Boat or Home from Home,

[riyadhcrew]

That's the way to go "Q".

[Baitrunner]

2 hours ago, vanessan said:

I have no problem with boiling kettles for washing etc and can't understand why people have to run engines at moorings for water for washing up and showers.

I think it is the way life goes that when your a kid washing was the devils work. Then you get to the age were you need your hair looking good, like to smell nice and generally feel clean. Then as you mature, washing is the devils work again, who gives a damn if your hair is a bit mad (if you have any) and if you smell a bit you get a seat on your own in the pub. 

I'm on the border, but my wife still tells me I'm a big kid

Porta loos are great if you can find somewhere to empty them. But I have no intention of hopping off with a few gallons of wee and poo when I can get a man with a suction pipe to do it for me - and I can get a lot of waste in my tank

Can you guess I'm a lazy so and so and like a few comforts?

[LondonRascal]

It is true so much comes 12V these days, indeed something that would me more handy on a boat is USB charging points - because, so many things these days are charged by USB connectors so having direct plug in ports removes the need for adapters.

That said, you do not need to spend hundreds of pounds on an Inverter – not even £50.00 – if all you want is it for the odd thing, you can easily use a modified sine wave portable one like this for under £25.00:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B009QYNIZK 

You would easily be able to run and charge several things on this, sure not a hairdryer, curling tongs or a microwave but certainly a laptop, TV/Music system, lighting and so on that you may need and when not in use just put in the drawer. 

The only reason you would need ‘hard wired’ inverters or inverter/charger combi units is for the ease of having standard 240v sockets in different cabins and as a way (if it is a combination unit) to charge the batteries.

They can also act as a bridge between your shore power and inverter e.g. your on shore power and it trips or you run out of credit,  the inverter will cut in automatically in milliseconds - so your appliances connected will not be affected - and give alarm to show you are now on the battery system not shore power so you can act. Of course, these added systems and mean they are large, heavy and expensive units.

[BroadScot]

1 hour ago, Baitrunner said:

Can you guess I'm a lazy so and so and like a few comforts?

YES!  Well you asked, Mark!

Iain

[vanessan]

Mowjo - I think it's a case of 'horses for courses'. There will be many with deep pockets who will have all the mod cons and gadgets just because they can and there will be those who have them because they are useful for one reason or another. Then there are those who can't see what all the fuss is about!

 

[Baitrunner]

Heh Iain, I have fire extinguishers as well - watch out!

[BroadScot]

Just now, Baitrunner said:

Heh Iain, I have fire extinguishers as well - watch out!

Enjoy the "trip" Mark .... Och!

Iain

[Mowjo]

I'm in your last position Van, had boats with loads of stuff I never used, so as I change boats I just don't bother with them, I have 6 USB sockets fitted on Kali and just plug in everything to charge while on the move, or if in the Marine I go on mains, I remember my first boat, it had nearly everything on it but I spent a couple of thousand adding bits I thought I needed only to find I rarely used them, had depth sounders, fish finders, compasses, every gauge you could think of if I could add it I did but I think that was because it was my first boat, it was a bit look at what I've got, you havn't! now with me it's what do you need that for when people say I'm fitting this or that, I'm like it with cars as well, as long as it's reliable got four wheels, an engine and gets me from A to B thats all I need,,

[vanessan]

'it was a bit look at what I've got, you haven't!'

And how many helmsman do we see like that out on the rivers ! 

[Polly]

About that 'non-existent ' Origo oven.........um just checked and it might as well be so. £1000+ ! 

[TheQ]

For USB I'm going to fit in each cabin and the cockpit.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Foxnovo-Portable-Waterproof-Motorcycle-Cigarette/dp/B00QYJAY2A/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1455174379&sr=8-14&keywords=12v+usb

Already got one for the Landrover, no point in going through an inverter when you don't need to.

 But for an Inverter I'm going to need something like.

.http://www.amazon.co.uk/ZODORE-Inverter-Stabilizer-Automatic-Regulator/dp/B00G23WBVA/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1455174498&sr=8-14&keywords=48Volt+inverter.

 

 Since I want a microwave OR a hot plate OR kettle running I'll allow 3KW for that , but I don't believe in running equipment like an inverter at max current so I want 100% over rated for long life...

[HakunaMatata]

1 hour ago, TheQ said:

But for an Inverter I'm going to need something like.

