blythecooper
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Posts posted by blythecooper
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Dawnrazor, might have just what you're looking for. Will send you a private message.
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Thanks Johnny London, I've gone away for the weekend now so will check for continuity when I'm back on Monday... Had to turn the fridge off and clean it as batteries are also batttered (figured I should sort solar before looking at new batteries!) so at least my fridge is clean
Appreciate all the info folks, I won't be able to call myself a newbie at all after all this learning I'm doing!
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I'm not 100% sure how to test for continuity... With an MC4 connector do you mean to separate it, and put one probe of the voltmeter onto male end and one onto the female end?
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Darn. So the problem is somewhere between the connectors and the MPPT... I don't think there are any other connectors along the way, so could the wire be the culprit?
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To resurrect this post...
My solar stopped working again shortly after I posted this, but I've been cruising daily so it hasn't been an issue. I've finally arrived at my mooring (hooray!) and now need to sort solar.
I bought new mc4 connectors and have just replaced them, and am getting nothing through. I didn't use any 'proper' connector tools, just my normal wire crimper. Is there something that the mc4 connector tool does to connect the system together than would stop it from working otherwise? Previously unplugging the mc4 connectors and plugging them back in worked, so I am still hoping it is the connectors and myself that are at fault! One of the connectors I removed was quite rusted, the other fine visually.
I have tested the blade fuse and it's fine
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This started leaking and letting air into the system.. I just assumed it was a fuel filter (complete newbie). Happy to leave as is once I've stopped the leak!
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Ohh. Why was it full of diesel? Is that usual? And where is a primary fuel filter usually installed??
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Can anyone tell me what fuel filter I need for this please? Can't find any info online and there wasn't one in it when I took it apart!
It has 'Type SS' and 'Des no 5836B250' etched onto it.
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6 hours ago, Mike the Boilerman said:
Nope. They don't care being left unused indefinitely. I very much doubt it is the water heater smelling. An dead rat perhaps? Do you have a cat? Decaying rats smell truly awful, don't ask how I know...
You have a gas cooker IIRC. Try turning a gas ring ON briefly but don't light it. Have a sniff instead to find out exactly what gas smells like. Its a VERY distinctive smell. Then sniff the water heater again. There is no risk associated with running a gas ring unlit for say ten seconds.Hope that helps!
Thanks Mike!
It's not gas. And, although I do have a cat, it's thankfully not the smell of death. More the smell of old stinky water, which was why I was so sure it was from the shower leak. But it's definitely (ok, 99%) coming from the Morco and not the bilge. Can smell it from the heater itself and from the flue outside the boat...
Just now, blythecooper said:Thanks Mike!
It's not gas. And, although I do have a cat, it's thankfully not the smell of death. More the smell of old stinky water, which was why I was so sure it was from the shower leak. But it's definitely (ok, 99%) coming from the Morco and not the bilge. Can smell it from the heater itself and from the flue outside the boat...
Or, at least, the smell is coming from roughly where the Morco is situated. Can't smell anything below that when I stick my face into the inspection hole I cut in the floor.
5 hours ago, cereal tiller said:You said you are not using the Morco ,are you still using the Hob for Boiling a Kettle? .should your Service Gas Cylinder be Nearly Empty it will smell of Mercaptan which is the additive to give the LPG a distinct and Unpleasant Smell.if the Cylinder was low last time you used the Morco it's Burners may whiff of Mercaptan.
Does Mercaptan smell like dirty old water?? I could well have a low gae bottle.. I've been on the boat for two months and haven't had to change it yet, which has surprised me
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I have a smell coming from my Morco heater.. Until now I have assumed that it was actually coming from the bilge below, as the shower tray had been leaking for some time when I bought the boat and there was a lot of old water sitting in the bilge. That's all dried out now and there is no smell coming from the bilge.
I'm fairly sure the smell isn't gas (although the more I sniff it, the more paranoid I'm making myself feel about that), but will get hold of a leakage detector and check that asap. From my brief Googling I've read that bacteria can cause a sulphur smell. I wouldn't describe the smell as sulphurous either...
I'm currently cruising every day and getting my hot water from the calorifier, and so the heater isn't being used at all- could this lack of use have an effect on potential bad smells?
I also don't know when it was last cleaned, so that's on my to-do list as well.
Any thoughts/experience of this?
@Mike the Boilerman- I know you'll have some very helpful advice! Thought I'd put it out to the hive mind as well rather than just send you a private message
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Thanks for the suggestions! No, the screw isn't missing but it is fully tightened. Will have a mess around with it as soon as I get out of the sticks (currently in Cropredy and heading north)!
