Caldon Canal. The area here is seeped in history and the figure of James Brindley stands tall and proud. However his association with the Caldon Canal was not a happy one. He was out surveying the route for the Canal when he was caught in the rain, a chill ensued after sleeping in his wet clothes and he died in September 1772. It was also interesting to see the development in the area with lots of new housing but a shame to see some of the old warehouses being replaced.  

We had intended to stay at Etruria for 48 hours, so that we could take a trip into town.  I needed to visit a fabric store here at Hanley and there is a large Tesco store about 15 mins walk from the canal. However storm Francis was due to hit the UK and we didn't want to spend more time there than was necessary, so we decided to visit the town in the morning and do the 4 hour cruise to Engine Lock that afternoon

So, after stocking up on provisions and a quick lunch we negotiated the staircase lock, and navigated our way through to Hanley Park. The local council have spent millions of pounds on this lovely park which spans both sides of the canal, it has a man made lake, band stand and some lovely gardens, and there is  some lovely mooring here.  Unfortunately,  though the park has become a hang out for the local addicts and overnight mooring here is discouraged.   We soon approach Planet lock and cruise through a mix of urban and industrial landscapes. Just as we approached  Ivy House Lift bridge Pat was pulling into the bridge landing when we heard a thud and the engine cut out.  We were stranded in the middle of the canal and drifting over into the reeds on the opposite side. We tried to use the barge pole to push us over but it didn't reach the bottom of the canal,  in the end we had to use the bow thruster to move the bow over enough for Pat to jump off with the centre line to pull us over.  On investigation of the weed hatch we discovered a large piece of wood empaled on the prop which had caused the engine to cut out!  Pat removed the wood but it had  slightly damaged the prop which Pat managed to bend back into place.  We have already had one new prop, we really didn't want to have to get another!!  He really wasn't very happy!
Once we got going again, we passed through the swing bridge uneventfully until I tried to close it.  The bridge closed and the safety barriers lifted but the warning sirens wouldn't shut off and I wasn't able to remove my key.  I tried resetting by opening and closing again but nothing was happening and after what seemed an age Pat moored up and managed to get the barriers to close and reopen.  (even though I had already tried to do this )

We continued our journey  and as we were passing through Milton there was a group of boys on bicycles, one of them was hanging on the railing on the canal side of the bridge, the others  were shouting out for him to jump onto the boat and another threw a stone at us as we passed under! We didn't record this on the vlog but we were really not enjoying this journey today. I have to say that in the 2 years and 4 months of continuously cruising this was only our second experience of dealing with troublesome youths. 
​It wasn't long before we left the urbanism behind and we  entered a pleasant cutting, it was here that we  moored up after passing through  Engine Lock!  Phew, it hadn't been an enjoyable start to our Caldon Canal experience, lets hope things improve!

28th July 2020

Catherine de Barnes is famous for its isolation hospital which was built in 1910 to isolate patients suffering from contagious diseases. When these became less prevalent the hospital was converted into a maternity hospital in 1953.  However in 1966 it became the national isolation hospital and was kept on permanent standby, ready to accept patients within an hours notice.  This happened in 1978, when Janet Parker a 40 year old local medical photographer contracted smallpox.  Janet was the last known patient to die of smallpox in this country when scientists believed that the virus had been totally eradicated. It is thought that she contracted the disease from a lab at Birmingham University and her sad story makes compelling reading. 
​
Leaving Catherine de Barnes we enter a long deep cutting that creates an illusion of peace and made for a surprisingly pleasant cruise. Soon we are into the suburbs of Birmingham and housing estates and disused wharves surrounds the canal along with Birminghams industry. Opened in 1799 and initially known as the Warwick and Birmingham Canal before being integrated into The Grand Union Canal in 1927, the canal was built to relieve congestion into Birmingham.
We arrive at Camp Hill Locks where we fill our water tank before making our descent.  The six Camp Hill Locks provide a fall of 41ft 8 inches (12.7 m).  The area became known as Camp Hill in 1643 when Prince Rupert, the then Duke of Cumberland set up camp there prior to the Battle of Birmingham during the first English Civil war.
We lost out here as just as we finished filling our water tank a boat came up the locks, but before we had a chance to move off the water point another boat that was moored behind us at Catherine de Barnes arrived.  This meant that the locks would be in their favour whereas we would be going down behind them so every lock would be against us. Oh well you have to learn to deal with life little knock backs! LOL
We descend the Camp Hill locks, our first narrow locks for some time, before making a right turn at Bordesley Junction. We pass under several bridges and descend the five Garrison Locks where we pass a collection of old wharf buildings.  These locks also were set against us, so in all of the ten locks we passed through today, only one was in our favour.  This added quite a bit of time on our journey,  and as Pat did not feel very well we had already made the decision to stay overnight at Star City.    As it transpired, nothing at Star city was open so we had a pretty quiet night. There were a couple of boats moored on the tow path side here but I must admit too feeling a little safer on our pontoon on the opposite side of the tow path.
Today we had travelled 9 miles and did 10 locks in 6 hours.