Theo

I'm looking for a repacement tunnel lamp for the good ship Theodora. I've had a look at tth Midland Chandlers web site but the range is very limited and the only one we somwhat liked was really expensive. Any ideas for alternatice suppliers?

That sound like good advice.

Lots of good advice thanks Can I infer from this that it's not advisable to leave it and let it clean itself up in use?

I have been managing without a working rev counter for some time. I think I will continue to manage. N I notice the the pully on the replacement alternator is quite rusty. Is this a problem? Will it wear the belt rapidly? If I need to change swap the pulley from the old defunct ammeter how to I hold the rotor still while trying to loosen the retaining nut? N

Thanks both. It's an alternator that I bought very cheply from a friend who was selling his boat. The alternator is a bit corroded around the casing which is likley to be the fact this it has been stored in a damp place for two or three years. Other than that it looks unused. Tony says it looks like an early version of an A127. Have they been made abroad to an old style? I am inclined to go with Tony's ideas and connect it up like that. Could you remind me what connections are imperative and what I can leave unconnected, please? I need to get it sorted in a bit of a hurry! Nick

Further to my questions about our failed alternator I have changed the regulator and brushes on the old Bosch (I had a 14.8V regulator that I changed and never ditched. That made no difference so I fished this spare out of the locker. I have no details for it so I am hoping that someone can give me the details of the connections to make.

The symbol selected by the position of the knob has a straight line over a wiggly line. Does this not mean AC/DC and as Blackrose says you select AC or DC with the select button. That's what my defunct meter did.

Got one of those but it's at home in Herefordshire and I am in Penkridge. I've had a look at some of the clamp meters on eBay and if you look at the pics you can see which of them has a DC Ampere range. As has been said, the cheap ones only have AC. N

I have to confess that I don't find it surprising, either. The "only" was said tongue in cheek, but I will check the brushes anyway.

Thanks all. N

I've cleaned up the contacts but until I get home to get my multimeter I can't check battery voltages. N Flat, corroded and discarded!

Good point about checking the small print. I had only looked at the pictures which were obviousy clamp meters. What I hadn't check was the ability to use the clamp for DC current.

The problem appeared only after i had changed the battery!

Will I need to dismantle the alternator to see the slip rings or are they visible when I remove the regulator/brush assembly?

My clamp meter failed just when I need it. It started reading 18V DC when measuring the voltage across the terminals of a 12V battery which wasn't being charged! I could cope with that but the continuity buzzer goes off even when there is only air between the probes and the buzzer sounds as soon as I select DC amps. Defunct, I think, dead, gone to meet it's maker, turned up its toes. It is a no longer functional DC clamp meter. (cf MP Dead parrot) I see that on eBay I can buy one for a range of prices starting at about £7 and going on upwards. What is a sensible price to pay for an instrument that is only used when something goes wrong? Nick

Ta, Glenn. N

My 90A (I think) Bosch alternator has failed after only 5,900 hours! What should I be looking at first. I tthought that I would check the regulator and brush assembly first. What else is likely to cause a zero current output? I have an ammeter fitted in the output cable which, on starting the engine flashes to bout 17A then immediately goes back to zero. Is this useful diagnostically? N

Absolutely cash only! I asked as I passed through. Not an immediate problem. I do like supporting the fuel boats, though. N

Thanks. Gotit. Only cash! I don't keep that much cash on me. I will have to get it later. I've gpt 72hrs of motoring left in the tank. N

Thanks Glen. Oxley Marina isn't mentioned on CanalPlan AC. Where is it? N

We are at Compton on the Staffs and Worcs, heading north and then turning right along the T&M. Are we likely to meet a fuel boat? N

Thanks all. All worked as it should and we have arrived in Stourport from Worcester.

Do you need to phone or can you just turn up and wait for the traffic lights and lock gates? N

My experience is similar. If we return to our mooring at Tardebigge OW with the batteries down in the high 80%s (Smartgauge) summer or winter. I leave the 240Wp solar bank to fininsh of the charging. It is always up to the high 90%s when I return. N