South Florida...Keys....Bahama Info needed...

[Retcoastie]

Listerine

I have had success on our Florida trips using netting and spraying Listerine on the net and anywhere we expect to be. I carry a small spray bottle around with me and spray seats, cushions, hatch openings, etc. It seems to do the job.

I like the yeast tablet idea and will look for them. If they don't cost too much I'll give them a try also.

Ken

 

[Norman Staniec]

Sum, I too would be concerned about exhausting underwater. The quality of the burn in the piston might be affected by not drafting the hot gases out as designed and may overheat and damage a valve. Nice pics!

Ken, which flavor of Listerine? Original or minty? .....serioulsy, they make many, I may give it a try.

 

[Sumner]

Sum, I too would be concerned about exhausting underwater. The quality of the burn in the piston might be affected by not drafting the hot gases out as designed and may overheat and damage a valve. Nice pics!......

Exactly and the Honda is pretty quiet as is and starts on the first pull, but also wasn't real cheap at a little over $200. I put the exhaust in a bucket outside the shop and it blew water everywhere, so I think it would have to be a ways down in the water to stop that. I'm sure they have all of that figured into outboards. As I mentioned most of the noise is the vibration that is noticeable in the cabin since it is like a drum in there.

I'll see how the rubber mounts work and if that pays off might try a small muffler of some type on it, but will need to watch back-pressure there also.

I've run it on a trip in town next to a laundromat and you can't hear it 50 feet away.

All in all we are very happy with it and for us it is the best way to re-charge the batteries that I can think of. With all new parts in it I probably have $350 in it and it weighs a little over 40 lbs., which is comparable to a good 110 generator and they won't charge batteries more than about 6 amps. For more you have to use a battery charger and it still won't do what the alternator will. We don't need 110 for hardly anything and I carry a couple inverters in case we do.

You could build one cheap with used stuff. I had a couple used GM alternators, but decided to spend the $50 or so on a new (well rebuilt one).

c ya,

Sum

Our Trips to Lake Powell, UT - Kootenay Lake, Canada - Priest Lake, ID

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[Retcoastie]

Sum,

I built a similar charging rig after watching a fellow with a new Suburban one morning running it at very high idle to charge his camper battery. I figured that had to be the most expensive battery charger in the world.

I used a 3hp engine and a 35 amp Bosch alternator I had lying around. The total cost was the new v-belt I had to get. I found that like most auto alternators, the Bosch would not charge at 35 amps and what high current it did put out dropped pretty quickly as the voltage on the battery came up. To get a really good charge would take a couple hours. That was okay, as I would fill the gas tank and then go to town and let it run till the gas ran out.

Later, I wanted to increase the speed of charge, I bypassed the regulator and ran battery voltage directly to the field winding. This caused the output voltage to stay at about 14.7 vdc all the time. A half hour of 14.7 steady would charge the batteries much faster and get them in good enough shape to last the day. I figured it was safe as I was around to check the heat build up in the batteries. They never overheated or lost much water.

Just a thought you might keep in the back of your mind if you are not happy with the speed of charge.

Ken

 

[timebandit]

Ran accross this link and thought you might be interested.

http://www.sailnet.com/forums/gear-maintenance/60086-refrigeration-vs-ice-caribe.html

Our big obstacle for staying out without re-supply is ice if we need it. We can usually go 5-8 days with the..............

.........two coolers and I'll bet that is 4-5 days down there for the first part of the trip when it is still hot. Do any off you have any experience with the Dometic portable refrigerators/freezers? One of these would give us the same amount of usable interior space and take up less exterior space since you don't have all the wasted space the ice takes up.

We are looking at the CF-50 and the CF-80 ........

http://www.smallspacesappliances.com/compactportablerefrigeratorfreezers-coolfreezeseries.aspx

They aren't cheap, but I'll bet we would spend $200-$300 on this one trip alone for ice for 3 months. With one of these 10 days without having to come in would be very doable for us down there and 30 days up here. We'd like that option, so if you have heard how people like these please let us know.

Thanks again, we owe you guys,

Ruth and Sum

P.S. Bill sometime you will have to tell me how you save the

 

[Sumner]

Ran across this link and thought you might be interested.

http://www.sailnet.com/forums/gear-maintenance/60086-refrigeration-vs-ice-caribe.html

Thanks, I've done more research since that post a while back. We are going to go with the Waeco 50 from these guys......

http://www.americanrvcompany.com/Do...reezer-ACDC-CF-50-Trailer-Camper-RV_p_84.html

.... and I'm going to add a second solar panel. This one will be 80 watts from here....

http://www.solarblvd.com/product_info.php?info=p1331_Solar-Cynergy-80-Watt-12-Volt-Solar-Panel.html

We had a good thread on this over here....

http://www.macgregor26x.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=15020&sid=688fbcddc52a15e208af27f87ba1b332

Thanks again,

Sum

Our Trips to Lake Powell, UT - Kootenay Lake, Canada - Priest Lake, ID

Our Mac Pages

Mac Links