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OK all you very very kind chaps and chapesses out there. This is a shout out for some tangible help if possible. My inverter and battery charger has taken one for the team. While I know these things are not cheap and I am able to pay for them, if anyone has any of the above gathering dust I would like to make a bid. My engine is running as well as ever, ( thank you P and S) I need a 70/80 amp alternator, standard LR type.and would like to employ the services of a recommended reasonable charging Electrician in the Hertford/Lee/Stort area. The boat has suffered some damp, but the humidifier will stay in for as long as I can keep it there. I need to get the boat back here for next weekend if practical. At the moment without 240v there are some extras I would like some advice and ideas on please. A 12v 26" + TV or What else is there.? Also a DVD player again 12v A fridge is going to be needed do I invert or do I go down the 12v route with that too , advice again please. Apart from the stated items, I will be ready to cruise as soon as soon as it is dry enough to sleep on.

Hi! I have two 12V 230Ah domestic batteries with two large big solar panels, a beta marine 43 that seems to charge the battery well (I’m pretty sure it’s not an alternator problem). The issue is that my batteries seem to drain SO quickly. Just charging phones the level sits around 12.9ish but I can put my lights on (LED) for literally 3 minutes and my voltage will go from 12.9 to 12.2. I don’t have an inverter, I use a plug in 12v inverter to charge my laptop and I cant use that at all without the engine on. I turned my 12v fridge off at the end of summer as the days got shorter but as the suns put more the battery health seems worse than ever! The batteries are 6 years old but maybe they’re just old but I’m not sure. Any comments would be incredibly appreciated! And any advice on maintaining battery health ❤️

Has anybody experienced this problem before? Let me know if you need any more information. I am no electrician, so might have used the wrong terminology here and there, do forgive me! We live on a 60ft 2009 narrowboat in a marina, always connected to shoreline when moored. Problem: 230V power will suddenly cut out when connected to shoreline, regardless of time of day/temperature outside/what is running When power has gone off, lights (indicating battery on float charge/fast charge/inverter on) on inverter (Sterling Pro Combi S) not displaying Power can be turned back on by switching from shoreline power to inverter, which comes on, then switching back to shoreline - BUT has also switched itself back on When shoreline power is back on, inverter shows battery is on fast charge - takes approx. 1 hour to reach float/trickle charge Last occurrence: 21:30 Tuesday: 230V power turned off, 12V remained on. Nothing special turned on using 230V apart from usual fridge/freezer etc. Reading on DC Distribution: 12.7 and -07 Didn't check inverter panel Switched to inverter - working, and back to shoreline - working again Checked inverter panel - battery on fast charge (Switched between BATT 1/BATT 2 on DC Distribution. BATT 2 (starter battery) not showing on panel - discovered that was because isolator had been switched on. Switched off isolator and starter battery working as normal, engine started. Probably not related, but noting here just in case.) 22:30 Tuesday: battery on float charge 07:00 Wednesday: battery still on float charge Later on: Switched engine on, unplugged from shoreline, switched inverter on - working 08:50: Plugged back into shoreline while engine still running - no 230V power, 12V still working. Inverter panel lights not showing 09:00: 230V turns itself back on, engine still running, inverter panel - battery on fast charge 10:00: inverter panel - battery back on float/trickle charge Might also be relevant: When connected to shoreline, inverter won't switch on. Will only switch on when disconnected from shoreline - so when we are able to switch the inverter on when the 230V power goes off, does this mean that the inverter isn't registering that it is connected to the shoreline? Is one battery on its last legs/dead and causing the whole thing to cut out/drain so suddenly? I have pics of 230V/12V circuit I can attach if needed. Could there be a problem with an isolation switch for the domestic batteries, hence why 230V still off when engine running/connected to shoreline? Batteries last changed 3-4 years ago. Why did the power cut out while the engine was running, and the battery was on fast charge when it came back on? Why does whole inverter system go off when power cuts out?

Hi All My Sterling AB12160 has stopped charging my batteries..... Or so it seems. No LEDS are on. No voltage detected on the ALT input Now the issue is the 2 x 80Amp Alternators are wired in to the A2B together to get 160Amps Could it possibly be one alternator failed a whilst ago and I didn't notice...... Now the second one has failed I have lost everything. Anybody any experience of this or similar? Thank you for reading Andy

Hi, I have recently moved from the towpath into a marina. Now that I have shore power I'd like to get a battery charger so the batteries are permanently topped up through the winter as my lights and pumps are all 12v. I have two AGM leisure batteries with a combined total of 400amp hours and one starter battery. I don't want to spend a fortune but want something with a good reputation- reliable and long lasting. Any advice appreciated. Thanks Jo

we have 2x 230ahc 12v Haze gel maintence free batteries, and a NASA BM-1 battery/charging monitor (which i love!). Soon to be back in a marina and on 230v shore supply; i'm going to need a battery charger; but hopefully only temporarily as we're getting Solar panels put on soon.. At Great Haywood, some kind soul lent me a very basic 20a charger; and whilst i realise it should have been nearer 40a a ) the "real" capacity of both batteries is nearer 300ahc due to their age etc. b ) the basic 20a charger seemed to do a fine job. Question; 1) can i get away with a cheap 20a charger for now (i.e. until we get solar, and then for next winter considering it will be supplementing the little charge from the solar, October to March - ish?) 2) Does the charger have to be mounted to the bulkhead or secured? 3) Can anyone recommend a charger (i kind of understand "bulk" and "float" charging!)? Once again - many thanks for your shared knowledge! Jane xx

So I've got a Honda EX1000 charger and it bust my first 50amp charger, I've since had this replaced and it's literally done the same thing (part of the circuitry blows). I have no idea what's going on, I thought if there was too much power going to the charger the fuse was blown. Is this more of a charger issue or a generator issue?

Hi - I recently moved marinas, and when I first plugged into the mains at the new place everything worked fine. The next day, however, the mains had stopped working - I checked the trip switches onboard and on shore and there didn't appear to be a problem. The mains finally switched on when I removed the galvanic isolator from the circuit. However, I have since noticed the warning light on my battery charger flashing to say there has either been a short circuit, the fuse has gone or the polarity has been reversed. (I have changed the fuse and the warning light is still flashing the same warning). Any ideas what I should do next, or what the problem is?