Got Questions? Ask Them Here.

[DAVA390]

Good evening MS...
I removed the 3 loop handrails off cabintop of my precision 23. When I Install new ones in spring, I will through bolt them as recommended, I` going to match the new ones up against the old ones on the bench this winter to locate the boltholes in the new ones. When I reinstall ,I planned to bed them onto some of the butyl I got from you a few years ago. Should I also put a dab of 4200 around on the bolts to seal the hole or is compression of the tape sufficient to d that? , Thanks , Dave, Baltimore.

 

[DAVA390]

I just read the Deck Hardware bedding tutorial. Very helpful, I`ll be countersinking the bolt holes in the cabintop and putting some butyl around the screwheads sunken into the handrails.

 

[Velero49]

How do you know that an AGM battery is ok?

I have 3 8d AGM batteries about 6 yrs old. My battery monitor is telling me that it had put 500 amps or more after they are fully charged in a week. Before it may have added 50-75 amps max in a few weeks. I suspect that one of the is bad. I'm yet to touch the batteries to see if they are warmer than normal. They have no more than 50 cycles per yr.

Things to check

Temperature of each battery
Disconnecting each battery and taking voltage
What else can I do to make sure they are good?

Thanks
Velero

 

[Velero49]

Found a battery with a fever.

Went to the boat and found one of the 3 batteries with a fever. http://forums.hunter.sailboatowners.com/images/smilies/eek.gif After disconnecting it from the others I found the voltage to be 11.67 VDC other 2 about 12.58. So that one is toasted. 2.5 more boat bills - (break out another thousand) since I want to have 4 batteries instead of 3.

For AGMs is it still recommended to replace the old ones as well? (not to mix old and new?)

I have a Magnum Energy charger, could the charger be the problem not reducing the v/amps after the batteries are charged? Batteries about 6 yo less than 500 cycles.

 

[Maine Sail]

Went to the boat and found one of the 3 batteries with a fever. http://forums.hunter.sailboatowners.com/images/smilies/eek.gif After disconnecting it from the others I found the voltage to be 11.67 VDC other 2 about 12.58. So that one is toasted. 2.5 more boat bills - (break out another thousand) since I want to have 4 batteries instead of 3.

For AGMs is it still recommended to replace the old ones as well? (not to mix old and new?)

I have a Magnum Energy charger, could the charger be the problem not reducing the v/amps after the batteries are charged? Batteries about 6 yo less than 500 cycles.

Sounds like a bad cell in one. The others I am sure are not far behind in failure with a voltage of under 12.6 freshly off charge..

What brand of battery are they?
What are your voltage settings on the Magnum?
Are you using the temp sensor?

At 300 cycles you've done better than many who go AGM...

 

[Velero49]

They are Westmarine, the charger was set for agm/gel not sure of the voltage per steps. Yes had the temp sensor on the bad battery which was also the first to be charged. I noticed that recently the voltage hovered about 13 v and low enough that the combiner to charge the engine battery did not engage.

What type battery would you recommend? gel? I would like to get around 1000 amps.

 

[Velero49]

Why is the temperature sensor attached to the negative post?

My boat had the temperature sensor for the charger/inverter (Magnum Energy) to ta positive battery post. I have had a Balmar temperature sensor for the AR-5 (Balmar) on the boat for a while and decided to intalle it given the failure of the AGM batteries. Whe I read both manuals, they have the temparature sensors to a negative post.

Thanks

 

[Maine Sail]

My boat had the temperature sensor for the charger/inverter (Magnum Energy) to ta positive battery post. I have had a Balmar temperature sensor for the AR-5 (Balmar) on the boat for a while and decided to intalle it given the failure of the AGM batteries. Whe I read both manuals, they have the temparature sensors to a negative post.

Thanks

Temp sensors ALWAYS go on the neg post not positive. Why? Because you can't sense temperrature after a fuse and anything on the + post is suposed to be fused. The temp sensor should also be placed on the battery with the most propensity to get warm. If one battery is up agains an engine room bulkhead and the other is not, then the one closest to the hot engine room would get the temp sensor..

Ideally I would love to see the ability for plug & play temp sensors for each battery but I doubt we'll ever see that..

 

[cptjak]

Maine two questions if you don't mind, I have a Yanmar 3JH2e and would like to replace that
fine Hitachi alternator. First question do you know if Leece-Neville makes an alternator to fit my
Yanmar. Last Question what thru-hull do you think works best for engine raw water, strainer/
no strainer.

Thank You

 

[IStream]

Maine two questions if you don't mind, I have a Yanmar 3JH2e and would like to replace that
fine Hitachi alternator. First question do you know if Leece-Neville makes an alternator to fit my
Yanmar. Last Question what thru-hull do you think works best for engine raw water, strainer/
no strainer.

