Narrowboat & Canal Boat Electrical Specialists
Lithium upgrades, solar panels, diesel heaters, inverters and full electrical rewires for narrowboats and canal boats. Mobile service — we come to your mooring.
- Mobile service — we come to your mooring or marina
- Victron Energy certified installers
- Specialist canal & narrowboat knowledge
- 12V, 24V and 240V systems
- Full system design and advice included
- Neat, professional, BSS-compliant installations
Get a Free Quote
Tell us about your canal boat and we'll get back to you within 24 hours.
Canal Boat Electrical Services
From a simple diesel heater fit to a complete lithium and solar system, we handle all aspects of narrowboat and canal boat electrics.
Lithium Battery Upgrades
Replace heavy lead-acid batteries with lightweight lithium (LiFePO4) systems. Get up to 3x more usable capacity, faster charging, and a 10+ year lifespan. Perfect for liveaboards and long-term cruisers.
Solar Panel Installation
Custom solar solutions for canal boat roofs. We install rigid and flexible panels with MPPT charge controllers to keep your batteries topped up while you cruise or moor.
Inverter & Inverter-Charger
Power your domestic appliances — TV, microwave, coffee machine — from your 12V or 24V battery bank. We install pure sine wave inverters and inverter-chargers for seamless shore power switching.
Diesel Heater Fitting
Stay warm through autumn and winter on the canals. We fit Autoterm, Lavaner and Max diesel air heaters — a far more efficient alternative to gas or electric heating on your narrowboat.
Full Electrical Rewires
Old wiring, dangerous connections, mystery fuses? We'll audit your entire 12V and 240V system and bring it up to modern standards — safely and reliably.
Shore Power & Hook-Up
Install or upgrade your marina shore power connection, RCD protection, and distribution board so you can safely use mains power at any marina or mooring.
Why Canal Boaters Choose Volt Vans
We've built our reputation installing electrical systems in campervans and motorhomes, and we bring that same expertise — combined with specific canal boat knowledge — to narrowboats and river craft.
Canal boats present unique challenges: limited roof space for solar, confined engine rooms, older wiring, and the need for systems that run reliably for weeks without shore power. We design and install systems that genuinely work for liveaboards and weekend cruisers alike.
Narrowboat Electrical Upgrades — What You Need to Know
Canal boats and narrowboats typically run 12V or 24V DC electrical systems, powered by a combination of the engine alternator, shore power, and increasingly — solar panels. Many older boats are still running lead-acid batteries and outdated wiring that simply can't support modern liveaboard demands.
Lithium batteries (LiFePO4) are the single biggest upgrade you can make. Unlike lead-acid, you can use 80–100% of their rated capacity, they charge faster, last 3–5x longer, and are significantly lighter — important when every kilogram matters on a narrowboat.
Solar panels on a narrowboat can dramatically reduce the need to run your engine for charging. A well-designed system with quality MPPT controllers (we use Victron) can keep a 200Ah lithium battery bank topped up through most of the cruising season with minimal engine hours.
Diesel heaters are increasingly popular as an alternative to solid fuel stoves and gas. They're safer, cleaner, more controllable, and can be timer-set. We fit Autoterm, Lavaner, and Max units — all proven performers in the canal boat community.
We serve canal boat owners across the Midlands, Cotswolds, Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, Oxford Canal, Grand Union Canal, Shropshire Union, and throughout the UK. As a mobile service, we come to your boat wherever it's moored.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to Upgrade Your Canal Boat?
Get in touch today for a free, no-obligation quote. We'll design a system around your boat and your budget.