Page 7 - Blog
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- November 17, 2020
There aren’t many things more frustrating than waiting for that first perfect day in spring to get the boat back on the water only to realize you have a dead battery. Proper battery maintenance and storage should be an essential part of your winterization procedures, and it can help you avoid additional costs and headaches along the way. Here are a few tips to help make sure when the weather is ready for boating, your battery is ready as well.
- First off, make sure you are performing regular maintenance on your boat’s battery. Clean the battery tops and battery posts of debris and corrosion, filling the electrolyte, check the voltage and recharge on a monthly basis.
- Disconnect the terminals to remove all the electrical loads from your batteries. If you aren’t removing the battery from your boat, you will want to make sure all your switches are turned off. Or, simply remove any equipment that may cause a drain on the battery. Many electronics have small power loads that can drain your
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- October 07, 2020
Selecting the proper fuse for your application is arguably one of the most important tasks when it comes to your boat’s electrical system. There are a lot of choices out there, and sometimes it can be overwhelming. Here are some important factors to consider when selecting the proper fuses.
Maximum Voltage Rating
One important requirement for selecting a fuse for your application will be the voltage rating necessary to properly protect the equipment. Most common fuses are rated for a maximum voltage of 32 volts DC while some (like the Class T fuse) are rated typically up to 125 volts DC. When it comes to marine electrical systems, the nominal boat voltage is 12 and/ or 24 volts DC but with emerging technologies like electric propulsion and solar becoming more popular, more systems will likely be rated at 48 volts DC or higher.
Maximum Amperage Rating
Another important factor in selecting the proper fuse for your application is the amperage rating required to protect the wire and the
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- September 16, 2020
Containing mildew on your boat is an ongoing battle with no definitive end. As long as your boat is exposed to water, you’ll need to take measures to mitigate and slow the spread of mildew. Particularly during periods of longer storage, mildew has a chance to spread throughout a cabin or engine room. It’s not just an uncomfortable smell, though. Mildew and mold can be unhealthy and toxic, so it is important to do what you can to eliminate them.
Open Up the Hatches
One of the best ways to prevent or mitigate the potential for mildew is by creating lots of ventilation on your boat. In other words, open up the hatches and portholes. Make sure you have vents (like cowls, dorades, louvered vents, clamshell vents or so on) that are connected to below-deck spaces for proper ventilation. Inspect that those vents and the ducting are clear of debris. There should be a clear path for fresh air to enter the interior spaces of the boat. You can also ventilate smaller spaces
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- August 10, 2020
Battery isolators in marine applications have been used to maintain and direct the engine alternator DC charging in boats with multiple battery banks for decades. There are a number of reasons for installing an isolator in a boat with multiple batteries. First and foremost, the isolator can isolate the engine starting battery from the house/accessory battery or batteries. Second, the isolator will charge the battery bank with the lowest state of charge, then the next lowest bank, and so on when multiple battery banks are used. In twin engine applications where each engine has its own alternator, the isolator utilizes both alternators to the best of their ability and allows charging of all battery banks when just one engine is running. Keep in mind that the rate of charge is based on the alternator amperage output capacity.
Keeping Your Batteries Separate
Separating the starting battery from the house bank on a boat prevents the starting battery from being discharged when the engine is not
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- July 07, 2020
Cleaning the decks after a fun day on the water is exactly what the washdown pump was designed for. Whether you’re blasting away fish debris, mud from your anchor, spilled drinks, or bird droppings you need a washdown system that is equipped to get the job done in a flash.
PSI and GPM
PSI (Pounds Per Square Inch) and GPM (Gallons Per Minute) are both equally important when choosing a washdown system. PSI refers to the amount of pressure and GPM refers to the flow. The level of pressure (PSI) directly affects the system’s ability to strip dirt and grime from a surface and Flow (GPM) refers to the rinsing power or the system’s ability to carry the dirt away once stripped. Cleaning Units (CU) is the result of multiplying the PSI by the GPM…calculating and comparing the cleaning units will allow you to compare one unit to another.
As an example, a washdown system rated at 70 PSI and 5.2 GPM has 364 Cleaning Units.
