RickS

No, no smell of rotten eggs (I know what hydrogen sulphide smells like) - no smell at all in fact. The charger was charging a bank of three batteries so how do you tell if its one or more? Also, even after waving the alarm about outdoors and opening all the doors - the alarm still carried on being alarming outside! Puzzled

Evening Just a quick one hopefully. Went to the boat, put the battery charger on (it's a Mastervolt inverter / charger) and headed off to the dump to get rid of some rubbish. Came back about an hour or so later and the CO alarm was going off. Don't understand why - no engine, diesel heater or stove working so is this a malfunction of the alarm or are the batteries giving off something that is triggering it? Thanks

Thankyou all for your comments and advice - I can't pretend to understand all of it but read them all with interest and I think some of it has stuck - at least I have a better understanding of what the problem may well be, and know what to ask the electrician. Thanks again

Good point Wotever - I suppose land-based electricians won't have the 12V experience if nothing else.

Thanks KenK . . it should remove all battery power from the domestic bank to the boat . . that was my thinking and the fact that it is called an isolator was what I was expecting it to do - but you're right, if lights etc are still on, then either i have done something odd with the switch and not turned it off properly - difficult to be 100% sure as I can't see what I am doing - or, as you say, something is not correct. it has been suggested by others that it is erroneously connected in the negative line - which I shall check when I am back at the boat - but either way, I shall be getting an electrician to look at the whole installation and make appropriate changes. I have just ordered a 14m 16A cable with 2.5mm cores so thanks to you and Wotever for that advice. When the electrician has a look hopefully he/she will spot any undersized cables

Makes sense - you'll have to allow for my ignorance I'm afraid ? I only ask as I have seen 16A shoreline cables saying they are 1.5mm cables, hence my confusion - although I will be taking your advice and going for 2.5mm one.

Wotever - thanks for that, although I'm now slightly confused - if no voltage drop then is 2.5 for larger loads / current draws? Nickorman - thank you - I have a inverter/charger which seems to still be live when I turn the isolator, but no solar and the engine isn't used at present, so not sure what is powering everything when the isolator is switched off - except it must still be the batteries so the isolator clearly isn't doing what it's supposed to. Higgs - thanks. will definitely look at relocating the switch - I can get my hand on it, just, but can't see what I am doing at the same time - doesn't feel very safe

Thanks Wotever, I assume that 2.5 is better for longer lengths and higher loads - Im going to get a 14m one. Paul, ditchcrawler - thanks, I suspect you are right. There are more sockets than you can shake a stick at in this boat - I have found 2 RCD units (one in the engine room, one in the saloon) with at least three car radios around the place. Everywhere you look there are cables, in cupboards, under cupboards etc. I think I will get an electrician to have a good look at the whole installation.

That's possible, the boat is 22 years old - I will see if I can follow the cables when i get back to the boat. It does sound like I need an electrician to look over this, and probably the whole electrics - whilst I kind of get what you are saying, it certainly isn't my field. Thanks again

I would agree 100% with that ditchcrawler - provided Im not doing something stupid (real possibility) then it doesn't feel right. I would also ideally like 2 isolator switches rather than just the one - maybe time to get a sparks in Thanks for the thought Loddon. To be honest, I don't know enough about these systems to be able to comment, but all taken on board. Incidentally, I am looking at a new mains cable - really don't trust the old one - and some say 1.5mm cable and some 2.5mm cable (I assume this is the measurement of the individual cores) - which one should I be going for please?

Thanks for the reply WotEver. A chap at the marina spoke about 10A at some point but Im not sure in what context. Im not sure how much more info I can give about the isolator switch Im afraid - it turned from its 'on' position to the only other position I could turn it to (but thats possibly because it was awkward to get to) and some lights dimmed, others weren't affected When i go back to the boat I can try and get more info if you let me know what you need to get a better picture of the situation. I'll try and take a photo of the switch

Evening I have a couple of questions that are both electrical in nature - if a moderator wishes me to make that two separate questions then i will. First question - my external mains hook-up cable, which is attached to a short metered cable from the marina, was decidedly warm with a melting plastic smell, which I knew was bad news. I unplugged and took it apart - one of the wires was coming loose but just looked a mess, and the plastic housing had started to melt slightly. I think I have to own up and admit that it looks like it was my fault but would like it confirmed so i don't make the same mistake again. I was testing the immersion heater and started using the hoover at the same time - I haven't adjusted from being in a house with unlimited LX. I suspect I was drawing too much current without thinking and the already dodgy cable took the brunt rather than tripping the electric supply bollard. Does this sound the right diagnosis? (hands up for being a wally!) Second question - I only seem to have one isolator switch which is really difficult to get to - I can get my hand on it but have to turn it by feel rather than seeing what I am doing. I turned it to the only other position it would go to and the bedroom lights (at the stern) dimmed but did not go out, and the saloon lights came on as normal. Is there another position I am missing on the switch or is there something funny going on? As always, thanks in advance for the all the helpful advice I know i will get (having got lots of help on my other questions) Rick

Thanks Chris-B and Steve56 - excellent suggestions - I think Marine Engine Services will sort me out though. Appreciate everyone's suggestions and comments - I learn so much every time I ask a question - and read other people's questions - really useful stuff - I like the notice on engine about not driving it, consequences of that little error could be huge!

In my case it is so the marina people can look at my engine as it is in need of work at the moment. I can't comment on other reasons as I have no experience of them - I suppose it's a balance of trust and convenience, at least for the present

Interesting, filed away for future reference, thanks

They would like keys in case of a problem or needing to move the boat - is this not normal then ?

I doubt it as I gave the keys to them in the first place. Or are you saying they have ways to start the engine without keys ? ?

That's interesting Ray T, your control panel looks remarkably similar to mine, but the key is, as you say, completely different. Mine is single-sided, as it were, and yours is double-sided - no idea what's going on there ? Not opposed to leaving key in the lock in principle LadyG, but just at present i am not there most of the time, so the one i have i normally leave with the marina - had to take it home with me this time so they don't have one to start the engine - going there tomorrow to return it, amongst other tasks

Cheers Flyboy - good suggestion, duly noted

Thanks for that - really useful as Richard is dealing with my engine issues, so I can see if I can get hold of spare keys - or at least blanks - from him or Sue

If some one could tell me how to insert images that aren't the size of a planet, that would be good ? - or is it just a case of starting off with a smaller image ?

I have pasted a photo of the key as I'm not sure about whether it is a JCB key or not - certainly don't feel confident enough to file one myself ? Could change the lock - good point - I'll keep that in the bag if I can't get new keys. Ta

I've got plenty of mates who learned that trick inside if I need to go that route, thanks ?

Rob-M - Didn't even see the number at first! I googled it and a couple of security companies in my area came up so I will try those, thank you. But, in general, the number produced results ranging from a Suzuki motorbike lock (not the same) to model railway parts on Amazon ! ? Wotever - to be honest I wouldn't know a JCB key if it jumped up and bit me ? but I will look at agricultural merchants in the area and see if they can shed light on it - good suggestion One step nearer - thanks for the suggestions

Morning I need at least one spare engine key - I only have a single key at present. My local Timpsons did not have a blank for it, so I wondered if it was a specialist thing. The engine is a Lister Petter LPWS4. Would welcome advice about where to go to get spares - steady ?