Menu

Show posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.

Show posts Menu

Messages - sedelange

#1
Main Message Board / Re: Water Pump Accumulator
December 21, 2009, 11:51:31 AM
I replaced my pump with a Jabsco Ultramax that included the accumulator.  Works great as the pump only cycles when the faucets are open.  Pressure is good.  Only problem I have is the 1/2" supply lines are too small for the pump and I can get cavitation.  Supply hoses are to be replaced with 3/4" soon.
#2
Main Message Board / Re: Pedestal Mount Engine Panel
December 17, 2009, 11:37:49 AM
I removed the instrument panel and built a glove box out of fiberglass to fill the space.  mak3ed a great location for keys and cell phone whne i first get on the boat.

I did not end up using the later instrument panel pod.  Instead I replace all wiring and ran it to the new instrument pod that hold the chartplotter.  Installed the switches and indicator lights or oil pressure, water temp, and alternator.  I also installed a stop push button wired to a solenoid to replace the push pull cable.  The instrument data were replace by sending signal to the Raymarine C80 chartplotter to display the engine data.
#3
Main Message Board / Re: Is my C34 a 1995?
October 20, 2009, 12:58:49 PM
The Northridge earthquake in January 1994 was centered a little over 3 miles from the Catalin plant in Woodland Hills
#4
Main Message Board / Re: Black dust
August 25, 2009, 03:24:36 PM
John,

You might have to loosen the nuts holding the mount to the engine to see if the mount has delaminated.  If you do, just count the number of revolutions so you can get back the original setting.  Since you are getting dust, the amount of movement may be real hard to detect visually without disassembly.
#5
Main Message Board / Re: Black dust
August 25, 2009, 09:49:45 AM
Just curious, is the dust a powder like aluminum powder or is the texture more gritty like ground rubber?  If powder, check where the mount is attached to the engine, i think the mount flanges are aluminum.  If gritty, check to see if the rubber has delaminated from the metal part of the mount.
#6
I had the engine manual out for an unrelated issue and noticed the details about the glow plugs.
Resistance - 1.0-1.5 ohms
Current draw - 8-9 amps
Normal energised time -  10 seconds at or above 41F, 20 seconds below 23F
Maximum energised time - 30 seconds
OFF time between start attempts 30 seconds

I believe if the starting limitations above are followed the glow plugs should last a long time.  In my case, it is never below 41F when I am starting therefore 10 seconds should be all that is needed. 
#7
The short answer is - of course.  The wattage inceases as a square of voltage so increases in voltage rapidly increase wear and aging. 
#8
In regards to why Kubota used 10.5 volt glow plugs, you have to understand how these engines were originally designed to be used.  The Universal Marine engines are derivatives of industrial engines that are started with minimal capacity batteries.  The voltage at the glow plugs will quickly drop to 10.5 when you engage the starter.  With a 12 volt battery, the glow plugs are only exposed to a 10% overvoltage condition, not a significantly excessive amount. A 14 volt supply would mean 33% overvoltage condition, which could possibly be significant at high duty cycle times.

Now in the marine environment, battery capacity can easily exceed 200Ah and with the addition of glow plug solenoids, voltages stay much closer to 12 volts during the  entire start cycle.

Assuming 10.5 volts at the glow plug and a 3 ohm resistance, the glow plug is putting out about 1.4 watt-hours if heat in a 15 second activation,  inceasing the voltage to 12 volts increases wattage to 1.8 watt-hours.  If you are applying 14 volts, wattage is increased to 2.45 watt-hours.

To reduce glow plug burnout under higher voltage conditions, you must adjust duty time accordingly.  If you assume 15 seconds is sufficient for preheating, then if you are putting 12 volts to the glow plugs the duty time should be reduced to 11.5 seconds and at 14 volts you only need ~8.5 seconds.

If an earlier comment of 40 second duty cycle was at 14 volts, the equivalent 10.5 volt cycle would have been over 70 seconds.

Adjustment of duty time would be preferable to installing a dropping resistor.  Assuming your battery and engine wiring is capable of delivering very near 12 volts and you want to keep glow plug voltages at 10.5 volts you would need a resistor 0.15 ohm 25 Watt resistor for a 3 cylinder engine and 0.11 ohm 25 watt resistor for a four cylinder engine.  The installation of a resistor would degrade performance when starting with a weak battery and would not drop the voltage properly should one or more glow plugs be inoperative or internally degraded.  Adjustment of glow plug timing to voltage conditions would make for more consistent staring and improved plug life.

#9
Main Message Board / Re: Non Skid
October 09, 2008, 08:28:33 PM
I repaired my nonskid using the Gibco Flex Molds.  I ordered mine directly from them by phone.  http://www.gibcoflexmold.com/  It is not to difficult but does take little technique.

Steve DeLange
#10
Main Message Board / Re: Adding A/C
July 21, 2008, 05:59:39 PM
Rick,

When I bought my 86 model, the A/C was installed in the wet locker forward of the head. To regain space I moved it to the port side of the V-berth, aft of the forward water tank. I installed two 5" ducts back to the salon, one on each side, and a 4" duct back to the rear cabin.

Steve DeLange
#11
Main Message Board / Re: vibration while motoring
June 18, 2008, 08:14:33 PM
While the majority of my experience is the balancing of aircraft engines and propellors, vibration over such a small range usually indicates a harmonic problem.  This could be mounts that are no longer able to dampen vibration over this range or flexible items attached to the engine (hoses, etc) that are deveoping a harmonic vibration.  An out alignment or balance problem will generally cause increasing vibrations with RPM increases.

Another consideration, is the vibration you feel at the frequency of the propellor, the engine, or some frequency higher or lower.  Vibration at the propellor frequency would indicate balance or alignment issue.  Vibration at engine speed could indicate an internal engine discrepancy.

Vibration higher or lower  than engine speed will genrally occur at even harmonics of the engine speed.  These vibrations are resultant products of combustion and tend to cause items such as hoses, exhaust pipes, throttle cables to shake noticeably.  If these accessory items contact the engine or structure during there motion it will transmit noticeable vibration into the structure. 

Operate the engine with all the covers removed and observe the engine and components during the transition through the annoying range.  If it is the mounts, you will likely see a definite increase in lateral engine deflection.  Also observe the shaft and coupler, and notice any deflections.  Lastly observe the hoses, cables, wires, and exhaust pipe to see if they are shaking substantially.

Steve E. DeLange
#12
When I reinstalled my engine and rewired my boat, I installed a small bracket with three switches and two circuit breakers in the starboard rear section of the engine compartment.  This allows me to start and run the engine from inside the boat.  It also makes a nice emergency control panel.

Steve DeLange

#13
I am installing a Fischer Panda behind the aft wall of the rear berth.  The Fischer Panda does not appear to be for the faint of heart.  I have a single cylinder Kubota and a 3750W generator I was going to assemble as a genset, but came across the FP at a great price. 


#14
Main Message Board / Re: Table Pedestal Paint
December 12, 2007, 06:46:43 PM
I am sorry I wasn't very clear.  I need to repaint the pedestal base.  The piston assembly is not painted but the base seems to be a gold/silver paint of some sort.
#15
Main Message Board / Table Pedestal Paint
December 11, 2007, 06:23:01 PM
Does anyone know the color of the paint that was used on the table pedestal on an early C34?  There is some corrosion and i don't want to install it on top of the new floorboards in its current condition.