Re: Raw Water Manifold Failure - A54
Paul Dowd and Sharon Brown
This makes me wonder how plastic in such a critical place would hold up to an engine room fire?
Cheers, Paul S/Y Ya Fohi - Amel 54 #98 - Grenada
From: main@AmelYachtOwners.groups.io <main@AmelYachtOwners.groups.io> On Behalf Of Porter McRoberts via groups.io
Sent: 27 August 2020 21:40 To: main@amelyachtowners.groups.io Subject: Re: [AmelYachtOwners] Raw Water Manifold Failure - A54
This is indeed a serious issue. We had the initial bronze manifold on IBIS. Looked horrible and so when we ordered our arch from Turkey had a stainless replacement manifold constructed. About 2 years ago I changed the bronze one, with significant corrosion to the stainless replacement. One year after replacement upon inspection in NZ I found a small pit and a leak. It was in NZ that I had the resources to build a new manifold out of plastic. I had reservations about the material (plastic vs metal) but recall from an A55 that I believe the stock manifold is plastic on the A55. Encouraged by the chandlery in Opua I built a plastic one. It took a couple of days, a lot of measuring and 5200. I put in isolation valves. I think it is far better than the original. I’d encourage any others who have the resources of a nearby good plumbing chandlery to think about it. One of the very cool parts of the A55 is the ability to isolate and turn of seawater to specific downstream applications. (Don’t have to turn off the refrigerator to work on the AC pump)
I think we’re a lot safer now. I repaired the stainless manifold and keep as a spare, but would be lothe to return to it.
Keep in mind there is another smaller manifold (of which we also keep a spare) starbord of the seachest that distributes to the main engine, and then to the distribution manifold via a (formerly iffy) looking hose. That manifold could also easily fail. Amel has replacements.
Porter
-- Cheers Paul Ya Fohi - Amel 54 #98
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