How Busy Can It Get?

[Vaughan]

38 minutes ago, MargeandParge said:

Vaughan mentioned gear boxes I know some should not be on tick over for long periods of time in neutral as the primary shaft turns without lubrication .

This is getting off the subject of poor old MM's batteries, but I think you have heard this one "back to front".

All "hydro mechanical" boxes such as PRM, Borg Warner or TMP have an oil pump driven by the drive shaft - that is the input shaft from the engine.  They are called hydro mechanical as when they are in gear, the clutch plates are held together by oil pressure.  A Hurth or old fashionioned Parsons box is pure mechanical, with the clutch engaged by a spring, where moving parts are splash fed from the sump and they do not have an oil pump.

What you must not do is tow a boat with a PRM or Borg Warner box, without stopping the prop shaft from turning free in the slipstream of the propellor.  In that case, with the engine not running, the internal parts are not being lubricated, as the drive shaft is not running.

I have never heard of possible damage to a marine gearbox, simply by running the engine in neutral.

[Karizma]

4 hours ago, Vaughan said:

What you must not do is tow a boat with a PRM or Borg Warner box, without stopping the prop shaft from turning free in the slipstream of the propellor.  In that case, with the engine not running, the internal parts are not being lubricated, as the drive shaft is not running.

Wow I've never read or heard this before. I have a PRM gearbox (PRM 160D2), so I'm now a little more educated, as long as I remember!

Every day is a school day

[Vaughan]

14 hours ago, MargeandParge said:

Vaughan mentioned gear boxes I know some should not be on tick over for long periods of time in neutral as the primary shaft turns without lubrication .

I have been thinking about this and what Marge and Parge says could be quite true.  The Hurth gearbox may only be splash fed when the gears are engaged.  I have hired out a lot of boats with these boxes when I worked for Locaboat and they are supplied as standard by Nanni in France.  They are simple and very reliable.

I have never known of any trouble with this and and the company, who have used them for years, never spoke of it. All the same, all our boats had shore power and were always plugged in on the yard when not on hire.

Well worth thinking about!  Anyone with a Hurth box should perhaps ask Peachments in Brundall, who are the Nanni agents.

[MargeandParge]

I think that TCM should not be run for long periods on neutral I am not sure

Regards Marge and Parge 

[Vaughan]

1 hour ago, MargeandParge said:

think that TCM should not be run for long periods on neutral I am not sure

I don't have any experience of a TCM I am afraid, so can't help on that one.

[grendel]

to go back to MM's thick cable, its clear to me that this is the 12v, because if it had been the 240V wire that suddenly reconnected, then there would have been no flashing lights at all on the Victron as it would have been without power, therefore it must be the 12V side.

[annv]

This also applys to automatic vehicles they shouldn't be towed any distance as lubrication pump is driven by the first motion shaft. John

[MauriceMynah]

Oh dear, once again I find myself asking you all for advice. 

I wish to acquire a pan. It will be very heavy cast iron, square or rectangular, and have a folding handle. I would like it to have those ridges to keep the food out of the oil. Its the sort of thing that people cook steaks on.

No sign of anything like it in Roy's and Amazon showed something similar which I bought, but it was so "lightweight " it could have been pressed alloy.

My dear friends, where should I look for such an item?

[Gracie]

Our resident chef Ian will probably know better but the George Foreman range of cookware is supposed to be very good, although pricey I think. I wouldn't know of course, I don't use pans that often  x

[Vaughan]

Susie always prefers TEFAL pans, which can be bought on line.

edited to add:

Don't ask me as my catering skills are limited to putting sugar on my Corn Flakes.

[Mouldy]

41 minutes ago, MauriceMynah said:

Oh dear, once again I find myself asking you all for advice. 

I wish to acquire a pan. It will be very heavy cast iron, square or rectangular, and have a folding handle. I would like it to have those ridges to keep the food out of the oil. Its the sort of thing that people cook steaks on.

No sign of anything like it in Roy's and Amazon showed something similar which I bought, but it was so "lightweight " it could have been pressed alloy.

My dear friends, where should I look for such an item?

https://www.blackrockgrill.com/products/cast-iron-fajita-sizzler-pan-with-wooden-base-and-handle?variant=43991888429289&&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&ppc_keyword=&gclid=Cj0KCQiA0oagBhDHARIsAI-Bbgd_9g4o95Qn-IifxJn_GVi1HreCQ8x50wLC2bqVfQ8UfSFIchmgbmkaAt-KEALw_wcB
 

Something like this?

[ranworthbreeze]

42 minutes ago, MauriceMynah said:

Oh dear, once again I find myself asking you all for advice. 

I wish to acquire a pan. It will be very heavy cast iron, square or rectangular, and have a folding handle. I would like it to have those ridges to keep the food out of the oil. Its the sort of thing that people cook steaks on.

No sign of anything like it in Roy's and Amazon showed something similar which I bought, but it was so "lightweight " it could have been pressed alloy.

My dear friends, where should I look for such an item?

Hello MM, 

I have tried a few pans with ridges in the past and have always ditched them for standard frying pans because they are more trouble than they are worth.

