The Ham Nomads

10 Nov 2014. <GB-ENG> Temple Grafton, & Alcester, Warw —

Got our laundry ready to take in to Stratford, but when we finally went to leave the layby — nothing. The engine wouldn't turn over, and after a couple of tries — flat battery! We had used it a little last night, but no more than previously. The kicker was that it was a cold night, and batteries don't perform as well in the cold — we'll have to remember this in future! And hopefully the new engine will be easier to start!

No phone coverage with O₂ where we were, but luckily a truckie in the layby helped us out with his phone. The RAC got to us in two hours — and it was the chap who had helped us in Stratford about a month ago. He remembered us. When we told him we had the wider alternator belt, he was gratified, as he was the one who first suggested this might be the problem with the slipping and snapping belts! He also suggested we might have a problem with the fuel pump, which would make the thing harder to start, and would be one explanation for the amount of raw fuel coming out in the exhaust.

Anyway, he got us on the road. We went in to the laundry, but it was too late to get the washing done that day — so we booked it in for tomorrow. We also posted the parcels, so another job well done.

We spent some time online at McDonald's — resolved that part of the problem our software, so installed later versions, and now things are running smoothly!

We finally went back to the layby. We have now resolved that, until we have the leisure battery upgraded, we will run the computer on its own battery, and recharge it while we are driving, or at a McDonald's. We watched three episodes of Due South tonight, and only used half the computer's battery reserve, so this should be no problem.

Distance driven — today, 14 miles ( 23 km ); to date, 9,718 miles ( 15,640 km )