Thank You

FWIW, my first boat had a strainer on the engine raw water input and it would routinely clog with soft growth and/or eel grass. My buddy recently had the same problem with his boat. I think a good bronze Perko or Groco style interior strainer is a lot more reliable.

 

[cptjak]

How bought it Maine

 

[Maine Sail]

Maine two questions if you don't mind, I have a Yanmar 3JH2e and would like to replace that
fine Hitachi alternator. First question do you know if Leece-Neville makes an alternator to fit my
Yanmar. Last Question what thru-hull do you think works best for engine raw water, strainer/
no strainer.

Thank You

I was I the BVI and missed this one...

No Leece Neville does not make a Hitachi mount alternator. Balmar, Mark Grasser DC Solutions, Electromaax & myself build high output externally regulated replacements with a Hitachi mount.

I use an internal strainer. The Seacock is a Groco flanged adapter, & Groco bronze bronze ball valve..

 

[cptjak]

Thank you

 

[Elysium_Van_Isl]

Hey Maine, quick one for you, just putting in a new flanged seacock as per your doc.
Can't remember though if I should put Teflon tape and paste on all the joints. (Thru-hull to seacock, seacock to hose adapter, etc). I'm assuming so, but thought I'd make sure before snugging it all up.
Thanks again for enabling all of us amateurs!!
Cheerio.

 

[Maine Sail]

Hey Maine, quick one for you, just putting in a new flanged seacock as per your doc.
Can't remember though if I should put Teflon tape and paste on all the joints. (Thru-hull to seacock, seacock to hose adapter, etc). I'm assuming so, but thought I'd make sure before snugging it all up.
Thanks again for enabling all of us amateurs!!
Cheerio.

Thru-hull to flange is marine sealant. Ball valve to flange is pipe dope, Teflon tape or both....

 

[Elysium_Van_Isl]

Thru-hull to flange is marine sealant. Ball valve to flange is pipe dope, Teflon tape or both....

Awesome, thanks! (Don't know why I asked about thru-hull to flange...I knew that answer..... Brain fart!)
Happy New Year.
Mike

 

[gettinthere]

Both!

 

[Blitz]

Has anyone ever heard of using 4200 in lieu of teflon tape or pipe dope from flanged Marelon seacock to a barbed elbow or tailpiece? My boat was done that way back in the day.

Sometimes when using an elbow, when it screws all the way in it is pointing in the wrong direction. With teflon tape at this point you wouldn't want to lossen it but thinking that 4200 would stiffen/seal the joint... throughts?

The only reason I'm touching these this winter is to replace some older hoses and remove the grey pvc the original manufactur used.

 

[weekendrken]

Has anyone ever heard of using 4200 in lieu of teflon tape or pipe dope from flanged Marelon seacock to a barbed elbow or tailpiece? My boat was done that way back in the day.

Sometimes when using an elbow, when it screws all the way in it is pointing in the wrong direction. With teflon tape at this point you wouldn't want to loosen it but thinking that 4200 would stiffen/seal the joint... thoughts?

The only reason I'm touching these this winter is to replace some older hoses and remove the grey pvc the original manufacturer used.

Never have seen anyone use a permanent (even semi) sealer/adhesive on a threaded connection you may want to disassemble, Makes sense, right?

You already know that thru hulls and sea cocks are a different thread (parallel, not tapered like home plumbing.) So, these's no taper (or interference fit) for the male/female to tighten against one another. Therefore, there's no need/reason to tighten/bottom out the elbow or tailpiece. The seal depends on only the Teflon tape or pipe dope filling the continuous peak/valley that runs along the length of the fitting. Engage the full number of threads and leave it in the position you need for your hose. Bottoming out the fitting does not seal it any better or worse.

So, use plenty of tape or pipe dope (not "plumber's putty" as the Forespar site states (which is a another material meant for something completely different than threaded fittings!)

KK

 

[Blitz]

Never have seen anyone use a permanent (even semi) sealer/adhesive on a threaded connection you may want to disassemble, Makes sense, right?

You already know that thru hulls and sea cocks are a different thread (parallel, not tapered like home plumbing.) So, these's no taper (or interference fit) for the male/female to tighten against one another. Therefore, there's no need/reason to tighten/bottom out the elbow or tailpiece. The seal depends on only the Teflon tape or pipe dope filling the continuous peak/valley that runs along the length of the fitting.

I always thought Marelon thru hulls and sea cocks were the same thread. Not my issue here though since I'm only talking about between the thru hull and the barbed tail piece. Thanks for your help.