OK- This is a Briggs Vanguard with the 9 AMP charging system. You said "the battery discharges over time". You didn't specify how much time. Hours, weeks??? I'll assuming it does so after just a couple hours or so. Measure the battery voltage with the engine running at high speed. 1. with all electrical loads OFF. 2. With all electrical loads ON. What are the voltages? On a properly operating system, it should be near 14 VDC.

First off, your home is gorgeous and your view is magnificent. I think you have too many colors going on, with the rug, the blue objects in the cabinet, the chairs, the big red picture. Although, I love the chairs and the color, but I would slip cover them in a warm neutral cream or tan. I would paint the pine a warm cream, to make it light and airy. In fact, I would go with white on white in white. Is there anything prettier and crisper than cream and white, I think not, but that's me. I would have slip covered sofa's in cream or tan or beige. I would even have a whipped cream colored area rug with tan floor pillows. I think a little black in any room looks wonderful, maybe a big shabby chic cabinet or coffee table. I happen to like your coffee table and I would shabby chic it in black. I see you have black and white framed photo's in there, keep them. How about some big antique fern prints? There not that expensive and I think they look good framed in lucite, not actual frames. You can even buy brown ferns if you like. Decorate with tons of seashells and beautiful coral in your cabinet. Why not buy some antique plates (old white Ironstone) or buy some blue transferware and keep with the blue. The plates are not that expensive. Buy some warm throws for cold evenings in stripped cream and beige or tan. And buy some canvas or ticking sofa or floral pillows in cream or tan. How about a telescope in front of that beautiful window? What do you think of buying a big sail boat for the mantel? Although, that has been done so much, but it is good looking, no? Or a big canvas beachy painting or even a water color. Oh gosh did I see that you HAVE to keep the pine? Looking at the cabinets painted in cream is just beautiful. And I wouldn't decorate with anchors or big ropes or cheap fish. I would use some big palms in there, it would look great. I wouldn't think too much about drapes, just simple panels. Your view is the star! ...Jane

He did what is called 'Time and Materials'. You didn't ask for a fixed price bid. 4.5 hrs - that is for two men - you say you counted 3 hrs - 3 * 2 men = 6 man hrs. He only charged for 4.5, you got a bargin. Then there is travel time. Then you tell him to bill the installation company for part of the work - he didn't make an agreement with the installation company - you did. If I was the plumber I would have said I'll give you a separate invoice, and you can use it to collect from the installation company. That amount of copper is worthless. Next time, get a written bid.

I expect the unexpected! It's just the unwarranted and invented expenses that rankle. A year so far on this. Zoning Plan Review and Committee of Adjustments ($6,360) took six months. Now six weeks and counting for permission to remove one (!) tree that is too close to the proposed foundation. (The required licenced arborist's Tree Protection Plan--$1,202.92-- said it cannot be saved.) Without that permit, a grading plan cannot be done or submitted. Without an approved grading plan, the city will not issue a building permit. Building permit review is estimated at two months. I am always amazed at the posters here who wander down to their City Halls and two weeks later are ready to excavate. But not here in California East!