Batteries

[Guest]

9 hours ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

Anyway motor caravans also rely heavily on mains hook-ups at campsites,

No they don't.

 

That is why wild camping is more prevalent amongst motor homers than it is than amongst caravanners.

[rowland al]

6 minutes ago, MJG said:

No they don't.

 

That is why wild camping is more prevalent amongst motor homers than it is than amongst caravanners.

While you’re here Martin, someone told me that’s all overnight parking in public places (e.g lay-by’s is now illegal). 

 

Is this true?

 

I suppose it also comes down to enforcement again. I mean, how do you tell if a motor home parked outside a house are friends of a local resident, or ‘travellers’ (whatever that means)?  

[Guest]

4 minutes ago, rowland al said:

While you’re here Martin, someone told me that’s all overnight parking in public places (e.g lay-by’s is now illegal). 

 

Is this true?

No idea, I don't do it so don't need to know.

 

I do know some local authorities have imposed specific bans in specific locations eg sea front areas.

 

That suggests there may be places were it may be perfectly legal.

[GUMPY]

1 hour ago, MJG said:

That suggests there may be places were it may be perfectly legal.

In Appledore  north Devon motorhomes are encouraged to use the council car park.......on the seafront.

Never seen a tin tent stop there

Edited November 1, 2018 by Loddon

[Guest]

23 minutes ago, Loddon said:

In Appledore  north Devon motorhomes are encouraged to use the council car park.......on the seafront.

Never seen a tin tent stop there

Indeed, I'm sure there must be some.

[yabasayo]

On 01/11/2018 at 09:35, Athy said:

Why not?

Three ways to wreck a marine diesel engine:

1) Run it for extended periods on light load.

2) Don't run it at all.

3) Use the wrong specification of lube oil.

Edited November 4, 2018 by yabasayo
swopped grade for spec.

[dmr]

On 01/11/2018 at 20:32, Loddon said:

In Appledore  north Devon motorhomes are encouraged to use the council car park.......on the seafront.

Never seen a tin tent stop there

Bloke I used to work with described motorhomes as self propelling caravans!   Think he was referring to the coach built jobbies though rather than VW type machines.

 

.............Dave

[GUMPY]

1 hour ago, dmr said:

Bloke I used to work with described motorhomes as self propelling caravans!   Think he was referring to the coach built jobbies though rather than VW type machines.

 

.............Dave

Who mentioned VW? The ones in Appledore are motorhomes not campers.

[eid]

On 31/10/2018 at 20:04, Tony Brooks said:

First NEVER run the engine on tickover to charge batteries.

 

Is it OK to cruise on tickover?

[Stilllearning]

Motor homes are encouraged by local councils all over France, with free or low cost hookups in town centres. Motor home owners tend to be quite well off, and pend money in towns that need tourist revenue. Our motor home has a rather nice German built split charging system, and we have a solar panel, as being independent when possible just seems sensible.

Back on topic, has anyone any idea how the OP has got on with her charging problems?

[cuthound]

1 hour ago, eid said:

 

Is it OK to cruise on tickover?

 

Yes, especially past moored boats. ?

 

It is only when the batteries are flat and the alternator is working flat out that tickover is a bad idea, because the alternator will not then be turning fast enough to adequately cool itself.

Edited November 17, 2018 by cuthound
To add a smiley

[Tony Brooks]

2 hours ago, eid said:

 

Is it OK to cruise on tickover?

Yes, because you have added another 3 to 6 hp to the engine load, maybe more on a narrow, shallow canal. However from a battery charging point of view I woudl not do it for long periods and potentially an unde3rsized skin tank might give problems at low engaging speed.

[Chewbacka]

1 hour ago, Tony Brooks said:

Yes, because you have added another 3 to 6 hp to the engine load, maybe more on a narrow, shallow canal. However from a battery charging point of view I woudl not do it for long periods and potentially an unde3rsized skin tank might give problems at low engaging speed.

Beta in their latest owners manual for the 43 specifically warn against battery charging with an idling engine.

[roland elsdon]

Note no mains cable 

12 v fridge on, been here 3 days.

we are pretty much off grid 365 days a year,

van has more mains appliances than boat ( microwave/ aircon/ heater) if it gets really hot in jan or feb we sometimes use caravan park for aircon.

 

 

 

[philjw]

I spot a yellow cable in front of the van ?

[Alan de Enfield]

4 minutes ago, philjw said:

I spot a yellow cable in front of the van ?

Tow rope (because the battery was flat)

[Tony Brooks]

9 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Tow rope (because the battery was flat)

Like it but, I don't think tow ropes have blue plugs & sockets in line!

