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Topics - Mark Elkin

#1
Main Message Board / Tech Wiki updates
October 17, 2011, 02:09:18 AM
Are you a DYI or Projects person?  Have you done lots to your boat?  Do you want an easy way to refer your fellow C34IA members to your handiwork?

I've added another section to the Tech Wiki main page, called "By Boat/Author".  The idea is that people who regularly contribute projects can build a list of all they have done.  It is also a convenient starting point for creating the page for your next project.  And once your new project/job wiki page is ready, it is easy to then add that page's link to the other categorized sections of the main tech wiki. 

To keep the tech wiki main page from getting too cluttered, please just list your boat's name and optionally the hull number.  Make that a page link to your boat's project index.

To illustrate, I have added my own "Yorkshire Rose" as the first entry.  The link there takes you to a page where I simply list my projects.  I chose to list them both chronologically and systematically, but you are free to choose any format that you are comfortable using.  As we say around here, "Your boat, your choice."

Mark
#2
This comes from this topic, Basic Battery Wiring Diagrams:  http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,6604.0.html  

I separated it because I use the original topic as a link for others for information.  This is a helpful discussion for alternative ideas, that warrant discussion as different ways to do things, but do not reflect my intention of KISS.  - Stu  10/22/2011
 

************************************************************************************

Interesting.  Especially because I chose OPTION 3 for Y.Rose.

Two switches.  A simple and highly visible ON/OFF for the house battery bank, which send power to the DC distribution panel.  And a out-of-sight but easily accessed OFF-1-2-BOTH switch for selecting the source of power to start the engine.  (1=dedicated starting battery only, 2=house bank only.  Both and Off are self explanatory.)  

My logic is as follows:
Different battery technologies for each application.  Large (~300 AH) bank of deep cycle Gel cells for house bank, and "ordinary" wet cell with high cold cranking amps for starter.  Alternator output goes to house bank.  Balmar "Duo Charger" gets input from house bank and output charges the starter battery.

The switch circuit I describe above then facilitates....

  • House bank is normal choice for the house power.
  • Starter battery normally connects to starter and remains isolated from house bank.
  • Make it very difficult to use starter battery to power the house systems.
  • Make it easy to use house bank either alone or to combine (boost) the starter.

So using just an ON-OFF for the house bank switch is nearly foolproof.  I (or especially, my guests) have only one simple, obvious action to get power to the house systems.  And that simple On-OFF action alone can NOT power the house systems from the starter battery.  So the chance of accidentally selecting the starter battery to power the house and thus draining that crucial battery is virtually nil.

When I want to run the engine, the starter power selector switch is normally set to the starter battery only position.  This keeps it isolated from the house bank but ready at any time to start the motor.  If the starter battery does not have enough power for any reason though, I can choose to combine with or substitute the house bank.  If I did so, it would be a very conscious choice and ss soon as the engine is running, I would return the switch to the normal position.  And since this switch is not in a high visibility area, there is very little chance my guests would accidentally (or purposely) change it.

A slightly outdated, but still accurate diagram is near the bottom of the Project Wiki page: http://www.c34.org/wiki/index.php?title=Electrical_System_Upgrade_-_Yorkshire_Rose.

As Ron so often says, "your boat, your choice".
#3
After talking to several other boat owners at my marina, I decided to implement a fresh water flush of the raw (salt) water system.  Actually was very easy.  Too bad I didn't do this all along -- it probably would have prevented several of the problems I've had to deal with over the years.

The system is simple enough.  There's a bronze tee connecting the raw water seacock and thru-hull to the strainer.  (Picture 1.)  Fortunately, the tee is arranged so the strainer is on the "side" and the seacock is attached to the "straight" part.  There's a bronze cap at the top of the tee.  With the seacock closed, I simply remove the bronze cap and then attach a rubber hose that feeds into a bucket of fresh water.  (Picture 2.)  A garden hose is used to fill the bucket with fresh water.  Now start the engine and run several buckets full of water through the engine.  Remove the hose and reinstall the bronze cap.

Note, in the pictures, the sink cabinet door was removed for other projects.  It is not necessary to do that for this task.

