Boredrider

Our boat is fitted with a Nobels 9HP bow thruster unit, controlled by a switch panel at the steering position. The panel has two red overheat warning lamps which have recently started to either glow, or come fully on, all the time. The thruster operates fine, and the motor does not seem to be overheating at all. From a search on the forum, I see that Aquafax, who used to be the agents in the UK, no longer have any dealings with Nobels products, and I am having problems communicating with Nobels Dutch website. Marine Megastore, in the UK, list various bi-metallic temperature sensors for Nobels products, some normally open, others normally closed. Before I resort to taking the motor to pieces, does anyone have a complete circuit diagram for one of these units? The "wiring instructions" that I have do not show how the overheat system works, so any knowledge that is out there would be gratefully received!

A fairly expensive but fully automatic solution is to use a Smartguage/Smartbank setup. A large relay would replace your 1,2,both switch. As soon as a charging source (alternator, solar, or battery charger) is detected, the smartbank will connect batteries together in one bank. The Smartguage will give you accurate information about the remaining capacity in the domestic bank. Pretty much fit and forget in my experience.

If you mean a junction box: Then Maplins for the box and the diodes, Screwfix for the cable glands and the Wago connectors inside, and Lakeland for the moisture absorbing stuff in case it leaks! The big fat cable comes into the boat through a mushroom, as I didn't want to drill any more holes in the roof...........

Still very much alive and kicking, in fact they have just done some paintwork for me. OP needs to start here: http://www.canalcentre.com

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-100W-12v-Energy-Semi-Flexible-Mono-Solar-Panel-100-watt-TUV-ISO-UK-/261967394172?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3cfe79357c This Ebay supplier will do a further discount for cash/collection. I have a couple of these panels which seem to work fine. Can I ask why you feel the need to introduce a plastic sheet into the fitting? Mine are glued to a sanded paint finish with "Stixall".

Our Hudson has a separate engine room, with a plate above, secured by S/S dome head allen screws. The engine was changed for the previous owner by Tim Leech of this parish, who will possibly be along in a bit to provide some more detail...... I am not on the boat at the moment, so cannot provide any info on the lining, but will happily do so in due course.

Mastervolt UK Ltd (area headquarters)Ocean Village Innovation Centre, Ocean Village, 4 Ocean Way Southampton SO14 3JZ United Kingdom T:+44 23 8038 1660 E: info@mastervolt.co.uk W: www.mastervolt.co.uk

Is this the boat with a leak from the stern gear?

Excellent. Really useful, thanks.

I used two plastic buckets, one for the chain, and one for the rope, all connected up and suitably coiled, with the anchor lying across the stern just in front of the dollies. The rope was connected to a strong harness strung between the dollies and lying on the tipcat. Never tested in anger, but the best I could think of at the time!

Sorted.

Boat refloated and removed, lock now open.

I'm not aware of exactly what happened, but is a sobering sight, for sure. Towpath rumour now says someone will be showing up at 0900 tomorrow (Friday)to get the boat out.

As per the title really, Thurlwood lock is currently blocked by a sunken boat. CRT seem to think it will be re-floated and removed by this evening.

I'm not sure about your definition of a quality make of TV, but we are using a Sony KDL-24W60xA which requires 19.5V. This is provided off our 12V (ish) supply by a Kensington PSU from PC World, which was originally designed to provide supply to a laptop from a car cigarette lighter. Alongside this we use an aerial amp, and a Now TV box, both of which need 6V, which is provided by a 12V/6V converter from Maplins.

Get a cheap cycle computer from Aldi or Lidl or somesuch. Follow these instructions: http://www.instructables.com/id/Tachometer-made-from-a-bicycle-speedometer-cycloc/ . Then you will have a permanent rev counter. I have done this, and have checked the output with one of the laser handheld ones recommended above, and it is accurate. If you use a wireless cycle computer, don't expect to read it from the steering position! My sender is glued to the crankshaft pulley, and the head unit is mounted near the thermostat housing. Any further away and it is out of range.

The Anson Engine museum have a lot of Gardner's old records and were very helpful indeed when I enquired about dating my 2LW.

Don't suppose you have forgotten about a Mikuni/Ebersplutter/Webasto thingy that might be using some fuel?

This cunning device will do what you want, assuming you have an existing wireless-n router. http://uk.startech.com/Networking-IO/Print/usb-wireless-n-150mbps-airprint-server~PM1115UA I leave you to judge whether it is worth the money!!

Before you start experimenting with running the stove with a full fuel load and the air vents turned down, may I suggest that you should ensure the flue and stove are swept and free of soot and tar, and that your CO alarm(s) are tested and properly positioned. If you are on a shoreside mains connection, then a dehumidifier will sort out your sogginess pretty swiftly.

I wouldn't be in a rush to change controllers just yet. It only uses the timer when it is in absorption mode. This comes after the bulk phase, which is where it should start on a sunny day, in bulk mode it should take everything the panels can give and send to the batteries. As the batteries charge, current will reduce, and voltage will rise, until voltage reaches 14.4V and the controller switches to absorption. It will stay in absorption for 3 hours, regulating the voltage to 14.4, and then when the three hours is up, it will switch into float, where voltage is regulated to 13.7. All the above assumes that the sun continues to shine, the panels aren't shaded, and the batteries are not being asked to run any 12V loads. So I guess it could be a few days before you are able to confirm that the controller is working as it should!! From what you have said about voltages in the OP and post #8 I doubt that you are getting out of bulk charge mode. The equalisation mode is a bit of a red herring at the moment.

My interpretation of the manual is that first thing in the morning it will start in bulk mode (given that the sun is shining) and continue until battery voltage reaches 14.4V, then it will continue for 3 hrs at 14.4 before switching into float at 13.7. Page 40 talks about some free software and a lead, with which you can tweak the settings, but by the looks of it 15.0 volts is the absolute max, so whilst you may be able to improve your daily charge settings, you won't be able to equalise at 15.5V. Unless someone on here with greater experience of this controller knows different..............

The Maplin equivalent is cheaper, and will perform quite well, but only with an amplifier at the TV end IME. The omnimax is less discreet, and perfoms better in areas with a weaker signal, but again with an amplifier. I think you have to balance discreet directly against performance!

The amps reading is telling you that the batteries are fully charged, as the tail current is now down to about 4% of the bank capacity in Ah (440). This assumes you are not running any 12v loads off the bank. So you are now in a position to equalise, if that is your intention. The float voltage is a bit high, at 13.8 against Trojan's advised 13.2. Does the new charger have some adjustment for the type of battery in use? and if so, is it correctly set?