[Alan de Enfield]

53 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

Like it but, I don't think tow ropes have blue plugs & sockets in line!

Don't spoil the speculation by throwing in facts !

[eid]

On 17/11/2018 at 11:42, cuthound said:

 

Yes, especially past moored boats. ?

 

It is only when the batteries are flat and the alternator is working flat out that tickover is a bad idea, because the alternator will not then be turning fast enough to adequately cool itself.

Thanks.

On 17/11/2018 at 13:29, Tony Brooks said:

Yes, because you have added another 3 to 6 hp to the engine load, maybe more on a narrow, shallow canal. However from a battery charging point of view I woudl not do it for long periods and potentially an unde3rsized skin tank might give problems at low engaging speed.

Would you mind elaborating on that. What problem should I look out for, overheating engine?

[Tony Brooks]

9 minutes ago, eid said:

Thanks.

Would you mind elaborating on that. What problem should I look out for, overheating engine?

 

The volume of water per minute delivered by the cooling pump is proportional to the speed bot so is the load on the engine and hence the power and fuel required to maintain a given speed (a fouled prop with the engine running at idle speed but the throttle fully open to keep it running uses a similar amount of fuel and hence heat produced as when the boat is at full speed with no fouled prop). So at idle the flow through the cooling system will be low, however the load - fuel burned - heat produced will also be low so all should balance out. Now when you add more load but keep the revs the same the cooling flow will remain the same but the heat it needs to dump to the canal will increase so there is a possibility that with an undersized skin tank the engine may run hot or even overheat. Note, its a possibility, in no way a certainty.

 

I can not tell you all will definitely be well when it just might not be, especially as I have no idea about your boat.

 

The other problem that might occur is to do with charging. The alternator may overheat with flattish batteries and long periods running at idle lack of cooling air flow) and it won't be producing as much charge so if you charge by time rather than current flow you may be on the way to sulphated batteries.

[eid]

2 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

 

The volume of water per minute delivered by the cooling pump is proportional to the speed bot so is the load on the engine and hence the power and fuel required to maintain a given speed (a fouled prop with the engine running at idle speed but the throttle fully open to keep it running uses a similar amount of fuel and hence heat produced as when the boat is at full speed with no fouled prop). So at idle the flow through the cooling system will be low, however the load - fuel burned - heat produced will also be low so all should balance out. Now when you add more load but keep the revs the same the cooling flow will remain the same but the heat it needs to dump to the canal will increase so there is a possibility that with an undersized skin tank the engine may run hot or even overheat. Note, its a possibility, in no way a certainty.

 

I can not tell you all will definitely be well when it just might not be, especially as I have no idea about your boat.

 

The other problem that might occur is to do with charging. The alternator may overheat with flattish batteries and long periods running at idle lack of cooling air flow) and it won't be producing as much charge so if you charge by time rather than current flow you may be on the way to sulphated batteries.

Thank you, sir. That was very comprehensive.

[Chewbacka]

51 minutes ago, eid said:

Thank you, sir. That was very comprehensive.

The other problem with idle speed engine for charging is at low rpm there is a lot of low frequency vibration and ‘shock’ from combustion that puts an increased amount of shock loading into the pulley fixing on the end of the engine and the clutch pulley on the end of the alternator.  It is not as bad when cruising at very low rpm because there is a lot more mass from the drive train (gear box, flex coupling and prop shaft) that will help to dampen the vibrations.  Hence about 1200rpm for charging is much better.

[Tony Brooks]

1 hour ago, Chewbacka said:

The other problem with idle speed engine for charging is at low rpm there is a lot of low frequency vibration and ‘shock’ from combustion that puts an increased amount of shock loading into the pulley fixing on the end of the engine and the clutch pulley on the end of the alternator.  It is not as bad when cruising at very low rpm because there is a lot more mass from the drive train (gear box, flex coupling and prop shaft) that will help to dampen the vibrations.  Hence about 1200rpm for charging is much better.

I would disagree with 1200 rpm at first IF the ammeter shows you get a higher charge at higher revs. Once the charge falls so 1200 rpm is giving the highest charge I fully agree.

[MtB]

1 hour ago, Tony Brooks said:

I would disagree with 1200 rpm at first IF the ammeter shows you get a higher charge at higher revs. Once the charge falls so 1200 rpm is giving the highest charge I fully agree.

 

 

None of my engines will go anything LIKE as fast as 1,200rpm, even flat out!

[Tony Brooks]

15 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

 

None of my engines will go anything LIKE as fast as 1,200rpm, even flat out!

Accepted but I think most feel that if you have  a vintage engine you will be far more likely to understand the concept.