Using a generator after 8:00 pm

[Chertsey]

I'd like to know, Dave, if Phyllis had fallen in, rather than OH, would you still offer the use of your shower?

What if a yoof had fallen in?

 

(ducks)

[mayalld]

What if a yoof had fallen in?

 

(ducks)

 

It would be very tricky!

[NB Alnwick]

There is a possibility that my original point may have been misunderstood. We have no need to run the generator when cruising and don't usually stop and tie-up until the SmartGauge is displaying a comforting 100%. Nevertheless, we do live aboard most off the time (especially in the Winter) and if we have not been cruising and need to recharge the batteries we need to run the generator. We have a BW online mooring and the nearest visitor moorings (currently unoccupied) are three boat lengths away and we have established that most people are unable to hear our generator from this distance and that even those permanent moorers who are closer, find that the sound is drowned out by background noise from the M40.

 

I generally agree that it is not acceptable to run a generator out in the open countryside where it is otherwise quiet and peaceful. Nor would we run the generator if we were cruising and stopped somewhere for the night. But, surely when we are on our home mooring - perhaps carrying out maintenance on the boat - it is not unreasonable to run the generator for the purpose of recharging batteries and watching TV in the evening. To be told that we should turn it off, even when there is no-one else who would be able to hear without standing next to our boat - is akin to asking power stations to shut down at 8:00 pm lest they may annoy somebody with their noise and pollution. On the other hand just think of the energy savings - no that's daft . . .

[canalowl]

A couple of years ago I had a winter mooring, by a bridge, near a pub and opposite a long term mooring. I left for work each day at 5.30am and returned home at 7.00pm, turned on the generator, sat down, set my mobile alarm for 8.05pm and had a quiet doze.

 

The gernerator is on-board, diesel, well insulated and with a hospital silencer - not overly noisy but clearly audible by the lady in the long term mooring oppoiste. Most evenings I wouild be woken from my revelry by a bang on the roof. Acknowledging the time I would apolgise and turn off the genny = by which time my alarm would be going off. I thought it worked well - she got to vent her spleen, I got enough power to get through the night and most importantly I was always in the pub by 8.15 - jobs a good 'un.

[Guest]

If we ever go CHP in the UK, we willbe encouraging local gennies, and possibly doing away with many larger power stations. I wonder if a little local noise will be acceptable in the name of greener energy?

As an aside, why can't I (according to BW bylaws) run my very quiet genny after 8pm, yet that guy next to me can let his confounded wind genny whine away 24 hrs a day? Or is that classed as a generator and should he stop it at 8pm?

[bag 'o' bones]

Having lived in a pub and sleeping above the ground floor cellar room and its very noisy refrigeration system I can be pretty well certain that anyone complaining about their neighbour running a honda suitacase genny needs after 8pm to get a life to be honest!

 

In fact when I left the pub it was weird not having the white hum noise in the background!

[NB Alnwick]

If we ever go CHP in the UK, we willbe encouraging local gennies, and possibly doing away with many larger power stations. I wonder if a little local noise will be acceptable in the name of greener energy?

As an aside, why can't I (according to BW bylaws) run my very quiet genny after 8pm, yet that guy next to me can let his confounded wind genny whine away 24 hrs a day? Or is that classed as a generator and should he stop it at 8pm?

 

That is a very good point! Indeed there are many things out here that are noisier than our generator . . .

[bottle]

Church bells

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheap shot

[NB Alnwick]

Church bells

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheap shot

 

 

Indeed, and guess when we ring the 'Curfew' ?

 

 

 

 

8:00 pm

[casper ghost]

In Oxford a lady came and nagged at me for running my engine near her house, which was about 150 feet away.. It was in the afternoon

[Donald Gilchrist]

Got a cheep 2 stroke genny,have fitted expanshon pipes and k+n air filters,it now sounds like the I O M TT ace

[mrsmelly]

Could it be that if others see a genny running after 8pm they think it is ok. It then becomes the norm.

Not having a generator and finding the noise annoying, I can't see why one is needed at night

Sue

 

Absolutely spot on Sue............

[Dominic M]

When I mentioned that we sometimes run our generator after 8:00 pm in order to watch television, I was virtually shot down in flames with claims that it is "illegal to run a generator between the hours of 8:00 pm and 8:00 am" and that we "shouldn't be watching television if it means causing pollution" - ignoring the last argument for the moment. We have consulted the occupants of the boat moored next to us and they have confirmed that they cannot hear our generator when it is running and that it doesn't disturb them in any way - the boats are moored in line about three metres apart. There are no other occupied boats near us and the nearest housing is at least 400 metres away. The main background noise issue in this area is from the M40 motorway and friends who live in one of the nearest houses have confirmed that they can hear neither our generator or engine when either is running.

