Finally arrived in the Bay of Islands after 10 hours motoring into 10-12 knot northerly breeze and a 2 m NE swell...it was not very pleasant , until we came through the Albert Channel at 1630.
One positive is that we ran the watermaker for just over 3 hours today and now our water tanks are full !!
Solar panels were putting in a bit of current in the o'cast conditions and interesting that when the engine alternator had done its thing and got to float stage, the charge light would come on every time the sun shone ! Clearly the alternator is putting out minimum current to keep the float voltage at 13.5 and when the current from the solar panels runs in, even taking the field current completely off the alternator isn't enough to keep the alternator running the float...ergo the charge light comes on.....and conversely it goes off when the clouds come...Physics in action !!! ...Mybe the float voltages on the solar reg and the alternator reg are not the same ?...I need to check that !
Anchored for the night in Orokawa Bay 35 15.30'S, 174 12.05'E very calm...in front of a large blue ketch KAORI which for some reason is showing red masthead lights on both masts ... anyone know why they would be doing that ??
Tomorrow's f'cast is not pleasant..we will maybe stay here or tiki tour around the bay, do some fishing...then on Saturday go down to Opua to pick up Dan and Helen and go for a sail.....
One positive is that we ran the watermaker for just over 3 hours today and now our water tanks are full !!
Solar panels were putting in a bit of current in the o'cast conditions and interesting that when the engine alternator had done its thing and got to float stage, the charge light would come on every time the sun shone ! Clearly the alternator is putting out minimum current to keep the float voltage at 13.5 and when the current from the solar panels runs in, even taking the field current completely off the alternator isn't enough to keep the alternator running the float...ergo the charge light comes on.....and conversely it goes off when the clouds come...Physics in action !!! ...Mybe the float voltages on the solar reg and the alternator reg are not the same ?...I need to check that !
Anchored for the night in Orokawa Bay 35 15.30'S, 174 12.05'E very calm...in front of a large blue ketch KAORI which for some reason is showing red masthead lights on both masts ... anyone know why they would be doing that ??
Tomorrow's f'cast is not pleasant..we will maybe stay here or tiki tour around the bay, do some fishing...then on Saturday go down to Opua to pick up Dan and Helen and go for a sail.....