Someone in the last blog said they thought my spelling got better since Carla was around and the truth is a lot of things have got better. She really wants to see the Pacific. Our loose plan is to transit the canal in 8 months or so. David (my web guru) just set up a blog page for Carla and she is working on her first blog.
I like quotes and found this one appropriate today:
You don’t get something for nothing, you can’t have freedom for free, you won’t get wise with sleep still in your eyes no matter what your dreams may be.
– Neal Peart
I dream of sailing once again and putting my tools away for a while! I must say I do feel a huge sense of satisfaction every time I see my decks & cabin house :)
I’m really excited for my visitor to come in just 8 days. Not only am I looking forward to making a new friend through the world of Project BlueSphere, but he also comes bearing my new editing computer and memory foam topper for my bed. My back has been in bad shape and I’m hoping it will make a difference.
I’m having battery issues again. I looked at the back of my solar charge controller and the negative terminal is all corroded. I have some sort of EVIL electronic gremlin in my system and I cant find it, its really driving me nuts and I hope I’m not frying the $600 in batteries I installed about 4/5 months ago. I think I may have damaged them :(
Anyway life has been continuing with finished decks and I’m getting to other projects these days.
I went aloft the other day to swap the split backstays on the mizzen mast. The insulated stay was on the port side and I wanted it on the starboard side as I moved the SSB tuner and remounted my radio in a different spot in the aft cabin.
I don’t mind working aloft as much as I used to. I prefer a climbing harness to a bosons chair, I just feel more secure.
I also had to rebuild the cockpit table as the hinge went along with some rotten wood. Man, there really is always somet
hing. Looking back on the easy days of maintaining Namaste or my other small boats was a dream. Why is it sailors get larger boats as they get older? It would make sense if boats got smaller as one’s energy decreases with age?
I’m hoping I can make enough coconuts for the cruising kitty. I have 2 pending deliveries, and a few interested charters. That coupled with a few backpacker runs and some fortunate luck I may be able to pull it off. One of the things I really need to get my hands on is a alternator regulator that will “equalize”. Party Poker offered me just about enough to buy one for posting their link in my blog. I’m looking at a Balmar max charge.
I’m hoping to bring back my battery bank with some controlled overcharging. I disconnected my solar panels this morning and I’m trying to give them as much of a charge as I can. I’m also thinking the problem may lay with my inverter and will try disconnecting it as well today.
I shot a strange fish the other day. I thought it was a stone fish then was told there are no stone fish in the Caribbean. After some research I’ve concluded it is a scorpion fish (poisonous). After tossing it I read despite their poisonous spines they are lovely to eat.
In the coming weeks it is my intention to install an old radar a friend gave me years ago, my hailing/foghorn speaker, and to rebuild the forward hatch. It’s nice having smaller projects I can see to fruition in under a week:)
Peace from paradise.
Sail far and live slowly.
– alex
Alex! Scorpion fish are awesome!! We got them in the Med. You pretty much boil them with veggies… great soup. Just don’t step on one!
Yes, the spelling has improved, not to mention Splendid. She’s really coming out beautifully. You must be so proud. And speaking of beautiful, where will we find Carla’s blog (Hi Carla!)
Back probs, eh. My whole body is twisted and bruised from cleaning my fuel tank and figuring out my water plumbing which has defeated me. Lost half a days work due to the pain. Gotta get more organized because being overwhelmed is counterproductive. Don’t get me started with my 40yr old ferro resonant charger (yikes).
How are you trying to charge the batteries without the panels… the little Kubota?
Cheers
P.
Alex…..hang in there. I used to get discouraged always fixing or replacing worn out systems, but once you get on top of them, the maintenance is a lot easier….you are never done, but you can stay ahead of it. My boat is done, but the mechanic I bought the motor from went into intensive care, so now I am a Volvo mechanic……Just a few more days and I am fishing ……I might name the boat …Plan B4 because did I this 30 years ago hence the B4 . When you hit the Pacific, cruise on up…..I dug out my dive gear and will be waiting, hell I’ll come get you guys……..G
I love seeing it come together for you. I’m sure Carla will have some intriguing insights to share. Alex, I have some questions you could help me with but I’m not sure the comment box is where to ask them. If I post to forums will you still see it? Thanks, W
Wade,
I don’t really keep an eye on the forms section, it’s mostly for people to gather and chat amongst themselves. If you would like feel free to email me with questions.
Gary,
Good to hear from you brother. I want to do the Pacific a little different this time and I’m contemplating a Marquesas to Hawaii trip to miss the cyclone season. May sea you there :)
Peter,
I never did get the little Kubota to do what I wanted; now it has no compression. I’m charging with the main engine/solar bank.
I really want to get a little Honda EU2000 to power my big editing computer so I can work for 6/8 hour stents. It’s very economical compared to running my main engine. Eventually I want a serpentine kit for my Perkins 4108 so I can get a 200+ amp alternator.
At the moment I have no way to equalize my batteries and trying with the solar panels doesn’t really work. I’m looking for an alternator regulator that has an equalize function but they are really expensive. I’m hoping to save my new batteries from an early soleplate death.
In the long run it would prob. be cheaper to go to a dock and equalize your batts when needed.
