Tech Net Q-R

Query: How to connect a Faruno 1720 radar to a Raymarine C8 plotter?
Comments:
It's highly unlikely to work. Older Faruno models are analog based.
It will not work with a chart plotter. We have that model. (Salty Paws)

Query: What are the benefits of wideband radar?
Comments:
It reduces power consumption.
It picks up smaller, closer floating objects.

Query: How disassemble the pump to remove the impeller?
Suggestions:
Use a hammer and chisel gently, then use glue to reassemble.
Use a heat source; with a heat sink on the shaft.
Update: Success. Info from manufacturer's site: lock rotor, give it a whack with a hammer and it unscrews easily. (via St Jude)

Issue: Raw water flow was low and yet the impeller was intact. Disassembled the hoses and found a very old impeller vane which was impeding the flow.
Comments:
Use a strainer (inexpensive from West Marine) between the pump and the head exchanger to capture exploded impeller parts.
If an impeller vane is missing, keep searching for it because it's guaranteed to come back to haunt.

THINGS THAT WORK
Reverse a worn cover plate; install embossed side down. This will extend it's life by 2. (Dyad)
Shaft seal rebuild kits. (Dyad)
Use a dental pick as a tool for seal replacement. (Scaramouche)

(also impellers)

Black reflective tape for bootstripe. The Reflective Tape Store carries a variety of colors and widths at good prices. (Salty Paws)
.

Issue: Thermostat recycles too rapidly.
Comments:
That's normal behavior when it turns on after being off for awhile.
Clean the contacts and thermostat switch.
Clean the contacts with stiff paper.
Clean with denatured alcohol to remove all traces of water.

Issue: Cracked metal blade on the fridge fan.
Comments:
Use Aluminum Brazing Rod for repair. Practice on a similar material before putting heat to the blade. (C_Language)
Drill a stop hole at the end of the crack to relieve the stress. (Salty Paws)
Then secure at the edge with J.B. Weld. (Leah Hona)
Aluminum Putty is a good for repair. Use a very thin layer. (Soul Mates)
Try a splice if the crack is due to vibration. Patches may fall off. Then add a bit of weight to other blades for balance. (Dyad)

Issue: Compressor buzzes and shuts down.
Solution: Bled the system and added new refrigerant.
Comments:
The valve may have been clogged.
It may need a bleed with a vacuum pump.
Thump the unit to dislodge contaminant.

Issue: I need to change my system, but have no vacuum pump onboard.
Suggestions:
Charge it with freon to remove moisture, then drain. Repeat. Charge with freon again. (Naked Lady)
A hair dryer is useful while evacuating. (Salty Paws)

Query: How to fix an evaporator tube that's been broken off?
Suggestions:
Use a brazable aluminum welding rod. Aluminumbrazingrod.com carries them. They work well.
The surface must be clean.
Aladdin 3in1 is another good product to repair aluminum.
After repair, you'll need a vacuum pump and replacement freon.

Issue: Compressor slows down then stops. It's a problem with both fridge and freezer.
Comments:
There may be particles in the expansion valve.
Test with ammeter. If current goes up, there may be blockage in the plumbing; possibly ice.
Ammeter: if current goes down, refrigerant may be low.
Remove belt and run with no load to check motor current.
Check brushes on the motor; they may be worn. They're rated for six years.
Expand springs through soldering to lengthen brushes as a temporary fix. Make sure spring or copper connector doesn't come in contact with commutator.
If bare copper is showing, the brush is shot.
Update: Success. New brushes did the trick.

Issue: The unit is running, yet the freezer won't freeze properly.
Comments:
Check for freon loss.
Remove and prevent excessive ice on plates.
Expansion valve may be iced.
Use a heat shield between plates and valve.
Check the thermostat which may be iced.
Bypass thermostat, electrically, and see if it gets cool.
Check the temperature of the lines by physical touch.
Dye can be used to check for obstructions.

Issue: Thermostat is set to conserve energy yet freezes things like lettuce.
Suggestions:
Reposition the sensor to the lowest point in the freezer; place it against the plate.
Use thermal grease on the thermostat.
Change to a Dometic 12 volt mariner unit.