Final note, the bronze tee described above is also a good arrangement if you have problems with kelp or other things tending to clog the thru-hull.  Just remove the cap and jam a stick down though the open seacock to push the offending item out of the way.  Once water starts gushing in, remove the stick and close the sea-cock and then put the bronze cap back.
#4
Main Message Board / Check your manual bilge pump
January 01, 2008, 11:35:00 AM
As alluded to in my post on the exhaust riser today, I also concurrently had a manual bilge pump failure.  The nut (inside the pump) that secures the eyebolt to the diaphragm worked it's way off at some point and had disappeared -- probably got washed down the exit hose and is now a friend of Davy Jones.  And it turns out that the nut is not easily replaced.  The eyebolt and nut are based on an old British standard called Whitworth and NEITHER modern English nor Metric bolts will work!

Talked to my local chandlery and they contacted Whale Pumps (the mfgr).  Their US sales rep was able to scrounge up a nut and send it to me.  So I now have a working pump again.  But I was nearly faced with much more expensive replacement of the whole pump because of a stupid nut. 

So, the lesson here is: Check your pump.  Do it now and not when you find you actually need it to work and it doesn't.  Searching our web pages and tech notes, I found that Ron Hill has recommended checking the pump, most recently in the May 1999 (Vol.17, #2) tech notes.

Hints: Before you start, put something to catch whatever might fall down the exit hose.  Or stuff a rag into the exit through-hull temporarily.  Just in case that nut has indeed worked it's way off and is just waiting for an opportunity to go swimming.

Sidebar: I later learned from a friend that we probably can still get Whitworth hardware from a Triumph Motorcycles dealer.  So, it you find you've also lost the nut, try that lead and report back to all of us.

Here's a couple pictures.
#5
Main Message Board / New Projects
June 25, 2005, 12:53:39 PM
Just posted several new project pages (all thanks to inputs from Ron Hill), and fixed a missing link on the page.  Why don't you go check out what's new?
#6
Main Message Board / Next Project
May 15, 2005, 11:05:33 AM
It's that time again.  Anyone have any Projects to contribute?

And....

Your projects webmaster just doesn't post projects for other members, he does them too.

I've been busy reworking the main DC power system (new 110A alternator, Balmar regulator and DuoCharger, 1 gauge wiring, etc.)

And concurrently, installing a windlass.

Here's a couple teaser pictures that will be in the projects section when I'm done.
 
#7
Main Message Board / Projects - the song
April 18, 2005, 09:08:00 PM
Okay everyone, sing along with your Project's webmaster:

Oh where, oh where has your project gone?
Oh what do you have for me?
Even a note that's short,
After the winter long.
Please share it for all to see.
#8
Main Message Board / Projects - The Lost Episodes
March 10, 2005, 07:36:05 AM
Two projects have miraculously returned from the Bermuda Triangle of the Ether-World.  John Meyer's "Raising The Head" and "Head Shelf Modifications" have returned to the Projects pages.

Did you submit a project that hasn't appeared yet?  Do you have an old project that never got submitted (like a few from Ron recently)?  Do you have any projects just completed?  Let me know - use the Contribute or Comment links on the C34 main web site, or click on the "PM" button below.
#9
Main Message Board / New Projects
February 27, 2005, 09:27:00 AM
Welcome Friends, Romans, and c34.org Members,

Come one and come all to the Projects big top and see the amazing new projects.  Guarenteed to astound, befuddle, or <fill in the blank> you.  

Many thanks to Ron Hill and Mike Vaccaro for their recent Project additions.

Would you care to see your name in the bright lights too?  Just let us know what little (or big) things you've done to make an improvement in your fine ship.  Send me a quick note and picture -- or a whole novel -- and you'll earn your place in history (i.e. the Projects web page).
#10
Main Message Board / Projects
February 12, 2005, 04:08:47 PM
Just a reminder that your project submissions are welcome, whether you document the whole thing yourself or just take a couple pictures and send a brief message to me.

Bob Kuba just added his "Cabin Heater" to our repertoire and Ron tells me that he's got some coming.  How about you?  Done anything, fancy or simple, that makes our great C34's just that much better?
#11
Main Message Board / New Projects posted
November 08, 2003, 10:45:26 AM
I've posted a half dozen new projects and a couple FAQ's to the web site.  Thanks to all the contributers.

Sorry for the long delay.  As attentive readers have noted, Stu mentioned several significant events in your Associate Webmaster for Project's life.  Most significant was getting married.  I never knew it would be so much work .... and my friends tell me that the preparations effort were only preparation for the real work that starts now that we've tied the knot.  But I've finally had a few days to catch up on all the C34 project submissions (except my own Yorkshire Rose projects documentation).