 

Section 4 ( of the BW Licence conditions clearly states that:

 

[We must not] "use any electricity generator, including the Boat's engine, at any mooring along the waterway between 8pm and 8am, unless you are moored in isolation, out of earshot of other people. We do not intend this Condition to stop you moving the Boat from the mooring."

 

It seems to me that what we do is within the scope of that condition - so why do some members of this forum find the idea of watching television, with our (quiet) generator running, so abhorrent?

My main problem with this is not that you run the generator to watch television per se, but that you do so in order to watch THE X FACTOR. This then creates the risk that you will start posting topics about possibly the worst TV programme ever made on here.

Edited November 21, 2009 by Dominic M

[tomsk]

My main problem with this is not that you run the generator to watch television per se, but that you do so in order to watch THE X FACTOR. This then creates the risk that you will start posting topics about possibly the worst TV programme ever made on here.

 

 

Quite the most pertinant post in the thread in my view.

[ditchcrawler]

I don't have an issue with people watching television on their boat ( I like to watch a bit in the evenings or bring recordings on DVD from home) and in any case I would put such a question under "it's none of my business" anyway.

 

As to the rule of generator usage then I think the 8pm to 8am switch off is a good one and people must observe it. I dislike it when I get onto a visitor mooring and someone does run a gennie (that I can hear) later into the evening. The excuse of "no one complains" so it is OK is invalid as more people will be disturbed than complain. Of course if no one can hear the gennie then no one has a cause to complain.

 

I find it irritating when people think a rule doesn't apply to them or can be bent when they find it personally inconvenient.

We moored at Fenny Compton overnight during the summer and the boat in front of us ran his genny until late into the evening. I didn't feel like going to bang on his cabin side and asking him to switch it off. This was a built in diesel genny, if I had seen it on the deck or bank I would have gone elsewhere. Last time out we moored at Stockton on a Thursday night, between "Ownership changeover days" and we were moored bow to bow with a boat that ran its engine way past 8pm. however we only knew it was running as we walked back passed the boat when returning from the pub. We couldn't hear it on our boat and it caused us no problem,

 

I suppose that it comes down to a definition of "NEEDS"

 

If somebody had a pressing need to run a generator, I wouldn't be an arse about it.

You mean like to run the dish washer after dinner?

[ditchcrawler]

Having lived in a pub and sleeping above the ground floor cellar room and its very noisy refrigeration system I can be pretty well certain that anyone complaining about their neighbour running a honda suitacase genny needs after 8pm to get a life to be honest!

 

In fact when I left the pub it was weird not having the white hum noise in the background!

I use to work on a gas platform with 2 RB211 and 2 Avon gas turbines running compressors, 2 Ruston gas turbines running generators, Pressurized accommodation, some times a drilling rig driving conductors 24 hours a day, if not drilling. We didn't go home at night but slept with this all going on.

I don't want to do the same while I am on my boat, I do want to get a life.

[NB Alnwick]

I just wish I could tap on the roof of the M40 (or M1 when we are on the GU) and stop that constant drone from the traffic - far worse than our little generator.

 

Why do people need to drive at 70 mph plus after 8:00 pm? And is that need any greater than my need to watch TV.

[Bones]

When I mentioned that we sometimes run our generator after 8:00 pm in order to watch television, I was virtually shot down in flames with claims that it is "illegal to run a generator between the hours of 8:00 pm and 8:00 am" and that we "shouldn't be watching television if it means causing pollution" - ignoring the last argument for the moment. We have consulted the occupants of the boat moored next to us and they have confirmed that they cannot hear our generator when it is running and that it doesn't disturb them in any way - the boats are moored in line about three metres apart. There are no other occupied boats near us and the nearest housing is at least 400 metres away. The main background noise issue in this area is from the M40 motorway and friends who live in one of the nearest houses have confirmed that they can hear neither our generator or engine when either is running.

 

Section 4 ( of the BW Licence conditions clearly states that:

 

[We must not] "use any electricity generator, including the Boat's engine, at any mooring along the waterway between 8pm and 8am, unless you are moored in isolation, out of earshot of other people. We do not intend this Condition to stop you moving the Boat from the mooring."

 

It seems to me that what we do is within the scope of that condition - so why do some members of this forum find the idea of watching television, with our (quiet) generator running, so abhorrent?

 

When I saw this thread I thought 'no exception after 8pm is WRONG', and then saw that you run your generator after 8pm, and I thought, 'but they are so nice'.

 

I think it is unacceptable, but that is based on the fact that I do not like noise and I find it particularly objectional when people are running generators and engines after 8pm, 9pm and even later EVERY night. IF someone came to me and said they were wanting to run their generator a bit longer I probably wouldn't bat an eye lid but smile and agree. If someone does it without saying I dont like it.

Funny creatures us lot aren't we!

The fact that you asked your neighbours and they dont mind or hear is it suggestss it really doesn't matter.

