Cost of refitting with multiple other issues

[Ex-Calif]

I surely hope the cad was a tongue in cheek prod although a bit harsh. It sounds like you are both making sacrifices - I just know which ones I'd like to make (splash,splash ;-)

Solenoids - little coils of wire carrying a little electricity used to temporarily connect bigger wires carrying bigger big electricity. (How'm I doin'?)

[GordMay]

Solenoids:
http://www.cruisersforum.com/gallery...age.php?i=3576

[starfish62]

Thanks Ex & Gord. There's a big diaphragm pump that's the main bilge pump & it's hooked to a switch in the bilge, a warning klaxon, and a light. For some reason the factory wired it all into a solenoid, and I'm trying to figure out how to get the damn thing to work like it should. The solenoid is hot on 3 terminals when I power the circuit--everything is hot but power to the pump--so I'm thinking the switch has to ground the one, smaller terminal in order to close the plunger, but I'm not exactly a great electrician.

[starfish62]

Hmmm. Gord, about that solenoid link. How do I turn it right-side-up?

[Ex-Calif]

Try to think of the pump, the klaxon, the light and the solenoid as 4 seprate circuits. Disconnect them all and work them separately.

Step 1 - Get the solenoid to close.

Step 2 - Get power to the pump and get the pump to run.

Step 3 - Get the horn to work.

Step 4 - Get the light to work.

The solenoid circuit can be complex. I likely includes a circuit breaker/fuse, the float switch and probably an "Auto/Manual/Off" switch. If the klaxon and light are integrated in the switch panel you will likely need the wiring diagram or instructions for the panel to wire it right.

The pump circuit also likely has circuit protection but should be a simple circuit.

Power on the 3 lugs of the solenoid when activated sounds correct. When deactivated you probably should have power on 1 lug only - pump power "in" to solenoid.

Do you get power at the pump end of the circuit? Is the pump grounded properly?

[starfish62]

Hey, Dan,
Thanks for those tips. You're exactly correct in your conception of the circuit: there's a circuit breaker, a float switch, and two separate switches that function (when working) as Auto/Manual/Off. One switch is On/Off. The other is a spring-loaded manual (which has yet to work). The horn & light obviously must work off of the switch, so I'll try to isolate them first.

I have yet to get power to the pump through the solenoid (I've bypassed it for the moment and use the manual power only, but that's no good long-term).

[starfish62]

On the boat for a long vacation weekend. Managed to get the captain to take some time off and just enjoy. Love you guys and appreciate the opportunity to sound off. Kids are working and we are off. Got to love it!

[hellosailor]

Starfish-
"By the way, does anyone know much about solenoids?"
Yes, Preparation H helps relieve the pain.

Oh, wait, you said SOLENoids. < G > Yes, what kind? Engine starter solenoids? Wanna start a new thread in a mechanical/engine section and go further into that?

[starfish62]

I don't know about the Preparation H. This is a really big solenoid, and might need surgery.

Good idea on another thread, sailor. Will do. Maybe there'll be a good electrician around here. I'm sure that it's something simple, that I just haven't encountered before.

[rsn48]

Concerning your condo you can't sell, why not rent it to some Canadians. As you know, there are hoardes of older Canadians in Florida; why not take advantage of that and advertise your condo for rent in some eastern newspapers, like Toronto and Ottawa and Montreal.

In the advert you want to say something like, "close to beach, close to shopping, close to golf course."

[charley]

I lived in So FL for 18 years and we never had no stinking A/C unit. Man people sure have become week, I actually lived in Phoenix AZ with a car with no A/C, an hour commute to work and back when the temp in over 100 by 9 am.

I wish my mom had a sailboat when I was a teen I would have surely opted to live on the boat rather than So Miami.
I think the kids would kinda get a kick out of it, unless they are to involved with their friends and stuff to be hanging out with mom and dad.
If it where me I would rent the Condo unless your HOA, says you can't and move to the boat.
My $.02

[henryk]

When I said to my wife "let's go cruising " , she said no problem .Back than she had never sailed . But we did a lot of camping in our 6x8 fiberglass trailer .When the kids got older and we a could not squeeze into one bed , I started to look for a new one . Wife had only to requests : fridge and no bath in the rig . I found it , a bigger one , 6x9 this time , the whole foot longer than the old one . When brought it home, the kids jumped in it and said : whoa !! is it ever big .
This year when I bought our boat ( all forty two feet ) , wife calculated and said - whoa ! this is like four our trailers , I can live in that , but unfortunately there is a bath ( even two of them ) and the AC , that I doubt it we'll ever turn it on.

[starfish62]

Yeah! Space is really subjective, isn't it?