Your AWM4P is back.

Mark Elkin
Yorkshire Rose, #133
#12
Main Message Board / C34 Parts List
March 09, 2004, 09:04:12 PM
I've just added a new section to the C34 Parts List page -- listings of suggested substitute items for the C34 parts that are no longer available or easily obtained.  

I will be scanning past posting from this message board for additional "parts" to add to that list.  And please feel free to send me your own parts lists.

Mark Elkin
Yorkshire Rose, #133
#13
Main Message Board / Project Page inputs?
July 01, 2003, 08:41:28 AM
Hello everyone.  My computer hard disk crashed about 10 days ago.  I've recovered and restored as much data as possible, but it's not complete.

If you've sent me email inputs for the project pages since March, that email has been lost.  I think I got all inputs posted to the web pages, but I'm not positive.  If your project is not posted, my apologies.  Please send me your input again.

And one more note: Do Your Computer Backups!  I could have saved a lot of time if my backups were more current.

Mark Elkin
Yorkshire Rose, #133
#14
A couple more projects have been added to the Projects page, courtesy of contributions from Ken Juul and myself.  So all you "do-it-yourself-ers", cruise over to the projects page and take a look.

Also, the 1988 Owner's Manual was missing page 16.  This has been fixed.  So if you downloaded the manual, you'll need to download the file again.  Or (HINT HINT) view the manual on line, browse to page 16, right click on the text shown, and save the GIF image to a file.  Then open up the Owner's Manual file you previously downloaded (i.e. the 14MB one), scroll to page 17, and insert the GIF image you just saved above.  (For the MS Word challenged ... choose [Insert, Picture, From File] from the menu and then select the image file you just saved.)

Mark Elkin
Yorkshire Rose, #133
#15
Main Message Board / Goose(d)-neck
July 22, 2001, 10:50:20 PM
A week ago, on my way to S.Catalina Island, I was goosed by my gooseneck.  More specifically, a simple cotterpin broke and my boom detached itself from the gooseneck.  I just spent most of this last weekend taking apart my boom and gooseneck to repair this.  (Stay tuned for pictures on my web pages and maybe a projects entry.)

In the meantime, if you haven't inspected this -- it's easy to overlook because it's INSIDE the boom -- within the last year or two, then it's definitely something to add to your annual maintenance list.  As Ron Hill has told me recently ... inspect, Inspect, INSPECT!

Mark Elkin
Yorkshire Rose, #133
#16
Main Message Board / Projects...
June 30, 2001, 10:26:47 AM
I just created some webpages for the improvements I've been doing to Yorkshire Rose.  You can see these at http://home.san.rr.com/heysailor/sailing/projects.

There's more on the way, BTW.

Mark Elkin
Yorkshire Rose, #133
#17
Main Message Board / Interpretting the specs....
June 26, 2001, 04:19:19 PM
I was looking at the C34 specs.  In the "sail plan" portion are 4 dimensions:

 I  44'-0"  46'-0"
 J  13'-6"  13'-6"
 P  38'-6"  40'-6"
 E  12'-0"  12'-0"

What do those letters stand for?  They are not shown on the brochure.

Thanks.

Mark Elkin
Yorkshire Rose, #133
#18
Main Message Board / Bilge Pump Cycling
June 07, 2001, 10:01:37 AM
I've noticed my bilge pump cycling on and off regularly -- sometimes.  A little investigation showed that this happens when the bilge has filled enough for the float switch to start the pump.  The water level then drops and the pump turns off.  What happens next is the real cause -- the water in the pump's exhaust hose drains back into the bilge and that re-triggers the float switch.  And the whole cycle starts all over.

I traced the hose from the pump.  The next stop is the manual bilge pump behind the cockpit, and then down the drain hose to the thru-hull at the bottom of the transom.  Apparently, there is nothing to prevent the water in the hose between the automatic and manual pumps from flowing back down and refilling the bilge.  Does anyone else have this problem?

I'm considering adding a check valve in the hose, but an article in Sail magazine a couple months ago suggested that anything that even partly obstructs the bilge pump output is a bad thing.  What do you other C34 owners think?

FYI, my temporary solution is to get into the bilge with a big sponge and a bucket and remove the excess water.  But the water eventually returns -- however, that is another subject.

Mark

[This message was edited by Yorkshire Rose on June 07, 2001 at 10:07 AM.]