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PaulG

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Everything posted by PaulG

  1. I'm using one of these: https://ztedevices.com/en-uk/mu5001/ It's portable and will run on its own internal batteries for quite a while. In the Thames valley I have found EE to be the most reliable network. I've not found anywhere that I cannot get at least a 4G connection. I use 3 on my phone. They are the cheapest, so everyone hammers them for data... External antenna from Wifionboard works very well. https://www.wifionboard.co.uk/product/marine-mimo-3-4-5g-antenna/ Not saying that this is necessarily the absolute best, but it works well for me.
  2. Thanks to everyone for their input, you've all been very helpful as always. I've decided to go down the Balmar route, as it seemed to me to be a more up-to-date version of the venerable Smartguage. It seems that the makers have some experience of Smartguage, either as a reseller or a manufacturer, as they mention it on their website. They may well have reverse-engineered it in order to come up with their own unit. The deciding factor for me was the Bluetooth option, which enables future software updates as well as making the unit's display optional. I will probably only wire in the display unit if their Bluetooth app proves unreliable or inconvenient. Thanks again...
  3. Hi there - it may have been my old boat (sold last year). Which reminds me to update my profile... 🙂
  4. I never get to see the rested voltage as I've got loads of electrical kit on board, so there is always a load on the batteries.
  5. Thanks a lot for your input, guys. I think the MV system is looking after charging OK. My main interest is knowing the battery state when discharging to ensure that I'm not damaging my batteries. e.g. if the MV system is indicating 85% when the reality is likely 100% or close to it, it's not much use to me. I try not to discharge below 70% or so, at which point the MV unit may be indicating 55% or less, which does nothing for my peace of mind. From what you have said, I think I will go with a Smartguage.
  6. Good morning all. I have a boatload of Mastervolt equipment, and I'm not at all happy with the performance of the shunt system that allegedly provides SOC information for the domestic battery bank. I'm moored up on a landline during the winter, and spend the summer months CC-ing, relying on alternator, solar and genny power. I notice that the SOC reading gradually becomes more and more inaccurate, to the point when I saw that the solar system appeared to drop into float at an indicated 85% SOC. I have discussed this with the suppliers of Mastervolt, and it seems that they can't do anything much until they see the system settings. This involves me spending around £150.00 on an MV USB interface with no guarantee that any improvement is possible. You'll appreciate that I don't want to sit there burning expensive diesel for many hours to just get the batteries back to 100%; at this point, the MV system should reset. Naturally, I'm looking at Smartguage as a potentially more accurate device. Sadly, it's looking a bit old-fashioned now that Gibbo has sold the company and it hasn't been updated. Can I ask the Smartgauge users if they are still happy with the performance, and would they buy the same again if it packed up? I've had a good look around and I can't see any more "modern" units that would perform better than my current MV setup; if anyone knows better, advice will be gratefully received!
  7. I thought I'd see if I could find a replacement first. Obviously, the original unit was not custom-made... If I can't find the right unit, then I'll need to enlarge the hole in the steel as I think that removing 1mm of plastic will weaken the socket. The plastic is not that thick to start with.
  8. That's my problem. The original unit is 89mm and the existing hole is 90mm! Everything that I have found so far is too big...
  9. Yes, that's the problem. The cutout in my hull is 90mm round. I may have to grind away 2mm. The frustrating thing is that the original fitted OK. Thanks Alan.
  10. Hi OG - thanks for that. It just might do - I'd need to grind the hole a bit bigger or file a bit off it... Thanks again. I'll try and get more information from the seller...
  11. Hi there - the hole that it came out of is round, about 90mm, and yes, it does fit on the outside of the steel. There was a hinged cover, but it broke off - which is one of the reasons that I need a replacement. Thanks for that. I've tried a Powerpart 113, and it's too big for the hole, unfortunately.
  12. Hi there - thanks for the responses - please see these pictures of the broken unit.
  13. This one's been driving me mad! Does anyone know of a 240v inlet socket that fits in a round hole of around 90mm? My socket broke last year, and I've trying to source a straight replacement for months without success. Most seem to need an oval hole cut using a hole cutter. As the hole in my boat is already cut this is not an option. I have the remains of the original, but there is no sign of a maker's part number or any other way of ID-ing it. All help gratefully received!
  14. There are applications available to enable you to use your data allowance to make calls for free. Click for examples
  15. Power wise the 50 is over the top for a NB. There are very few occasions where you could use the extra power. Certainly not on narrow canals, possibly on big rivers like the Trent, Severn, and Thames. Being a displacement hull, if you try to use the extra power, it will simply make more wash, consume more fuel, make more noise with very little increase in speed. You can play with this calculator if you want to: http://www.kiwiprops.co.nz/cms/index.php/resources-general/vesselspeedcalc You'll see that a 60ft, 20 tonne hull needs 18hp to drive it at 8 knots 35hp to drive it at 10 knots 61hp to drive it at 12 knots OK, the numbers are for a yacht hull which is a bit different to a NB, but the same principle applies. The extra 7hp is going to make little appreciable difference to the performance of your boat.
  16. I manage perfectly well with a Lister LPWS3 (27hp) in 55 footer, mostly on rivers. Personally I don't think you'd notice the difference between 38 and 43 hp. You'd rarely need to run the 38hp version flat out, so the extra 5hp would rarely get used.
  17. This post cannot be displayed because it is in a forum which requires at least 10 posts to view.
  18. Goes to show how wrong you can be. https://www.westmercia.police.uk/article/61659/Man-seen-falling-from-Worcester-bridge
  19. Many thanks Ditchdabbler. I don't have a glowplug light on my panel. I think I'll follow your example and fit one so that at least I can see what is going on.
  20. Hi Ditchdabbler I may have a similar problem on my LPWS3. The preheat seems to have packed up resulting in difficult cold starting and a lot of smoke from unburnt fuel. I've not had a chance to investigate properly yet, but when I turn the key to the preheat position, I can hear the usual loud click as the relay engages, and, less than a second later, a fainter click which I suspect is the same relay disengaging. Does this sound familar at all?
  21. Together with another narrowboat, we located the body floating downstream just below Kempsey yesterday morning. We alerted the authorities and guided them to the location of the body, which had eventually become snagged in an overhanging tree and so was stationary. I thought the actions of the Police in closing the navigation for two whole days by calling it a "crime scene" (despite the fact that the local newspaper report stated that no foul play was suspected) was heavy handed and show little understanding of the situation that they were dealing with. The fact that the body was located *within an hour* by the first two private boats that they allowed to go downstream suggests that what they really needed was eyes on the water to save wasting the time of the search and rescue teams. Apart from the time that a diver was actually in the water on Saturday afternoon, there was no need to close the river at all. They would have been better off if they had leafletted boaters as they passed though with details of the person that they were looking for, and details of who to contact if found. I also love the way that the press reports (which are usually press releases more or less verbatim) are worded to give the impression that it was the Police and Fire Service that found the body, without actually saying so, of course.
  22. I'm sure that you're right, Richard. If only I knew where to find it! I had a quick look at the weekend and there were to be a lot of screws, many of which appeared to be the threaded variety. Any chance you could be a bit more specific so that an ignoramus like me can adjust the right one (for a change)? ?
  23. The tickover is a bit slow on my Lister Petter LPWS3, and it stalls occasionally when going into neutral. It's a standard Morse control for revs and gears. Not sure whether I should be adjusting the Morse cable or the governor. Can anyone tell be how to adjust it? Thanks in advance. PAul
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