Continuing saga

We have now been on board 5 weeks but have only yesterday got to the bottom of the Quattro inverter problem. Why do these things always develop into a saga and then get solved by something simple?!?

The Quattro box was returned from  Holland with a clean report. It was returned to us by Sebastien (quick dash on motorbike on Friday afternoon as he forgot to pick it up) when he delivered 6 posh batteries on Fri 6th May. We spent what seemed like hours with our bums in the air connecting the new batteries – some new link cables were required because they were not the same configuration as the out going ones! We had tried to recharge the old batteries without proper success so decided to go for broke and get 6 new grey ones.

So having got the batteries done, Adrian spent the 3 day weekend (B Hol here in France) in the electronics cupboard (alias ‘down the mine’ – has to wear his head torch to see what he’s doing so he even looks like a miner) reconnecting said Quattro and trying to get the thing to work. It wouldn’t. On Tues we spoke to both Sebastien and Peter (PK Fluvial) who had sent the box to be checked. Victron said it wasn’t possible it wasn’t working cos it had no fault. Eventually Sebastien offered to try it on the rig at his shop. So bright and early (we really are not used to bright and early anymore) on Weds morning we took said Quattro there. The little so & so lit up and switched on, happy as you like! Didn’t know whether to laugh or cry!

Back to the boat where Adrian went over and over everything and discovered that it would work when a certain cable was removed – cable links Quattro box to the remote display control unit above. Tried a different cable but still no go.  Sebastien came to deliver the solar panels and rang Peter who said we would still need such a unit and a new one is 150 euros. After Sebastien left Adrian had the bright idea to twiddle with said unit’s dials.

All sprung into life. So all works again! Yippee!!

Goodness only knows at what point someone had twiddled the knobs to cause the remote unit to tell the Quattro to shut itself down. We think we probably needed new batteries in the not too distant future anyway, but the Quattro probably didn’t need to be sent away and we certainly don’t need a new remote display unit. But it sure makes you apreciate the little things in life – what a delight to have lights, running water and functioning loos! I keep checking the little unit’s lights as I go past…..

Don’t need to do the walk of shame anymore, we drank a bottle of Cremant to celebrate!

What it shows is that you really do need to get to be your own boat expert. Several things that we have been told by the ‘experts’ just ain’t right & can lead to unnecessary expense!

So Adrian’s next project is to install the solar panels and connect them up to the posh new batteries so that we have continual charging even when we are away from shore power. He has a very basic diagram from Sebastien but is diligently doing his own research and plans.

Oh and then he has to finish installing the dishwasher……

And find the leak in the heating system……

Such fun! But it does mean that we are getting to know the boat intimately!

I’ve started drawing plans of the boat (none in that so called owner’s manual) so that we can record all the details of the little gems we find. Adrian suggested that Sebastien’s drawing skills were out of the same infant’s class as mine….. Cheek!

But I am the keeper of the ‘to do’ list!

Author: mistyjf

I have been boating in Europe since 2009 when I shipped Misty Morning to France. Time & life move on! Adrian, my new partner, & I bought Piedaleau in 2015 to continue and expand our European boating adventures. View all posts by mistyjf