Issue: Adding freon.
Comments:
Get an adapter from an auto supply store. With the connector, add one can of refrigerant to your system. It's trivial to do.
A newer blend is Freeze-12 which is 'green' and will work in place of R12, which is being phased out.

FYI: Danfoss compressors have diagnostic LEDs on them. These can be located on the wiring schematics on the tech sheet: discoverysailing.us/ bd35 pdf and discoverysailing.us/bd50 pdf. Also available are tech sheets for other models. (Discovery)

Heads Up: Expansion orifice; capillary tube is clogged with Stop Leak. Lesson: don't use Stop Leak in refrigeration system.

DEFROSTING
Use room temperature water rather than a heat source. This prevents drastic temperature changes which may cause cracking. (Salty Paws)
An ice scraper is a helpful tool. (Mon Amie)
Use a fan to help melt ice. (C_Language)

PARTS
Try Rparts.com for fridge parts and a useful forum. (Discovery)

REBUILD
Refrigeration on 22 amp hours per day, 12 volt system. Stella Blue  and Syzygy document their rebuilds. (Discovery)

RECOMMENDED
Engel Cooler
A small refrigeration unit that runs on 12 volts. Works very well and can control temperature. It doesn't draw much power. Use 2 1/2 amps at 80% for a hard freeze. Drawback: the unit is heavy and doesn't hold much. Advice: get a large unit. [Several thumbs up]
Use two units, one for freezing and one for refrigeration.
It takes awhile to freeze something from room temp, but it does work.

RESOURCES
Kollmann Marine is another good resource for boat refrigeration. This site has a good tech forum and Kollmann has published two books on boat refrigeration. (Discovery)

If in the Bahamas: Paul Saunders, an independent refrigeration tech, works out of Cat Island (242-475-0055) and Nassau (242-544-0283). You can also reach him through Donna at the front desk of Fernandez Bay Resort; Paul's mom is the straw lady at the resort. (Soul Mates)

THINGS THAT WORK
Use the fresh water tank to cool refrigeration. Create a closed-circuit system. Leave all the saltwater plumbing in place and just cap it off so it may be easily reinstalled later if needed. This fresh water system is working well. (Trumpeter)

Use ultraviolet dye and light combination to detect leaks in refrigeration system. (Dyad)

(also welding, galley tips)

Issue: The Harken furler drum is loose on the forestay.
Comments:
Make sure the key is intact.
Use Loctite on the place where the drum slips.
Make timing marks with a magic marker to see how much it slips.
Check the set screws.
Talk with manufacturer. [ans: tried; they're not responding.]

Query: Where's the best place to purchase line?
Suggestions:
Defender for a good price.
Sailnet for a better price.

BELL TESTING
Hit the chain plate with a hammer and listen for the sound to test it's integrity from time to time. (C_Language)
Our surveyor uses this method.  And it does not release tension in the process. (Destiny)

RECOMMENDED
High modulus lines made of Dyneema have an abrasion resistant core and a 4000 lb breaking strength.  (Phoenix)

Top Climber is a perfect mast climbing system. It allows you to reach the top of the mast without a helper. And you can actually stand safely above the mast height. Link has video demo.  (Le Bella)
Shop around for better prices.

Query: How can I remove pop rivets?
Suggestion:
Drill through it with a small bit, then it should just come out.

FYI: For some applications, pop rivets are easier and better than using stainless screws for thin material. (Dyad)

THINGS THAT WORK
A bolt that continually loosened eventually stripped it's threads. An aluminum rivet worked as a perfect replacement.  Found at auto parts stores. (Salty Paws)

Query: How can I tell if my sail drive is electrically grounded?
Comment:
Use a 12 volt test light.  Connect one end to the battery, touch the other end to the sail drive. If the light lights up, then the sail drive is grounded.

