BD3Bill

So the silly season is upon us once more. How do people manage to forget in the short winter break that they need to slow down for moored boats? We are very lucky in that with Three mooring rings, that are perfectly spaced , and Five lines to hold us utterly still , no one is going to shout back “moor up properly at us”! (We don’t move) Truthfully it actually isn’t usually hire boats going too fast either, which is utterly shameful. Be careful out there folks, and have a great Easter week.

https://www.gr8fires.co.uk/gbs-mariner-4-kw-multi-fuel-wood-burning-stove-9486

Have a look at GR8 fires website.

Nice info, many thanks!

Really? I’d like to know more about this, got a link? Thanks.

Rustoleum Combi Colour, Matt, Satin, Gloss, colour range is a bit limited. It is eye wateringly expensive, but does come in 2.5 litres. Try Brewers if you have a branch near you. Goes well on well prepped steel. Covers well, I use a gloss roller. Buy the matching thinners, which is day light robbery too. Bit of a minefield paint really! ETA... Some folk like a Matt on the roof to cut down glare from the Sun btw.

Yay! It works a treat. Lovely cool and bright day here in Oxfordshire, perfect results. All three panels working, all three batteries in equalisation mode from the two controllers, VSR paralleling the two banks. Chuffed! Thanks for the help folks.

Thanks. As always, thanks Tony

I have delved the archive and I do know how annoying a similar thread is but..... I have picked up a BNIB amorphous 32w panel that was surplus and cheap. Listen, I can’t draw a diagram of what I propose so bear with me okay, be nice? Right, as much info as I can then, here goes... 75amp A127 alternator direct to starter battery, (105 amp flooded LA), feed to VSR, VSR to leisure 2x 110amp flooded LA, 70amp wires. 2 x 40w Bosch mono panels parallel to PWM 10a controller (please don’t tell me to get an mppt, not worth the money on such a small set up, don’t judge me) .This goes to the leisure batteries. I know the monos & amorphous won’t get on! I have a 5 amp PWM already ready for the new 32w amorphous panel and this is the important bit..... I propose to connect the amorphous panel via the 5a controller to the starter (which is A1 condition btw, at 12.75v rested). Sorry for Capitals, but WILL THE VSR send excess power to the leisure bank from the starter battery when the amorphous panel controller is supplying more than 12.75 v? Should add it is a 12 v boat, no inverter or charger, low consumption, in the Stone Age blah, liveaboard, run the engine lots, never let the leisure batteries go down. No shoreline. Many thanks for listening sorry it’s a bit same but different to a similar thread,ta. Cheers

If you want to stop it going rusty GT85 is better IMHO

Struth! I don’t even need the Bluetooth feature! I just want to charge my batteries with something other than a standard alternator and VSR set up to compensate for a little bit of sulphation and Low temperatures! ALL SUGGESTIONS WOULD BE WELCOME! Do I need to start a different thread? Lol I would like to hear about alternator controller as a different option perhaps? Oh and intend to get a couple of Rolls batteries in the spring, so will want to put something in to maintain them properly, don’t want to trash them from the get go. Thanks

Are you being funny or on the wine? Love your new boat ‘Oak’ btw. Hope to bump into you at Greg’s soon mate , Cheers

Hi Pete, you’ll remember that smaller calorifier thread a few years ago no doubt. I ended up having to buy a new tank when the old one got thin. Have a horizontal one mounted on the bulkhead at top of engine height and only 22 litres. I digress.... oh and I built an excellent solar water heater on a budget that made 50 c water in the summer.... I digress.... We are living aboard now and running the engine religiously, as DMR points out cold temperatures are my main enemy I think. Not maintenance free, highly cosseted and only thrashed to 55% soc once in 5 yrs I’m proud to say. I do take on board the ££££££ spent comment. Just to desulphate like?Oh from the Genny, no shoreline....mmm see your point Do you think that an alternator controller would be a better job? Thanks for all the other comments folks and chuffed the thread turned into something useful for people’s Bluetooth issues lol! Cheers!

Hi all, been a while since I’ve posted. I need a good charger (only, no need for inverter) so I can do equalisation charging. Looking at Victron IP22, 3 output 30amp. Battery bank is two Albion 110ah plus a 105amp starter. 5 years old and down in capacity due to a) cold weather and b ) less solar joy! Batteries have lost 8 to 10 % of capacity. My alternator isn’t going to do the job on it’s own! Cheers

What Biz said... I have done this twice in the last five years with success both times.