Halfie

Canalplan not working for me today. Have tried canalplan.uk, canalplan.eu and canalplan.org.

Thanks Alan, I did so, even though they don't seem to support the older model I have. The lights and their function appear to be the same though.

Thanks Richard. This is just what I needed to know. I wasn't able to run the engine much today; I'll be able to do so tomorrow. (Beginning to regret the propulsion percentage I declared last time I filled up with diesel ...)

My batteries are 4 x Lucas XV Supreme LX31MF 110Ah. Thanks for the link to your earlier thread, which I have just read through. Yes, it seems upping the charge voltage might be the thing to do, but I'll stick with the manufacturers' recommendations for a few days yet to see what happens. These are early days - just three days since I bought them. Good to find someone else with similar kit - do you ever check what LEDs are lit on your Sterling alternator controller?

Phil, no, it should show the voltage all the time (I'll make it switchable so it doesn't consume power - even if it's a tiny amount - when I don't need to see the display). And that's what I want; I'll be able to see what's going on voltage-wise. I've just ordered two from Amazon (£1.85 each, free delivery (but could take over a month!)) - one for the helm and one for inside the cabin. It'll just be a lot easier than getting my multimeter out each time I want to check the voltage. Yes, a sophisticated monitor such as from Victron would be better, but I'll try the cheaper, simpler route first. My main concern is that the batteries do not overcharge as they are sealed and I can't top them up if they start gassing. (Of course, I want to make sure they don't discharge too much as well...)

by'eck, thanks for that. So if the yellow timer LED is glowing I should keep the engine running until it goes out, assuming I want fully charged batteries. I shall have to experiment with changing the battery type setting. It would be really useful to have a voltage display visible from the steering position; I'll see what Maplin can offer. Keeping Up, I'll research our inverter specs ...

Only to save battery power, Phil. We turn the inverter off as well; being a beefy 3kW one it must take quite a hefty standby current. Don't know the actual figures, it's another Sterling box. We switch the inverter and fridge back on in the morning when we start up the engine. Perhaps I'm being too miserly with the power use - maybe it would actually be good for the batteries to be drained a bit more.

I have just replaced a set of flooded lead acid leisure batteries with four "maintenance free" sealed lead acid 110Ah batteries. I have a Sterling alternator to battery controller, on which I changed the DIP battery type switch setting to "sealed". This is supposed to limit the charging voltage to 14.1V to minimise gassing. I also have solar panels; I adjusted the solar controller to the sealed batteries setting. My question/problem is this: on checking the battery bank voltage with the engine running I never now see more than 13.8V. Could this be because the batteries were fully charged when I bought and fitted them two days ago, and they are only float charging? Also, what LEDs should I see lit on the Sterling device? It always seems to be the top (green) one (steady, after slow flashing for a short while) and the next one down (yellow). The battery type tri-colour LED is red. I understand that the yellow LED (second to top) indicates that a timer is running, but what is being timed? Could I have done any harm by (initially) omitting to connect the battery temp sense lead? (For info: the four batteries are connected in the SmileyPete/SmartGauge balanced method; I have no means of measuring the current, only voltage; main power draw is a mains fridge running off a 3kW inverter which we switch off at night; have been doing 6 hours' engine running per day).

Thanks to all who have posted their advice and comments here. I did buy the Cobra handheld radio and had it delivered to Thorne Boat Services where I picked it up on my way through. It has been useful to listen to boats talking to lockies as we've come up the Trent - from Torksey we've been in a convoy and one or two of the other boats have "booked us in" as we travelled up. Tony B, I'll try to remember the Farndon sand bar when we get there tomorrow.

Fatal error: Out of memory (allocated 15204352) (tried to allocate 7680 bytes) in /home/ggbqjfrf/public_html/forums/admin/sources/classes/tags/abstract.php on line 72 (Oops - all I was trying to do was reply to Tony Brooks's comment:) Thanks for your reassurance, Tony. I think I will, however, see if I can get one of the Cobra handheld devices sent to a boatyard in Thorne for me to pick up on my way through. I might not use it for TX, but it will be interesting to hear the chat on RX. And when I've got my licence I might even use it in the future. Today being a bank holiday, Thorne Boat Services hasn't responded to my e-mail yet; perhaps I'll get a reply tomorrow ...

Kev, I've just looked at maplin.co.uk - the only transceivers I can see are web only.

Wow! Some fantastic suggestions here, thanks to all who have contributed. Yes, I have an anchor (two, actually!) with the right amount of chain and warp, and lifejackets. What's the difference between lifejackets and buoyancy aids? What we have is things which zip up the front and have belts which clip - and straps to go between the legs to stop the lifejackets coming off. I intend to use the mobile phone but, as has been mentioned, mobile phones don't always have a signal. The VHF would be purely for emergency back-up. Yes, I should have been organised and taken the marine radio test before embarking on this cruise, but I didn't. Sorry.

Alan, thanks for the suggestion. I could get something delivered to my son who lives in Sheffield, but I don't do eBay. And no, I don't have an operator's licence, nor is the boat licenced for marine radio (I didn't know it had to be). It is to be for emergency use only at this stage, and I will take the test later. (That goes for Pete and Helen too.)

I'm about to get to Sheffield on the South Yorkshire Navigation and then will cruise to Keadby to start on the tidal Trent. Does anyone know where I can buy a marine VHF radio between Sheffield and Keadby? It has to be in a physical shop, i.e. not on the internet. Oh, and what would you recommend? I'm expecting to pay up to £150. It doesn't have to have all the bells and whistles. Thanks.

Wigram's Turn Marina does indeed give a discount to the several BCBM-managed boats moored there. (1/20 share in Shadow still for sale...)