It's started already

[Magnum]

It\'s started already

Not in the water yet and ALREADY having problems.

Called Cougar yesterday.

ME: Hi, as the boat hasn't been used for a year is there anything special you think I should do to it?

COUGAR: Change the battery - it'll be knackered and get some octane booster as fuel loses its octane rating when stored.

ME: Any particular battery?

COUGAR: Just a standard car battery, Halfords have rack fulls of them.

ME: No particular size?

COUGAR: No, just a standard car battery.

So off to Halfords today.

ME: Hi, I'd like a car battery please.

HALFORDS: Certainly sir, what size?

ME: Standard size please.

HALFORDS: There isn't a standard size sir.

ME: Oh, well I'll have the most common size please and a good one too.

HALFORDS: Certainly sir, you want one of our Calcium free sealed premium models complete with 4 year guarantee.

ME: I'll take it.

Back home I try and locate the battery. Can't get to it very easily as it's located in a tiny cubby hole and I'm bigger than the hole. Mrs Magnum to the rescue and out pops the battery. This is what came out.

Note the extra set of binding posts, to which all cables were connected. Now I'm not a battery expert but this doesn't look much like a standard car battery does it? It's also much smaller than my standard car battery which wont fit.

Just got to find a new Optima battery now, before Friday.

Boating - how I've missed you /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[RogerRat]

Re: It\'s started already

Nice to see you back.

What a stupid reply from Cougar, the guy must have been clueless!

I wonder if he would go into a glass shop and ask for a standard piece of glass to repair a window... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[MedDreamer]

Re: It\'s started already

Now calm down, take a few deep breaths /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Some things never change you know. It WILL feel worth it once you are out on the water (he says with his fingers crossed) /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[longjohnsilver]

Re: It\'s started already

Have you tried putting the battery on charge, it might just surprise you!

 

[DOK]

Re: It\'s started already

Err, probably a stupid question but why didn't you look at the existing battery first, to see what type/size it was /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Re: It\'s started already

Nice bike. I've got a 1200RT

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Re: It\'s started already

Hello Mark, how are you? Agree with ljs. Bung the battery on charge for a few hours. Does'nt look like an off the shelf Halfords one to me

 

[DOK]

Re: It\'s started already

[ QUOTE ]
Nice bike. I've got a 1200RT

[/ QUOTE ]

I rode the 1200 last week - handles really well compared to the 1150 but I found the gear shift way to close to the foot peg and the mirrors have shrunk!! Still probably end up with one in the not too distant future /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Re: It\'s started already

I have'nt noticed the difference in the gear change peg and I had a 1150RT and 1100RT too and I've got big feet. Yup, the mirrors show an excellent view of the bar ends and not a lot else but still just about useable if you shift your head. 1200RT is first boxer I've had with what I consider adequate performance so well worth the change. If you get a 1200RT, get the electronic suspension adjustment (ESA) especially if you sometimes ride with a pillion. No farting about with spanners or screw drivers to adjust ride height and damping. 1200RT is excellent bike but not quite built as well as 1150/1100RT especially seat which is worse. Try the 1200GS too. Thats a hoot

 

[Magnum]

Re: It\'s started already

[ QUOTE ]
Have you tried putting the battery on charge, it might just surprise you!

[/ QUOTE ]
Yep. it's knackered. Both charging and fully charged lights on which indicate knackeredness.

 

[Magnum]

Re: It\'s started already

[ QUOTE ]
Err, probably a stupid question but why didn't you look at the existing battery first, to see what type/size it was /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

[/ QUOTE ]
Well, when the R8 was made I had the jockey seats moved 3 inches further back, what with me being lanky and that. Now, the battery is located in the lazarette. OK, under the back seat actually /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif, but to get to the battery you have to remove a full-width storage tray, which unfortunately won't come out because the jockey seats are in the way.

So, faced with this problem I though a 30 second phone call to Cougar, who made the boat, bought and fitted the battery, might be a tad quicker than the hour and a half it eventually took to get the bugger out.

How wrong I was /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[BrendanS]

Re: It\'s started already

It doesn't take a genius to work out that a battery that may be flat, would need replacement to fit the space of existing battery, and need to have same size and characteristics as existing one?

Your posts are entertaining, but have you ever considered the real world?

 

[Magnum]

Re: It\'s started already

[ QUOTE ]
It doesn't take a genius to work out that a battery that may be flat, would need replacement to fit the space of existing battery, and need to have same size and characteristics as existing one?

Your posts are entertaining, but have you ever considered the real world?

[/ QUOTE ]
What world would that be? The world where making smug self-righteous replies to tongue-in-cheek silly posts is considered good form? No thanks.

Read my posts again. I didn't "work out" that the battery was flat. I always knew it would be. If I'd had the time to remove this morning I would have done, but bizarrely I actually had other commitments more pressing so had to settle for a mere call to the people that built the boat. Should have cancelled all my appointments instead of course. That would have been a far more efficient use of time. I can see that now.

 

[BrendanS]

Re: It\'s started already

[ QUOTE ]
I didn't "work out" that the battery was flat. I always knew it would be.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, that's not what you said earlier?

 

[Magnum]

Re: It\'s started already

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I didn't "work out" that the battery was flat. I always knew it would be.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, that's not what you said earlier?

[/ QUOTE ]
I didn't comment at all on the battery being flat earlier. What I said was :

[ QUOTE ]
ME: Hi, as the boat hasn't been used for a year is there anything special you think I should do to it?

[/ QUOTE ]

The key words are "anything special". I'd always assumed the battery would be flat after 14 months of sitting in a field.

 

[BrendanS]

Re: It\'s started already

flippim heck. Just get a battery that fits!!

 

[Magnum]

Re: It\'s started already

Already ordered.

 

[Renegade_Master]

Re: It\'s started already

Erm ..May I suggest whipping it out first to see the size and the power of it next time /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Nautorius]

Re: It\'s started already

Well,

You won't be the first or last one to do that. I had a similar Issue with a JetSKI. Told it was X, but actually Y. Could not check as buried under loads of other tosh at back of garage!

Glad to see you are enjoying boating again.

Cheers

Paul /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Wiggo]

Re: It\'s started already

Been there, done that. Sealine delivered us a new set of domestics a while back - factory spec etc etc. Except they were too big to fit and the posts were in the wrong place. Check everything, and take the old one with you before buying anything for a boat ;-)