Dashwood

Hi thanks for the replies especially you Tony as you are always so helpful. I have now fitted the panel and connected it briefly to the solar charge controller, a hot sunny day last Sunday and it was showing 20volts input. I have not explored what the parameters have been set at by Sunshine Solar ( I will get back to them) I was reluctant to connect to the batteries until I have explored that further. When I do wire it up to the three leisure batteries that are connected in parallel I assume in only need to connect the output charge to one of the batteries in the bank as they are connected together? I have seen in the past individual wiring to each battery that seemed a bit odd.

Hi, I bought a Sunshine Solar 200 watt single panel kit some time ago to fit on my boat and only now have the time to fit it. I have no problem with the mounting and basic wiring however: I already have installed in the boat a Victron combined charger and inverter, I also have 240v on my mooring for charging domestic use etc. My question is this, If I wire up the solar panel to charge the leisure batteries which are three 110amp hour wired in parallel using the supplied charge controller from sunshine solar, do I have to be careful not to use the Victron charger at the same time that I am connected to the solar panel? is there a risk that some damage may occur somewhere with both connected and charging at the same time? Thanks for an help and advice.

So almost a year on from the gearbox debacle and after bloody lockdown I am now tackling the alternator. I have fitted the new unit and tried to establish the wiring. The main leads to the + and - sides of the battery bank are straight forward as is the lead to the ignition warning lamp (WL). However I am left with a few wires that were connected to the old unit in the following way that I do not have any idea yet where they ft he new unit if at all, See the attached photo. The old unit is an A133 Lucas that has been 'marinised'. A spade terminal has been fixed inside the casing to the point in the picture. and a wire was also attached to the S terminal that i cant fond any reference to anywhere on the threads. Any advise gratefully received as to what these terminals might be? thanks Tony

So almost a year on from the gearbox debacle and after bloody lockdown I am now tackling the alternator. I have fitted the new unit and tried to establish the wiring. The main leads to the + and - sides of the battery bank are straight forward as is the lead to the ignition warning lamp (WL). However I am left with a few wires that were connected to the old unit in the following way that I do not have any idea yet where they ft he new unit if at all, See the attached photo. The old unit is an A133 Lucas that has been 'marinised'. A spade terminal has been fixed inside the casing to the point in the picture. and a wire was also attached to the S terminal that i cant fond any reference to anywhere on the threads. Any advise gratefully received as to what these terminals might be?

Quite! any way as it turned out it was useful to crack off the gearbox, clean out the bell housing and fit a drain plug, greas all of the universal joints on the propshaft and of course remove the offending tyre. To be fair the vibration fooled a couple of the geezers at my mooring as it apperaed to be coming from the gearbox, but hey lesson learned and all back together and well greased!

It will be a few weeks before I try,I would like to find out who's it is and return it as a frisbee!!

Quite, bit embarrassing though

Bloody hell I have tyre around my prop, after all that. I guess thsts good news.

So... I have had the gearbox on my bench and set it up to be driven with an electric drill through the output shaft and all seems well. I have had a quote to for new clutch plates and a general overhaul so I will probably have this done any way as the box has been on there for 30 years, hopefully thats all it will be. I have asked a friend to lift my weed hatch and have a feel around as I cant get to the boat for a while, just to determine if this after all was the problem.

Hi Fitter Kieron thanks, I have now heard back from R&D and they think that my drive plate is ok but they are quoting for a replacement anyway. So Im exploring if its the gearbox which is sitting on my bench. Rotating it by hand all and going ahead and astern all seems ok so tomorrow I'm going to spin the output shaft with an electric drill and see if there are any untoward noises.I'l also drain the ATF and see if there are any metal elements in there. If its not either the gearbox or drive plate then I'm wondering if the prop' has been bent or damaged if I hit something underwater when I went astern and maybe catching on something or thrown out of balance, in which case its a dry docking job. With hindsight I should have run the engine up and tested the gearbox with the prop shaft disconnected, there would have been no load but I might perhaps given me some more clues. I maybe also should have opened the weed hatch and had a feel around the prop'. Ahh well, what else would I be doing?

Hi yes but the prm iIwas looking at is a prm 125 d3 so not up to the job

So Beta also helpful but cant really assess the box any better than I can, lift and rotate check bearings on input and output shafts check for grinding etc, so it seems I will have to check it over myself and bolt it back together with the new drive plats and hope.

Ok so I spent 3 hours yesterday cracking off the gearbox and drive plate. First thing, a couple of pints of oil had accumulated in the bell housing, my hands look a right state as a result as the bottom two bolts had to be eased off as they are trapped behind the gearbox with oil dripping on to my hands. I had to chop away part of a bulkhead as the boat has been built around the engine. Thankfully all of the bolts associated came off easily. The drive plate is an RandD special it seems, having spoken to them they are very helpful I must say. I have sent pictures and they will get back to me with there assessment and price for a replacement. I have explored the PRM gearbox and from what I have been told by the guy at Calcutt it wont be up to the job and the Hurth HBW2502R I have is apparently a better box than the run of the mill Hurth zf boxes. So assuming its only the drive plats at fault I will get a direct or more robust replacement and bolt back together. Beta marine are near me so I may see if they will have a look at my box and check it over update soon.

new prm box for sale for £400 tempting