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Electric Cards For BA Moorings


Scotty

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2 hours ago, 750XL said:

We left our £5 worth of cards (which we hadn't managed to use) on board for the next people taking the boat - thinking we wouldn't be back to the Broads within the next 12 months. 

Bit of a thread drift, perhaps, but I see all Herbert Woods boats use diesel warm air heating. Does this use much (if any?) battery power? 

It can be,depending on how long you run it and high you have the temp set. 

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45 minutes ago, OldBerkshireBoy said:

Good point however would expect that draw to be pretty low much like a fan on a computer or am I wide of the mark.

Much more powerful fan than a PC fan as it has to push air a long way at times down quite a large bore pipe. Often 75mm or 80mm ducting. There is also a glow plug at startup which draws a lot. This is the main reason why some yards advise running the engine when starting the heater. A failed ignition will cause the heater to power back down again.

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6 minutes ago, Meantime said:

Much more powerful fan than a PC fan as it has to push air a long way at times down quite a large bore pipe. Often 75mm or 80mm ducting. There is also a glow plug at startup which draws a lot. This is the main reason why some yards advise running the engine when starting the heater. A failed ignition will cause the heater to power back down again.

We hired one of the Brinks Duet’s a few years back and the warm air heating would stop a minute or so after we tried to start it each time. Did call the boatyard a few times but we gave up in the end.

 

Come to think of it, don’t think we had the engine running each time we tried to start (generally at night). I wonder if this was the reason. 

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Just now, 750XL said:

We hired one of the Brinks Duet’s a few years back and the warm air heating would stop a minute or so after we tried to start it each time. Did call the boatyard a few times but we gave up in the end.

 

Come to think of it, don’t think we had the engine running each time we tried to start (generally at night). I wonder if this was the reason. 

That was more than likely the reason for the failed start. I should have added that if your batteries are in good condition, well maintained and topped up, then you shouldn't need to start the engine, but the current drain is at it's highest at startup and running the engine will always mask any battery issues.

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22 minutes ago, Meantime said:

Much more powerful fan than a PC fan as it has to push air a long way at times down quite a large bore pipe. Often 75mm or 80mm ducting. There is also a glow plug at startup which draws a lot. This is the main reason why some yards advise running the engine when starting the heater. A failed ignition will cause the heater to power back down again.

Realised the fan and ducting over distance as soon as I hit Submit. :facepalm:

Didnt know the glow drew much, makes sense though. 

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11 hours ago, 750XL said:

Bit of a thread drift, perhaps, but I see all Herbert Woods boats use diesel warm air heating. Does this use much (if any?) battery power? 

Warm air heaters do use a bit of current when initially starting up, but once you are running the draw is negligible. Good advice is to run the engine, or be on shore power, when starting the heating. 

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I've hired a few boats where the heating has failed to start unless the engine was running. I've been told the fan is a huge drain on the batteries after a while. I'm not one for hiring a boat in the hight of summer ( rivers are too busy ) and as I get older the need for a good heating system creeps up my check list. So shore power is a big tick for me, I've no need for a hairdryer etc my wife will manage with using shore based showers and the like for drying her hair if she has to. But shore power gives her the option to stay aboard  a nice cosy warm boat to do her thing,without the fear of everything shuting down. Just makes the holiday a bit more comfortable all round. 

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11 hours ago, 750XL said:

We left our £5 worth of cards (which we hadn't managed to use) on board for the next people taking the boat - thinking we wouldn't be back to the Broads within the next 12 months. 

Bit of a thread drift, perhaps, but I see all Herbert Woods boats use diesel warm air heating. Does this use much (if any?) battery power? 

Mine hits around 2 to 3 amps after ignition, just fan and pump. 

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13 hours ago, Lulu said:

Us too 

And us.  We bought about 25 cards from Broom when we were starting one of our allocated weeks on Moonlight Shadow a couple of years ago (before we bought Norfolk Lady) and are still using them.

We obviously weren’t expecting to use them all in one week, but we just bought them whilst they were available.

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5 hours ago, Mouldy said:

And us.  We bought about 25 cards from Broom when we were starting one of our allocated weeks on Moonlight Shadow a couple of years ago (before we bought Norfolk Lady) and are still using them.

We obviously weren’t expecting to use them all in one week, but we just bought them whilst they were available.

We bought 10 of the old cards only for them to change them for contactless before we could use them.  

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We moor in Horning and I usually buy the cards from Tidings shop which is near the Staithe.. More often than not there is sufficient left by the previous person who moored wherever we are. The most we use on a 24 hour mooring is about 65p when staying overnight. 

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I usually get ours from the BA information place in Wroxham (Hoveton!). 

1 hour ago, PaulN said:

The most we use on a 24 hour mooring is about 65p when staying overnight

We’re very similar to that and invariably find ample left on the post. There have been times when there has been £1+ on the post so I guess someone has not checked before adding their card. 
Beccles is a strange one, not BA of course. You put as much cash as you want on one of their own cards, however, what you don’t use is lost as they apparently ‘zeroise’ each post on a daily basis. 

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37 minutes ago, vanessan said:

I usually get ours from the BA information place in Wroxham (Hoveton!). 

We’re very similar to that and invariably find ample left on the post. There have been times when there has been £1+ on the post so I guess someone has not checked before adding their card. 
Beccles is a strange one, not BA of course. You put as much cash as you want on one of their own cards, however, what you don’t use is lost as they apparently ‘zeroise’ each post on a daily basis. 

At Beccles, you can keep the power and use it next time. Hang onto the card and before you leave press the red button on the meter and hold it in, put the card back in, you should hear it click. Remove the card and release the red button. You can now use it next time, (just don't accumulate the cards on board, as they like them back). The instructions are actually on the meter. I didn't spot this, my wife did. As you know, it's the girls that read the instructions when you get something new, they ruin all the fun of spending the odd hour figuring out how something works.

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On 29/07/2021 at 16:48, CambridgeCabby said:

Sadly I’ve still got two of the dedicated Ludham bridge electric cards , often joke with Nick that he owes me £2 when I see him 

Me too! Also got some WRC cards that I’m unlikely to use😎

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