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Case Studies

Here are a handful of selected jobs we have recently completed to show customers an example of our work. 

Louis used to spend hours a day running his engine to charge his battery, which would barley last a day. After his Lithium install, he can now last up to 5 days with no solar on just 2 and a 1/2 hours of charge! ​​​

Lithium Install with Fast Charging...

electrical upgrade on narrow boat
fast charging batteries on narrow boat

Here's how we did it:  

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  • ​Firstly we upgraded to a 170amp prestolite alternator and disconnected the internal regulator.

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  • We ripped out the old unsafe wiring and rewired in a new AC board, new inverter and new charge controller all compatible with the Lithium battery choice. 

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  • Next we installed a Fogstar 560amp hour Lithium battery. Lithium installs come with many requirements to pass insurance checks: electricians to hold relevant qualifications, batteries to be contained in a box or strapped down and much more. We fit Louis lithium to ensure it meets relevant requirements.

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  • The master volt regulator was connected, along with the Master Volt shunt, so the system could communicate with the battery. We installed 3 sensitive relays to protect the alternator from battery protect mode or shut down of the BMS. 

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  • The outcome was 183 amps at 1200rpm, the alternator overperforms (which is perfectly safe) which achieves the fast charge of 2 1/2 hours that lasts 5 days = one happy customer!

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Please see images for the installation and the amps the alternator was giving out. Charging time and how long it will last will depends on your usage, contact us for a personalised quote.  

upgraded mastervolt regulator narrow boat
upgraded AC board
upgraded alternator
upgraded AC board

Engine Bay and Electrics Revamp (charging now 3x higher)...

Peter was struggling with slow charging and no communication between his Victron System and Cerbo GX, his electrics were also a mess. His engine bay had been neglected and his fuel tank was positioned in a place that restricted access to the engine bay. See before pictures:

messy engine bay
Engine bay needing a revamp
dangerous and messy electrics - before

Here's what we did...

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  • The engine was lifted out with our crane and safely stored away, whilst we revamped the engine bay. This included taking out the stainless steel tank, pumping out all the dirty water, cleaning the bay and then painting it using a Damboline bilge paint. This approach ensured the engine bay was well-protected and allowed for early detection of potential issues, such as oil leaks.

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  • The engine was fully serviced, with new mounts installed in the bay. Additionally, the pipes, jubilee clips, filters, belts, and alternator were all replaced. Finally, the engine was carefully lifted back into position and securely mounted.

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  • Next we moved the stainless steel tank to the starboard side of the engine bay, to do this we needed to weld a shelf to give the tank a snug fit, so there wasn't any movement. Peter now has full access to the engine bay and shaft for maintenance. 

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  • His electrical unit was messy and you weren't able to identify the correct wires. To resolve this we ripped out part of his electrical cupboard and started again. We upgraded his AC panel and his inverter (which included an automatic transfer switch). As a result from the new alternator and Master Volt systems, his charging is now 3x higher at 170amps using the Master Volt external regulator.

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After images are below, contact us for a personalised quote.  

electrics rewired
painted engine bay
engine bay maintenance
electrical upgrade on boat
welded shelf for steel tank on boat
boat welding london

Full fit out of Widebeam pending... check back for updates!

To check out our reviews please click here. 

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Or to contact us for a quote, send over as many details about the install you require to james@jsamarineservices.com

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