TSmith6410@aol.com writes: >Suggestions for 120 VAC portable fans for engine room use? I retired from 25 years working with mainframe computers. We used an item called "muffin-fan" to cool circuits and power supplies. Never seen one of them pack-in. You should be able to get them from computer surplus stores. I'm not talking Radio-Shack type fans, but heavy duty, sealed bearing, impedance protected, industrial continuous rated fans. Those things are not cheap, but they are indestructable. Try service departments of IBM, Amdal, Honeywell, CDC etc for a source. Arild, can you suggest a supplier? George of Scaramouche, Lake Ontario

rbryett@mail.com writes: >I know harnesses are a PITA, but the more you >wear them, the more natural it becomes. Harnesses are somewhat uncomfortable/unnatural to wear. I've been wondering why we use these constructs? I have seen many ironworkers and linemen (my grandfather was one) going up and down telephone posts etc. with a very wide impressive looking belt around their middle which they clip to various other things like large loops, safety lines, steps etc. I have worn such a belt and find it quite comfortable and more natural than the typical marine harness. If I am trying to keep myself on the boat, rather than being pulled out of the water, why would such a workman's belt not be at least as adequate? Think I'll check out what's available at Marks Work Warehouse... George of Scaramouche, Lake Ontario, Canada

capnrich@cnw.com writes: >Just go down to Fleet Marine in Richmond or look up Ross Ballantyne >waterman@waterman.ca. >Richard Richard: Got a name/address like that for a poor Easterner (east of Toronto, about 44N, 79W) ? George of Scaramouche1, Frenchman's Bay, Pickering, Ontario

I'm sure this is an old question, but I am still curious: Why do we cruisers use Gallons per Hour instead of Miles per Gallon? 3 GPH at 6 knots = 2 MPG. 6 GPH at 12 knots also equals 2 MPG. What's the difference in terms of fuel consumption? GPH seems cumbersome as one must first figure out how many hours one will travel, then calculate how much fuel will be used. If one knows distance and MPG, the fuel estimate calculation is more direct. Our purpose is to go someplace, seems to me, not just burn fuel. Regards, John Sawyer Freedom Krogen 39

Defender carried some

In a message dated 8/23/2005 2:33:41 PM Eastern Daylight Time, wing15601@gmail.com writes: four digits, then a comma and two more digits. ----------------------------------------- Henry-- I wonder if the comma is perhaps a decimal mark (period) and that it is reading hours (up to 9999) with 1/100'th to the right of the period. Best--Michael Oritt Durbeck 48--NAMASTE

Steve Sipe writes: > 1. They're unacceptable per ABYC. They won't pass muster on a survey. > 2. They will leak. If not oil out, air in. > 3. They will come loose. > 4. The compression nut or the ferrule can crack/break/fail. Sorry, but this is not right. If you use a Swagelok compression fitting, it will last more or less forever, be tough as nails, withstand several thousand PSI without leaking, and still be easy to disassemble in 20 years. It will also meet both ABYC and CG regulations. Scott Welch "Island Eagle" www.islandeagle.net "The person who makes no mistakes usually doesn't make anything"

Steve Sipe writes: >You may want to get next to a >local plumbing professional, find one who owns a boat, buy him lunch >BEFORE you start picking his brain, and you may be able to use up his >scrap tubing or at least be able to get smaller lengths than a whole >roll of the stuff. You may even be able to rent/borrow his PEX crimping tool for a weekend. By the way, just as an aside, it may also be useful for listees to know that linesmen for the local electrical utility often have very nice, very heavy-duty crimping tools that have been known to migrate down to the docks for the weekend. Another good type of friend to have if you need to do any wiring. Scott Welch FirstClass Product Manager www.firstclass.com "The person who makes no mistakes usually doesn't make anything"

Motorola 32 volt marine diesel alternator 70 Amp http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Motorola-32-volt-marine-diesel-alternator-70-Amp_W0QQitemZ4602763047QQcategoryZ50441QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem I know how expensive these are. This looks like a bargoon. Scott Welch FirstClass Product Manager www.firstclass.com "The person who makes no mistakes usually doesn't make anything"

oozercruzer@earthlink.net writes: >The windless on my boat is 32 volt.. I would like >to either run the windless on 36 volts or reduce >the windless motor voltage to 24 volts.. > My questions are, >Can the windless be rewound to run > on 24 volts? Mike, Having converted my 60 foot DeFever from 32 to 24 volts, I think I'm qualified to answer your questions. First, it is possible to rewind the motor, but a much simpler and easier solution is to just buy a new motor. Almost certainly your windlass is an Ideal, if you call them up with the model number they will have a new motor out to you within a few days (see www.idealwindlass.com). Expect to pay around $500 for the new motor. > >Will the windless preform adequately on 24 volts? Yes, with a 24 volt motor. Not if you try and use a 32 volt motor on 24 volts. > >Will it hurt the windless to run it on 36 volts like it is? No, with most electric motors you can generally go 20% up in voltage with no major problems. But... > >I was thinking since the battery bank is back in the engine room >and the wires run to the windless on the fore deck, a run of >maybe 25', a 36 volt bank would loose some voltage with this >long of a run... This is true, 36 volts will require 50% lower amperage for the same power. But.... >This brings up more questions, >Will the present wires be ok to use? Not for 24 volts, that's for sure. That will require 33% more amperage. 12 volts will require more than twice the amperage. > >I know it would be possible to us a voltage converter to >reduce the voltage from 32 to 24 volts but would prefer not >to make this any more complicated than I need to... This is the reason for the "buts". That's the major problem with 36 volts. It's a weird voltage, and then you will end up with a 36 volt bank and not much to use it for. Plus, getting an alternator to charge it will be somewhere between difficult and impossible. Way better to use a more common voltage such as 24 volts or even 12. > >The main reasons I want to change out the 32 volt bank >is, I am having a heck of a time keeping water in these 8 volt >batteries using a ferroresonant charger.. >There are very few 32 volt electronic chargers out there... >I would appreciate if one of you electrical gurus would give >a poor self proclaimed mechanical genius a hand here (:<)... Well, here's my two cents: First, you need to decide whether you keep or replace your 32 volt system. The battery charger issue is actually pretty minor. You can get good 32 volt chargers from the folks at Analytic Systems (www.analyticsystems.com). There is nothing inherently wrong with 32 volts, but the big issue is that 32 volt components are getting more and more rare (and expensive). If you do decide to replace the 32 volt system you will need to decide on either 12 or 24 volts. I happened to choose 24 volts (actually two paired 12 volt systems), but I have a friend with a 66-footer and he has decided to go with 12 volts throughout the boat, including the Cat 343 main and the Ideal windlass. However, in any event you will need to replace every 32 volt motor on the boat. This will include at least the starter(s) and windlass motor, and may include pumps, blowers, heads, lights, windshield wipers, etc. In particular regards to the windlass, if you have an Ideal you can easily get a 24 volt motor, and as my friend has just found you can also easily get a 12 volt one. You will also need to replace the alternators and of course the batteries. Add in a few hundred feet of 4/0 cable with the correct Ancor terminals, a few 400 Amp fuses, etc., etc., etc., and you are looking at 15 boat units or more, and that's without labour. Hope this helps, Scott Welch FirstClass Product Manager www.firstclass.com "The person who makes no mistakes usually doesn't make anything"