 

The generator ran by a particular boat around here that drives me POTTY is a cage generator, it is loud. I can hear it and it is 7 boat lengths away. I haven't complained because they aren't living next door to me. Often when I ask someone to turn their generator off they are very polite about it and say 'I was just about to do that' but I really do not want to have to ask.

[bag 'o' bones]

I use to work on a gas platform with 2 RB211 and 2 Avon gas turbines running compressors, 2 Ruston gas turbines running generators, Pressurized accommodation, some times a drilling rig driving conductors 24 hours a day, if not drilling. We didn't go home at night but slept with this all going on.

I don't want to do the same while I am on my boat, I do want to get a life.

 

Fair enough but I don't think you can really compare the noise of gas platform with the noise of a pub (or a boat generator for that matter)!

[churchward]

I just wish I could tap on the roof of the M40 (or M1 when we are on the GU) and stop that constant drone from the traffic - far worse than our little generator.

 

Why do people need to drive at 70 mph plus after 8:00 pm? And is that need any greater than my need to watch TV.

Your example of the motorway and the power station earlier making noise is irrelevant when trying to justify why you have your Gennie running after 8pm.

 

If I moor near a motorway or other noisy place I am making that choice and cannot expect the noise to go away because I am there. However, in the case of a gennie running on a boat in BW waters it is a condition of the license that they won't be run within earshot after 8pm so in that case I can reasonably expect or indeed demand that people comply with the conditions of their license.

[tomsk]

Your example of the motorway and the power station earlier making noise is irrelevant when trying to justify why you have your Gennie running after 8pm.

 

If I moor near a motorway or other noisy place I am making that choice and cannot expect the noise to go away because I am there. However, in the case of a gennie running on a boat in BW waters it is a condition of the license that they won't be run within earshot after 8pm so in that case I can reasonably expect or indeed demand that people comply with the conditions of their license.

 

 

Surely if you have ascertain that your genny wont be heard by anyone and you have asked anyone who may be within earshot if they object and are answered 'no', then that is good enough? Why dissect the matter further?

[Guest]

I'll ask again but more directly: Does this 8 pm deadline include wind gennies (some of which really annoy me.)

[churchward]

Surely if you have ascertain that your genny wont be heard by anyone and you have asked anyone who may be within earshot if they object and are answered 'no', then that is good enough? Why dissect the matter further?

Firstly, this is a forum and this is am open thread so why can't I comment? The OP has continued to put their case and make observations I am making a counter point to that. Who put you in charge of who can and can't post?

 

If you read my first post I said

 

I don't have an issue with people watching television on their boat ( I like to watch a bit in the evenings or bring recordings on DVD from home) and in any case I would put such a question under "it's none of my business" anyway.

 

As to the rule of generator usage then I think the 8pm to 8am switch off is a good one and people must observe it. I dislike it when I get onto a visitor mooring and someone does run a gennie (that I can hear) later into the evening. The excuse of "no one complains" so it is OK is invalid as more people will be disturbed than complain. Of course if no one can hear the gennie then no one has a cause to complain.

I find it irritating when people think a rule doesn't apply to them or can be bent when they find it personally inconvenient.

 

So, if I can't hear it, then there is no objection. If I can hear it I would expect it to stop at 8pm in compliance with the license conditions.

[Terence]

Having come to this thread late and as I have a tendency to kill them off here goes.

 

Two incidents.

 

The first. A boat moored no problem, and then at 7am Saturday morning on went a noisy genny out came chop saws, grinders, jig saws etc and off he went doing a fit out. This went on till about 9pm and then he disappeared. Next morning (Sunday) the same thing, on went the genny at 7am. I decided to have a word asking the chap if he could move his boat further down the canal. He was very polite and agreed to move. He was working during the week and was coming down to his boat weekends to work on it. Not the place to do a fit out.

 

The second. Was the nosiest genny I had ever heard, drowning out the noise from the Chinook helicopters that flew over. As I walked by the lady on the next boat stopped me to chat. We had to shout to make ourselves heard. She told me that it runs morning, noon and night. When I asked why she hadn’t spoken to the owner, she said she was too scared to. I spoke to him on her behalf and yes she was right I was subjected to a tirade of abuse. The genny problem was soon rectified.

 

Terence

[churchward]

I'll ask again but more directly: Does this 8 pm deadline include wind gennies (some of which really annoy me.)

The rule says

 

Whilst the Boat is on the Waterway, you must

not:

(a.) do anything which will cause damage or

nuisance to any other person or their

property.

(b.) use any electricity generator, including

the Boat's engine, at any mooring along the

Waterway between 8pm and 8am, unless

you are moored in isolation, out of earshot

of other people. [We do not intend this Rule

to stop you moving the Boat from the

mooring.]

 

So, perhaps one could argue that since a wind gennie is an "electricity generator" and coupled with the condition a) if it is causing you a nuisance then it should be stopped by 8pm as well as motor generators.

 

It's an interesting point.