Query: I want to inspect my centerboard. Is there a camera I can use to slip in there and take a look?
Comments:
Try a sports model Kodak underwater one shot use. (Salty Paws)
Drug stores carry disposable underwater video cams. (Salty Paws)
There's a tool called a bore scope, which is used to run wires. Allows you to see what's there. Lowes/Depot.
Contact a local plumber. They have tools for this type of job. (C_Language)
Update:  I used a USB web cam sealed into a waterproof box. Used a flashlight as a light source. Found and fixed the problem which was a jammed line.
Comment:
The cam sounds like a great idea. It could also be used to check zincs, etc in cold water cruising grounds. (Wind Chaser)

Issue: Cutlass bearing is developing a shimmy.
Comments:
Replace the bearing.
May actually be an out of balance prop.
Breathing hole may be blocked.
Grease the prop twice a year. (Mon Amie)
It may be a motor mount problem.
Prop may be fouled.

Query; Need to remove seal on shaft coupling. Is it reasonable to use heat?
Comments;
Use a concentrated heat source to heat the bolt quickly without heating the surrounding area. Then give it a jolt with penetrating oil. (It will smoke.)
Heat, then what it to shock it.
Try an impact wrench.

Query: Is it okay to use lube or Anti-Seize between the prop and shaft to make prop removal easier?
Comments:
Try a copper based anti-seize.
Tef-Gel works.
Never Seez may be more durable underwater than Tef-Gel.
Use your product on the shaft only.
Valve grind product before inserting the key.
Use care when using prop puller to avoid stripping threads.

Query: Does zinc spray paint prevent barnacles on running gear?
Comment:
Probably not if the boat gets underway. The paint will likely peel off.

Issue: CV joint failed.
Comments:
Rotate by hand to feel the fit. If there's no play our sound of looseness, it's probably fine.
This could be replaced with a car parts CV joint for around $50 vs $500 for a boat part.
[Counter] Auto part can fail due to needing about 7 degrees of angularity.
Lovejoy may be a better choice. Lovejoy coupling comes in a nice variety of sizes.
Drivesaver may allow sufficient angular motion.

Issue: A dripping prop shaft.
Comments:
Tighten 1/4 turn.
Make sure it's still movable by hand after tightening.
It shouldn't drip more than 1 drop per minute underway.
It may need new packing.
If boat has been out of the water long term, the packing may be dry.
Teflon impregnated packing is superior to wax. McMasters carries it.

THINGS THAT WORK
Use a lengthwise split hose clamped over the shaft seal.  Put it, slit down, over the nut of the packing gland.  This will prevent the tiny bit of water from spraying. (C_Language)

We've used a Sharpie pen on a prop zinc with success around the screw. They were falling out prior to this.  Paint prior to installation, use Sharpie on contact point/attachment screw. (Early Out)

Use a plastic screw for prop zinc attachment. (Soul Mates)

Remove seal for a sail drive with a 2" diameter tapered wooden plug as a tool. (Salty Paws)

recommended
Gore GFO Packing has gortex fibers in it and works well. (Cutter Passages)

"Dripless Packing" from West Marine. It has the consistency of modeling clay. Work it into a rope shape and apply. Use in conjunction with regular packing. (Cat Tales)

(also props, zincs)

Issue: Orca Green Tri-Color light failure; blew the 2 amp fuse.
Comments:
Trace wiring, look for continuity.
Look for something shorting across the junction box.
Look at the fuse. There may be a short between the fuse and the junction box.
Isolate control board from the wiring and replace the fuse. If fuse blows, the problems is in the control board, if not, the problem is wiring.

Tri color LED replacements for Aqua Signal Light bulbs can also be found on Ebay. (Discovery)

Tri color LED running lights use low energy, provide high visibility. Doctor LED carries them. (Geru)
.

Ospho is an economical rust remover-converter. Makes a good primer coat for rusty parts. (Cat Tales)

Lemon juice removes rust stains (but not mold or mildew). Use full strength and ignore for hours. Stain will be gone. Use on any surface. (Salty Paws)

RECOMMENDED
3M Compound/Wax. Use as a rust inhibitor. (Valkyrie)
Collinite brand #845 Heavy Duty Insulator Wax. Protects. (St Jude)
Flitz. Polish, Protect. (Salty Paws)
Gel Gloss. Cleans, removes rust. $5/16oz. (Dragon Seeker)
Soft Scrub. For rust removal. (Solitaire)
Starbrite Metal Polish. Rust prevention. (C_Language)

(also corrosion)