Vetus Exhaust for Tight Engine Bay

[Ziggy]

Originally Posted by hpeer

How do the Vetus exhaust temp alarms fit? The Vetus site is pretty darn vague.

The sensor mounts in a hole drilled through the exhaust hose or the connecting elbow on the waterlift.

[Ziggy]

Originally Posted by vet222

Am certainly having reservations about the plastic Vetus but is no worse than what is currently installed only would fit into the tight nook. I will investigate the Vernalift for size.... I have seen already they are manufactured in a variety of tubing sizes also to cater for different inlet and outlet diameters.
So I suppose Fibreglass would be significantly more heat tolerant to a sudden water injection failure perhaps?

The Vernalift has very good reputation, although I have no first hand experience with them.

Keep in mind that if the exhaust temperature rises enough to melt a plastic muffler, you may be already pretty close to damaging the engine. I would recommend installing an exhaust water flow or temp alarm in any case.

[gonesail]

i guess i just don't understand why we would have part of the exhaust system made out of plastic .. for sure it is corrosion resistant.

[hpeer]

Ziggy,

Thanks. I guess you have to take the hose off in order to get the inner bit in place.

Not an easy thing on this install.

Oh well.

[Ziggy]

You can install this one without removing the hose: http://aqualarm.net/datasheets/exhau...heat_alarm.pdf

[Boracay]

If corrosion is a concern then the muffler could be made from 1/4" mild steel. The one I took out of Boracay showed no serious ill affects after 8 odd years.

Probably more practical to make one from vinylester. The place where I got my fibreglass muffler had a range of fittings available, which included fibreglass tubing and bends.

[hpeer]

Originally Posted by Ziggy

You can install this one without removing the hose: http://aqualarm.net/datasheets/exhau...heat_alarm.pdf

Thanks a lot for that!

[Canuck Sailor]

I would just purchase a piece of 10 - 12" fibreglass pipe, cut off another 12-14" of it and put on a bottom, top and get a piece of 2" and/or 1-3/4" for inlet and outlet and glass it all together. The outlet has an angle cut on the bottom of it and comes within a 1/4" of the bottom and staight up if you wish. The diameter can be what ever fits in your space. The inlet is glassed in at the side/top and can be at the angle that you need for either hull etc. They can be custom like Blue Stocking suggests. Forget the loop hose as the water left in the exhaust line 5% will roll back to the engine from the high spot. The idea of the water lock is to accumulate that and send it packing when the engine starts. Stepping up in size when it leaves the water lock allows for exhaust run and decreases back pressure. Do that twice and you have to great looking and operating water locks.
Good luck with it. Sold and recommended lots of Vetus waterlocks and as long as you don't run out of water you will be fine. Put in the waterflow alarms and you set.

[Zeebass]

Originally Posted by boatman61

I dumped my Vetus when it blew and I could not get a replacement in Villamoura back in the '90's.... fitted new hose with a loop.... worked a treat for the next 3yrs till I sold the boat...

We just had a breakdown or I'd rather say a meltdown of a Vetus NLP50 waterlock/muffler. Water flow stopped because of raw water pump failure. Got the pump fixed, but struggling to get a replacement NLP50 waterlock/muffler. Wish to try your quick fix. Any instructions (drawings, detailed explanation) would be much appreciated.

We have got good technicians who can do any mechanical repair however, when it comes to understanding these matters (and risks associated with it), we are quite new.

It's a nothernlights 12 kw Genset (M843NW3).

[Captsteve53]

No mention at all in these posts as to why we use water locks/water lock sizing ,

1) Your water lock is there to provide a collection point lower than your exhaust riser/mixer for the sea water in the system and in the outlet hose rising to the outlet position a place to collect after you shut down your engine and a safety for when starting your engine if it dosent immediately fire up.
2) The size of your water lock therefore will be dependent on the water pump flow rate and exhaust diameter piping and complete length plus a safety margin
3) It can also act as an siphon break in case there's an abnormal amount of water in the out let pipe.
4) Considering Vetus or similar water locks and mufflers are used in nearly every second boat afloat there normal life span is pretty good,
5) In Australia especially there's quite a few companies making GRP water locks to custom order in any size or shape that use heat resistant materials offering better protection should you have a water pump failure,

Using a flexible hose in a 360 loop is asking for failure as it dosent provide the required capacity or offer the non siphoning safety of a water lock, some times if every thing is just right height wise/water line wise you may get lucky , but the day will come when a big following sea or heeled a little further co-incide with shutting down the engine will be the last time it runs as will be full of sea water.

Cheers Steve