Mahe 36: Original FP Mahe 36 Thread

[Jef & Marin, Netherlands]

Mark,
As far as I am informed the bottom (black) part of your present light stays on the mast, and you click the upper part of the new light straight onto that. Securing is with a rotating ring. See the Youtube video.
Jef

[Cotemar]

Here is more info on the LED light that Jef plans on using.

Series 32 LED Tri-Color Anchor Light - White, 32707
Video of how easy it is to replace

YouTube - Aqua Signal LED All-Round Navigation Lights Demonstration

For sale at Defenders in USA
http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1%7C17%7C17%7C295769%7C320397%7C528244&id=984859

Mark

[Cotemar]

Mahe’s

Just received the 10 LED’s in the mail today, so I wanted to put one in to test it out.
Here’s what they look like. Already have these, but side mount in the Saloon and Bimini
Once we switch them to LED we used them all summer with out even thinking about it.

First warning: Do not look at them when they are on

You can just bend the leads straight out and insert into the task light and that’s the end.

I wanted mine to be recessed so the reflector would be functional, so I cut the white plastic off and inserted the LED so it almost touched the reflector.

Product Code:1428WW (for use in all the Silver Task Lights)
6 Warm White Super bright surface mount LEDs (way brighter than regular 5mm LEDs)
Bulb Life 100,000 Hours
Power 12V AC/DC
Diameter 1" or 24 mm
Thickness .875" or 22 mm
Price: $9.50

http://www.ledwholesalers.com/store/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=534

Mark

[Scott730]

Mark and Jef
Thanks for all your comments, I am looking at mounting a solar on the davits and having the option of rotating them fore and aft. Would like to share design thoughts.
Has anyone looked at just replacing the anchor light with an LED light instead of the whole unit? I know we all want to say amps, but that unit replacement is $550 US!! that is a lot of Diesel for my generator. I'm looking at just an LED replacement bulb instead, I've found that they are slightly taller than the original, has anyone been up the mast to check if there is any more room in the existing housing for a slightly bigger LED light? At 230 Lb, it takes quite an effort for someone to haul my big B--T up that mast, don't want to do it twice.

Thanks
Scott

[Jef & Marin, Netherlands]

Scott, it should be possible to purchase that Aqua Signal unit cheaper. Over here cheapest I found is 300 Euro's. I got a "special action" 10 % discount, this made it 270 including 19 % VAT tax. But 300 euro's is 450$, so it should be possible to have it cheaper. Maybe order in the UK with VAT refund?
I have thought about replacement LED's. These are OK for the anchor light, but too weak for the 3color light. Plus there is the risk of VHF radio EMC (interference) from the switch-mode regulator in the LED light. The antenna is directly next to it! I assume Aqua Signal have done good job to prevent this EMC, otherwise I'll just send it back.
There is a good test of all 3color options in an English magazine, Practical Boat Owner, of last summer. I will mail a scan of this to those who send me their email address. The Aqua Signal is test winner. Replacement LED's for the 3color were not bright enough, and the wrong color.
Also in some forums there were people whose LED units had failed. With these new products, do not believe the lifetime specifications! These might be just the figures for the separate LED's. But there is also the switch-mode electronics that can fail, and all the connections. I was in the electronics industry and I know how hard it is to design something really robust against early failure.

If my main problem was power from the anchor light I'd go for a replacement bulb for the anchor light. But we do night sailing, and that 2 Amps of the tricolor is too much. The anchor light is only 0.8 amps.

I'd also like to exchange ideas on the solar panels. So far my thoughts are:
- Panels only between the davits or also outside them? (port and startboard of them)
- Material aluminium or stainless steel? Probably aluminium. Easy to rivet. Lighter. Less corrosion risk with the anodised aluminium frames of the panels.
- 4 panels better than 2 ? Reason: partial shading. Solar panels loose more than 50 % of power when shade is 10 % of surface.
- If 2 panels between the davits: better to have them oriented crosswise than in the length of the ship. Reason: this way you still have power in case of partial shading by the bimini.
- Wires to go through the port davit, shortest to the battery.
- Mark's regulator looks very good from the spec. But two smaller ones is also attractive, especially for partial shading.
- How big is the risk of waves or storm damaging the panels? We have had waves going over the engine hatches. (force 9 in the baltics). But we have not had waves going into the dinghy, only spray.
- Better to take 12 or 24 V panels? Mark uses 24 V models. Lower current, less wire loss.
- Which brand of panels? I was considering 85 Watt Kyocera KC85GX-2P, 2 or 4 pieces. Mark use Sunpower. Plus is higher power/m2 for Sunpower. But power/$ is better for Kyocera.
- Weight is important. Last summer we had to tack against force 5-6 with very short steep waves like you get in the Baltic. We had just taken in full water, 540 liters. We dumped this and gained more than 1 knot, close to 1.5. From 4.5 to 6 knots. With those steep waves the ship is really braked by the waves when too heavy.

