Jump to content
Print your own personalised forum logo

Will We Have Power Cuts?

Andrewcook

By Andrewcook
in General Discussion

 Share

Recommended Posts

FairTmiddlin

FairTmiddlin

Posted
Posted

There are 5 hydro stations in the UK that produce from 160Mw to 1728Mw and most can be online within 60 seconds.

https://www.nsenergybusiness.com/features/hydroelectric-power-stations-uk/

There are lots more supplying smaller amounts dotted across the British isles.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Replies 73
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Popular Posts

MauriceMynah
MauriceMynah

Next time she's out of the water, check underneath your boat. If there's a little puddle of amps, you have something draining to earth. 

Wonderwall
Wonderwall

If our leaders told me it was raining, I would look out the window to check.

Bikertov
Bikertov

If you do this, make sure your ammeter if hefty enough to cope with quite a few amps, just in case anything has been left on. Otherwise you could end up with magic smoke, followed by browsing on Amazo

Posted Images

FlyingFortress

FlyingFortress

Posted
Posted
On 28/11/2022 at 21:11, Andrewcook said:

As most of you have got Electronic Alarms of various sorts on your Boats. How long can the Boat Back up batteries last before the whole thing goes off? 

To bring the threat back on topic 😃

To answer your question Andrew I would not worry about my boat until the power has been off for several months.

Yes I know my boat has solar panels but this is the first boat I have had that has had them. It is also the first boat I have had that has mains hook up. Previous boats used to sit there quite happily for 3 or 4 months over the winter and then start first time.

Just make sure your batteries are in good condition and you have nothing draining to earth.

The only thing that is live on my boat is the bilge pump and that only operates sporadically.

Other boats I have owned had much larger water ingress into the bilges when it rained and have coped without issue.

Last year was the first year that I have left my boat connected up to shore power during the winter and that was only to power a de humidifier.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
BroadAmbition

BroadAmbition

Posted
Posted

There’s a far more accurate way. Switch everything off but leave isolators on. Disconnect negative cable off battery, multi meter set to read amps, probes on negative cable and battery negative - take a reading, it should be less than :2 of an amp. Any higher and you have a battery drain. Simples. Fault finding which circuit is draining the battery is also easy by systematically pulling fuses on each circuit taking a reading each time

Griff

  • Like 2
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
FlyingFortress

FlyingFortress

Posted
Posted
4 minutes ago, BroadAmbition said:

There’s a far more accurate way. Switch everything off but leave isolators on. Disconnect negative cable off battery, multi meter set to read amps, probes on negative cable and battery negative - take a reading, it should be less than :2 of an amp. Any higher and you have a battery drain. Simples. Fault finding which circuit is draining the battery is also easy by systematically pulling fuses on each circuit taking a reading each time

Griff

You put that better than me Griff 👍

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Bikertov

Bikertov

Posted
Posted
4 minutes ago, BroadAmbition said:

There’s a far more accurate way. Switch everything off but leave isolators on. Disconnect negative cable off battery, multi meter set to read amps, probes on negative cable and battery negative - take a reading, it should be less than :2 of an amp. Any higher and you have a battery drain. Simples. Fault finding which circuit is draining the battery is also easy by systematically pulling fuses on each circuit taking a reading each time

Griff

If you do this, make sure your ammeter if hefty enough to cope with quite a few amps, just in case anything has been left on. Otherwise you could end up with magic smoke, followed by browsing on Amazon for a new multi meter.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites
annv

annv

Posted
Posted

Hi If you have a solar panel connected to the battery bank this will keep the battery's in a fully charged condition through the winter months without having to connect to the grid/shore power or having to disconnect them over winter. Battery's last a lot longer if kept fully charged. John 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
FlyingFortress

FlyingFortress

Posted
Posted
11 hours ago, annv said:

Hi If you have a solar panel connected to the battery bank this will keep the battery's in a fully charged condition through the winter months without having to connect to the grid/shore power or having to disconnect them over winter. Battery's last a lot longer if kept fully charged. John 

I fully agree John. 

But I will reiterate that if there is minimal drain on a battery bank then the batteries will last a very long time without either shore charging or engine starting.

Without either shore hook up or solar panels.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Vaughan

Vaughan

Posted
Posted
18 hours ago, BroadAmbition said:

Disconnect negative cable off battery, multi meter set to read amps, probes on negative cable and battery negative - take a reading,

 

100_3308.thumb.jpg.3d16351209c7304ebabb24f99cfe5dee.jpg

 

Or get one of these!  They clip onto the battery cable, or any other single wire, and read off the magnetic field created by the current.  I have found them just as accurate as electronic ones and the one on the right is nearly 50 years old, going back to my days on Womack Water.

I bought these from Panks electrical in Norwich but I imagine they can still be found.

Also, if you wave one over the top of a running alternator and the needle goes right over, then the alternator is charging. If nothing happens, the alternator is not "exited".

As you say, simples!

 

 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites
FlyingFortress

FlyingFortress

Posted
Posted
26 minutes ago, annv said:

Lead acid battery's self discharge over time this happens more/quicker if connected in a bank, you need a battery maintainer! be it shore power driven or solar for maintaining battery longevity. John

While I do appreciate what you are saying John I think in answer to the OP a relatively short power cut would not worry many boat owners.

Before we had shore power or solar panels we used to leave our boat unused for several months over the winter with no issues. 

Although we do have more systems on our current boat I can't think of anything that would cause an issue with the battery bank during even an extended power cut even if we did not have solar panels.

With regard to solar panels they even worked when we were moored in Richardson's wet shed as I actually have some inherent and unjustified aversion to leaving a boat hooked up to mains I used to still disconnect before leaving the boat for extended periods. It was only last winter that I left the boat connected for the first time in the 20 years we have owned her.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Sponsors

    Norfolk Broads Network is run by volunteers - You can help us run it by making a donation

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

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

  I accept