magnetman

Yes that is understandable. I don't know enough about the chemistry but do wonder if temperature compensation is to do with improving battery life or if it is a way to sell more blue boxes. Cynic? Moi?

I don't know about the smartsense. I have had wrong readings on the app before due to dodgy connections between battery and MPPT. It seems that your elevated voltage is to do with the temperature compensation. If you turned off the temperature compensation then presumably it would not go so high. It appeared from the OP that you were concerned about overvoltage. If you disable the temp compensation the problem goes away.

Might it be the lift pump? Assuming it is a mechanical type

If the connections to the controller are not 100A% it can read the wrong voltage. I did it because I run Lithium Titanate batteries and want them charged to a fixed voltage regardless of the temperature.

Yes and another problem is wind farms. By farming wind the inevitable result is that there will be more of it. On my Victron MPPTs I turned off temperature compensation. (Set it to zero and it disables the function).

There was a swan above Common Moor lock who did the same thing with the fender. I wonder if the swan has logged the Boat as a large bird and the fender is potentially the arse end which may be vulnerable to attack. Another thing swans do is attack their own reflections in shiny surfaces. The pumpout station at Limehouse marina has a stainless steel box over it. Thin wall polished stainless. There are dents in it caused by a swan getting into a serious fight with its own reflection. I also saw one having a go at a Boat with and shiny blue hull which had a mirror effect. Birds have tiny brains but one must always remember they can fly about in the air. They may be limited in other regards but being able to fly is seriously clever.

yes that is a good point about the publicity. It would be a viral story if it were to happen. When I was a child and heard the apocryphal tales I used to think that the most likely scenario where this could happen was if the human ended up in the water with the bird and got entangled with it. Not a deliberate intention on the part of the bird. More like a random outcome.

When I was hit by the crazy swan on Limehouse cut he got me right on my elbow. I was steering an outboard motor so the elbow was sticking out a bit. It did hurt but was not broken. Given the force I think its plausible they could break a child or very fragile adult's arm in some situations. I had my back to the animal (mistake) so don't know if it was a peck or a wing strike. I would not expect them to put their wings at risk to be fair. I have seen the same swan board and sink a canoe. The geyser in the canoe was making the mistake of getting into a verbal conflict with the animal and waving his paddle around. He was getting really agitated and the swan shepherded him to the side, he got out and the swan swamped the canoe. It was funny to watch. I did discover something interesting a couple of weeks ago. Out in the kayak encountered a lairy swan. I got out of the kayak (was going shopping) and pulled it along the side to a mooring ring. Once I was out of the Boat the swan became even more aggressive because the Boat was now moving and did not have a human in it. The swan proceeded to attack the kayak. Its funny to think about what must be going on in their brains. They know about humans but the kayak itself could just be a massive predatory bird.

Oh look the vandals came one night and broke the padlock. Presumably there are no visitor licence options available.

I could use the head from the fake baby I throw in front of idiot speeding cyclists. Will she do this on Christmas day? Where is my sword cane. Having said that there isn't much worth it eating on a fit bird. The ducks would probably be better nutritionally.

The swan hooks are interesting. All you actually need to do with a bird with a long neck is compress it and restrict the oxygen supply to the brain. I think a generic litter picker would be a useful tool for this although the only animal interaction I had with a litter picker was getting a swimming squirrel out of a canal with high walls. I am going to see how the swans react to the litter picker. It may trigger something for them. I don't like swans at all. Never have. Yes they fly well and I could watch them flying all day but they are a nuisance.

Everyone hates hire Boaters. Its just the way. There must be a study here for a psychology Dphil or something. A lot of cerebral activity going on. It seems to me that people out having a Good Time doing Boat related activities is a positive. As long as they don't

My swan incident happened on Limehouse cut. It has since occurred to me that with the high population density in the area it is not impossible that someone discharged an air rifle. Either trying to get the swan or me ! Whatever it was it was a serious impact right on the elbow and had I not been as fit as a fiddle and a bear knuckle boxer and all that it could have been serious. It did cause significant pain. Maybe it was an air rifle after all. Someone was probably trying to protect me from the Terribly Dangerous Swan but missed it at the crucial moment and hit my clothed elbow. I bet it was an old BSA Meteor or a Diana. Crap springs.

