Serenity Malc

Yello, Thanks Julynian ..... I'll let you know if they're a runner. I'll have to research MPP controllers now and also a some deck chair fixings for 1610 x 861 x 35 panels. Fortunately I have a widebeam roof to house them on. Many thanks Malc.

Yello, Many thanks Julyian .... BUT I've possiby found an even better deal for new 250Watt panels at £125 a piece !! I've posted another thread so as not to confuse this one .... with different Q's. Thanks Malc.

Yello, If I fitted 2 x solar panels (£125 a throw NEW !!) with nominal wattages of 250W a piece, max voltage of 34.9V each and max current of 7.18A each, would I be able to purchase an MPPT controller to deal with them to feed a 12V battery bank of 400Ahr ? I'm assuming their output voltages is a variable ? The MPPT controller is the important piece of kit ? Sorry for the abstract questions, but I understand basic electricals but am unaware of the control processes to feed a 12V battery bank. MPPT = ? .... and why are they so much better ? Thanks muchly .... Malc.

Yello, I've noticed a glut of the panels shown in the picture below being available on an auction site at about £70 odd a throw. They have alledgedly 2 years useage but obviously are 2008 manufacture with some slight discolouration. 170 watts. Please any info or experience with would be appreciated as I'm not able to make perfect sense of them from the tech spec label. Thanks Malc.

Yello, I'd bet it doesn't cover the Wey and God ? NT owned. Shame .... shame. Malc.

Yello, This was my scoot in the 70's ..... I built it from a police Triumph Saint TR6P. Malc.

Yello, I think The Thames here at Runnymede has possibly peaked. Overnight the level has dropped two inches with all the weir gates open. Malc.

Yello, My last Zanussi had a "cr*p trap" on the front bottom edge. A small door behind which was a nylon nut on a cap. Remove the nut carefully ( with an old towel on the floor ) and remove the offending debris. Malc.

Yello, Ta Nick ..... I've already checked the back for labels and guess what .... 240v 50 / 60 hz only ! That's why I'm a bit frustrated. I've a Sterling 3 in 1 1500watt pure sine inverter /charger / solar jobbie that I'm going to try and run it from, but I was considering installing a smaller fridge specific inverter as I'm concerned of the Sterling's overhead for just a fridge, some 12v lights and occasional TV / PC. Cheers Malc.

Yello, Having just taken delivery yesterday of a Curry's R5010B fridge to replace the huge fridge freezer in my barge, I thought I'd check out it's power consumption. Frustratingly the tech spec only says 175 kWh per annum. I worked this out at approx 20 watts at 240v per hour. 175 / 8760 x 1000 = Could someone PLEASE check my maths out ? Many thanks Malc.

Yello, The Thames at Runnymede is fast and has risen at least 18" since Saturday .... my pontoon is now becoming submerged again ! Sleeping in the bow sounds like a jucuzzi again ! Malc.

Yello, £4000 plus is about on the money the that kind of area ..... unfortunately if you work down south, you pay the down south cost of living to .... but then again earn down south money. Wishing you luck ... but it ain't easy finding a residential mooring at the best of times. Let alone a cheap one. There's the odd one or two but they tend to be occupied for a long time by each tenant. Malc.

Yello, Sniggering ...... Fork handles ! Malc.

Yello, Most 12v LED's will run from a few volts to 30V .... so I can't see why you'd want to faff about with voltage regulation on such a shoe string set up. This my 'cheap' 12V lighting solution ... for now, as they happen to match my 240V lights as well. 6 x stainless switched adjustable bullet spots ... proper GU10 240v fittings £57 delivered. 6 x 12v GU10 warm white LED lamps £15 delivered. Wire them up and enjoy ! Malc.

Yello, Me Julie just emailed me from work: " Some of the girls here have had 4 inches and want to go home, understandably " Poor girls !! .... Malc.

Yello, We're very lucky here at the junction of The Colnebrook and The Thames ... Kingfishers use the Colnebrook as their territorial waters so I can watch them most days from the lane. A flash of orange or irridescent blue always catches the eye. May I recommend the RSPB book 'Birds of Britain and Europe'. An excellent reference with very good seasonal plumage variations pictured. Malc.

