The All New, New "What have you done to your Bay today" thread.

Agreed. I thought he was just asking about the negatives, with both positives still connected?

 

If you join positives then if either negative hits chassis then the circuit goes hot.

It does also get scary when a solar charger gets involved without an isolation switch or easily removed fuse. As a 200 watt installation can put out up to about 16 amps onto 12 volt power rails even with batteries disconnected.
Enough to melt wires, cause hot arcs etc.

 

I didn’t completely know what it was I was asking, so your reply helped. Thanks.


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So with my negative battery connectors joined and also leading to Busbars, removing one negative battery connector means that the associated Busbar is actually still connected to ‘a’ battery…just so happens to be a different battery but in essence the positive remains live.

I did have to put a connector (Torberry) on the Battery-to-Battery negative cable so that it can be pulled out the way for removing the Leisure battery:


Presumably if I pull that apart then the batteries once again become independent.

I did look at isolator switches but they are massive. Now i’m thinking their function could be replicated if I add another Toberry connector off the negative tail from the other battery. That way one, the other, neither or both can be connected.

I’ll have to keep that “easily removable fuse” in mind for when I do the solar setup.
Thanks.


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You could use an isolating connector like that on each battery negative, or just use a battery clamp on the negative that can be manually removed.

The chassis is usuallly quite a good negative busbar so just having a chassis earth bolt near the negative of each battery works.. fewer long heavy wires...its not a boat where keeping battery currents away from wet things is important.

 

I must have done something right.





Power to both Sterling devices and i’m still alive to tell the tale.

@theBusmonkey looks like both products work, in terms of turning on at least.


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Excellent. I sent my BBS unit back as it was unable to provide a satisfactory 'mppt' solar input to the battery.
It went back twice, the first time they upgraded the software. However when it came back it was unable to output more than half of the current the panels were producing.
Sterling tech stated the the solar function was 'secondary' to the b2b charging but my point to them was it's either mppt or it isn't.
They issued a full refund.
I've now gone with a Kisae ABSO unit which does what it says on the box and is programmable. If I don't want to stress the alternator, I can lower the output charge.


Check your units output against the current output from the terminals on the panels. Hopefully you'll have better results than I did.

 

Argh, bummer. That’s no good is it. Has to live up to what’s advertised hey.

I won’t actually be getting panels until the Spring.
At least i’ve had several conversations with Tech Support (who have been excellent) so far, so they know I exist as a customer.

Thanks for the heads-up.


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Had a go with those aluminium melty rods you use with a blowtorch. The step trim for my floor that I bought had a couple if unwanted holes in it


Now looks like this

 

I am impressed, nice work there.

 

How did you find using those rods?
It’s something I’ve seen done but never had a go myself.

 

Lapped my valves in, sploshed some Curil-T on me pushrod tubes, slapped my heads back on.

 

Takes a tiny bit of practice. Heat the metal not the rod and rub the rod on the heated area. You really have to have it clean and give it a quick go with the stainless steel brush just before. I was surprised how well it worked.

 

That reminds me of the "cleanliness is next to godliness" lectures I used to receive at college from the old boy technicians.

 

Sucker on a stick. And yes, I did attach it to my forehead so I looked like a Dalek

 

Took the bench frame out for the first time.


2hrs of not-fun. Thought I had it permanently stuck at one point. Fortunately it only took scratching oak, paint and glass to wriggle it free.

I guess the PO never intended for it to be taken out without removing a window first. All it needs is alan key bolts instead of phillips and it could be dismantled first - so that’s what i’ll do.


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It's a tad dirty under there..... cab roof tray removed is the first step to fitting a Solar PV panel in the tray. But first some cleaning and repairs to the gel coat.

 

attached a longboard to the rack,
tested the projector, fitted better phone chargers.

going to use it this weekend

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got a new tyre too..

got to go back to work tomorrow so less jobs getting done, luckily managed alot in the week i allocated to

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Fitted the newly painted turret top and fitted a brand New nlavw canvas,

A job well done and looks fantastic, thanks to my dad for helping