Jump to content

Electricity At Moorings


tjg1677

Recommended Posts

20 minutes ago, Bound2Please said:

I also noticed quite a few of the wild mooring on the Ant were all taped off and yellow posts put in the ground. Others it looked like the tape had been ripped down and the posts slung up the bank.

Is there a reason for this tapping off?

Charlie

Elfin Safety at a guess.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Two years back we discovered during our November trip with Uncle Albert that not only were many of the contact points to buy tokens were closed...but the ones that were open had no tokens as the BA had collected them all from them in October. Hence my push to make sure that on her relaunch Royal Tudor is reliant only on gas, diesel and water as originally intended.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, MauriceMynah said:

That's an interesting point about these "electric posts", more necessary out of season, more used in season. Poor old BA... Damned if they do, damned if they don't.

One has to ask why this course of action was needed, the old card readers worked in a fashion they were already paid for. 

It would be interesting to see what the true costs are for this venture, my guesstimate would be around £300 to £500 per post once all the costs have come in.

Regards

Alan

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On my recent outing, I noticed the Contractors putting back the posts at Potter Heigham - I think they were called 'Elektra' and noticed the post that was being put back looked very grubby and a lot of green growth on it, so I asked the chap what was up and was told the posts had been removed to install, where needed new RCD's and card readers and check them for safety - the rest are all original.

Now, I don't know what the new cards will be like or indeed how the new card readers look as once it was put back the post was tapped up with a notice saying it was out of use - I can only presume they may allow for an easier change of the rate at which the electricity is 'sold' at perhaps the cards a tad more secure or have the ability to expire sooner or come in different values.

If absolutely nothing at all changes then I would wonder what the point of this exercise has been as surly a new RCD and card reader could have been installed without the need for the post itself to be removed. 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, NonTecky said:

It will be interesting to see if the posts are working again for Easter..... If not I fear lots of engines running!

Bearing in mind that Easter is late this year so more chance that Spring will finally be here, that the boating season traditionally starts in Easter and that boats never used to run engines endlessly before the arrival of the electric posts, I would hope that even if the posts aren't in operation by Easter, that we can all enjoy a quiet and peaceful start to the year.

My understanding regarding the card readers is that they are now obsolete and since they couldn't have two different sets of cards and readers in use, the decision was taken to replace them all. Off course an authority without an endless pot of our money might have taken a different course. If it was my business I would have replaced all the card readers on The Northern Broads and used the old readers as spares for The Southern Broads. Depending upon where the card retailer was based I would then supply them with the appropriate cards for North or South and some leaflets to hand to customers explaining that depending where they intend cruising they might need a stock of two differing styles of card. As long as the cards are fully refundable, if not used, then the only slight inconvenience to the customer is having to carry two different types of card. For the authority half the capital expenditure on new card readers and cheap spares for a few years until they run out and then they replace the remaining card readers.

I agree the above scheme isn't perfect, but in a world where money is in short supply compromises should be made, else the authority might feel the need to increase tolls by more than the rate of inflation, which they wouldn't do, would they? :shocked:facepalm:

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

My understanding of the new card readers which read plastic based cards (they may even be contact less cards) is that they be able to have credit put back onto them unlike the paper cards that were used in the past.

We might find the only bins on the Broads will be for recycling the new used cards.

Regards

Alan 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, LondonRascal said:

Steady on, I mean that is like hoping for turning up a mooring, tapping your contactless card on the reader and being debited £1.00 from your account - alas, that would be too much to hope for.

 

 

Hi Robin,

No such luck, my guess is that if they are contact less cards we will be lucky if the credit goes on the correct meter.

 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

How do you use the Electric posts? (trivial I know) I have a feeling that they may be different than the last ones (which i have never used), I do however think that they may be installing a system the likes of "Ecotrisities" electric highways, (for electric cars) where you buy a card and top it up when you need it, thus meaning you need an account as they may allow use of mobile phone (in fact they may encourage it).

Just a thought 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Last week I spent 4 nights on Brinks Serenade (Blog and Video Review coming soon) and this boat really is the dog’s wotsits when it comes to pushing the envelope so far as power and amenities on a boat go. It also made me question why so many seem to need electricity posts anyway.