Yello, It's just started on The Thames here at Runnymede .... quite heavy as well. I've a kilo of salt and a shovel at the ready. "Don't eat yello snow !" Malc. PS ... The river is strangely turbulent today as well as last night. My swingometer is doing it's stuff !

Yello, I've checked out the Bedazzled website and not found any 12V GU10 lamps. Just an adapter from a standard mains fitting. In fact I've yet to find a UK supplier. Now ... normally a GU10 fitting is used in a 240v application. Maybe an MR16 would be the norm in a 12V fitting. But seeing as I've just purchased 6 x satin chrome switched bullet spots with GU10 fittings (£57 delivered) and can purchase GU10 LED's quite easily from the orient, that's what I'm going to do. Being poor as a church mouse makes one creative. Malc.

Yello, Thank you NickNorman for your thoughts ... I'd no idea how a modern LED achieves it's colour. Your expaination makes a lot of sense. I've heard that voltage fluctuation, or maybe more specifically over voltage can damage the colour of an LED. My application is quite urgent so although I've thought about fitting a stabilised supply unit, it probably won't happen until a month or so has passed. I'll check out Bedazlled .... thank you Bottle. Most LED's I've seen in the 12V nominal bracket will accept up to 30V DC, so I'm not sure about the alternator output comment. In any case I do intend to install a regulated supply unit as a matter of course. As always your superior knowledge and experience is SO welcome ... thank you guys. Malc.

Yello, ALL of these figures are based on a warm white colour around 3000k - 3200k. Thanks Malc.

Yello, I'm currently fitting my barge for 12V lighting throughout as my situation appears to be about to radically change from being a shore line dependent, to a battery dependent. I'm using 6 new GU10 light fittings which were originally designed as 240V items, but wiring them to 12V. These days one can buy 12V GU10 LED's from the orient as opposed to most UK sellers only supplying them for 240V use. My question is: I'm doing the maths to decide whether I should buy 3 Watt, 4 Watt, 5 Watt, 6 Watt, 8 Watt or 12 Watt LED lamps in any one of the locations. When I check the tech spec of each lamp for lumen output, I notice some annomolies (sp?) in their stated light output. EG: 3 WATT = 300 LUMENS 4 WATT = 300 LUMENS 5 WATT = 500 LUMENS 6 WATT = 500 LUMENS 8 WATT = 500 LUMENS 12 WATT = 800 LUMENS Do I simply assume that the fewer LED's that make up each lamp would produce a more efficient lumen output ? The LED type could be the reason for varying efficiencies ? The manufacturers are being casual with their tech specs ? or all of the above ? It would appear that the 3 Watt or 5 watt items would be the most efficient in general terms, until a higher brightness was required. Although seeing as the manufacturers have obviously rounded up or down the lamp efficacies, who knows ! My initial reason for doing the maths was to calculate the current draw for the new 12V lighting circuit and hence the cable size. The figures above are taken from two major oriental suppliers and oddly enough concur with each other. According to the quoted lumen output figues, the difference between for example 6 x 5 Watt lamps and 6 x 8 Watt lamps would be 1.5 Amps ! .... for the same lumen output. 1.5 Amps @ a nominal 12V is to me a considerable difference. Please enlighten me ! Cheers Malc.

Yello, I don't know whether you're very unlucky ..... or very lucky from your post. I'll go with very lucky ... because it's a positive ! Malc.

Yello, Maybe the forum addage of buying 'cheap' batteries because of their life expectancy against cost could take on another meaning ? Maybe the dude who buys the stronger cased battery (not necessarily the cheapest), may stand a greater chance of surviving the occasional explosion ? Malc.

Yello, Engage charger ... hit the deck !! But dudes like yourself who've had motor cycles on a maintenance charge throughout the winter have not as I recall had too many explosive events ? Obviously each 100 ah rated battery could potentially make a bigger pop if it was to unfortunately suffer a cell collapse ...... but hey ...... you could get knocked over walking across the road to your boat ? Malc.

Yello Psydude, You might want to bilge a little more frequently (just to be safe with your new boat) ... and you might want to shower now and again ! But your charger should be able to float charge your batteries for a significant time without damage. After all, your batteries like to be kept charged. If you're on the boat every other week this should still be fine, assuming your batteries are OK. Malc. I bow my head to Mr Pink's superior pessimism and technological accumen !