Hi,, 

for this Inverter you need a 48 DC system, that means 4 batteries and to have a Peak output of 6000 w its about 125 ampere therefor a 48 Volt system is useful compared to the 500 amperes needed in a 12 V.

What do you think about this one for your case.

https://www.autobatterienbilliger.de/Reiner-Sinus-Wechselrichter-48V-auf-230V-6000W/12000W-Spannungswandler-Inverter.

Greetings from the not stormy Germany.

[TheQ]

2 hours ago, HakunaMatata said:

Hi,, 

for this Inverter you need a 48 DC system, that means 4 batteries and to have a Peak output of 6000 w its about 125 ampere therefor a 48 Volt system is useful compared to the 500 amperes needed in a 12 V.

What do you think about this one for your case.

https://www.autobatterienbilliger.de/Reiner-Sinus-Wechselrichter-48V-auf-230V-6000W/12000W-Spannungswandler-Inverter.

Greetings from the not stormy Germany.

Yep that's almost what I've got, a 500AH 48V battery stack (24, 2V traction batteries), A 3kW 48Volt Generator, and a 12kW electric motor to drive the boat when it's fitted, not long now....

 Noting of course, I'm not going to run the inverter at full power but less than 3kW.

Also noting anywhere near full power of the motor will very rarely be used.

 yes the Inverter you show is a possibility, I'll make my final choice when I get the boat back...

[CaptinDread]

I have a few electric things like kettle and mini oven so need electric, I have borrowed a wood burner so I need to get a flu sorted so I don't have to use electric, I don't claim JSA or anything so life is getting pretty hard at the moment with no money coming in.

[BroadAmbition]

A while back I recently fitted just one of these

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Masterplug-Polished-Chrome-Switched-Socket/dp/B00LLFPVIY/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1455230161&sr=8-16&keywords=double+socket+usb

at home in our office, the 'Guest' bedroom also has one - Due to the regular 'guest' being one's daughter and her demanding I fit one in there.

With seemingly every guest we have onboard needing to charge or plug in some sort of device I can see me having to upgrade the present sockets onboard 'B.A' to these.  Trouble is that there are six of the blighter's onboard not including the agricultural one in the galley.  That's £120 not to mention the time involved.

Sigh yet another item gets added on to the 'Upgrade List'  you know the one, my pet hate, that list that at this rate is and has been since day one getting the better of me  -  I will never get it fettled into submission - yep the very same

Griff

[Siddy]

I got one like this last week from S/fix to swap one in the kitchen to free sockets up. My concern was fire risk of the unit failing in the wall, Not swapped it yet but will do along with other new sockets to swap.

At home I have one of these in room and bedroom for phones and ipad overnight charging and had no issues.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Release-Anker-PowerPort-Charging-Multi-Port/dp/B00VTI8K9K/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1455234964&sr=8-2&keywords=anker+charger

I also have the 12v version of the above in the van which I take on the boat to charge ipads phones mifi and found we don't need 240v chargers now. I also have 12V lead for laptop I use in the van/boat.

 

[Guest]

25 minutes ago, Jonzo said:

I don't know how those mains sockets with USB got type approval as the only way to isolate the step-down element is to turn the circuit off. 

If they had a third switch for the USB (with a neon perhaps) then problem solved.

Me too.

The thought of that (probably) delicate Chinese circuitry live all the time with just a 30 amp ring main backing fuse (in houses) is quite a consideration.

The "closeness" of the potential 30 amps at 240v to my expensive USB charged toys is another worry.

I prefer to use 13amp plug type adapters with four independent USB outlets, each with a separate led indicator, like these. And I always use them in a switched AC outlet, switched off when not actually charging.

[LondonRascal]

I've seen some of these USB wall socket things opened up and how close the connections for the low voltage side to the 240v side can get  - not to say all are like that of course but I'd worry about the potential of 240v going into my expensive equipment.

But the big thing is what is the point of an integrated USB socket into a wall socket? I say this because with a mobile phone. tablet etc etc you've got to have the cable plugged into the phone one end but instead of then just plugging the wall charger in to the socket and away you go, you've then got to unplug it from the wall charger to then stick into a USB socket and leave the wall charger urm, well somewhere safe to not loose it. 

Why not just use the socket with the wall charger that came with the phone as we always have done?

That said, I do think that having USB sockets like this one on a boat in place of a just a cigarette lighter socket is handy because that can be used for a range of items like the light below.

