Broad Ambition - TLC Time Again

[Smoggy]

1 hour ago, YnysMon said:

I’ve forgotten the boat keys before now, luckily that was when the syndicate was still were managed by a company that had a local agent who lent us his keys.

Another MS syndicate owner recently owned up to forgetting the keys, fortunately they don’t have such a long journey from home to MS. In response, other members offered up the info that they actually store the boat keys in their car so that they can’t inadvertently forget them…that sounds like a very good idea!

We've got halfway to norfolk and realised we'd forgotten the keys before,  luckily there's always a door key stowed somewhere on most boats.....

Not saying where, ignition keys are another matter, they are normally stowed safely in the ignitions.....

[NeilB]

7 hours ago, Smoggy said:

We've got halfway to norfolk and realised we'd forgotten the keys before,  luckily there's always a door key stowed somewhere on most boats.....

Not saying where, ignition keys are another matter, they are normally stowed safely in the ignitions.....

Ignition keys? What are they?

[BroadAmbition]

Got home safe at 0110, a huge diversion on a closed A47 cost me a good 20 mins 

Griff

[annv]

Hi Grif This is my battery terminals.John

 

[BroadAmbition]

We now have our shopping list:-

 

Stbd bank pos cable to 8mm bolt on breaker switch                  850mm

Stbd bank ground to common 8mm bolt                                     3:5m

Stbd bank battery pos bridging tails                                             2 x 180mm

Stbd bank ground bridging tails                                                    2 x 180mm

 

Port bank pos cable to 8mm bolt on breaker switch                   4m

Port bank ground to common 8mm bolt                                      2:2m

Port bank battery pos bridging tails                                             2 x 180mm

Port bank ground bridging tails                                                    2 x 180mm

 

Pos multi strand 10mm cable 5:6m

Ground multi strand 10mm cable 6:5m

All cable (The copper wires) to be 10mm diameter multi strand

(Present cable insulation states ‘FP 25’)

 

Six 17mm vertical stud post clamps with an 8mm stud, split locking washers and nuts

Six 15mm vertical stud post clamps with an 8mm stud, split locking washers and nuts

(The battery posts – Pos are 17mm dia, the ground are 15mm dia)

Crimp eyes – Twenty four to accept a 10mm cable with 8mm eyes for studs

Black and red heat shrink to suit insulation diameter

Bro' has the use of a crimping tool with dies and a pair of cable shears

And of course a spare day for me to get down there and sort it all out - Again  

Griff

[BroadAmbition]

OOOOoooops

Fuparred - we need thirty two crimped eyelets not twenty four 

Griff

[Aboattime]

3 hours ago, BroadAmbition said:

OOOOoooops

Fuparred - we need thirty two crimped eyelets not twenty four 

Griff

To much orange ?

[BroadAmbition]

Too much orange ? 

 

      

 

Griff

[BroadAmbition]

This Thursday will see the wiring upgrade from all six batteries carried out if all plans come to fruition

Griff

[Bikertov]

9 hours ago, BroadAmbition said:

This Thursday will see the wiring upgrade from all six batteries carried out if all plans come to fruition

Griff

Looking forward to a full report and pictures

[BroadAmbition]

Battery wiring upgrade

What a faff that was, took hours and I still have one cable to change too

I decided to fettle it whilst on a dry Saturday stern on at the Wroxham 24 x Hr moorings.

Tools required - Stanley knife, shears, hydraulic crimping tool, drill and bit, side cutters, 12 and 13mm spanners, large flat blade screwdriver, heat gun, v long shore power cable, hoover.

Stock - Pos and neg red / black multi strand cable, spiral wrap, cable ties, red / black heat shrink, 8 & 10mm eye crimps, pos and neg post vertical stud battery clamps

Both banks are now supplying the onboard 12v system from opposing ends instead of the first battery in line.  All cables have been upgraded to larger dia.  Job looks much neater.  I found to my disappointment that the cables / clamps I removed had play where they were bolted onto the clamps this despite being tightly screwed down and all copper wires soldered.  No such occurrence will happen with this replaced method.  When I came to use the heat gun I realised that it is rated at 2000w, fortunately our proper long shore cable just reached and no more an electric post, it had 6p credit on it - it didn't last, had to use a card so stayed hooked up till the next morning and switched the immersion heater on

That leaves one long Pos cable to change to the thicker item. Then for good measure we are going to upgrade the cables and clamps etc on the cranking battery too just coz we can during our next maintenance weekend along with a host of other items

Our new window vac worked just fine - Should have got one years ago

Griff

 

[Andrewcook]

You did this all by your self where was Howard the man that carries out Electrical stuff I think you've earned your anice Drink at the Pub or on the Broads 

[Bikertov]

2 hours ago, Andrewcook said:

You did this all by your self where was Howard the man that carries out Electrical stuff I think you've earned your anice Drink at the Pub or on the Broads 

Griff hasn't finished yet. 

He still has to grout the lines between the batteries 

[Bikertov]

19 hours ago, BroadAmbition said:

Tools required - ... heat gun, v long shore power cable ...

Stock - .... red / black heat shrink ...

 ... When I came to use the heat gun I realised that it is rated at 2000w, fortunately our proper long shore cable just reached and no more an electric post, it had 6p credit on it - it didn't last, had to use a card so stayed hooked up till the next morning and switched the immersion heater on

 

Griff - get yourself one of these bad boys ... they run off butane 

 

Tell the Mrs it is for the kitchen, for browning off food etc, and for lighting barbecues 

But they also double up as heat guns for doing heat shrink when you don't have mains power, as well as other craft uses 

I've seen them used by marine electricians on YouTube 

[BroadAmbition]

I have sommat similar in my garage at home, I'm not keen with an open flame device down in the engine bay though 

Griff

[marshman]

Flames in engine bays remind me of failed discussions with insurance companies!!!

