lewisericeric

Hi all I'm hoping someone with a bit of tech knowledge might be able to help here - I think we all know I'm useless at stuff like this. Basically at our current moorings, we have the option to go on to shoreline as new meters are going in. We're thinking of going on during winter time and maybe to use occasionally even during 'summer' - the things like the tumble dryer, dishwaher etc which we normally have torun with the engine on. I know this isn't great for the engine and I also know its more expensive in terms of using diesel for elec. My question refers to the meters that are going in - basically they're not the normal, round 3 pin plug that most of you have ( I'm guessing). It's basically on a 3 pin normal house plug. Basically, can I cut the 3 pin round socket connection off the end of my shoreline cable and replace with a normal 3 pin plug to plug into the shoreline box and then put the other end of my shoreline into the back of my boat like normal?? Cheers!

Seriously suicidal here with this weather - just can't cope with it anymore. I don't know why but this feels like the longest winter I've ever experienced in my life. Yep, fire is roaring here too just can't believe it. Only one baby duck here on the whole of the Macc that I've seen. Seriously considering selling this boat and moving abroad for some warmer weather. Not sure if it is the weather that's making me this depressed or the fact I've been literally boat bound for 2 weeks since a knee op. I love my boat more than anything but right now seriously considering selling it off! Summer is due for a washout again I'm sure.... I was reading before that most of June will be raining as will July. Great.

Cheers for the comments guys but still quite in the dark about it all. Will let you know how I get on

Yep as long as there's air space I can't see there being any noticeable difference by painting your roof black, to say, painting it white!

Ah cheers. Thought they were heading back up and possible might make a turn onto the Macc!

Any rough guesses on how long it might be before they head onto the Macc? Already had diesel nicked a few months back!

Gladly dean! But you'd have to come here (somehow!) we love this place too much and couldn't go back!

Thanks for the links Paul I will have a look into them Peter- I have a 12v 1kw immersion. I guessing then the product that Paul has suggested is connected to the batts and the. That regulates/sends any excess power to the immersion? Am I on the right lines here. Bit of a dummy when it comes to the technicalities of it all! So it looks for ease and for what I've got I should use my immersion as a dump load and forget about changing the immersion for a 12v one?

But it's not wired to the battery is it????? It needs wiring to the solar or the MPPT.

Two wires how?!? Now I am grumpy!!!

Exactly Nick - that's why adding batteries is something I'm not considering - there's just no point especially when they're a consumable etc. Chris - ill check my outback manual and maybe it will give me some wiring info there too. I suppose that's my biggest query really - how to basically wire the solar panels to the immersion heater? I never grumpy Also, is knowing if that element will fit these boat calorifiers. Smileypete - I think each panel is 30v roughly. And I have 690w of solar. ETA - just seen your edit smileypete. I have 3 panels rated at 230w and I think like I say they are 30v each.... I currently have a 1kw immersion fitted. It's how I would wire it up though that's the difficult part for me to understand?

I'm sure this has probably been done somewhere already but I can't find it! Basically, my panels are going into float mode after charging the batteries easily by 11.30AM- 1PM and it seems a waste not to have the panels being used during the rest of the day - I can either get more batteries or try and hook the panels up to the immersion. I'd rather go with hooking up to the immersion. I've seen this online (second pic down) http://edwardsnb.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/immersion-heaters-and-solar-panels.html Full details of it here: http://www.altestore.com/store/Charge-Controllers/Dump-Loads-Dump-Load-Controllers/Diversion-LoadsDump-Loads/Water-Heating-Element-for-12V-or-24V-DC/p2326/ It's basically a 12v immersion heater.... However, I don't really know how it would be set up to the solar panels. I presume it needs to run via the MPPT controller still? ( just for info I have an Outback FlexMax 80 ) Does it need to be fused etc. and also would this fit with the calorifiers we have on boats. I have one of the blue case calorifiers, only a couple of years old from Midland with the 240v immersion on top. Anyone in the know how about this sort of thing. Just to add - Im not botherd about opinions on whether its worth it or not - i may as well add it even if it gives just a bit of warmth to the water, its better than having the panels just in float and doing not a lot!

I know you said it would make it LESS worthwhile. I was saying it would make it MORE worthwhile! Regardless of PWM or MPPT, if its wasted its wasted. It doesn't 'go' anywhere else unless you rig other things up to it (solar hot water heater for example) Regardless of your setup, unless you have something ridiculous like 10 solar panels, there will always be an issue to some extent in winter You asked if it would power it at night! that of course is no! in the day, I would say it is possible to power that , depending on how many panels you have. We have 690w of solar and last year when we had a desktop mac ( 16amps) our panels powered that no problem, along with the fridge, TV, pumps going etc and we still had charge going to the batteries. We could have powered a 500watt appliance from 7 in the morning until around 8 at night in the peak of summer. There's no definate answer but to just start out with what you can get and see how you get on with it.

Um, my voltage is often 80-89volts for all 3 230w panels. So roughly 30v each. And yes that was even in winter. Not sure where you've got ur info from as having 'less' sunlight would make an MPPt controller more worthwhile here than in a more sunny place. The MPPT controller can make panels up to 30% more efficient and definately worth it in my opnion.

