Stephen Jeavons

Hmm! I was thinking more of something to stop the engine heating the calorifier once the latter reaches a temp of say 50C

On a slightly different topic. Can someone recommend a thermostatic valve that I can use on the engine-heating coil of the calorifier to prevent the latter from getting too hot when cruising? I assume it would be an electrical device (12V) to shut off when a desired water temp is reached in the calorifier? Stephen

Understood Tony. My NRV is very close to the inlet of the calorifier hence my reason for fitting the EV off of the original drain plug point rather than on the inlet or outlet of the calorifier. The reason I asked the question was... In an open vented system, pressure is higher at the bottom due to the head of water. However, I figured that in a pressurized vessel the EV can be fitted anywhere. (so long as it's downstream of the NRV)

Confirms my thinking. Thanks a lot. Stephen

I'm about to fit a EV to my calorifier but due to the positioning of the NRV and supply shut-off valve on the inlet, do not have space to install a Tee for the EV. I figured on replacing the drain cock with a Tee piece, screwing the drain into one side of that and having the EV connected to the other. Same difference right?? (Water in a pressurized cylinder etc..) Stephen

Now you know. The Regs are open to interpretation like so many things

Fair enough. I have to confess, all my arctic-blue ring main cable terminates without ferrules at each double socket as well as the MCCB. Has anyone actually failed a BSS test for this omission? Do they check? Stephen

When I read this, I take it to mean that rather than wrap wires around a stud and tighten down with a nut or wrap around a screw, one should crimp the wire in a tag and screw this down with the screw or nut (as you would on a battery terminal). This is different to shoving a wire in a hole and tightening a screw down on the wire or ferrule (like you would do with a 3-pin plug or chocolate block). I don't see the latter as being anywhere near as dodgy or error prone as the former. The wording is vague but in my opinion refers to wrapping wires around screws or studs. Otherwise nearly every 3-pin plug on your boat is non-compliant. Stephen

Here's a photo of the broken studs. One broke flush with the clamp, the other broke further in. Both are Negative terminals. The good Pos one is in the photo for comparison

You're probably right. It's certainly not fit for this purpose.

No, not at all, more a crumple kind of noise and they broke almost flush where the stud protrudes through the clamp. They don't look high tensile to me. They have a serrated round head and are a press-fit into the clamp from the other side As I said earlier, the metal at the break seems to have almost crystallized. Never seen something break like that before. They were just 2 years old and outwardly looked like the day they were bought. No electrolyte had been spilled at any time and I wouldn't have thought these batteries have done much gassing either. It's a Res mooring and we have mains on 95% of the time so exposure to anything corrosive unlikely.

Hi Jen, Yep! aware of the difference. None of mine have cracked on the actual clamp. Probably has nothing to do with it but both studs that snapped were Negative ones. I'm now suspicious of all of my clamps and am thinking of swapping out the lot. As it is, some have metric threads and some imperial which is very annoying. With what to me looks like studs made of "monkey metal", I'm wondering if there are volt-drops through these things which is compromising performance/longevity of individual batteries in the bank. Must put the fluke across them and see. I'll take photos of the broken studs and post them on here. Thanks for the tip. I'll buy some from Midlands and see what they're like. Stephen

On the subject of changing batteries, I just had to take out a dead one and shuffle the others about a bit. I moved some of the cables and when re-tightening the nuts on the terminals, sheared two off with very little spanner torque. On examination, the metal of the studs where they broke appear to be almost crystallized. Anyone else experienced this and can offer an explanation? Could the current passing through them somehow affect the metal composition? These clamps were brand new just last year. Quite worrying. I think I purchased them from Halfords. I'm now looking for premium quality battery clamps, and recommendations? On the subject of changing batteries, I just had to take out a dead one and shuffle the others about a bit. I moved some of the cables and when re-tightening the nuts on the terminals, sheared two off with very little spanner torque. On examination, the metal of the studs where they broke appear to be almost crystallized. Anyone else experienced this and can offer an explanation? Could the current passing through them somehow affect the metal composition? These clamps were brand new just last year. Quite worrying. I think I purchased them from Halfords. I'm now looking for premium quality battery clamps, and recommendations?

I bought one of those DC clamp meters touted in another thread. Like a kid with a new toy, I went around looking what everything was drawing. It was interesting to see that, as I'm on shore power, the Victron carries all the load. My fridge and freezer each drawing around 4 amps when running, and the main water pump about 15 amps. Batteries remain on trickle the whole time (0.6 amp). They only seem to kick in when the Inverter wakes up.

I bought these when I was installing my Shoreline integrated fridge and Freezer as I wanted to do the job right. However there was too little room between the back of the units and the sloping wall to mount them safely (as has been stated, no insulating caps seem to exist) and I ended up doing the chocolate block bodge with half a reel of insulation tape. In this regard, Shoreline's products are half baked in my opinion. Still have those terminal posts begging to be used somewhere

Doesn't turning off the "ignition key" (to shut off the fuel) also shut off the power to the warning lights? Ditto electrical type oil pressure gauges? It does on my system. Older style mechanical gauges should show the pressure falling.

I'll likely follow suit and shuffle mine along now that I have a gap. I wasn't sure whether adding a new battery to a bank that is 2 years old is a good thing.

All making more sense now. I too use cheapo batteries. As they say "You get what you pay for". On a residential mooring, my batteries spend all their time on Float charge and do very little work. Occasionally the Victron cycles through a shake up but otherwise the inverter seldom kicks in (maybe if someone fires up the kettle whilst the iron is on. Yep! as a working man, must still iron shirts). Thanks for the info guys. Stephen

Yes it was indeed the battery at that end. Don't understand the logic of that. However, must seek out my Victron documentation and investigate

Not so in my case. Pos and Neg feeds are taken from diagonally opposite ends of the bank so no one battery can be loaded more than another.

Installed all 5 at the same time just over 2 years ago. Spent 95% of their time being nursed by the Vectron Combi. Kept electrolyte levels correct. A happy bank. Then at the weekend that tell-tale rotten egg smell from the engine room. Lifted the battery box lid and battery No.1 was warm and with a bubbling cell. Uncoupled it from the bank and sure enough just 11 volts. Tis knackered. No point replacing with a new one till I have to replace the lot. Oh well, will live with 4 x 110Ah. I guess it must have had some inherent defect? The others are all fine. C'est la vie

Yep, agree. It works well

Hi Ray, Many thanks for sharing those illustrations. We chose No.4 above for Consort's Rear end. I think it looks the part

Cruised back from Harefield to Rickmansworth on the GU on Saturday late afternoon. Struggled to moor up in the Harefield area on three occasions as she was beaching 4 ft from the banking. We gave up and pressed on. Water levels on the Grand Union seem lower than earlier in the month. Locks aren't too good either. Very stiff paddles, especially the Ground ones. Found Springwell Farm lower gates open when we arrived. It took 2 of us (one pulling the other pushing with both feet) to shut one of the gates. This stretch seemingly not well maintained.

Anyone tried to do this without removing the entire frame from the boat in order to clean the crud where the two panes overlap? Is it possible? My theory is: If the sliding pane is open, can one dig out and remove the fabric channel the glass slides in and would this allow the glass to drop sufficiently (if slid back) to be removed? Lots of unsightly crud where the two panes overlap which you cannot get to. I figured one could replace new channels and seals the same way. (It's the way they install and remove some sliding doors in houses) Taking the entire frame out of the boat at this stage doesn't thrill me when all I want to do is clean the window and remove the inaccessible agriculture. Stephen