Canadian geese are chickens. The white type of garden goose makes an excellent guard. We at them on our estate yars ago. I have been body bombed by a Canadian goose when I approached the nest but it did not react all that well to the cordless chainsaw I was carrying at the time (private land). I was only taking 4 of the eggs and leaving one! Oh well. People afraid of Canadian geese. Such is life! I have been assaulted by a swan and yes they can hurt you in the right circumstances and I did not have the firewood production implement. All you actually need for swans is a hook pole like the swan uppers use and they get all nervous and back off. Birds have good genetic memory and pass it down to their offspring. A swan came up to me and hissed yesterday so I got my swan hook out and waved it about. Swan went very timid. Canadian Geese need killing.

Yes. I just think there is a danger here that locks could be viewed as some sort of problem and obstruction. In a literal sense they are but they are also the whole point of going on canals. Its all quite interesting. On the Thames there are some volunteers but they are not allowed to operate locks unless a proper keeper is present. On canals it is different. The case quoted above where the volunteer said 'This is my lock' should be elevated to a top level complaint because this is territorial behaviour. Its no different to people putting their possessions on the towpath. The canals are publicly accessible and can be used by Boat owners subject to licensing. Nobody 'owns' a lock. Yes OK if they lived there in the lock house and were a CRT employee they have some territorial rights but someone who comes because it is a nice day has nothing of the sort. Wrong attitude needs taking out. Territorial disputes always lead to trouble.

Why is the aim to get down the locks as fast as possible? Marsworth is a wonderful flight. Spending the present moment going down the flight and doing all of the work myself is one of my best memories. Its just nice to do it all. One gets into a sort of trance and time travel is available. Maybe they clear off when the weather turns. Still considering next winter in the GU rather than the River. Are they fair weather volunteers ? (fingers crossed)

One thing people probably don't think about is the potential impact on the younger generations. If I were to take my teenage kids on a cruise on the canal and there were volunteer lock attendants this could install in the childrens' heads that someone else does the locks. OK if you don't want the hassle but one would have to ask why are you out Boating if locks are a problem? Surely a caravan would be better. Do they have volunteer caravan reverse parking assistants? I think its all part of the dumbing down and pandering slightly to the wrong attitude. I would bet 50 new pence that the cause of the dismissals at Wigan was complaints by Boaters. Of course my experience of canald was between the age of 20 and 35 so totally different to having a bus pass. As for lock numbers I did 32 GU locks in one day by myself and 50 GU locks in one day with someone else steering the Boat. No locks shared no silly volunteers just a job done and while tiring it was unforgettable and very enjoyable.

Speculation is always cool. As volunteers seem to be part of some sort of KPI thing one idly wonders if there is a cutoff point with regards to complaints. I know Nick is a bit old fashioned but there will be plenty of other Boat owners who despise volunteer lock keepers hijacking their pleasure. I am one of them but never made a complaint. I was horrified to learn that Marsworth flight has volunteers. It never had this problem when I was ln the canal. Volunteers can completely spoil the day. I go Boating for pleasure as well as living on the Boat. If on the canal I want to do the locks myself please because it is enjoyable. Admittedly I was younger but have done about 2/3 of the canal system in a various narrow Boats single handed including a 72ft. Also a 57x12ft barge again single handed. Its far easier single handed or with one person who knows the routine than having helpers. Someone helping is real nuisance because it messes with the rhythm. It can completely spoil what would otherwise be a very pleasurable experience. I stay on the Thames now as going on the canals is going to be disappointing. I did have a volunteer on Hanwell once so I said 'Can you go and set the next lock please as there is nobody coming'. Blank stare so I walked up and set it myself. People who do not understand transiting a flight of locks from the point of view of the Boat and efficiency should not have windlasses. They should just be watching. In the Hanwell case I know how to go up efficiently and it does not involve having more than one person on the lock which the Boat is in. Too many cooks.

On the one occasion I did Wigan flight I managed it perfectly easily on my own not another Boat or helper anywhere. 2009. I was 35 and in a 40x9ft saloon launch. Sitting in the same Boat now. a bit older. What is so difficult about Wigan flight? As for dismissal presumably the CRT received complaints.