[Jef & Marin, Netherlands]

Scott,
About goig up the mast: with your 230 pounds you are probably very strong. Maybe it would be easy for you to hoist somebody else? (-;P
Jef

[Cotemar]

Mahe’s

Sealed the edges of the saloon floor using one of those Pro Caulk tools and brown sealant.
My First Mate was cleaning that groove out all the time. Crumbs and hair just seem to gravitate to there.
Also notice if any water was spilled it would just go under the floor, which is probable not a good thing.
Home Depot Dap brand "Brown" matches pretty nicely and cleans up well. That Pro Caulk tool made it easy.

Mark

[MKB53]

Sealing the floor was one of the things that our importer did (and charged for) as part of their commissioning. Well worthwhile I reckon.

[MKB53]

Hi Mark

I read your comments on moving the HWC with interest. I had planned to at least relocate the pump for ease of service but will probably do as you have done with the HWC.

In addition:

I am planning to put stop cocks/taps in the water supply from the tank and the lines from the pump to the HWC and cold water supply. This will enable any water to be turned off in teh engine compartment for maintenence or if there is a leak in a line.

I am planning to fit an accumulator. We have already had to replace the pump switch (complete spare unit provided with the boat) once as the contacts were burnt and I think this will help. Note that the micro switch in the switch assembly can be replaced easily and is a lot cheaper if purchased from an electronics store than a chandlery!

Incidentally when we replaced the switch the pressure was set too high and we had a hot water line blow out. After adjusting the pressure we have not had any further issues.

Any comments or suggestions welcome!
Martin

[Cotemar]

Martin,

That is a great idea to add a few shut off valves in their. Would make things easier.

Where do you set the water pressure? I had the pump in my hand but did not notice any adjustment for water pressure.

If you move your tank, then any maintenance in the future will be a breeze.

Mark

[Cotemar]

Mahe’s

Added two Solar Panels to keep the batteries fully charged during winter storage.
Batteries do not freeze if they stay fully charged.

Every time I check on the boat I see the charge at 12.8 to 14.1 volts, so they are working great.

I purchased these two on eBay for around $30 each with shipping.
If you go to www.ebay.com and type VW Solar Panel in the search window, a bunch will come up.

There is an older 3 watt model and the newer 4 watt model, which are the ones I purchased.
They come with a red CAN-BUS interface plug on the end which has nothing but a red and black wire in it.

Open up the grey plastic box and cut the red and black wire leading to the red CAN-BUS interface plug.
Twist or solder 8 feet of 18 gauge speaker wire keeping the red copper speaker wire connected to the red wire on the circuit board.
Now connect the Silver speaker wire to the black circuit board wire.

Now add a red and black Car Battery Clips to the other end.

Zip tie the panels to your Davits
Clip the red to the + on the battery and the Black to the – on the battery and you are done.

Mark

[MKB53]

Mark

On the back of the pressure switch assembly there is a recessed grub screw (allen key ). It may have a sticky lable over it, the original did but the replacement unit did not. The manufacturer says "do not adjust or warranty will be voided" but the replacement unit was not adjusted correctly and if you replace the mirco switch yourself it will need to be adjusted.

What I was told to do by an experienced yachtie was to open the water tap that has the longest run or hydrostatic head (ie: will have the most back pressure). You then back the pressure control off (anti clockwise) until the pump starts to surge. This means that the back pressure in the line is greater than the "cut out" pressure on the pump.

You then turn it clockwise, increasing the cut out pressure, until the pump operates smoothly. I gave it a bit extra for "good luck". This may not be at the manufacturer spec but is tuned to your water system characteristics.

Mine has worked fine since I did this.

Martin

[Woodsy]

MKB53,
quote/What I was told to do by an experienced yachtie was to open the water tap that has the longest run or hydrostatic head (ie: will have the most back pressure). You then back the pressure control off (anti clockwise) until the pump starts to surge. This means that the back pressure in the line is greater than the "cut out" pressure on the pump.

You then turn it clockwise, increasing the cut out pressure, until the pump operates smoothly. I gave it a bit extra for "good luck". This may not be at the manufacturer spec but is tuned to your water system characteristics.\quote

From a lifelong plumber...you got some great advice here, and the secret to most pumped solutions. Just make sure that the pump will shut off dependably when you are done

[LarryW]

Scott, You mentioned you were heading to the Bahamas in December. Are you going to sail down the coast and cross from Ft. Lauderdale or Miami? If so we'd love to meet up with you for a night and see all the changes you have made to Oceanview.
Larry & Eileen Kokomo lwinchel@msn.com

[Scott730]

Larry
Oceanview and Iriecat will be heading to the Miami area and cross to Gun Cay. Hope to be leaving around first week of Dec.. I'll email you when things firm up.

Scott