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I got slightly worried yesterday evening. The owners who were on board MS this week, but who could only use part of their week, reported that the batteries didn’t appear to be charging properly and lights were flickering when not on shore power. Luckily for the syndicate, the guys at Horning Pleasurecraft have already checked things out and discovered it was due to a loose wire on one of the batteries. That’s a good outcome. Much better than having to shell out for new batteries!

I saw the thread at the top of the list of posts at 9pm and thought ‘oh no, I’ve missed the quiz’. Then realised it’s only Thursday! Hopefully I’ll be in a spot with good signal tomorrow night.

Brilliant! This is a fantastic project and I look forward to following your progress I've repaired many wooden boats some very extensively but never built one from scratch but always had the desire Thanks for sharing best regards

Will hopefully be there Bern.

We say we'll done you. Not a job for the faint hearted. Only thing I would do is go and pick up the parts on my own as if Marge is in Argos there is always something she needs while we are there . To know your way around an alternator is a big string to your bow it will probably help with starters as well. Kindest Regards Marge and Parge

There'd be a reason for that! Take a closer look.

Keep it all quiet down the Local Gracie incase you apply for a chef's job. Kindest Regards Marge and Parge

Yes, it is like talking to friends in the pub. In fact MT, or whatever your name is you probably know more about me than my friends down the pub. I also would just like to add that I like your ever changing Avatar even though I keep reading Mophead and yes, this is a friendly forum, long may it continue too. Grace

Pleased to say that one year on from the original post, He/She is still visiting the boats who moor on Wroxham island. From its interactions I would say that it had a lot of human interaction when it was younger, as it has no fear of us and will take a sardine from your hand

Hi Bikertov, Front bearing = £5.23 each Rear bearing = £3.86 each Slip ring = £12.84 each Regulator (including Brushes) = £24.99 each (though brushes only would have been £3.55 a set if I could have got them out of the regulator - which I might still try and do once I know everything works ok!) So all in, abt £50 per unit, and as @dom said, if you have the time and patience then why not have a go and learn a bit along the way. Kept me from under Mrs Karizma's feet for a few days anyway Finally, it will be interesting to see if I get an increase in output from each of the alternators? though I'm not expecting one as I did this only as preventative maintenance.

I don't remember Richard ever posting on this forum that he moored at OBYS. It might have been common knowledge amongst those that know him and then posted about the last time they stopped and had a chat with him and where they were when it happened etc, and bit by bit it became common knowledge, but was it with his permission? or blessing? This is a friendly forum and that leads many to believe they are having a chat with friends down the pub and letting slip far too much personal information. I liken it more to people having a chat in the Big Brother household with about two or three thousand people watching in from home. It annoys at least one forum member that I occasionally change my forum name or picture. That is part of my privacy and my personal choice and i have my own reasons for doing so. Those who know me know who I am and I make no secret of it.

Erm - I didn’t other than Lake Lothing (which is a fair size) It was common knowledge where his boat was moored at OBYS Griff

Interesting how you have gone for a DIY refurb. You say an exchange item would be around £150, so what would you say you have spent on parts for the refurb ?

I've changed plenty of brushes in the past, but I can't recall ever having replaced a set of bearings - probably largely because anything I saw was already dead/dying and it was far simpler to just fit a new unit. I suspect it'd be uneconomical to do commercially, unless you're running a dedicated operation. £150/6 hours = £25/hr, which isn't generally anything like a viable labour rate for a business taking costs and parts into consideration. That's assuming you're charging £150 - in reality, it'd need to be significantly less. I've spent quite a lot of time trying to explain this type of thing to customers in the past, especially with things like CD players, with a high cost, but where repairs are very demanding. Good way to save several £100s doing it DIY though, if you've got the time and patience.

I agree, not sure how much someone would charge for servicing an alternator like what I've just done?, but there cant be a lot of money in it as a completely new one (like for like) only cost abt £150 each.

Hi Smoggy, Agree completely. I only use reputable UK suppliers, that usually have a main website and also an eBay offering. The main reason for using eBay is their option to have items delivered to a local Argos store for pick up - super convenient when you don't want to stay in all day for a delivery. SKF, NTN and FAG are my 'go to' manufactures - I use to deal with bearing manufactures when I worked for a large uk aero engine manufacturer and if they use them for their aero engines, hopefully they'll be ok for my alternators

Panks Auto Electrical on Heigham Street in Norwich always used to be a good place to try for parts. It's been a lot of years since I last used them though, so not sure whether that still applies. I suspect the number of people outside professional remanufacturers doing this type of work is probably tiny these days.

A reminder, Please don't disclose on open forum where someone is moored. That is for them to say if they wish.

I hate to say it but ebay bearings would worry me, there's millions of cheap chinese bearings about all with fake packaging and substandard metals, I would go to a reputable bearing supplier (often on the local industrial estate) and specify SKF or similar, they will be standard sizes and possibly off the shelf, same with seals. I've seen bearings you can put in a vice and bend both races and balls, they should shatter.

Access when stern on looks to be good, as the bathing platform is central, so the raised sides would be helpful at somewhere like Rockland where there tidal rise and fall make access for us a little awkward sometimes. However, where we benefit from the bathing platform extending to both sides, is when moored side on. At most locations on the northern rivers as well as a few on the southern side, it’s easier to step on to it from the bank. As I said, swings and roundabouts - as with all boats, there’s always a compromise somewhere.

https://www.northnorfolknews.co.uk/news/24256984.horning-post-office-saved-tidings-newsagents/?ref=eb&nid=2399&block=article_block_a&u=c160d74be8c30ff96c1e228a4a7f5f71&date=180424

One of the things I like about Moonlight Shadow is how the gunnels (or whatever they are called, I mean the outer ‘walkways’) slope down from bow to stern, which does help when the river is particularly low or high.

Thank you all for the info.

though I'll not start celebrating until I know they work !!!!!!

Hi Grendel, The first one took me nearly a week to do ...... the 2nd one was done in 6 hours today. Pretty easy when you know how and have all the tools out and available.