Mark,

That certainly addresses the problem of air in the seachest. Unfortunately, those of us with older SM models don't have that option since the washdown pump does not draw its water from the seachest.

Adding an "extra" pump just to suck out the air is one option, but seems to me a very inelegant one.

Bill Kinney
SM160, Harmonie
Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA

On Nov 27, 2020, at 4:34 PM, Karen Smith via groups.io <karenharmonie@...> wrote:

Chris,

I have taken the photos and annotated them with the parts list.  

All of the fittings I used are standard NPT pipe fittings.  In the case of the outlet fitting on the strainer, that is actually a female 1-1/2” BSP thread.  In this size, the NPT and BSP threads are compatible enough that they will screw together just fine, but they will not make a reliable high pressure seal.  Don’t expect “teflon tape” to help here.  You’ll need paste type pipe sealant.  For the very low pressures seen here, it works fine despite the small mismatch in thread shapes..

We have been running this long enough now, we can confidently say that it works with no issues. Well, no issues that were not already there with the stock Amel manifold.

Here is the only problem we have with the “sea chest” design.  As we sail, air is entrained under the hull.  Some of this air finds the sea chest thruhull and rises into it, displacing the water.  If we are sailing fast, enough air comes through that in a very few hours the strainer and standpipe are empty of water. I am pretty confident that needing to purge this entrained air is the primary reason that the generators on Amel’s have such short lived raw water impellers.  I have a couple of ideas on how to improve this situation, but nothing ready to implement yet.

Our new generator has a hair trigger on its exhaust temperature shutdown which has made this problem more obvious.  Occasionally, and only when we are sailing, the high exhaust temp triggers a shut down right after it starts.  A second start try and it runs fine. If I crack the lid of the strainer and purge the air, it never happens. 

Short of closing the sea cock, I can’t think of a way to keep the air out, so I am trying to figure out a way to easily purge it.

Bill Kinney
SM160, Harmonie
Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA


<9495D3AA-FC12-427B-AD1A-C082BAE84D49.jpeg><288A2531-8543-43CF-91FA-F8D6F4D69446.jpeg>

On Nov 27, 2020, at 3:34 PM, Karen Smith via groups.io <karenharmonie@...> wrote:

Chris,

I have taken the photos and annotated them with the parts list.  

All of the fittings I used are standard NPT pipe fittings.  In the case of the outlet fitting on the strainer, that is actually a female 1-1/2” BSP thread.  In this size, the NPT and BSP threads are compatible enough that they will screw together just fine, but they will not make a reliable high pressure seal.  Don’t expect “teflon tape” to help here.  You’ll need paste type pipe sealant.  For the very low pressures seen here, it works fine despite the small mismatch in thread shapes..

We have been running this long enough now, we can confidently say that it works with no issues. Well, no issues that were not already there with the stock Amel manifold.

Here is the only problem we have with the “sea chest” design.  As we sail, air is entrained under the hull.  Some of this air finds the sea chest thruhull and rises into it, displacing the water.  If we are sailing fast, enough air comes through that in a very few hours the strainer and standpipe are empty of water. I am pretty confident that needing to purge this entrained air is the primary reason that the generators on Amel’s have such short lived raw water impellers.  I have a couple of ideas on how to improve this situation, but nothing ready to implement yet.

Our new generator has a hair trigger on its exhaust temperature shutdown which has made this problem more obvious.  Occasionally, and only when we are sailing, the high exhaust temp triggers a shut down right after it starts.  A second start try and it runs fine. If I crack the lid of the strainer and purge the air, it never happens. 

Short of closing the sea cock, I can’t think of a way to keep the air out, so I am trying to figure out a way to easily purge it.

Bill Kinney
SM160, Harmonie
Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA

<9495D3AA-FC12-427B-AD1A-C082BAE84D49.jpeg>

<288A2531-8543-43CF-91FA-F8D6F4D69446.jpeg>

On Nov 27, 2020, at 3:53 PM, Sv Garulfo <svgarulfo@...> wrote:



We went through the same exercise 3 years ago. Only managed to remove the bottom cap, using a similar method. Couldn’t do the top cap no matter how hard we tried. 

Some permanent magnets had come loose and had to be reglued. The break was functional but upon testing after everything was put back together, still misbehaved and felt like it was still applying some level of break while the motor ran. The break itself is an electromagnetic clutch and can be somewhat adjusted for friction, but we never found the amount suitable for the motor to be 100% happy.

We eventually got a replacement unit from Amel when we reached martinique.

Hope that helps,

Thomas

GARULFO 

A54-122

Moorea

On Fri, 27 Nov 2020 at 01:46, Stefan Schaufert <mail@...> wrote:

Dear Porter,

the top cap was a real problem and appr. 2 hours work.
Finally, I hung the lower end of the pipe under the boom so that the top cap is at the bottom.  Then carefully place a screwdriver between the cap and tube and - as carefully as possible with a rubber mallet - hit it down step by step.  The top cap is glued in with silicon or something similar.  So this is not a good, but possibly the only, treatment method and the edges no longer look good.  But the biggest mess was the motor.  There was no water in it, but it was full of gear grease, 2 permanent magnets had come loose and stuck to the rotor, others were loose to the stator, many edges broken. So, if your in mast furler keeps stopping again and again, this can be a good reason.
But the brushes were - contrary to my assumption - ok :-).

Hope it helps.

Best regards
Stefan
A54 #119 Lady Charlyette Luperon, Dominican Republic

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Has anyone replaced their bow thruster seals on the 54?

We are on the hard and have the parts on hand but the boat yard declined the project so I may have to give it a go myself. 

Anyone try this? We aren't leaking there but since amel suggested to do it every few years, I was considering tackling it now that we're in the air. 


--
Scott 
2007 A54 #69
SV Tengah
http://www.svtengah.com

On Nov 26, 2020, at 12:44 PM, Stefan Schaufert <mail@...> wrote:



Dear Amelians,

 

after a lot of work there is still a problem with the brake of the in-mast-furler.

I disassembled the furling unit (it had no water inside; repaired also the motor etc.), but not the brake, completely and reassembled it.

At first the brake was working fine again (clearly clicking when switching). After some trails it stops working. I checked the relay (green, small box) and changed it. It is working (clicking). 

 

I can only assume, the brake is broken/ has a kind off loose contact (perhaps in the wires).

BUT may be there is another reason/ something else from your experiences.

For example Alexander (A54#156) wrote once, „It (the brake) needs a carefull synchronisation with the furler engine.“
What does it mean?

 

Any hints are much appreciated.

 

Best regards 

Stefan

A54 #119 Lady Charlyette currently Luperon, Dominican Republic

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Hi Eric,

I was thinking to do the same but the carpenter  I asked for advise said that I would need to use a press to glue veneer to the hatch. So hatch have to be removed. How did you do it? It looks great.

Thank you for reply.

Slavko
SM 2000
#279 Bonne Anse in Portoroz