Flow rate is generally more important to commercial applications as contractors
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- January 20, 2020
Proper Circuit Protection for Your Boat
Working on the electrical systems of your vessel can be a daunting and dangerous task. In fact, approximately 55% of all boating fires result from faulty electrical circuitry. In order to assist boat builders, owners and mechanics with a safe and reliable standard for onboard electrical systems, the ABYC (American Boat & Yacht Council) has dedicated significant effort in defining the correct methods for protecting a boat’s wiring and devices from overcurrent failures. They even offer certification courses focused on this topic.
Incorrect rating of overcurrent protection devices - such as fuses or circuit breakers - is common. In some installations, circuit protection is completely ignored or overlooked. Correct rating and installation of circuit protection is a requirement to prevent component failure or, worse yet, an electrical fire. Always calculate load to determine proper conductor size and required circuit protection.
The ABYC standards
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- December 10, 2019
MerCruiser has been a leading manufacturer of boat propulsion for decades, and they have designed and built many of the most popular stern drives in the boating industry. Since the 1950's, Mercury/MerCruiser has been a leading developer of stern drive technology. They introduced the Alpha series in 1983, which is still the most popular stern drive model being sold today. However, in the mid-1980's, MerCruiser introduced the Bravo series of stern drives. The Bravo stern drive stands apart from its Alpha predecessor for its robust and heavy-duty design and components, and its overall performance.
The Alpha series of stern drives are largely considered to be MerCruiser's value option of stern drive. It's more affordable than the Bravo series, produces minimal drag and is fairly resistant to corrosion compared to other stern drives. The Alpha's thru-propeller exhaust allows for quiet operation, and it's a fairly easy drive to maintain and repair. However, the performance
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- November 12, 2019
One of the most common items you'll replace on your boat is the water pump impeller. Whether you are fixing a worn-out inboard engine water pump, rebuilding your stern drive or performing routine maintenance on your outboard motor, you'll likely be replacing an impeller as part of the job.
What is the Impeller, Exactly?
The impeller is a flexible rubber gear that creates the vacuum needed to pump water into your engine for cooling. Since it is always in use when the engine is running, the impeller suffers a lot of wear and tear. You should inspect the impeller at least once a year. It is not uncommon for the impeller vanes to tear or break off, causing potential blockage in the cooling system and a loss of water pressure. Additionally, impellers can swell, crack or bend, which can affect the ability of the pump to cool the engine. Another possible defect is when the metal hub of the impeller detaches from the rubber, causing a situation where the hub is spinning but the
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- September 10, 2019
Stern drives may not be as popular on the water as they once were, but there are still thousands of them in use across the United States today. If your boat has a stern drive, then you'll want to add transom & stern drive service to your service checklist for the fall. The transom and drive are often neglected as a routine service checkpoint, but their upkeep is crucial to the performance and durability of your boat. Here are the four most important reasons to make sure you are thoroughly inspecting and servicing the transom and drive sections of your boat at least once a year (if not more).
1. Protect the bellows
The bellows are the rubber accordian-style components connecting the transom assembly to the stern drive. There is usually an exhaust bellows through which exhaust is funneled from the engine, and the u-joint or "drive" bellows, which protects the u-joint assembly connecting the mechanical components of the engine and the stern drive. Depending on the brand and model of engine,
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- August 13, 2019
One of the most irritating parts of owning a boat is dealing with odors escaping from your sanitation system. Typically, when odors find themselves on the outside of your sanitation hoses, it means it is time to replace them. Unfortunately, this can be a pretty dirty job. Some sanitation hoses on the market just aren't cutting it, with less-than-desirable permeation rates, inflexible designs and poor performance. To make your life a lot easier (and smelling better!), Marine Parts Source recommends the Raritan Saniflex Sanitation Hose.
10-Year Odor Permeation Warranty
It's a fact of life: all sanitation hose will break down and emit odors at some point. Your only hope is to prolong that point for as long as possible. The Raritan Saniflex hose has a 10-year odor permeation warranty. It's the best permeation warranty in the marine industry, and it helps to ensure you won't have to think about or smell this problem for a very long time.
The Incredible Flexible Hose
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