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I have a TX controls 700 so gear control box and the splines on the handle and the little knob (please insert official terminology here!) have worn. The handle slips. I can hold it at a certain angle and get away with it but it's certainly not ideal, and I'm pretty sure I'm not doing good things to it.
Can anyone point me in the right direction for replacement parts? The handle is easy to find but I don't know the name for said little knob.
Also does anyone have any suggestions for a temporary bodge? I tried mole grips, which work in forward but slip in reverse.. It could be because my grips are cheapy Screwfix ones.
Any help greatly appreciated!
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I'll be on the Thames for a few days on my journey from Aldermaston to Maghull, and am looking at anchors.. It seems a little crazy that I may never use it again. Is borrowing an anchor something that people do? Or renting from a hire company maybe? Or should I just cough up and think of it as useful ballast in my bow hatch?
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Well I've tried it.. Will see what happens! Planning on taking up the whole floor (slowly!) because there's water trapped throughout the cabin bilge from a shower leak. Bathroom and gas lockers can be my trial run!
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9 minutes ago, Nightwatch said:
I'll endorse Mikes comments. You've don't better than I could have. I'm lousy at following instructions.
Over the next two/three days I should have everything together to install my two new panels. Controller already wired up and connected.
That's pretty good going! If I bump into you again I will request an explanation of how you wired it up- I'm still not a huge amount wiser about my setup.
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I massively appreciate everyone's help, there's a lot to learn with this narrowoat business..
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2 minutes ago, rusty69 said:
Sounds like a dodgy mc4 connection.
That looks simple enough to replace, thanks!
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After checking the panel voltage, there is a magic new light on the mppt controller! Absorbtion. Battery monitor readings also showing around 51w and 3.68a. Looking good, right?? Can't take photos because my battery is too low on my phone..
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38.4 on the multimeter from panel connections
Ok, fuses next
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8 minutes ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:
It looks like the wire connections have been sealed with potting compound inside the terminal box on the back of the panel, so you can't easily measure voltage there. In the third picture in the quoted post above, there are black connectors in the leads going to the panel within about a foot of the panel frame. These look like standard solar connectors and can be dismantled. There are clips you push together to unlatch them. Take them apart and poke your multimeter probes in the ends of the two going to the panel and measure the voltage with the panel in daylight. If you are not gettiñg a voltage there, then I am afraid the panel is likely borked. As before, make sure the meter is on the correct range, DC volts up to 200V. Have a good poke around with the proddy things to ensure you have a decent connection. If there is a voltage here, then the problem most likely is in the wiring and any fuses, switches, connectors between there and the Victron controller.
Jen
Thanks Jen.. Do I have to cover the panel before disconnecting? I'm afraid to do it wrong, although I think I've already disconnected them without covering, soo...
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When I lever off the panel on the solar panel I get this. Tried sticking damn probey things in there with no reading.
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49 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:
In which case its beginning to look as though your panel is goosed. But first things first, have you set your multimeter to the correct range? 200v DC or at a pinch 20v DC?. DO You know which symbol means DC and which means AC? DC is two parallel lines, one dotted, AC is a wavy line.
Next, test your meter is working by checking say the battery voltage. It should show 12v or thereabouts. If it does, then we know the meter is set up correctly and working.
Now in your first photo, see the row of 4 shiny silver screws on the face of the controller, near the bottom edge? The left had two of those is the pair of solar panel lead connections. Put the damn proddy things one on each. It doesn't matter which way around. You should get a voltage reading significantly higher than the battery reading this afternoon in the sun. Anything between 16v and 30v.
If you are getting zero, power from the panel isn't arriving at the controller. Turn the panel over and lever the lid off the connection box. Now measure the volts on the two teminals inside with the panel say upright and facing the sun. If no voltage there, the panel is goosed. If there IS voltage there, the wires are goosed (technical term).
Ok, I'm getting a reading of 12.8 for the lefthand two circles- they are labelled batteries. The right hand two are labelled PV and are giving me a reading of 0.
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Just realised I have posted this in the Crew Swap section. Oops.
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A passing boater has just told me that Hammerite Red Oxide Primer has to have Hammerite top coat over it. I have Craftmaster Grey Bilge Paint. He think I shouldn't combine the two. What are people's thoughts on this?
Private linear mooring close to Liverpool
in General Boating
Posted
Hello! I'm doing well, attempting to learn how to keep a fire lit all night! All fun and games. How are you both? Are you moored up for Winter or still cruising?