I bought this flexible LED light from Poundland and is surprisingly bright and effective (if you put a red filter over it would make an ideal night light for a boat/chart table too.)

[ranworthbreeze]

Hi Strowager,

There is no guarantee that the above adapter is in fact fused ? or is there a a fuse aperture fitted  on the face we can not see. if there is a fuse I would not like to see it being larger than 3 amp.

It's a pity that the double 13 amp sockets with the usb sockets do not incorporate a spur outlet again with a 3 amp fuse.

Regards

Alan 

 

[Siddy]

Alan just checked this double socket I have, Made in Telford all the markings no internal fuse available. one thing it does say is for IT use only - so they don't want switching of large dirty loads on them.

The back is screwed on & not sealed, but i'm not opening it up  ( normally I'd be in there )

 

 

 

[Viking23]

On the subject of these USB in 13 Amp socket outlets, I just bought a couple from Aldi, and the comments above got me thinking, so I searched the net.

This is what I've found.

 

http://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/mediafile/100145109/web_usb-article-from-so32.pdf

 

I haven't fitted mine yet, some fail most of the tests, most fail some of the tests.

It appears that of the ones tested that nearly all faill the creapage and clearance tests. This is the bit that stops the 240 volts appearing on the output.

I was considering fitting one of these on the kitchen worktop, but as Kitchens and bathrooms etc are specific areas, have a greater need for electrical safety, so no chance there.

So tomorrow, I'm looking for the recept and taking them back for a full refund.

As has been said, they are on 24/7 even when you sleep, or are on holiday, and can't hear the smoke alarm. 

They wouldn't be too bad if the power to them was only energised to them when a USB lead was connected, like the bathroom shaver sockets are. 

ALL electronic devices fail at some point, they all have an MTBF rated in hours, so  ( MTBF = Mean Time Between Failures) 

The issue, according to the report, is that they are not actually approved as there is no provision for them within the design and testing of mains sockets. 

Equally well, no tests were done using a modified squarewave inverter either.

I certainly wouldn't want one fitted in a plasterboard wall with wood studding, or in a plasterboard blobbed onto a breeze block wall with the airgap and paper layer of the plasterboard being exposed, so that eliminates all but my garage wall sockets, then I'm not risking my cars either.

Makes you think doesn't it.

Now what else are we plugging into our sockets, and leaving them on 24/7

 

[Hockham Admiral]

40 minutes ago, Viking23 said:

On the subject of these USB in 13 Amp socket outlets, I just bought a couple from Aldi, and the comments above got me thinking, so I searched the net.

This is what I've found.

http://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/mediafile/100145109/web_usb-article-from-so32.pdf

Now what else are we plugging into our sockets, and leaving them on 24/7

 

Now that link makes for very interesting reading, Viking!

I have been considering such a socket for my study but you've completely changed my mind!    Thank You.   

[Maxwellian]

I work on the principle that If Swallow has not got it we don't need it. Happiness is a swallow on the Broads. Preferably for two weeks rather than one. Still negotiating 2017 with SWMBO.

[Viking23]

When I wired my study, I labelled certain sockets Computer only, and they are all switched off on the wall by a single fused switch. 

When the computer is on, there are loads of power supplies on, monitors, printers, etc It also  has it's own RCD as when my wife over loaded the toaster, it used to trip the circuits downstais on the RCD and I used to loose data... and my toast lol...

 

 

[addicted]

Our first boat was a Shetland 760  one of only 3 built  apparently, with a very large petrol engine that coughed politely each time it came within sniffing distance of  a fuel pump. There was a gas water heater sited in a cupboard in the cockpit that conked out  regularly during use and a shower that was such a palaver to use it was easier to advise folk not to linger down wind of us! Boiling the kettle was a  very efficient  and the only way of heating the saloon. It also had a  gas fridge that, because of the petrol engine,was a  definite no no,  Ingenious ways of keeping food fresh and wine cool was the  order of the day. I actually enjoyed the challenge. The old Flavel  2 - hob/oven/grill,l cooker was the best and most efficient  cooker I've ever had, I adored this boat and  we kept her for 6 years and and never felt the need for any more mod cons. What she lacked in  gadgetry she made up for with charisma in Spades! The boat we have now has every convenience you could wish  for but hey! I'm 30  years older and being retired now use the boat much more  and for much longer periods  and I feel the benefit of l these mod cons  .Horses  for courses,

regards,

Carole