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  1. TomandJeri

    Is there a safe way to dive on a fresh water dock?

    Technically, yes, but don't bet your life on it. It has to do with the voltage gradient in water. In fresh, which doesn't conduct all that well, the gradient is higher across a given distance than in salt water, and the human body is more conductive than fresh water. Stretching out your arms...
  2. TomandJeri

    Who has replaced a generator???

    Absolutely. I can show you no shortage of bad oil reports (from our local Cat distributor, and for some reason, they all get sent to me) on engines from 300 hp to 1000 hp showing contamination with metals, water, and/or other chemicals that on retesting are magically gone. Sample drawing...
  3. TomandJeri

    What’s the point of getting oil samples before purchase???

    We get regular reports from oil samples taken in the field of both diesel engines and hydraulic systems. While it's instructive to watch trends, what usually pops up the yellow and red flags (same Cat analysis results form as yours) are really bad things like high water content and dirt levels...
  4. TomandJeri

    Who uses a fog horn in the fog?

    This has almost nothing to do with anything, other than being a fog horn in a fog horn discussion, but I found this tour and demonstration really interesting and thought others might too, especially those living around the SF Bay or similar areas during the time they were still used...
  5. TomandJeri

    Who had right of way?

    This is where it gets sticky, to me at least, especially in a sailboat, and I don't see that part discussed anywhere near as much as the actions required of the give-way vessel. The stand-on vessel is required to maintain course and speed, presumably so the give-way vessel can predict it's...
  6. TomandJeri

    Yanmar 6LY3-ETP Hard Starting

    By any chance have you cracked open any of the banjo terminations? I had a similar problem with a 3GM in a sailboat, and it turns out the copper (I think?) washers under and over the fittings don't like being loosened and retightened from bleeding too many times. I was getting a little air in...
  7. TomandJeri

    Considering a bow thruster; best choices?

    My FIL had a thruster installed in his KK42 decades ago when it was new, and rarely ever used it. I asked why not once, and he said that it mainly made a lot of noise and drew the battery down, so he didn't bother. I have no idea if it was 12 or 24V. But the take-away for me was, if you're...
  8. TomandJeri

    trailerable trawler

    In NYS and most others, a single pilot/escort starts at 12 ft wide, among other triggers (length, height, load overhang). Two pilot/escorts usually start at 14 ft width. Below that, oversized load signs and a permit are required. But as you said, it is state dependent, and even areas of a...
  9. TomandJeri

    Engine room blowers

    Two fans in series is normally used to provide adequate (whatever is decided by whomever is designing it) flow in a relatively high resistance application, like ductwork. Each fan moves the same amount of air, of course, but operates higher on its flow rate vs static pressure curve. It's...
  10. TomandJeri

    Backlit breaker labels?

    These might be what you want. I've replaced them in the past. Easy job. They were even on the shelf at my local WM...
  11. TomandJeri

    Should I buy or walk

    Sounds to me like the seller didn't want you to see the second (worse) survey and valuation. But I'm just a naturally suspicious person when it comes to things like this. I'm new to power boating, but none of what's in those surveys give me pause. I'd expect to put money and effort into a...
  12. TomandJeri

    Lock off or on for circuit breaker

    AFAIK, that's good enough on the Great Lakes, and is what I've done on sailboats. But not good enough on Lake Champlain, according to what I've read, and the first-hand report of my FIL who was gigged for not having broken open and capped the discharge line and thru-hull connections (or removal...
  13. TomandJeri

    Solenoid for Windlass

    Put your voltmeter on the "Load" side of the solenoid (the other lead on a good ground) and have someone push the button to energize it. See if it's actually closing and putting voltage to the load side. Could be bad brushes in the motor, or if it's anything like the string of junkers I owned...
  14. TomandJeri

    Norcold vs. regular refrigerator

    Good question. So I tried it, using a cheap 400W (continuous) inverter in an extruded case with twin outlets and a cigarette lighter plug in my Grand Cherokee. I tested a 75W incandescent flood light and a 10" 26W (nameplated) table fan on high speed. Light (Utility) Power 76.2W Current...
  15. TomandJeri

    Mis-matched chain and gypsy from factory??

    The only gypsy ending in "133" is for 5/16" G4 (or G40) HT chain, at 11.7 links/ft. Not that yours actually is that one, but it's interesting that it has that number stamped on it. 5/16" G40 HT has a 3900 lb WLL, while 3/8" G30 BBB is 2650 lb. If 50% more length is needed over what you have...
  16. TomandJeri

    Flo Scan Dampner

    They look like baby accumulators. Is there a gas charge in there with a bladder, or just an air bubble (mounted golf ball 'up')?
  17. TomandJeri

    Norcold vs. regular refrigerator

    I would also add voltage spikes to the list of phenomena that an inverter driven motor must handle. Spikes are higher with VFD's and inverters (sort of the same thing anyway) than with utility power, and motors designed for such duty have insulation rated for both higher temperatures (usually)...
  18. TomandJeri

    Looking to tour a Mainship 400 trawler (early 2000's and up)

    I don't want to hijack the OP's thread, so I'll just say that the side door is a nice-to-have, while the swim platform door is a must-have and deal breaker if not present. Best if the cockpit sole is the same elevation as the swim platform. It's all about mobility issues and being able to step...
  19. TomandJeri

    Norcold vs. regular refrigerator

    "Frost-free" means the evaporator coil, which is inside the space but hidden from view behind a panel (and probably has a fan to move air through the space), is heated for a short time to melt off the frost when the system decides to thaw it out. So I would think that as long as the required...
  20. TomandJeri

    Looking to tour a Mainship 400 trawler (early 2000's and up)

    This is a must-have in my search. A passage from either the sides of the cockpit, or (better) from the swim platform because my marina has floating docks. Physical challenges are driving boat selection to a very large degree, and things like the stairway to the fly bridge are also virtually...
  21. TomandJeri

    Hello from Lake Erie

    Welcome aboard from Lake Ontario. :thumb:
  22. TomandJeri

    How to Check Transmission Fluid

    Can you shut the engine down from inside the engine room either by pulling a solenoid coil wire (energize to run), or putting 12 or 24V to the solenoid (energize to stop), or by backing off a fuel bypass screw on the solenoid valve (some Cummins engines in trucks I used to drive years ago could...
  23. TomandJeri

    Monograde Engine Oils

    From Blackstone Labs: "If your oil is too light, the bearing metals can increase. If the oil is too heavy, the upper end metals can increase. The trick is to find the right viscosity for your particular engine, which is why we suggest following the manufacturer's recommendation." Their...
  24. TomandJeri

    Power what while at anchor?

    Are wind turbines not something trawler owners use? I've never had one on any of my sailboats (the only kind of boat I've ever owned), but they're common on cruising sailboats in conjunction with solar, especially since they can take advantage of wind at night and during periods of overcast...
  25. TomandJeri

    Need quick “electrical math” for an inverter purchase

    You can get the average current value by dividing the kWh figure by the elapsed time, both from the meter. That's the average energy rate in watts, but it says nothing about the peak value, nor the duty cycle. Divide by 120V to get average current. Multiply by 10 and again by 0.8-0.9 for...
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