Kelpies boatman

Ah well. Proof of the pudding and all that!! Last night switched off fridge at 12.8v available on batteries. This morning 12.75!! So there ye go. Time to resolve food storage!! Thanks for your help and advice folks. Most helpful!!

Thanks Blackrose Lpg it is

Thanks Mike. That's kind of what I meant. The fridge is off. Everything else normal however overnight won't use anything except the loo and the water pump. Thanks System 4-50. Have gas so considering adding gas to the fridge for off grid excursions.

Brill. Many thanks all for your insights and help n support everyone!! Have switched everything off tonight so expect to see near zero drop in power by morning. If that's the case then it is the fridge! Thought we were doing the right thing by buying a replacement £430 12v fridge. Clearly not and cost us in time and replacements trying to resolve. Ah well. B O A T! as well as that elongated learning curve! Thanks again for your input.

Thanks Stegra. So no one uses fridges afloat?

Thanks Tony. And Bod I reckon it's down to not fully charging the batteries while off grid. After shore power the batteries hold power for much longer. Thanks for your suggestions. I will action both. Clearly don't have to worry about my brain collapsing into a state of retirement with new skills to learn. As I have already purchased new batteries and scrapped the old ones, that's a learning curve cost! Thanks also Mike. 1&2 noted and 3 would be good if it wasn't so cloudy perhaps. When the the sun is out the solar panels seem to throw out around 20volts although I think the controller limits the charging ability same as the alternator charging issue mentioned by Tony. More personal education needed methinks! Thanks Sir Nibble. Alternator seems to run fine at around 13.7v (however not long enough issue) Hi Jim. The fridge is a multi function 240/12v/lpg switched and wired direct to 12v. Just checked again and it's not 35w but 110w power consumption. Starting to think this is the power drain issue. Will have to work out the amount of power relative to time/volts this uses. Is there a simple equation for this? (Homework reading of (Wotever's Battery Charging Primer ) IF the fridge power consumptiom is the issue. How else do you keep food cool apart from canal storage. As my wonderful wife tells me - life afloat isn't easy or glamorous, just a great life (if you have funds to B O A T)!

Hi all. So- new batteries, new inverter, added 2x100w solar panels and STILL off grid power seems to drain. Take last night. Had to run engine for 2 hours to get to 12.6v. Bed time 12.3v. This morning 11.3!! Only thing running is the fridge at 35w and the inverter on power save mode at 0.2w. Any thoughts?? Would be welcomed.?

Thanks for this. Had to do the same due to wrong sized wiring - Only 4mm used instead of 8mm recommended. Fortunately only had to renew the connection and not all the wiring! Working fine again. BTW Sanimarin providers Lee Sanitation VERY helpful(Fenny Compton Warks)

Thanks Phil. No fuse link inside the workings then? Couldnt find anything in the instruction leaflet! SFA is the brand name of 35 48 and elite Sanimarin. Thanks all. I think I might have really pissed it off. So think I will have to resort to professional help

Thanks Phil. No fuse link inside the workings then? Couldnt find anything in the instruction leaflet! SFA is the brand name of 35 48 and elite Sanimarin.

Hi. New today to my Live aboard 57ft Narrowboat. Thought I would give her a treat tonight and pump out. Another boater advised to feed the toilet with clean water until the pump out was clear. However I used the empty pan button on the SFA and just as the pump out was looking good the empty stopped working. Can't get any reaction from the buttons anymore. The fuse is still ok. Any ideas would be welcomed