Jump to content

Charging batteries by generator and generator recommendations


B2019

Featured Posts

1 minute ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

There is an argument that even "summmit" would comply with the stated rule as it repeats M only twice, not 'more than twice'. 

Being a bear of very little brain you're confusing the stuffing out of me now :huh: 

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

30 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

My bank password 'rules' state I "may not repeat a character more than twice".

 

In practice this means the password "summit" would be disallowed as it repeats the letter M, twice. Apparently. 

 

I blame the teachers.

 

When I worked for BT at one time they had over 50 different password protected systems, each with different rules, all had to be periodically updated. I had a list to enable me to remember them all. Any questions to the IT department regarding the security of having so many different password requirements were ignored on grounds of how essential security was.

 

Then one day I was being audited  by an external Quality auditer. She asked me to access a system, so I took my list out to find my password to access that particular system, she went mad at my insecure password control system.

 

I pointed out how many passwords I had, each with different rules regarding which character should be where, she was forced to agree with assertation that it sas impossible to remember them all, and agreed to report it in her findings.

 

Shortly afterwards BT introduced a "gatekeeper" website, where you one password allowed you to access it and then select the system you required. A much more secure system. ?

Edited by cuthound
Spillung
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

After many months of huffing a buffing I think it will be easier to buy a lpg generator instead of petrol and I will not need to get a generator storage box made up as it's not petrol so I can chain it up inside the boat. 

Can you run the gas generator on the stern? Or is best to leave the generator and bottle chained up on the bank whilst running. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 02/10/2019 at 12:37, cuthound said:

 

When I worked for BT at one time they had over 50 different password protected systems, each with different rules, all had to be periodically updated. I had a list to enable me to remember them all. Any questions to the IT department regarding the security of having so many different password requirements were ignored on grounds of how essential security was.

 

Then one day I was being audited  by an external Quality auditer. She asked me to access a system, so I took my list out to find my password to access that particular system, she went mad at my insecure password control system.

 

I pointed out how many passwords I had, each with different rules regarding which character should be where, she was forced to agree with assertation that it sas impossible to remember them all, and agreed to report it in her findings.

 

Shortly afterwards BT introduced a "gatekeeper" website, where you one password allowed you to access it and then select the system you required. A much more secure system. ?

Yep.  I had nearly the same conversation in a PLC that I won't name.  Complicated passwords, had to be changed every week.  No repeats over the last 8 passwords, and you couldn't add a digit and get away with it.

 

Every single workstation onsite had a postit note stuck to the monitor with the current password written on it.  Except two, where the postit was stuck under the desk, not on the screen.

 

And every single workstation had the name of the employee on a plaque on the desk.  And the corporate login had to be firstname.surname ...

 

My first security analysis report to the board had an appendix listing their logins and passwords ... and half of the board had to check their postit notes before they believed me!

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, B2019 said:

After many months of huffing a buffing I think it will be easier to buy a lpg generator instead of petrol and I will not need to get a generator storage box made up as it's not petrol so I can chain it up inside the boat. 

Can you run the gas generator on the stern? Or is best to leave the generator and bottle chained up on the bank whilst running. 

 

I haven't read the entire thread so it's probably already been mentioned, but a generator running on LPG doesn't solve the issue of exhaust fumes and carbon monoxide, especially if it's being run on the boat. You only need a change in wind direction and you've potentially got your boat being filled by CO. Run it on the bank and chain it to something and take care that exhaust fumes can dissipate safely and don't end up in your or your neighbour's boats.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Quick question on running the engine to keep the batteries topped up.

 

We recently had a weeks cruise and were told to keep the engine running for a minimum of 8 hours a day to keep them topped up. 

I don't think we would have used much electric - lights and a couple of hours TV over the week. Oh and showers. 

 

Just watched a YouTube vid where Jono is going through his annual costs. It seems he runs his engine about 16 hours a week and obviously uses a fraction of the diesel we did accordingly. 

 

There's no solar on our boat so I guess that makes a difference.

 

My question is - if we are doing three or four hours of cruising a day - do we need to keep the engine running for the full 8 hours or so ?

I guess this is a 'how long is a piece of string question' ?

 

Thanks 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 minutes ago, cougie said:

My question is - if we are doing three or four hours of cruising a day - do we need to keep the engine running for the full 8 hours or so ?

I guess this is a 'how long is a piece of string question' ?

It is a piece of string.

 

It all relates to how much you 'take out'. To replace it you need to generate what you have taken out + 20%.

 

Are you referring to a hire boat or your own boat ?

 

That is a common bit of information given to hirers, it is cheaper to use 3 or 4 extra litres of diesel (say £2) than it is to either have to replace a set of batteries because they have been over 'flattened', or even worse send someone out in the middle of the night to replace batteries when the customer phones up and says 'the lights have gone out'.

 

If it is your own boat you should have the knowledge and equipment to know how 'much' you have used, how much you need to 'put back' and when to stop charging.

 

At this time of year you are using much more than you would in the Summer, (darker earlier - more lights, TV on for longer etc), but for 'normal usage' the recommendation is usually run your engine for 4 hours per day and 8 hours at weekends to ensure the batteries do get fully charged at least once a week.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, cougie said:

Thanks Alan - it's a share boat - I take your point about diesel being cheaper than new batteries. 

 

Cheers !

At your next owners meeting it may be worth suggesting investing in some electrical monitoring equipment, longer term it will pay for itself in reduced diesel usage and reduced servicing intervals, oil changes, wear and tear etc.

 

Obviously you will be paying more than the 50p a litre that commercial companies are paying after VAT & duty has been removed so the payback for you would be quicker.

All owners would however need to understand what they needed to do, how to do it and when to do it, and the implications of not doing it.

 

If they are of the 'mechanical skills level' of paying for the engine to be serviced rather than do it themselves, you may be better (as a group) just burning a bit more diesel and a bit more wear & tear to the engine. At least you won't be taking over the boat with dead batteries.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On average I like to run my engine between 3 and 4 hrs every day, if I am cruising sometimes its longer and it I am stationary for a few days it will be shorter but this is unusual. This sees my charge current at 29 and a bit volts down below 2 amps on a 24 volt system. Even through I have a supposedly 100 Amp alternator I have never seen it above 40 Amps

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.