staying afloat

The panels are cheap ones off Aliexpress https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003462259173.html?spm=a2g0o.cart.0.0.e8913c00QebhsU&mp=1 or similar. They say 120W but I think they are really 100W and there are probably loads of better panels out there...

I have a similar setup. The idea was to see if solar would be worthwhile for me or not, and to see how panels might perform where I am moored . I used magnets and flexible panels. I got 12 of these magnets https://www.guysmagnets.com//magnetic-products-c2/vehicle-mag-pad-1-p194/s199 and 2 of these panels. The idea was to check the panels location and fit and see how I got on with them before I upgraded to something better and drilled holes in the roof etc. So Far, so good. I don't need much power as if we are on the boat we are usually cruising and using the engine . The panels are more for a trickle charge and a boost in between weekend cruises The panels survived the storms a few months ago and I appreciate they should really be stuck down for heat dissipation and protection from flexing etc. but I am happy for now and will look to upgrade to something better later on if I need to

I set this up about a year ago so thought I would share Cost is anything from £0 (if you already have a mobile contract with a reasonable amount of data and a decent signal so you can leave your phone against a window and piggy back off the hotspot with your firestick) up to about £200 if you get a B535 router, an external poynting directional anena with a pole mount and/or maybe a omni directional antena + whatever data sim package(s) you go for. 5g ready equipment costs a bit more I just pop the sim from my phone in the router when onboard and use the phone conected to the router wifi for calling with whatapp for making calls and texts. Its a bit of a faff to do but in reality takes seconds I know continuous cruisers who work online with a sim for every network as the coverage really varies wherever you are. In our old marina Vodafone was the best, but we moved elsewhere and EE is pretty much the only network with a decent sinal where we are. The cellmapper.net website can tell you where the masts that service where you are moored and the direction they cast the signal and network The opensignal.org website and app can also tell you what speeds to expect and where to point your phone or aerial. The omnidirectional aerial will give a poorer signal than a directional one (assuming the directional one is pointing the right way) and can pick up interference but is a lot less faff and often is good enough to stream. The Fast.com website to see what speeds you are actually getting. 5Mbps plus is usually good for streaming, you can get away with less but it tends to buffer more in my experience. 30Mbps or more would cover you for streaming in 4k if that is your thing.

We did a similar trip last year at August Bank Holiday week and didn't have any issues mooring along the route. Ellesmere Port has a water point at the boat museum and a decent space to turn around - you don't have to go through the locks at the museum itself. It was an option for us to do that and there was space at the holiday inn there, but the holiday inn moorings are a bit noisy with an AC unit or something running 24/7 for the hotel. we moored outside the museum, but if we did it again we would turn around and moor a few hundred yards back on the towpath as it was a little noisy overnight. Again Chester basin you have a water point (the rubbish is at the top of the staircase (which usually has lock keepers on duty)) and it is easy to turn around and there are good moorings, the further away from the pub in the basin you are the less noise from the pub. Also outside the walls for mooring gets a little narrow but we moored there too and it was surprisingly quiet and very convenient for the shops and sights of Chester. after the basin and boatyard there weren't many suitable spots to moor for Chester. Just after Christleton you have lots of mooring and the Broughton Heath Park and ride is used by many boaters to access Chester. Also near the park and ride are some good supermarkets Enjoy!

Another endorsement for the smartguate site. I had a similar requirement on my narrowboat recently and found the information on. smartguage very useful http://www.smartgauge.co.uk/nb_ac_sys.html. I went for the design with the 4 pole manual changeover switch in it. Also the victron site https://www.victronenergy.com/upload/documents/Brochure-Marine_EN_web.pdf, I nearly went for the 'system with inverter' solution

Thanks for your help everyone Thanks Tony for trying on the numbers, I have no idea how that QR code translates to a A11V179 or even if it does but a massive thanks to Sir Nibble for identifying it. It makes more sense now. I will do some reading up on the alternator and see if I can find a manual When I get some more time to visit my boat and mop up the bilge properly I expect to find a crimp connector and a nut that would complete the puzzle of the loose wire I will also check the loom and panel for a relay as suggested by Eeyore. I haven't had any battery discharge issues with the small black wire in place so it seems to be working, whatever it's intention Thanks Again

Hi Please can someone help on Alternator wiring I have a canaline 42 and the aux alternator is wired as per the photo The boat is new to me so I don't know know a lot of the history especially when it comes to the wiring. I don't think the alternator is original and I cannot see any manufacturers label on it. It has a QR code that scans as ALT811201706W0190000132, but that doesn't tell me much I can see the B+ is marked and has the big wire connected to the leisure batterie I cannot see any labels for the other 2 terminals but one has a small black wire linking another terminal to the B+, the other looks like the yellow/black wire has come detached from the terminal nearest it at the top of the photo. Looking at the wiring diagram it looks like the yellow/black wire goes to the D+ terminal, which I assume is the one nearest the top of the photo. I did have the battery alarm sounding when I ran the engine after a few seconds, connecting the yellow/black wire to the top terminal seems to have stopped that. It all seems to work and charge correctly and the batteries have 12.8v charge, but I do wonder what the terminals are and whether it is all correct or not as I don't want to damage the alternator or anything else My questions are: Does anyone know what is the reason for the black wire linking the 2 terminals? Does anyone have a similar alternator or any idea as to what model it is? or what is a typical replacement for the canaline 42 aux alternator Any help Greatly apreaciated