Comments on: Manson Supreme!!

By: mtidswell@sbcglobal.net

mtidswell@sbcglobal.net — Wed, 13 May 2009 03:19:08 +0000

GET THE ENGEL! You will love it and they are just about Marine(USMC) proof and thats saying something. It may be the one really smart thing I’ve done for the boat in a while. I have a 35 which is the same size as a 40qt ice chest and holds about 2x because no ice. It runs off the solar and wind without the slightest problem and will freeze a gallon jug hard as a brick overnight if thats what you need. I usually keep beer in mine and it will keep it at 29* even when the cabin is closed and the boat interior gets to 90*+ in our Texas summer.

Turtle is still on the hard as money is very short. Business is in the tank just now but I hope it will pick up again soon. I guess it gives me a chance to do all the piddly little jobs I’ve been putting off for so long. I rebuilt the Yanmar, first rebuild in 31yrs, and it’s like a new motor. It starts and runs like I knew what I was doing.

Take care and keep up the good “work”……….martin

By: eric1880

eric1880 — Sun, 10 May 2009 05:00:08 +0000

Ok I played on eBay for a little bit and if you search “ac vacuum pump” you will get what you are looking for. Item number: 120416917310 is a set of what you need” vacuum pump and Manifold gauge. Seemed like an ok deal, and it will give you an Idea of what you need. Also when I did that search I also got manifold gauges to come up by using the same key words. On the manifold gauges there are two types. The old ones for R 12 and r 22 gas, and the new one for R134a gas. I would get the manifold for 134a you can buy and adaptor to make it work on the older gas. And 134a you do not need a license for. You can go to an auto parts store for this. If you are using r 12 or r 22 then you will need to get the license. But what I do is just pump down the system to see if it will hold a vacuum then you know you have a tight system and have someone fill it up. But getting the license is a great idea.

By: Alex

Alex — Sat, 09 May 2009 21:48:27 +0000

Eric,Yes I need a gauge, vacuum pump, and torch, but one also needs a license to buy the gas. I have it on my list of things to buy but just don’t have the time if I’m going to get out of here by June 1. When I type in “Vacume pump” on ebay, I dont really know what I’m looking for? I would also like to know how to fix refrigeration so I can make a few extra bucks along the way :)Cheers.- Alex

By: eric1880

eric1880 — Sat, 09 May 2009 21:20:34 +0000

Hey Alex
On your refrigerator it seems really scary to do it yourself but really they are very simple and there is no reason that you would need to pay someone to do it for you. The only new tools you would really need are a manifold gauge set, a vacuum pump and a torch to brass with. Which if you get it on eBay or a pawn shop it would be under a 100 $. If you have both of those you could fix it yourself and do a much better job. Just take your time and do it right. And if your system uses 134a Freon "there will be a tag on the compressor saying what kind it uses” they have a new one that is much colder and you will use a lot less power. I used it on my refrigerator and it worked great. I would think about it, do a little research and look through a book. It's a handy skill to know and it has saved me a lot of time and money. If you have any questions feel free to ask.
Worth some thought
Thanks Eric

By: hooksg001

hooksg001 — Sat, 09 May 2009 02:52:14 +0000

Alex,
Thats great to hear about all the new gear and things coming together. I can’t wait to see video updates and read log entries once you are underway again. I just got done watching the two DVD’s again the other night. I didn’t catch the first time that you spent a year in the San Blas and a year in Panama. That’s AWESOME!!!
-Grant