[annv]

Hi I use one for soldering the ends/clamps on cables and heat shrink's very easy to use and safe as you can turn off and on with one hand you use it with, no need to lay it down alight. John

[Bikertov]

On 30/05/2024 at 21:08, BroadAmbition said:

I have sommat similar in my garage at home, I'm not keen with an open flame device down in the engine bay though 

Just seen that Aldi are selling a cordless heat gun from this Thursday for £25, that is part of their 20V tool range

[BroadAmbition]

Here we go again, we arrived onboard at 0200 

Griff

[Andrewcook]

Hi Griff whatever TLC you do with Broad Ambition I hope it goes all right for you over the Weekend

[BroadAmbition]

Dinner for mysen, Bro’ & Robin in Broadland Chalet Park. We have got on quite well, more to accomplish tomorrow 

Griff

[BroadAmbition]

So, after receiving some stern and factual advice off Smoggy (Thanks):-

But Griff you're a bloody Yorkshire man, you have balls the size of Guatemala, you can repack a stern gland in the water  have a vax handy and pre cut the packing around the exposed shaft (ooer Mrs.) and it don't come in that fast, it saves the cost of a lift out.

I decided Smoggy was quite correct and not to be argued with - Got oursens ready, removed 4 x brass nuts, pulled back the brass sealing piece then extracted ONE graphite ring.  Our replacements gland packing was the wrong size - Typical.  A visit to Boulters on Sunday morning then for some 6:5mm gland packing.   I removed five more gland packing rings, Bro had cut five ready, all at 45deg, We greased them up and slid them into place staggering the joints remembering to cut and fit the sixth one.  Refitted the pressure piece gently and equally nipped it down, ran the shaft then nipped up again.  We now have no drips - but hopefully will have a slow drip in due course.  It was discovered the auto greaser wasn't functioning correctly so that came out, cleaned out, modified the delivery hole after the plunger (Drilled it out slightly bigger) filled with new lithium grease, tested fine then reinstalled it.  Did the same with the rudder post auto greaser too

Whilst the gland packing was out there was only a slow steady run of river water ingress, no need for a temporary stuffing rag or the wet vac, both of which we had on standby the bilge pump laughed at it and the secondary one remained asleep so that was a good job done.

What else got done between the three of us?

The final thicker upgrade pos cable from the port battery bank got fitted.  The cranking battery had the new vertical post terminals fitted and again with thicker cables from battery to the isolator and common negative post.  The extract fan in the heads got changed. A bunk light got changed, oven igniter - Fixed, Deep cleaned oven and grill, diesel water separator weeping leak fixed. The apron (Bow) had two scuffs on the varnish - both flatted back and revarnished.  There were six hull dings, all were feathered, 3 x coats of primer undercoat flatting between and finished off with top coat gloss. The fixing screws on the teak handrails (8) removed, spragged and retightened, the canopy was deep cleaned and treated with gloss armour all, 16 x plastic caps replaced with new red ones, fwd steaming light on the mast a new led lamp fitted

The most annoying shower drain pump - If it doesn't get used for a month or so it seizes up.  A right pain having to sort it before using the shower.  This was getting personal.  So I took it out of it's awkward location completely, off plate, out impellor, then I gave the inside and faceplate a proper bolloxing with wire wool and WD40 so it was shiny bright, lathered all surfaces and the impellor with petroleum jelly.  I am confident it is now fixed for good, replaced the negative cable for the light on the pump switch for good measure so it now glows green when in operation - Which is a nonsense as one clearly knows when the pump is running

All twelve fenders were treated to a deep clean finishing off with an acetone wipe-down, they are nearly  as good as new considering they have been used for seventeen years now.  The fresh water expansion tank was emptied of air then pressure filled to 20psi.  The whole hull and boot topping was given a clean - Looks great.

Another annoying job is we have to keep polishing the ships bell, hanger, helm centre cap, brass ring and the inter ship communication system (Loud hailer).  'B.A' has very little brass work for a very good reason - its maintenance intensive and we have been lazy so they were in an embarrassing mess,  So we were gonna sort out these items once and for all.  I purchased 3 x polishing mops for use with a cordless makita, three grades of polishing sticks.  The results are positively awesome only this was the last time - Why? because on completion of polishing the items were wiped down with acetone then a dedicated brass laquear was applied - We'll see. The loud hailer didn't get done as we ran out of time and Brasso but its on the list

All in all a very productive weekend.  There are now only ten other items requiring our attention during another visit

We departed the wetshed at 1600 and arrived home for 1900 on t dot

Talking of the wetshed - Hold the front page - Richo's are on with completely replacing all the old cabling and fluorescent strip lamps above both walkways with new cable and LED striplamps along with pir's, the car park floodlamp too, and internal entrance lamp.  They are about half way through and will carry on tomorrow - So well done them and thanks

Griff

 

 

 

 

[Bikertov]

I don't know how you get so much in not a lot of time Griff !

[BroadAmbition]

Btw - That ships bell was presented to my Dad at Brooms in 78 - I'm there in the background.

It now has pride of place onboard 'B.A' in the saloon and yes, I do still have his hat with those boatyard badges on it too

Griff

 

 

 

[BroadAmbition]

I don't know how you get so much in not a lot of time Griff !

Simply put there were three of us going at it none stop and I don't allow many 'Stand Easies' nor loafing on the job

Griff