Good Evening All,
I popped down to the boat today to do a few jobs. It's amazing how time flies when you are tinkering around with your boat.
So, I have realised a few things today and I need your expert advise again please.
I would like to fit a solar panel as I dont have shore power and am having to run the engine to charge the batteries. My boat has two leisure batteries, plus a smaller one for starting the engine. I found them today whilst looking at all my cubby holes for storage and working out what to put where (This was great fun, I have had such a good day)
The leisure batteries are Bosch S4 010 (740A / 80Ah).
The boat has a battery level indicator, but not one to show what the current usage is. Which is inconvenient, but I can go back with a multimeter and see what each device uses. My guess is the fridge is the main thing. I haven't been using it as I am worried about killing the batteries. I don't have anything entertainment wise that uses power. So it's just onboard instruments, lights, fridge, etc. I have no idea what size solar panel I need or where to put it. What size do you have on your boat?
Whilst thinking about this, this evening at home I thought this place (see attached), not sure what thats called. Companion way cover (or something like that?)
Would a panel on this be sufficient in terms of the power it can put out? Looking on Amazon, there are a lot of choices with Charge Controllers. I have seen a few videos on Youtube of people installing them and I think its something I could do myself.
My second question is about the toilet. My boat has a jabsco toilet fitted. At the back of the unit is a valve to change it from the waste holding tank, to out to sea. I have tried it both ways, but can not work out which way is which. Is there an easy way to tell? Also, there is a panel at the back of the boat (see the other attachment) I am sure during the hand over I was told there is some kind of switch or valve for emptying the holding tank. (Also warned to be far out to sea doing this). Perhaps if anyone has a similar setup can advise?
Lastly, my boat has a diesel heater, like what people use in a lorry overnight. I don't know very much about them. It was only today that I was looking through the paperwork and figured out what the strange dial is. Does this use battery power as well as diesel to run?
I am sorry for all the questions, this is very new to me and I am trying to learn as quickly as I can.
Many thanks
Andy
I popped down to the boat today to do a few jobs. It's amazing how time flies when you are tinkering around with your boat.
So, I have realised a few things today and I need your expert advise again please.
I would like to fit a solar panel as I dont have shore power and am having to run the engine to charge the batteries. My boat has two leisure batteries, plus a smaller one for starting the engine. I found them today whilst looking at all my cubby holes for storage and working out what to put where (This was great fun, I have had such a good day)
The leisure batteries are Bosch S4 010 (740A / 80Ah).
The boat has a battery level indicator, but not one to show what the current usage is. Which is inconvenient, but I can go back with a multimeter and see what each device uses. My guess is the fridge is the main thing. I haven't been using it as I am worried about killing the batteries. I don't have anything entertainment wise that uses power. So it's just onboard instruments, lights, fridge, etc. I have no idea what size solar panel I need or where to put it. What size do you have on your boat?
Whilst thinking about this, this evening at home I thought this place (see attached), not sure what thats called. Companion way cover (or something like that?)
Would a panel on this be sufficient in terms of the power it can put out? Looking on Amazon, there are a lot of choices with Charge Controllers. I have seen a few videos on Youtube of people installing them and I think its something I could do myself.
My second question is about the toilet. My boat has a jabsco toilet fitted. At the back of the unit is a valve to change it from the waste holding tank, to out to sea. I have tried it both ways, but can not work out which way is which. Is there an easy way to tell? Also, there is a panel at the back of the boat (see the other attachment) I am sure during the hand over I was told there is some kind of switch or valve for emptying the holding tank. (Also warned to be far out to sea doing this). Perhaps if anyone has a similar setup can advise?
Lastly, my boat has a diesel heater, like what people use in a lorry overnight. I don't know very much about them. It was only today that I was looking through the paperwork and figured out what the strange dial is. Does this use battery power as well as diesel to run?
I am sorry for all the questions, this is very new to me and I am trying to learn as quickly as I can.
Many thanks
Andy
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