Now I am none too sure about the capacity of the battery system on this boat, but it is pretty big – importantly everything is run on 24v too which roughly halves the amount of Amps being consumed by anything from the lights, heating or electric toilet to the inverter for the electric oven and hob.  

Naturally in order to replenish the power used from the batteries needs a special charging system, and the boat is equipped with dual alternators that put out something close to 2Kw at full load – all this power is naturally controlled by various electronic monitoring systems.  The inverter is capable of proving 5Kw of 240v power – that is more than the boat can draw even if it was plugged into a 16Amp post.

This is really is good news since the boat can, within just 3 or 4 hours replenish all the power used from the previous day but also because the engine is so well insulated with sound absorbing material and has an underwater exhaust even if it was to be run at a mooring from a few feet away is virtually inaudible to other boaters.

But...Imagine if you had all this capacity but a far smaller engine, an engine that actually did not do anything more than help re-charge batteries in an emergency.  I am not talking of the set up Barnes Brinkcraft already have with their Rhapsody cruisers which are ‘Hybrid’ because really they are not truly Hybrid at all at least when you compare them to a Hybrid vehicle, but if their could be some joined up thinking electric boating could really come about.

The main issue is the electric posts were first put in at several moorings to try and ‘kick start’ electric cruising.  The issue was they used standard 16 or 32 Amp connectors, and before long many boaters had got used to plugging in their boats to these amenities. Electric cruisers vanished and now are just for a few day boats here and there.  Meantime in the world of vehicles you have various manufactures chasing the ‘electric dream’ and this can only work if the charging infrastructure is there. 

What is needed on the Broads therefore are charging stations – just like that you see in many roads and service stations now, they not only have a bespoke charging socket but they communicate with whatever vehicle is being charged. In short, people cannot just turn up with any old lead and ‘nick’ the electricity. If such were to be in locations on the Broads, then it would mean that boatyards building new boats could invest in true electric propulsion and such posts would and could only be used by electric craft – sure keep the ‘legacy’ electric posts too but if people are serious about greener boating this is the only way the diesel engine is going to begin disappearing from hire boats.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Part of what London Rascal said  with my interruptions 

" But...Imagine if you had all this capacity but a far smaller engine, an engine that actually did not do anything more than help re-charge batteries in an emergency.  I am not talking of the set up Barnes Brinkcraft already have with their Rhapsody cruisers which are ‘Hybrid’ because really they are not truly Hybrid at all at least when you compare them to a Hybrid vehicle, but if their could be some joined up thinking electric boating could really come about.

That's exactly what I've got, 24 batteries, a 48V 3kW generator, solar panels and the cables / chargers  to charge up from a post if I can.

The main issue is the electric posts were first put in at several moorings to try and ‘kick start’ electric cruising.  The issue was they used standard 16 or 32 Amp connectors, and before long many boaters had got used to plugging in their boats to these amenities. Electric cruisers vanished and now are just for a few day boats here and there.  Not quite, there are quite a few around the place,  Motorboats and sailing boats with electric auxiliaries, we're just quiet about it...  Meantime in the world of vehicles you have various manufactures chasing the ‘electric dream’ and this can only work if the charging infrastructure is there. 

What is needed on the Broads therefore are charging stations – just like that you see in many roads and service stations now, they not only have a bespoke charging socket but they communicate with whatever vehicle is being charged. In short, people cannot just turn up with any old lead and ‘nick’ the electricity. If such were to be in locations on the Broads, then it would mean that boatyards building new boats could invest in true electric propulsion and such posts would and could only be used by electric craft – sure keep the ‘legacy’ electric posts too but if people are serious about greener boating this is the only way the diesel engine is going to begin disappearing from hire boats.

I think a GREAT MANY MORE POSTS  that do both jobs would sort the problem. Problem for the moment is if a hire boat was all electric it could not be guarantee  access to posts, if they are there, but for most areas there are no posts at all.

For a large proportion of the public the posts would have to be at pubs, since you can't make a profit from the posts and they are expensive to fit and maintain, pubs won't fit them...

