DeanS Wife has joined the forum !

[LongSufferingWife]

Hi everyone. This is Marielle. Just thought I would introduce myself. For the past 2yrs I have browsed in and out of the content on this forum, but the issue of solar panels and the fact that we need to reduce our consumption, is bringing me out of hiding

 

I have given up....

 

My freezer, my dishwasher, regular access to my washing machine, my hairdrier AND my hair straighteners. The promise when moving onboard was a spa treatment once a month. We are now 25mths later, and still no spa!

 

To the person who suggested Dean utilise our entire budget on solar, and leave me the leftovers from the fuel savings each month....very considerate of you...I will leave you lot to nag him for me each month

 

Speak to you all again, now that I have a forum account of my own .

[nicknorman]

Welcome, and you have my sympathies!

[magpie patrick]

Welcome LSW, I look forward to the alternative view!

 

There is always relief in the unStable Bar if you need time out... I don't think I've seen your husband there.

[dmr]

Not 100% convinced that solar was the best approach in your case but I am in a minority here!

I suspect you are a high electric usage but much cruising boat (like us) and solar is really best for boats that don't move much.

 

We have a TravelPower which is big 240volt alternator on the engine, so when the engine is running (for cruising or battery charging) then there is ample power for a washing machine and a good hair-drier. It should work the straighteners too though Gillies particular straighteners have just developed an allergy to our travelpower.

Travel power is not cheap but they do turn up on eBay from time to time. The old "black box" model is better than the new silver one. Fitting will also need a bit of engineering. If you plan on spending many years on the boat then I would start saving up!

A separate 12 volt fridge and freezer is possible but does use up the leccy. We have a combined fridge and freezer which is good. The freezer section is a decent size, though could be bigger. However a 12v fridge freezer is again a costly item.

 

If you can locate the kitchen sink next to a side hatch then washing the dishes by hand should be a pleasure!

 

You can sometimes get hotel rooms very very cheaply if you book in advance....probably cheaper than a spa, and you could get a night away from Dean and the kids thrown in!!!!!!!

 

..........Dave

[Albion]

Welcome Marielle but you have made one significant error (apart from marrying Dean that is ). You should have joined the forum before you got talked into moving on board and we could have told you that all his promises were somewhat far fetched (euphemism for impossible ).

Roger

[ditchcrawler]

Well that is someone else using the lap top as well as Dean and the kids. Bit more out of the batteries.

[Doorman]

Poor old Dean, he gets some stick on here but takes it in his stride. Welcome Marielle and forget any negatives you might receive from us lot, the best thing that you ever did (apart from marrying Dean that is), was to get on board and live the dream. It may be fraught with niggling problems, but by eck it's well worth overcoming these minor inconveniences just to sample the good life. I'll wager that you've never met such a diverse bunch of people as you do in the boating fraternity, that's what makes it so appealing. Just to add, we have a stand alone 12volt freezer that draws a maximum 7 amps of electrical energy. Our 136 watt solar panels cope with that and more. By coupling a 12volt timer to that and one to our fridge and programming both to go off between 11pm and 7am each day, saves quite a bit of battery life. Mike

Edited May 1, 2013 by Doorman

[RLWP]

Welcome Marielle, and if you need any help there are a lot of people with differing skills here. Therapists, counsellors, divorce lawyers, dating agencies

 

 

Richard

 

Seriously, welcome to the forum

[little duck!]

Hello, we have a little bit of solar and when on our travels ( hence giving the batteries plenty of charging) we have our fridge freezer on all the time, i got rid of the fridge the boat came with and got one with a bigger freezer compartment rather than those little ones that fit nothing in. On our most recent trip we were out for 10 days and i had enough fridge/freezer space to mean we didnt need to restock.

As for hair straightners, i have my days when i accept that i have "boat hair" i am prone to fly away frizzy hair, but i do have a pair of straightners which are gas powered, you can buy the refills from boots! Just a few compromises!

You have my sympathies though, as we don't liveaboard i can go home to power! I think i would struggle most with the washing.

Edited May 1, 2013 by little duck!

[larkshall]

Hello, and welcome. I thought that perhaps you were checking up on him?. You do actually describe my dilemna exactly. I am currently living off grid, relying on solar, and a generator. My biggest irk is the washing machine, and fridge and freezer. to my way of thinking solar isn't the solution for power users.

[smileypete]

Hello Marielle the LongSufferingWife, and welcome!

 

You had a lucky escape there as Dean was HELL BENT on spending all the life savings on half a megawatt of solar and the very latest MPPT controllers , forgetting that the cost of the connecting cables and brackets would have almost wiped out the food budget for a long time too!

 

Luckily after a lot of persuasion Dean has agreed to fit a more sensible amount of solar, so you must definitely book that long promised health spar treatment NOW!

 

cheers, Pete.

~smpt~

Edited May 1, 2013 by smileypete

[Grace and Favour]

Welcome Marielle,

 

We understand the problems you are encountering, Jo & I are liveaboards too, so appreciate that we all have to make some little sacrifices for the good of the family, (and sanity)

 

Now - if you'd do the 'decent thing', cancel your holiday with friends, and give Dean the cash he so badly needs for a proper solar set-up - we can all rest easy, and stop answering his interminable questions about making a 1kw power supply out of a couple of dodgy Chinese lego bricks, a toilet roll core and some sticky-backed plastic!