Have Haggle Happy Help Heavy Hurry Surely there's a mix up.... "An heavy object"..... "he's an happy boy"

No. Cheaper products are definately inferior. I have known a boat which has gone up through cheap, dodgy LEDs. Bedazzled's fittings Are fused and many others are not. Without being fused, one of these fittings or bulbs could go up and if you're not onboard, burn your boat to cinders! A tenner per bulb or fitting isn't really that expensive when they are a lifetime investment. We changed all ours over and it cost over £200, albeit with some new fittings for a new porthole cupboard, but its definately worth it for peace of mind of quality fittings and also the saving we make on electric/battery power. Don't scrimp on things that are definately safe and guaranteed - its not worth it

I agree - way too expensive. We have 3 x 230w Hyundai panels which we got for £150 around a year ago on eBay from a guy that installs on houses. The larger 30v(?) panels are definately more efficient than the 12v ones We installed an Outback 80 , the same as Grace and can also testify for its brilliant-ness! If anything happened or I had to recommend an MPPt controller I would definately recommend the outback just because of its features, functions and its got a great warranty in it. Easy screen too for seeing at a glance what's what! In the summer we regularly get 45-55amps easily. In the last few days we've been getting over 30 and that's even with clouds etc.

Glad I could contribute to opening a can of worms with this one! Popcorn ready

Oh dear, some seriously brainwashed people who've Been brainwashed by the "system" all their lives here. "You must pay for a TV license because you HAVE to" Boo hoo. Why should People be bullied into paying for a TV license just because the BBC say so?? Move with the times and sell advertising space if you want to earn money - this country is beyond a joke with its ridiculous taxes on EVERYTHING and most corporations AND the government are all In on it ripping the public off at any opportunity! Good on Julian for using that loophole and more fool the rest of you that just do as your told cos you're all quaking in your boots and believing you're "doing the right thing" We're all being played as often as possible - play the game back! ETA - yes I have a boat license and yes I have a mooring before anyone starts! Certain things are just a piss take tho - the TV license being one of them - being incredibly out dated and almost medieval. Move with the times, no one even watches BBc these days as its incredibly crap and biased towards the royal family - another outdated ideal that should be scrapped but don't even get me started on those layabouts that have done sod all during their whole lives and just get our taxes for nothing! No better than benefit spongers, They're the same!

We and many others around here have to run the engine to keep batts topped up ( in winter for us more so than summer) and I've never heard of anyone with this "glazing" problem. Think its over hyped and blown out of proportion. We just had our engine serviced and its fine and we've never had a problem with it apart from an alternator blowing which was due to faulty wiring. I winter we were rob running it for 3-4 hours a day..... How else to charge??? Generators etc are out if the question as there's been enough money spent on things this last year! You'll be fine

Any thoughts on who you guys think the best boat insurer is that possibly also does a full contents cover as well? Current policy only covers "fixed" contents which is a bit ambiguous. I'm currently with CraftInsure but feel that maybe there's better insurers out there?

Dean just seen this thread. Definately think you should consider solar. You said most things were off now anyway apart from a few laptops and the fridge....we have 690w of solar, an array sizeyou could easily get on your WB roof and we were getting over 30 amps today which is a lot! That would easily run yor items and still charge the batts. Not only that but in the summer we were getting 47-55 amps all day until around 6-7PM and finally dropping down to maybe 20-30 amps after that time (peak summer) Last year we were running a desktop mac, fridge, pumps, phone charging, TV, mini twinny, etc and our batteries were still getting charged. Gennie is great but solar is silent and easier to "live" with in terms of inconvenience. We've been off shoreline since last June when we left new Islington and have no intention of ever going back on it - battery management and solar is much more satisfying and cheaper (initial outlay excluded ! But once you have put out for the initial outlay there's no ongoing bills like with shoreline etc!)

Hi roger If it is oak and it has gone black, it's unlikely you'll be able to sand the black marks out. Something in oak which is allowed to get due to the varnish not being adequate enough) results in a sort of fungus which is usually permanent. With oak, it can happen very easily if the varnishing isn't kept up with and we experienced this with our old front doors and they were steel with only oak faced inserts inside. We've now changed the doors and gone for solid wood which are Sapele ( I think I remember correctly , they could be mahogany) and that type of wood doesn't have the same problems that oak does. The only thing you could try and do is sand back to the bare wood and then stain the wood with a dark wood stain (such as mahogany effect stain) which will hide the worst of the marks and then re varnish.

Yes but by making the starter which ends up going 'sour' you create an acid which reacts when you add your normal rye flour to stop the amylase in the rye from reacting with the water/yeast - meaning that basically the dough won't be sticky like it would be if you just went right ahead with the rye flour and tried to make a dough - something to do with the structures in rye flour. It is the reaction of the rye flour that makes it dense and creating this 'acid' should stop that. It did work to some extent as wasn't as dense as my last rye bread which I made using 4:1 of wheat flour to rye. Anyhow, the dough did come together and was very elasticky this time with the starter so I was impressed. The loaf is nice I just think next time maybe more yeast and maybe some of the oure gluten you can buy to add to dough mixtures. With this recipe I used 300g of rye and 300g of strong white bread flour. I will persevere and succeed!