Bleeding generators...

Canalsman

Canalsman

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Spent last night in the Maison Dieu car park in Dover. Never again - dismal grotty car park that matches the town perfectly.

Late last night another 'van parks one car width away, in a totally empty car park, and fires up a very noisy two-stroke genny at 6.15am.

After 15 minutes I went to complain, politely pointing out that I was wishing to sleep.

"It's broken down and we've got a ferry to catch".

The genny was perched on top of the engine presumably intended to charge the starter battery.

Two hours of noise later, as I left for my ferry, they were still there, the starter solenoid still issuing the rattle of death...

I had neither time or inclination to assist.
 
Bleeding generators...!
I have enough problems ,this time of the year, with bleeding radiators.!

Safe travels... Are you on a mission or just for the Hell of it..?
 
POI Admin said:
Spent last night in the Maison Dieu car park in Dover. Never again - dismal grotty car park that matches the town perfectly.

Late last night another 'van parks one car width away, in a totally empty car park, and fires up a very noisy two-stroke genny at 6.15am.

After 15 minutes I went to complain, politely pointing out that I was wishing to sleep.

"It's broken down and we've got a ferry to catch".

The genny was perched on top of the engine presumably intended to charge the starter battery.

Two hours of noise later, as I left for my ferry, they were still there, the starter solenoid still issuing the rattle of death...

I had neither time or inclination to assist.
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A gen running a 40ah charger should have had there battery full,most just use the onboard 5 ah take of.second they have not a clue how things work or they would not be stuck with no power.
 
I’ve been temporarily living in vehicles for over thirty years. Often by choice and on occasion without a choice. Not ever having had a flimsy modern converted vehicle it was always my aim not to be noticed. Never being allowed on a campsite. Unfortunately as this pass time becomes more popular more walks of life take part. A huge part of the population are selfish and inconsiderate regardless of how some will try to convince you otherwise to further their aims. I don’t know the answer, other than when I was young I was told “you can’t educate Pork”
 
trevskoda said:
A gen running a 40ah charger should have had there battery full,most just use the onboard 5 ah take of.second they have not a clue how things work or they would not be stuck with no power.
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I would think not many, especially factory built MHs will have a 40ah charger onboard.
 
POI Admin said:
After a variety of delays, dog and house related, me and my two Lurchers are off to the south of France and the Med ...

Our usual Winter haunt.
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Enjoy your adventure and if possible keep us posted
 
Fazerloz said:
I would think not many, especially factory built MHs will have a 40ah charger onboard.
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No but this will swap out or connect direct to starter bat.
40ah charger.jpg
 
POI Admin said:
I shall be on the lookout, as always, for new places to overnight.

I've already identified a significant number in the Collioure and Cerbere area ...
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I’d be interested in the overnights in Collioure, last time there, couldn’t find any WC spots so went to the aire. We parked up, went for a nose round & saw the prices marked up.
24 Euros per night, Christ! Let’s get outa here!, cost €3 to exit the bloody place!
Drove a few km down the coast to Port Vendres, OK there.
 
We had someone start a generator up next to us at Whitby. It was just after 9pm so walked round to ask them to shut it off. They were warming some soup up in the microwave so needed the 240v. Been quicker to use the gas but then they would have to wash the pan. Not the first time we have come across generator man.
 
spigot said:
I’d be interested in the overnights in Collioure, last time there, couldn’t find any WC spots so went to the aire. We parked up, went for a nose round & saw the prices marked up.
24 Euros per night, Christ! Let’s get outa here!, cost €3 to exit the bloody place!
Drove a few km down the coast to Port Vendres, OK there.
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Sounds like you nearly had a connery o_O :ROFLMAO:
 
Noise !,,,

A few weeks ago I stayed in a lay-by for the night, around an hr or so later was then joined by a Lorry that parked in front of me.
Then around 20:30 TWO VW Vans that was obviously traveling together arrived & snuggled in TIGHT behind me, it was as if The Nest had become a Magnet 😳.
The whole later part of that evening & Occasionally through the night & THEN from 06:00 the following morning I was under BOMBARDMENT of the constant -
Click, Clunk,,,of cab door open & closing as the occupants was decanting stuff from Hab to cab to make room for themselves for the evening.
Almost immediately followed by -
‘Click,,,RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE,,, Hab Door opening’
‘Click,,,RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE CLUNK,,,Hab Door closing.
THEN almost immediately followed again by -
Click,,,RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE,,,
Click RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE CLUNK & sometimes even a second Click & CLUNK if they didn’t get the slide door shut on first attempt ,,, of the door in the second vw as the 4 Adult occupants of the tw vans played musical vans in & out of their vans for about the next 3 hours.
Couple this with the fact that the 3 men had to then periodically wee outside, Smoke Outside, & I can only assume had to vacate the vehicle & wait outside while the only Female had a wee inside at some points of the evening, all 3 ft away from my head as I lay in bed on The Nest.
THIS NOISE THEN had to be reversed with the NUMEROUS -
Click,,,RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE CLUNK,,,
Procedures as they then squared away their respective vans from 06:00 in the morning ready for the off... it was a blinking nightmare of an evening.
Notice I haven’t even mentioned the refrigerator Lorry that parked in front of me !.
Or the fairly busy A road next to me !.
OR the Blinking Jet Engine of their night heater exhaust, OR them running the engine for 30 minutes from 06:00 to de mist the windshield before they finally left around 07:00 ish.

Bottom line is, if you don’t like where you park for whatever reason, MOVE,, You don’t have ‘Claim’ to what goes on around you just because you arrived first at a particular location, People make Noise !.
 
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Generators have a legitimate part to play wild camping .but like the van itself with ownership comes responsibility , consideration for the environment and other folk around you .

When I toured with the travelling fairs ,we wiould tap in to one set ...and it would run one hour after the fair closed ...so folk could shower use microwaves Etc ,,,,it was then switched off and everyone on batteries even the showman with their large trailers ...
 
***** said:
I must say, when I was trucking I always felt my truck was a fridge magnet.
If parked for a weekend, I would often move as a fridge or two had come in close to my truck, but often after i had moved another would come in alongside
The trouble with fridge trailers is they have thermostats and they keep switching on and off. I would rather be near a constant noise
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That was my main complaint when overnighting :mad: thankfully i didn`t have to do that many.

There used to be a day when the fridge drivers would stay well away ( if at all possible ) from the other truckers (y)

I shudder to think what it`s like these days given the attitude of a lot of the truck drivers today who simply couldn`t give a fcuk o_O
 
I did notice just the other day at the trading estate that the fridges were all huddled together, everyone else as far away as possible
 
***** said:
I would rather be near a constant noise
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If you were lucky enough to find a constant fridge, it did at least drown out the noise from the motorway. We soon discovered don't try and sleep next to a concrete motorway.
 
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