24vdc - Newbie Needs Help ! Funny, too !

[ptock]

Contrary to a previous post, do NOT change the starting volts to 12vdc. This option will give you more grief than your original problem. As stated by previous good advice, instal an xtra battery(12v) with either solar(location dependent) & 12v alternator (or both if poss) to give yourself a hassle free solution. Ciao 4now

[ti325v]

Thanks for your post...
ALL questions are all ways welcome....As I said I know NOTHING...so your questions much educate as show me what to look for...
I know the picture is blurry, but if you look just to the side of the incense sticks, on the exhaust manifold, on top of the manifold there are two oblong holes, I stuck my finger down and they came up sooty....I do not remember studs, but I am 80% sure I remember bolt holes to hold a flange for a funnel...
I will take a photo today and post it tonight....your tomorrow morning...
The is a photo in the Yanmar I.D. thread of a boat running the same engine, it has a funnel...I have never, despite having seen THOUSANDS of these boats, ever seen one without a funnel....
They are actually making it today....but certainly they could be wrong !!!! I think if they could get away with out spending the money on a funnel, they surely would !!!!
Planking is held on by s.s. lag bolts and trenails dipped in epoxy...

Originally Posted by sobriyah

Hi Larry - just looking at the photos of your engine. Its not one I'm familiar with but theres a salt water cooling pump on the front and a heat exchanger on the RHS. You mentioned in one of the posts you have a radiator cap and you would have a funnel. This engine looks like its indirectly coooled. If it is, you will have a closed freshwater cooling circuit cooled by saltwater in the intercooler. Theres usually an injection bend where the saltwater from the intercooler gets injected into the exhaust manifold, just before the exhaust outlet. The exhaust then discharges through the hull, not up a funnel. I would take a good look at the exhausts on the other dive boats.

By the way, what are they using to fix the hull planking to the frames?

[ti325v]

Thanks..
Despite no knowledge of this, I had to dismiss that one out of hand.....They put a 24 volt starter on there for a reason.....like needing the extra kick to turn this monster over. And Where in the WORLD would I even BEGIN to look for an identical starter in twelve volts ????

Originally Posted by ptock

Contrary to a previous post, do NOT change the starting volts to 12vdc. This option will give you more grief than your original problem. As stated by previous good advice, instal an xtra battery(12v) with either solar(location dependent) & 12v alternator (or both if poss) to give yourself a hassle free solution. Ciao 4now

[ti325v]

Hi Simonmd..
She is not in the water yet, so the bilge is not gonna sink the boat ! In fact it has three water tight compartments...I checked every inch of caulking on them....
Good quality Bilge pumps can be had here for $40, just no float or sensor to turn them on...... You see the difference here is, if you have a boat big enough for a bilge pump, you live on it....and some body is aboard 24X7x365...Importing is fine, until it hits customs.....where it waits for three weeks, then I have to travel to Saigon to the customs office to get it...200 km takes 7 hours....each way !!!!
Thx for the post !
Larry

Originally Posted by simonmd

Again, I love it when people ask for help and talk about 'local' specilists, etc. but don't tell us WHERE in the world you are!

I'm hopeless with electric so i'll leave that to ther experts on here but I will add that with solar panels, they are usualy mounted flat on a boat. There is no need to mount at an angle because, unlike a house, (not wishing to sound condescending) a boat MOVES! Therefore you can't be expected to turn the boat to the optimum angle for the sun to charge when at sea.

The bilge needs to be sorted ASAP, if you spring a leak at sea, you don't want to be mucking about with changing the flow etc and, most importantly, your engine won't pump the boat out if left unattenteded for any length of time. Auto pumps are available at most good boat chandlers but as you cant seem to find one i'm assuming your not in one of the main 1st world countries? If not, what about online boat accessory dealers or indeed, good old Ebay? I recently got a good self contained 750GPH auto pump for about £50 so even with a lump added on for international postage, it won't break the bank.

[sobriyah]

Originally Posted by ti325v

Thanks for your post...
ALL questions are all ways welcome....As I said I know NOTHING...so your questions much educate as show me what to look for...
I know the picture is blurry, but if you look just to the side of the incense sticks, on the exhaust manifold, on top of the manifold there are two oblong holes, I stuck my finger down and they came up sooty....I do not remember studs, but I am 80% sure I remember bolt holes to hold a flange for a funnel...
I will take a photo today and post it tonight....your tomorrow morning...
The is a photo in the Yanmar I.D. thread of a boat running the same engine, it has a funnel...I have never, despite having seen THOUSANDS of these boats, ever seen one without a funnel....
They are actually making it today....but certainly they could be wrong !!!! I think if they could get away with out spending the money on a funnel, they surely would !!!!
Planking is held on by s.s. lag bolts and trenails dipped in epoxy...

I am interested in the exhaust. If you can post a few, clearer, photos of both sides of the engine it would help. I couldnt see an exhaust outlet thats why I asked. Maybe it does have a dry exhaust, or maybe the original design has been 'adapted' to suit local conditions.

