Re: [electricboats] Engine room tips?

Lee,

I would suggest putting a proper sea cock on the thru-hull, so that when you find something you do want to use it for, you can connect to the sea cock and just turn it on.

I had a somewhat similar situation on my 1980 Chris Craft 410 Commander that I recently bought.  When the boat was hauled out, I discovered that there were two more thru-hulls than I knew about - for a total of 7!!!

Two for the engines, one for the generator, one for the AC units, one for the aft head (run off sea water), one for the forward head, and one that I never did figure out...   

I was told (and see from experience) that if sea cocks are not exercised regularly, they get stuck, and the handles will break off before the sea cock moves from open to closed (or closed to open).  Since I didn't need several of the thru-hulls (the heads will be run from fresh water, not sea water), and since I couldn't get to them easily to regularly operate and keep functional, I had the yard glass over them.

However, I kept the 4 main thru-hulls, and had the sea cocks replaced.   

Yes - you can use newly available thru-hulls for AC systems, generators, or drains for sinks, etc.  Though - (at least on power boats) the sink drains seem to go to thru-hulls placed ABOVE the water line....  Something else you could use the thru-hull for is a sea-water wash down (for anchors, or for the deck).

Good luck!

John

On Tuesday, August 18, 2020, 10:11:52 AM CDT, Lee Chrystal <lee@marshspecialtyhvac.com> wrote:

Hi Ryan,

Perhaps I am lucky but I will be able to use the above waterline wet exhaust thru hull as another cockpit drain. My cockpit has a ridiculously small drain 1 inch I think and would take a looonnng time to drain if I was ever swamped by a following sea.

For the engine raw water intake ?? I will pull the valve and cap it off for now with a pipe cap and will use it later for something like a small watermaker intake? or a drain for a small day sink in the cockpit seating directly above the thru hull? Not with a faucet just a sink with a plug and cover for use with sea water!  It would be a good place to clean a fish, wash my socks or do dishes when its to hot inside.

If anyone has other suggestions for these new holes or thinks I shouldn't do these types of mods let me know please as I am no expert I am just trying to think my way around extra fiberglass projects.

Cheers Lee.

 

From: electricboats@groups.io <electricboats@groups.io> On Behalf Of Ryan Sweet
Sent: August 18, 2020 8:08 AM
To: electricboats@groups.io
Subject: Re: [electricboats] Engine room tips?

 

Thank you for all the suggestions! 

The diesel is out. What a messy exercise. 

So many unnecessary holes in the hull now. Much work to do. 

On Aug 17, 2020, at 16:45, Bob Jennings <heatnh@gmail.com> wrote:



Good time to replace it with a dripless unit.

 

On Mon, Aug 17, 2020, 7:39 PM Richard Mair via groups.io <fullkeel2000=yahoo.ca@groups.io> wrote:

Good time to replace the stuffing box flax and it's hose.
> On Aug 15, 2020, at 12:22 PM, Ryan Sweet <ryan@ryansweet.org> wrote:
>
> So my appointment with the crane to vanquish the Diesel engine and begin the electric install is on Monday.
>
> I plan to clean and paint the whole engine room. Any tips from those of you that have done the conversion on things to do in prep for the electric install or things you wish you had done when the engine room was empty?
>
> Also, any advice on routing the AC ground wire? Previously it was attached to the Deisel and I assume grounded through the shaft and prop, I've seen conflicting advice about this.  Some say it's bad for the prop zincs?
>
>
>
>
>