sbainbridge

If it's any comfort mine is the same. Charged by the engine battery alternator, originally through a diode splitter which has now been replaced with a Cytrix Voltage Sensitive Relay.

The trouble is that I now almost exclusively use the free phone minutes on the router. My mobile is on PAYG with auto top up every three months, I now have a fortune in unused credits on the mobile.

You will have to move to another bridge after 14 days

seconded

And it works well with a domestic corded phone. I have yet to try a DECT phone on it but I would guess it would work. The disadvantages - dialing out takes a little longer, probably about 10 - 15 seconds before connecting. This is I believe the router switching to "voice" mode. Texts are received using the Huawei router web setup page so you have to log into this to see your texts (no notifications). Otherwise everything is the same as having a mobile phone with the added benefit that in poor reception areas you do not have to go outside the boat and wander round the towpath to make a phone call.

Not a chordless phone?

Not sure, I use a corded phone. The only way I guess is to try it, Cheap cordless phone and RJ11 to BT adaptor should be achievable for less than £20. It may be a Three only thing as I believe that they use the 4G signal for voice as well as data. We obviously need a telecommunications expert to give us chapter and verse. I only found out because the original three router supplied with their original homefi plan said voice calls could not be made through the RJ11 socket, which made me think it had been disabled by Three and that if I purchased a non Three router and a cheap phone it may well work. It did!!!!

Yes, they only disable voice call functionality on their homefi devices

12 volts, I use a Cello (TV) 12 volt stabiliser (regulator) to power all 12 volt electronics & IT equipment to avoid voltage spikes and to ensure no high voltages from the charging system reach the equipment. It's available on Amazon/Ebay for about £9

Yes Works perfectly. If you get a Huawei 4G router NOT supplied by Three you can connect a domestic phone using a BT to RJ11 adaptor and make use of the unlimited calls, texts can be made and received via the routers set up webpage. I use the Huawei B525. Three knobble the Huawei B311 router they supply with the Homefi package so that you cannot connect a homephone to it.

Try Boatmail.co.uk You get an address in Gloucester and they forward mail to any address you want including local post offices (poste restante) or scan and email. The address is acceptable for driving licence, dwp, banks etc.

Thanks for the responses so far. Both multiplug cleaned and connections remade, no difference Ignition switch sprayed with WD40, suggestion from Beta Marine technical support. Beta Marine technical support also sent annotated wiring diagrams for the affected area. I traced all the relevant wires and mine differ from those sent by Beta. I composed a long email with all the results to Beta together with photo's. Gmail in its infinite wisdom screwed it up, didn't send it and then lost it forever. Couldn't redo the email today as was travelling. Having moved on the boat as a live aboard guess what I threw away when clearing the house out as it would never be needed on a boat? Will get an electrician to look at both alternators when we get to the winter moorings marina. The buzzing relay is more of an irritant as it is something that should not happen, but it does not appear to have affected the charging.

When not under heavy external load it charges at around 14.6 volts, however it still looks like I need to get the alternator checked. I was hoping that there was a relatively simple check I could do with a multimeter to isolate if there was a problem. The switch connection possibility came from Beta Marine technical services, however I can see flaws in the hypothesis.

Unfortunately I do not have any method of checking the charging current or output other than observing that when the missus is using high current mains appliances with the engine running (hair dryer, microwave, iron) the engine responds to the extra loading and the measured battery voltage is above the full battery rest voltage running between 13.0 to 13.5 volts. Indicating perhaps that the alternator is providing a significant part of the power demand.

Are there any simple multimeter voltage/resistance checks that could verify this. I have a basic multimeter. Would the frequency of buzzing vary with engine revs? Am I likely to be damaging the batteries by continuing to run in this potential condition? Another possibility that has been proposed to me is that the feed from the ignition switch is intermittent/not sufficient to hold power to the coil and collapses / remakes the connection I.e. dodgy ignition switch contact.