Just a thought.
Chuck,
I don’t like being dependent on the dock, no docks around, and what would I do I’n the 2 years crossing the pacific? In the long run, docks are much more expensive.
I was thinking how expensive it would actually be for me to go and equalize at a dock. I’m thinking a 110v battery charger that would equalize would be about $350.00, and about $70.00 in fuel to get back & fourth, and the dock fee. I’d then be be dependant to go to the marina every month and have to travel close to them to maintain my battery bank. Not such a good idea for my life-style.
I’m looking at buying a balmar max charge, any input? I had one on Namaste and had to replace it after 4 years or so.
Carla’s first blog is up, if you go to the members tab and scroll down to Carla’s journal you’ll see it.
Cheers.
Do I have any electronic type friends that have some input on this home built alternator regulator?
http://www.amsterdamhouseboats.nl/voltage_regulator.htm
How long do you have to run your motor to equilize?
Just looked it up. Balmar says minimum 3hrs, max 6.
Yeah, I know, had one on namaste and would equalize when I went on trips. I really need to equalize or I’m really going to F my new battery bank.
Cheers
$70.00 to motor to a dock? Man you must be way off the beaten path! How much does a gallon of diesel cost down there? If I remember correctly you have the same ac batt charger that I have, it has a great equilizer.
This might be a option, if it is comparable with your alternator.
http://www.motorcityreman.com/14voadvore.html
14-20V Adjustable Voltage Regulator
Regulator
12 Volt, B-Circuit, 15.0 Vset
Used On:
EMV, Industrial, Limo, Marine, Police Car, RV, Taxi Applications
Notes:
Terminal ID: IGN-NEG-FLD
Features:
Transpo Specialty Regulator
Self current limiting to protect against intermittent short circuit
Load dump protection against abrupt full load to no load
Extra filter networks to protect against voltage spikes
Adjustable voltage with potentiometer positioned to protect against tampering
Reverse polarity protection
Epoxy encapsulated to protect against moisture and vibration
Positive or negative ground system compatibility
All connections to external terminal
All silicon transistor design complies with federal specifications
Certified burn-in cycle qualified
Adjustable voltage (14-20V)
Compatible with 8A rotors
Remote mount potentiometer
911-02RRegular price: $99.99Sale price:
Chuck,
No AC batt charger. I loaned it to a guy who blew it up and didn’t replace it.
Fuel is $5 a gallon here and I’m guessing shelter bay is 45 or so miles away (90 RT). And it is uber expensive to dock there. I also hate going to docks. Haven’t been to one I’n years since Florida.
SAy hi to Les & the boyz 4 me.
Well whaddaya know? Fuel is five bucks a gallon here too! More or less. Did I mention it SUCKS?!?!?!?
Just checking in… Been pretty busy up here. It’s season right now. An 8 day charter coming up next week to the Keys. It will be nice to get out of the bus route for a few days. Sounds like things are going well for you with smaller projects.
Good luck on the electricity thing. That’s one area that is a pain in the a**. I’m not very good at it and I always have to put out an SOS to find someone that has the knowledge.
Give Carla my best and I’ll be checking in every now and then.
Capt. Paul
s/v Panacea
Hi Guys,
Glad to see things are getting better, The ship is coming along very nice. I thought once you were ready to set sail, you’d go to Argentina, stopping in some islands, crossing the equator in the Atlantic, go to Rio de Janeiro, and then… Buenos aires.
Anyways, I will always look forward for your adventures and reading your blogs wherever you go , I already read Carla’s blog… twice.
Keep well
Luis in Toronto
Well I think I found the kink in my electrical system. I took out the solar charge controller out and the negative post (PV-) on the back of the controller was corroded as HELL! I shaded my panels and disconnected the controller and charged with my alternator and the battery bank took a lot more amps. I woke up this morning and my bank was at 12.4 as opposed to 11.8. I also found the volt meter on the solar controller was shite and don’t trust it.
I broke down and spent the last of my savings on a balmar MaxCharge ($300) and hope that I can equalize and bring my new battery bank back up to spec.
Does anyone know how to test the solar panels and make sure the diodes are good?
My new editing computer is coming in a week and the only issue I see making my film is power. Powering my laptop is one thing, my new PC is an I7 beast with a 300watt power supply and with rendering time, creative time (editing), and equipment charging I’m guessing I’ll be using it 25 or so hours a week. I’m going to need an alternative power source (small generator). It seems hypocritical needing a generator to make a film about minimalism : (
Carla is compiling a bunch of cool recipe’s and will be posting in her blog.
Life is good :)
Cool! A RUSH fan. Here’s a line I live by!
“Live for yourself…there’s no one else
More worth living for
Begging hands and bleeding hearts will only cry out for more.”
ah solar pannels…i had 5 and they would equalize my batteries…as to testing them, i am a little fuzzy…..you seperate each and check voltage in the sun…..they should be all close to equal……your little kubota probably has a stuck valve if it turns over and has no compression. i should be fishing this next week. live long and kill fish G
Is Carla’s mother single??? LOL
here is something you might want to know………www.otherpower.com/otherpower_solar_used.html
had to re register….it would not let me be gary ….CPT. G