[RLWP]

Can you still buy sticky-backed plastic?

 

Richard

[Jamboat]

Can you still buy sticky-backed plastic?

 

Richard

Wilkinsons

[Grace and Favour]

Any colour one requires.....http://www.vinylwarehouse.co.uk/

[Tuscan]

Welcome , to stave off exactly these problems we have a large cocooned generator and are all electric, I am completely skint but do have clean clothes , cold wine, and hair driers etc. also have a large alternator off the engine. Get him to cruise each day then power and the countryside.

[David Mack]

Can you still buy sticky-backed plastic?

 

Richard

 

Or rubber solution glue?

[Gillie]

Hi Marielle...Nice to see you here and get the other side of the story!

 

We have lived aboard moving nearly all the time, apart from a few days here and there over the winter, for over 3 years

and I use my washer / dryer (full size) every week at least once, using it when we run the engine either to travel or charge batteries

we have a Travel power that magically produces 240 volts. when the engine runs so never drains the batteries at all

.I love the thing and never want to be without it (or the washing machine!)

[Grace and Favour]

Hi Marielle...Nice to see you here and get the other side of the story!

 

We have lived aboard moving nearly all the time, apart from a few days here and there over the winter, for over 3 years

and I use my washer / dryer (full size) every week at least once, using it when we run the engine either to travel or charge batteries

we have a Travel power that magically produces 240 volts. when the engine runs so never drains the batteries at all

.I love the thing and never want to be without it (or the washing machine!)

Aye - the Travel Power is a lovely bit of Kit - - but don't mention it to Marielle or Dean until they've finished setting up their solar - or life will get even more complicated for them - - (and for the sparkies on CWDF! )

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited to add: DOH!

Edited May 1, 2013 by Grace & Favour

[Doorman]

Aye - the Travel Power is a lovely bit of Kit - - but don't mention it to Marielle or Dean until they've finished setting up their solar - or life will get even more complicated for them - - (and for the sparkies on CWDF!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited to add: DOH!

Too late! I think Dave (Gillie's other half) has already suggested it. Eagerly awaits Dean's next post on the subject. :-)

[Gillie]

(and for the sparkies on CWDF! )

 

 

 

 

 

I bet all the sparkies here just love the 'Dean' challenges!

[Mick_B]

Hello, we have a little bit of solar and when on our travels ( hence giving the batteries plenty of charging) we have our fridge freezer on all the time, i got rid of the fridge the boat came with and got one with a bigger freezer compartment rather than those little ones that fit nothing in. On our most recent trip we were out for 10 days and i had enough fridge/freezer space to mean we didnt need to restock.

As for hair straightners, i have my days when i accept that i have "boat hair" i am prone to fly away frizzy hair, but i do have a pair of straightners which are gas powered, you can buy the refills from boots! Just a few compromises!

You have my sympathies though, as we don't liveaboard i can go home to power! I think i would struggle most with the washing.

You got a free boat with your fridge???? Nice one. Where did you buy it?

 

Welcome to the forum Marielle...

[Guest]

Welcome indeed - from Mr & Mrs. Dog House.

 

Jan (mrs Dog House) is as a member too but rarely if ever comes on here as she thinks I am on here more than enough for both of us.....I have no idea what she means....

 

She too demands the simple things in life like her hair looking good so she will would understand where you are coming from.

 

 

 

hair not her stoopid.....ed

Edited May 1, 2013 by The Dog House

[LongSufferingWife]

Thank you everyone for the welcome and all the thoughts.

 

The thoughts that steered in the direction of Travel Power etc.. are most appreciated, but had you perhaps mentioned shoes or makeup, you may have got more of a response from me I do know that the issue of "storage of shoes" has been much in discussion in the past. I am not technical at all, and leave that up to Dean, who is actually rather quite clever (I am sure that this comment will cause a few responses in light of the many, many questions he has asked over the last 2 years.

 

Moving on-board was most definitely a joint decision but one elicited by the Sunday hand-in-hand stroll along a poop-free towpath, in the sunshine and before I knew it.. we were facing a stern bank manager across a desk, signed on the dotted line.... oh.... and of course the promise of a monthly spa treatment!

 

In Dean's defence, he has worked really hard to provide power that is needed on board and I am sure that he could not done it without the responses of all you clever (if not cheeky) boaters.

 

It is good to hear that there are people who are sympathizing with me, although I think that I may just be getting some flack in the future but as I am a woman, surrounded by males (4) (not forgetting the first 6 months had my dad living on board as well - boy!!! was Dean longsuffering then), I think that I am allowed to voice my female opinions just a little. If I am not allowed to.. he aint' getting any .................................................................................. SUPPER!!!!!

[luctor et emergo]

Have you considered rigging up a dynamo on an exercise bike? That way you will have electric for your hair straightners (what they?) And Dean gets a workout. Everybody wins.