Shopsmith Forums

Are the vent louvers sealed/lockable? How far above the water line is the vent? Thinking rough seas may cause a leak.

The louvers will be fine. They're 7-8' above the waterline. If I'm ever in seas rough enough to douse the dryer vent, things will have literally gone unrecoverably sideways.

Happy Thanksgiving everybody!

I had to upgrade from a 17-series gas-cooled TIG torch to a 9-series water-cooled one. I could justify the cost for the torch kit and stubby gas lens kit because my Miller Spoolmatic was too big and wouldn't fit in the space where I need to weld in bigger standpipes for the main engine raw water thru-hull inlets. The 17-series torch that came with my Alpha-TIG 200X is only rated for 150 amps, and I'm going to need all 200 amps from the Alpha-TIG to weld these 2" aluminum standpipes in.

But I couldn't justify the expense of a fancy new liquid TIG cooler. Even at the lower end of the price range, they're $270 and reportedly these Made In China units don't last long (especially the pumps). So I got myself a Little Giant air conditioner condensate pump, a bucket with a lid, and a few fittings and made my own cooler. Total cost: $53, including glycol antifreeze. Total assembly time: ~30 minutes.

It works great!

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: $50 Home-Made TIG Torch Cooler

Cheers,
Q

Well, I'm pretty much resigned to spending one last winter in this boatyard. My painter just found another line of cracks where the Interlux filler that didn't adhere to the substrate under the lower rub rail.

For several years I'd occasionally tinker with the original helm windshield opener. I repaired some broken spots in the cover for it a few years back, and I finally got it mechanically squared away. Recently I was polishing some stainless and decided to knock out the WS opener, too. It turned out real nice, so I went ahead and installed it just to get it out of the way.

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Rebuilding the Helm Windshield Opener

Cheers,
Q

Before


After

Having proper shore power working before the boat splashes is a priority. There are all sorts of modern requirements for marine electrical systems, and none of them is cheap. Also, the original isolation transformer on my boat apparently died sometime between 1985, when it landed on Purgatory Row at the boatyard where it went to die, and 2007, when we bought the Roamer for $1.

So after weighing out all the various factors and options, I decided on Bridgeport Magnetics torroidal isolation transformers and FactoryMation miniature circuit breakers for the 50 amp D-curve main shore power disconnect/breaker. I'll write about the transformers next time. This article just covers the main breaker installation, which turned out very nicely.

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Main Breaker Install

Cheers,
Q

Wow! What an undertaking; like a little city on the water. Much admiration for your dedication.

Thanks, nuhobby!

The Bridgeport Magnetics isolation transformers arrived, and they're WONDERFUL (mostly).

I now have a functioning alternating current electrical system. I've got 240VAC to the distribution panels, and there was zero smoke or drama when I powered the system up. This is almost, like, a disturbance in The Force. I thought I was destined to experience tragedy when I delved into powerful things I know not enough about, even when I follow the schematics...

Anyway, my boat doesn't hum anymore when shore power is plugged in, and the output is perfectly balanced 250/125VAC. It's astonishing!

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Installing 12kva Bridgeport Magnetics Marine Pucks!

Cheers,
Q

Gettin' Egyptian


The final result

I be guessing the 'unused' orange wire is a 208v tap. It may be advisable to make it accessible/swappable with the striped red wire.

I do not know IF 208v/115v is a common thing at boat docks. It is a 3 phase source thingie. 240/120v is a single phase source thingie.

I've never heard of a marina with 3 phase on the docks. The Pucks are UL registered in the US and Canada, but the sticker also indicates they work with 50 or 60hz. Add that to the sticker schematic showing a neutral and 240v single line, and I wonder if that's not a European spec. But then, the EU uses 220v.

Either way, the places my boat will go will almost certainly not have only 3 phase on the docks.

roamer46 wrote: ↑Tue Dec 06, 2022 8:06 am I've never heard of a marina with 3 phase on the docks. The Pucks are UL registered in the US and Canada, but the sticker also indicates they work with 50 or 60hz. Add that to the sticker schematic showing a neutral and 240v single line, and I wonder if that's not a European spec. But then, the EU uses 220v.

Either way, the places my boat will go will almost certainly not have only 3 phase on the docks.

I couldn't say how common it is, but 208V power is possible at some marinas, particularly if they employ a "split phase" source according to the article linked below:

https://gilwellbear.wordpress.com/2014/ ... e-marinas/

Also, the solid orange wire looks like the CT of the isolation transformer and should be unused in this configuration, I believe.