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, TheQ said:

Part of what London Rascal said  with my interruptions 

" But...Imagine if you had all this capacity but a far smaller engine, an engine that actually did not do anything more than help re-charge batteries in an emergency.  I am not talking of the set up Barnes Brinkcraft already have with their Rhapsody cruisers which are ‘Hybrid’ because really they are not truly Hybrid at all at least when you compare them to a Hybrid vehicle, but if their could be some joined up thinking electric boating could really come about.

That's exactly what I've got, 24 batteries, a 48V 3kW generator, solar panels and the cables / chargers  to charge up from a post if I can.

The main issue is the electric posts were first put in at several moorings to try and ‘kick start’ electric cruising.  The issue was they used standard 16 or 32 Amp connectors, and before long many boaters had got used to plugging in their boats to these amenities. Electric cruisers vanished and now are just for a few day boats here and there.  Not quite, there are quite a few around the place,  Motorboats and sailing boats with electric auxiliaries, we're just quiet about it...  Meantime in the world of vehicles you have various manufactures chasing the ‘electric dream’ and this can only work if the charging infrastructure is there. 

What is needed on the Broads therefore are charging stations – just like that you see in many roads and service stations now, they not only have a bespoke charging socket but they communicate with whatever vehicle is being charged. In short, people cannot just turn up with any old lead and ‘nick’ the electricity. If such were to be in locations on the Broads, then it would mean that boatyards building new boats could invest in true electric propulsion and such posts would and could only be used by electric craft – sure keep the ‘legacy’ electric posts too but if people are serious about greener boating this is the only way the diesel engine is going to begin disappearing from hire boats.

I think a GREAT MANY MORE POSTS  that do both jobs would sort the problem. Problem for the moment is if a hire boat was all electric it could not be guarantee  access to posts, if they are there, but for most areas there are no posts at all.

For a large proportion of the public the posts would have to be at pubs, since you can't make a profit from the posts and they are expensive to fit and maintain, pubs won't fit them...

Hi Q,

Coldham Hall and the Waters Edge both have electric points on their stagings for customers also the Ferry at Surlingham has some points available.

Regards

Alan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

36 minutes ago, ranworthbreeze said:

Hi Q,

Coldham Hall and the Waters Edge both have electric points on their stagings for customers also the Ferry at Surlingham has some points available.

Regards

Alan

In addition The New Inn at Horning and The Bridge Inn at Acle have power points. The Lord Nelson at Reedham used to have one, not sure if it's still there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Gallipoli said:

How do you use the Electric posts? (trivial I know) I have a feeling that they may be different than the last ones (which i have never used), I do however think that they may be installing a system the likes of "Ecotrisities" electric highways, (for electric cars) where you buy a card and top it up when you need it, thus meaning you need an account as they may allow use of mobile phone (in fact they may encourage it).

Just a thought 

I don't think so. My understanding is that they will be used on similar lines as previously only the cards will be plastic. We shall see anyway. I just hope the replacement will run as scheduled otherwise we are going to see a lot of rather unhappy bunnies over Easter. And I don't like the thought of unhappy Easter bunnies! :273_rabbit2: :209_rabbit:  

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

when it comes to electric boats, I think the biggest problem with them is the life of the battery, though i have done some "back of the envelope" calculations and (my Maths isn't the best) on an old centre cockpit (merrymoore size) with the best Li-ion batteries COULD POSSIBLY last for 1 1/2 days in a best use scenario (note i was using Tesla cars and motors as a reference and only using the floor-space benithe the cockpit to house the Batteries as there would be no engine) ATM the one thing holding back fully electric boating and also the cost.

This is a ROUGH calculated ESTIMATE 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Found an update on the BA website:

 

Broads Authority moorings, electric pillar meter upgrade, update 17 March 2017

Work has been progressing well with the new meter installation programme. The original plan to open the upgraded electric pillars to the public is still in on track. The full completion date remains 31 March 2017. Please note that the new-style contactless cards will not be available to the public until work is fully completed on all sites, and also fully tested. Please check this page for updates. Full details will be published as soon as cards are available for purchase. Thank you for your patience and we apologise for any inconvenience during these essential works.

For further details please call the Broads Authority tolls office on 01603 756080 or email tolls@broads-authority.gov.uk.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

For details of our Guidelines, please take a look at the Terms of Use here.