 

[Mouldy]

Just noticed that the first one had no ridges.  How about this?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Typhoon-Solutions-Folding-Handle-Chargriller/dp/B0009RDCS6?th=1

[Meantime]

33 minutes ago, ranworthbreeze said:

Hello MM, 

I have tried a few pans with ridges in the past and have always ditched them for standard frying pans because they are more trouble than they are worth.

 

They tend to be a problem if not used correctly. If you put a steak or tuna loin into one of those pans it is likely to stick to the ridges due to not being able to oil the pan first as it just ends up between the ridges. The secret is to lightly rub the oil onto the steak first on both sides before putting it into the pan. The food won't stick and and fat that cooks out will end up between the ridges, thus you end up with a healthier steak. Its a tip I use on normal pans as well. Oil the steak not the pan.

[grendel]

what, you didnt try the emporium of tat that is Lathams, they actually doo have some decent cooking pans

 

[MargeandParge]

7 hours ago, Meantime said:

They tend to be a problem if not used correctly. If you put a steak or tuna loin into one of those pans it is likely to stick to the ridges due to not being able to oil the pan first as it just ends up between the ridges. The secret is to lightly rub the oil onto the steak first on both sides before putting it into the pan. The food won't stick and and fat that cooks out will end up between the ridges, thus you end up with a healthier steak. Its a tip I use on normal pans as well. Oil the steak not the pan.

Factor 30 usually stops the burn 

Kindest Regards Marge and Parge 

[lurcher]

Thanks Meantime,i will give mine another go

[Meantime]

I would suggest without the factor 30 though! 

[MauriceMynah]

Thanks for the second link Mouldy, have ordered one. 

[MauriceMynah]

Many thanks Mouldy,  pan arrived yesterday. Exactly what I was after. 

[MauriceMynah]

Now here's the thing. I was moored at Sutton staithe over last weekend (on the green and yes,sorry all, I did overstay a bit) and I plugged into one of the power points. I was rather surprised to find my £1 card lasted only 5 hours.

It was a tad chilly so I wasn't holding back on using the Watts but I was still struck at how little I received for my money. 

I know how much I use on my home mooring and it seems to me to be far cheaper there. 

I'm sure I've asked this before somewhere on the forum but do we actually know how much the BA is charging per Kwh?

[grendel]

we dont, but I believe the cards only hold between 1-2 kWh which when you consider the price of electricity can be as much as 34p/kWh sounds about correct as there will be a certain amount as an administration fee built in.

from the BA website - https://www.broads-authority.gov.uk/boating/facilities/electric-boat-charging-points

Quote

The electricity units in each £1 card for the period April 2022 to March 2023 is currently 4.4. This figure is reviewed each year (next review approx. May 2023) and reflects the current rate from our electrical supplier.

 

[kpnut]

2 hours ago, MauriceMynah said:

I'm sure I've asked this before somewhere on the forum but do we actually know how much the BA is charging per Kwh?

I can’t answer that exact question but I had a very interesting encounter yesterday. 
I was moored at Hoveton St. John’s and spied a young man in an official looking uniform ‘fiddling’ with the electric posts. Thinking he might be a ranger emptying the recycled card slots, I asked him if he had any cards for sale, seeing as the broads info office was closed for a refurb. 
He wasn’t a ranger (and no, he had no cards) but he worked for a company contracted to the BA to service the posts. He’s the only person who does this and serves the whole of the broads area himself. 
He was using what looked like an Allen key to twizzle something on the ‘card’ side of each outlet. I asked him if he was twizzling so we got less electric for our £1 and he said ‘quite the opposite, the price has actually gone down and I’m adjusting them all so you have more for your money, your card will last longer’. 
Stupidly, I should have asked about prices etc but didn’t as was so amazed that

1. The electric posts get adjusted manually, I’d have thought they were linked to some central button to press in an office somewhere and

2. There’s only him to do every post on the broads. 
 

We then had a good discussion about the BA wishing to electrify the system and our conclusion was on the extremely dubious side due to many of the issues already discussed on here re infrastructure etc etc. We agreed what was needed was to ‘walk before you run’ or a ‘bottom up’ solution rather than ‘top down’ ie get the basic infrastructure in place first. 
I asked why the BA weren’t starting now, if they’re so keen on the idea, with more posts at the ‘easy’ places, like where I was standing at Hoveton, the viaduct moorings, Ludham bridge, Coltishall etc. I was thinking anywhere with nearby access to electricity already (not withstanding the issue of substation capacity etc). 
The BA is ‘soon’ going to putting more posts at Great Yarmouth. They have get permission off the council first. So I suppose that’ll apply in a lot of other places. 
 

[NeilB]

17 minutes ago, kpnut said:

He was using what looked like an Allen key to twizzle something on the ‘card’ side of each outlet. I asked him if he was twizzling so we got less electric for our £1 and he said ‘quite the opposite, the price has actually gone down and I’m adjusting them all so you have more for your money, your card will last longer’. 

Did you get a good look at exactly how he was adjusting the rate? - asking for a friend..... 

Joking aside Paul at Richos did tell me a while ago the electricity rate for their cards was fairly low as he hadn't bothered to adjust them.

[kpnut]

16 minutes ago, NeilB said:

Did you get a good look at exactly how he was adjusting the rate? - asking for a friend..... 

I did have much the same thought Neil!