Nige123

Why is it that here in the UK we just can't get it together to sort out the smallest of problems? This winter what do I do as a live aboard (not using CC'er as that tag is a con to make it sound like we should "keep moving sunshine")? When the river goes into flood I now have to move on day 14 & if my boats sinks & I die so what? it's the rules that have to be uphold right..... & I am paying the massive wage bill of CRT staff that want to get rid of me from the water ways not make it better for me to be safe...... I'm not one of the dirty old boat dwellers that spreads junk all over the bank in fact I often pick up others rubbish from the bank & water (most of it from dog walkers & bike riders) The new rules on winter moorings is a joke like the K&A near reading has 50mtrs of winter mooring in the middle of nothing with no water point, dustbins, pump-out, car parking & it's gona cost me almost £120 for that pleasure....... This solves nothing & when the very few remote sites are full what happens? more conflict......... A wood post with a small sign that says "NO Winter Mooring Between Posts" would do would it not & we would then know some old git complains if he see's people living on boats here....... If someone has time why not start the boaters union (Google Union it was a good thing that got killed off by Ms Thatcher an horrible man) & we could all protest by chaining the locks shut or burning our bra's

I have 10 100w flexi units on the roof & the controller is one of the cheap 10amp ones from ebay that I have connected via a 200amp solenoid... So the cheapo unit does the sensing & the big 200amp unit does the switching & now my generator is all but useless........... I know you can wire panels up in series & the better the controller the more you can get out of them but my controller only cost about £50/£60

yes you do have 10 on the shelf but non the right size to replace the one fitted to my boat, the one you sent out was in fact larger then mine (mine is part number BL.010.20032) The steering feels vague at low engine rev's but stiff & a real fight at 1/2 throttle full power I think may end in a fail as the one taken off my boat had the rose joint end bent at an angle..... I feel my steering ram would be more at home on a Volvo tale gate then steering my 60ft X 12ft 30ton boat about sorry.......... I have been told N&UBC are fitting a vetus ram & other boats I have seen with this set up look more like the real thing being made of brass/bronze & look rebuildable...... I use my boat as a boat on the Thames & in fast stream winter flow I would not feel safe with my set up & would go so far as to put money on the steering braking again with fatal results.... My wife now refuses to sale in the boat until this problem is fixed.... N&UBC are dry docking the boat Wednesday & fixing it once & for all (I am told) I just find it hard to believe Collingwood boats think this is safe practice & I think it's only because most Euro Cruisers are "Live aboard in a Marina" boats that this problem has not been more serious...... & it's not the problem that counts it's how fast it's fixed & if it's fixed right... I know this from my own work & I have found first step is "I am sorry for the problem" second step "Lets get this fixed for you" & if the second step is done quickly nothing gets to out of hand....... Getting back to Craftsman steering rams I am sure they work very well all I can say is not the way it was fitted to my boat & when it failed I was told none were in the UK so one was taken from another boat to get me going again as I had been stuck on the river bank for 4 days..... & I can see even more on an issue in years to come when it fails due to age & stress.... New & used boat company is the place I sent my money to......

for the folks on a budget you can buy a cheap solar controller on ebay: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Solar-Charge-Controller-20A-Panel-Battery-Regulator-Safe-Protection-High-Quality-/121399443448?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item1c43f87ff8 & then connect this to a 12v Solenoid & screw it all to an old bit of ply or ali' if your posh..... You connect the wires & for under £20 it should work not as good as a £500 unit but then you can fit 4 more panels with the £400 you just saved & that will charge better then the £500 unit anyway right? I get it I know the boffin's love all the hi-tech stuff but I just like old school over kill that works.... My set up cost me £1200.00 for the panels & £80.00 for the controller & a day to stick the panels on the roof & wire up the batteries..... The 4 200amp hour batteries cost £100 each trade..... We run a fridge freezer, washing machine with dryer, HDTV, popcorn machine, lap top, I-pad, phone chargers, cooker hood, 2kw inverter that stays on 24/7 & so far I have not had that beeping sound from the inverter that we all hate so much.....

Hi the low bridge as you come down from the Oracle shopping centre in Reading.... I have seen solar panels ripped off & roof windows get smashed & torn off... Also spoke to a guy that got to close to a tree & that took the lot off his roof ripping the ali' mountings from the panels & busting them.... I would think high winds could take it toll on the ones you can angle & I just thought I would fit more then I thought I needed so I could enjoy life not spend my days tilting my panels at the sun all day..... I felt my roof on a hot day & the side closest to the sun was hot & the other side was also hot?????? so I put panels on both sides & it seems to work for me......

my panels are plastic sheets with the cells stuck on & then a top sheet stuck to that so very flexible.... The controller is a home made bit of kit that uses a voltage sensing circuit & a solenoid to make & brake the load & I have seen them up to 200amps? This one just works fit it & forget it... if you want to know lots of data you have to spend lots of money £500+

You need to fix the panels in the right way...... I use a 3M tape that lets the panels move independent of the steel roof... My panels have holes in them so you can screw/rivet fix them but as you say this is not a good idea... The tape also gives an air gap under the panel to get rid of moist air & help stop rusting... Never walk on panels no matter what ones you have...... I once saw a boat coming under a low bridge & he got it wrong & the racks of panels tore off the roof & were smashed in bits... That was it for me flush mounting close to the roof is the only way & I wire mine in parallel not series so if some sod drops a brick on mine I may loose 1 panel but not the whole bank......

2 people doing a weeks wash...... not every day that would be silly...... I look out for sunny days to do wash as it seems a shame to make power & not use it... Like I say on good days the controller trips out by noon.... I looked up all kinds of tech & info but I like real world feedback on stuff...... I also use river water via filter system to run my washing machine to save on tank fill ups & this seems to work well..... yes that is a big plus..... Silent power.......... I love to see my little green light on & even better to see the red charged light on