I saw the stainless bolts in your photos bolting the keel and stem, but not quite sure what you mean by trenails? I think I saw the plank fixings were filled before being glassed over, did they nail the planks to the frames, and what sort of nails (mild steel, galvanised, bronze?) did they use?

Its an entertaining puzzle, and a hell of a boat for $38k.

Cheers Richard

[ti325v]

Hi Richard, thanks for taking so much interest! I have heard something about having spare exhaust elbows made up...Since this is (To me) obviously a funnel application...do I still need them ???.....Exhaust port with four studs, two sooty slots for the exhaust...
Trenails = tapered wood pegs, epoxied into pre-drilled tapered holes. Other planking fasteners are 7x 3/8 lag bolts.....
The first layer of glass went on with a few stainless steel nails to keep it in place...
I included one photo of the inside of the hull, next to the engine....just FYI...
Can you tell me what the heck the thing above the starter motor is that looks like another small starter motor ???? That is one big solenoid, if that is what it is..
I have tried to get in touch with Yanmar Japan, and they have NO information at all about it.....I know nothing about diesels.....2 and 4 stroke gas engines ? In my sleep....I have no idea what 70% of the stuff on the engine is !!!!
Another poster offered some suggested books but he never came through...
Today I wanted to clean the diesel guys clock, as he would not stop lecturing me on how stupid it was to run another alternator.....I finally got him to shut up, open his mind to the fact that this is not a fishing boat that will have the engine running all the time if I do not put in a generator...
That the 2 monster 12v batteries will be fine for my needs...when the message sank in, he clammed up and got very shy !
I have the alternator....$15 for 40 amps....I will stick a pulley of the same size as the one on the 24 volt alternator and see what kind of voltage I get out of it....Bracket should be done in a day, once they start to finish the engine install....which I hope is next week....Any further info you can provide will be GREATLY appreciated, like is it a good thing that I have the funnel or better off for my application to use the other way....The whole set up looks completely oem to me...
Thanks again SO much for your help !
Did I mention....35 BHP, 350 ft, Lbs of torque !!!

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by ti325v

... Can you tell me what the heck the thing above the starter motor is that looks like another small starter motor ????
That is one big solenoid, if that is what it is ...

✓ As you suspected, that's one BIG solenoid.

[Blue Stocking]

Thats not an unusual size solenoid for that starter. The winding are quite heavy to pull in a bendix that size, or to advance the armature.
Dry exhaust stack with seperate raw water dump is not unusual on this type of boat.
Trenails are often referred to as trunnels, and are wooden dowels driven thru the planking into the frame, with a small wooden wedge driven onto the dowel from the outside to lock it in place.
Very interesting thread and project.

[CarlF]

Remember that solenoid is both a relay and a electromagnetic lever that pushes the starter motor pinion forward to engages the flywheel. It must take some muscle to push any part of that big starter around.

The good news? When you're out at sea cranking that starter, you're not going to be thinking "This starter is WAY bigger than I need".

[ti325v]

2 alternator belts,
starter
raw water impeller
solenoid
fuel and oil filters.
Is there a pump in the closed cooling loop I have to worry about ???
We RARELY go into open ocean......most of our diving is less then 5 miles from the mooring....
But when we transit to one of the nearby islands, the water is plenty deep, with nasty currents now and again....I do not want my customers to be the next generation of Vietnamese boat people !!! It is a LONG drift to the Philippines !!!!
In that case what would you carry ????
THANKS !!!!!!
No paddle jokes please !!!

[sobriyah]

Yes there'll be a pump in the closed coolant circuit, probably under one of the covers on the front of the engine, and should also have a thermostat, which may have been removed, that pump is unlikely to give you trouble. Get a few spare impellers for the saltwater pump if you can. They dont last too long if theres much silt in the water (are they fitting an inlet strainer on the saltwater intake?) and its also worthwhile keeping a few spare lengths of hose and hose clamps. No you will not need an exhaust elbow, there will just be a hose discharging the saltwater over the side. Nice and simple. A 'Racor' type fuel pre filter system is a must if you can find one to keep the fuel clean. A bottle or two of bio diesel additive will be worth having. Biobor if you can find it. After you have fitted the alternator give it a good spray with WD40 or similar. They dont like saltwater at all.

Good diesel book = Marine Diesel Engines by Nigel Calder.


Cheers Richard

[simonmd]

Back to the bilge pumps. If you can get pumps localy but cant source a 'proper' switch, i'm sure with all the facilties at the boatyard you could make one. Just place a standard switch (even an old lightswitch would do), or even just a small bit off copper strip to make a sprung contact, high up away from any water and attach it to a rod conected to a float in the bilge. The float would be pushed up by the water and switch the pump on.

[ti325v]

I think we have that one licked....I will post photos when the 2nd alternator is installed..
Larry