Hello Jeff,
You will find details of a British wind and water generator at
www.boost-energy.com/ampair/products_product4.asp This is for a
towed propellor. The actual generator is a first class product, I
know because I had one in the wind driven form. It was mounted
initially just above the Radar on the mizzen of my awful Oyster 435
and did not work when the mizzen staysail was hoisted. It was fine
when relocated at the top of the mast but now lies on the bottom of
Newport R.I. harbour thanks to Hurricane Bob.
There is another British maker of a wind/water generator which
looked better but I cannot trace them.
Before you get too involved in fitting a shaft driven generator
check with your engine/gearbox maker that it will not wreck the
gearbox. This happened to someone we met in the Pacific and the
reason was that there was no pressurised oil supply to the gearbox
unless the engine was running. He was assured by his favourite
mechanic back in the States that there would be no problems and he
continued to let the shaft freewheel with his next gearbox !!! and
it was not even driving a generator. That showed great faith in that
mechanic or was it stupidity?

Regards, Anne and John SM319

Hello All-

A few months ago I purchased a Wauquiez Amphitrite
and have became interested in fitting it with a shaft
generator. I cruised extensively on my previous
Wauquiez Pretorien, but that boat used a saildrive.

I understand that older Amels came fitted with a
shaft generator as a factory option. I spoke with Joel
Potter about this and he recommended that I post here
and see what info I can uncover.

I'm located in Ft. Lauderdale and if anyone local
has one I'd like to come take a look and take some
pics. If there is anyone else out there with a
technical understanding of the setup please let me
know.

Cheers,
Jeff Goff



____________________________________________________________________________________
Cheap Talk? Check out Yahoo! Messenger's low PC-to-Phone call rates
(http://voice.yahoo.com)

thanks to all for the informations about health of our batteries. I
think also to by for sure the Manual !
Then about start solenoid, I had the same problem but it was
resolved by a technician with a lubricant spray after he removed the
black rubber button. It is very easy and works...for a while( you
can obviously repeat it), waiting for a spare one.
The same stuk solenoid I had inside the Lofran control box with the
chain running up without the possibility to stop it ! It is possible
to remove and open the box and detach the contact points and than
spray again.
Eric,I don't know where you are and so where to find the batteries.
Do you know if it's possible to find the Dephi maintance free
batteries in the Caribian?
all the best,
Giovanni & Marina
SM2K EUTIKIA
Venezia
--- In amelyachtowners@yahoogroups.com, "John and Anne on Bali Hai"
<annejohn@...> wrote:

I recently had a problem caused by a defective solenoid which meant
that the engine could not be started. Initially I suspected that

the

12 volt starting battery had failed. I called in a mechanic who
replaced the solenoid and tested the batteries using a

sophisticated

load tester which proved that the starter battery was fine but that
one of the house batteries was dying. It was one which I had

suspected

as I had put a voltmeter on each battery after they had been on

charge

for some time in a marina. There are four pairs of 105 AH 12 volt
batteries on my boat and they are all nearly six years old. The

meter

gave a reading of 13.4/13.6 on six of the batteries but on the

other

pair the reading was about 14 volts on one and 12.2 on the other.

It

was the latter one that failed the
load tester and it was replaced by the engine battery and I fitted

a

new starter battery.
Now that I have removed the protective film from the condition
indicators on the batteries I can see that three pairs show green

and

one pair shows red. According to the key on the new battery there

are

four stages, green when new then black then red and finally white

when

the battery is dead.
The total capacity is 4 X 105AH = 420AH when the batteries are in

good

condition. The experts advice is that means that there is 105AH to

use

before it is necessary to recharge then. This means that charging
should start before the reading on the E meter shows more than 25%
discharge. Exceeding that figure will progressively speed up the

death

of the batteries. In practice this means that there is only about

15%

of the nominal capacity available for use each day as it is
uneconomical to keep the generator running when the batteries are

90%

full as the charge rate is so low.
Finally, Christmas is coming and if you do not already have it I
highly recommend Boatowners Mechanical and Electrical Manual by

Nigel

Calder. It is expensive but worth it's weight in gold so put it on
your wish list.

Best wishes, John SM 319

I recently had a problem caused by a defective solenoid which meant
that the engine could not be started. Initially I suspected that the
12 volt starting battery had failed. I called in a mechanic who
replaced the solenoid and tested the batteries using a sophisticated
load tester which proved that the starter battery was fine but that
one of the house batteries was dying. It was one which I had suspected
as I had put a voltmeter on each battery after they had been on charge
for some time in a marina. There are four pairs of 105 AH 12 volt
batteries on my boat and they are all nearly six years old. The meter
gave a reading of 13.4/13.6 on six of the batteries but on the other
pair the reading was about 14 volts on one and 12.2 on the other. It
was the latter one that failed the
load tester and it was replaced by the engine battery and I fitted a
new starter battery.
Now that I have removed the protective film from the condition
indicators on the batteries I can see that three pairs show green and
one pair shows red. According to the key on the new battery there are
four stages, green when new then black then red and finally white when
the battery is dead.
The total capacity is 4 X 105AH = 420AH when the batteries are in good
condition. The experts advice is that means that there is 105AH to use
before it is necessary to recharge then. This means that charging
should start before the reading on the E meter shows more than 25%
discharge. Exceeding that figure will progressively speed up the death
of the batteries. In practice this means that there is only about 15%
of the nominal capacity available for use each day as it is
uneconomical to keep the generator running when the batteries are 90%
full as the charge rate is so low.
Finally, Christmas is coming and if you do not already have it I
highly recommend Boatowners Mechanical and Electrical Manual by Nigel
Calder. It is expensive but worth it's weight in gold so put it on
your wish list.

Best wishes, John SM 319

We had the same experience at the beginning of last season with gel batteries similar to Delco. TWO years old. We had switched off the battery switches and left the boat for 7 months ashore. When, on our return, I switched the shore power on to charge them the problem arose. By chance I happened to touch the wood under the pilot berth and found it hot. Hate to think what would have happened if I had left the charger on over night... We replaced the whole lot.
Despite every precaution over their use I have come to treat batteries as a renewable item every 2 years in an SM which is lived aboard for 7 months of the year and rarely sees a marina.
Happy charging. Ian and Judy, Pen Azen, SM 302, about to return to Uruguay after 5 months and to check the batteries.....

From: "John McDougall" <j.c.mcdougall@btinternet.com>
Reply-To: amelyachtowners@yahoogroups.com
To: amelyachtowners@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Amel Yacht Owners] Re: cooking batteries
Date: Wed, 25 Oct 2006 13:31:36 -0000

I left my boat over winter '04 in Dubrovnik marina and contracted the
boatyard to run the generator & charge the batteries every 2-4 weeks.
They clearly did not do this and they also left the battery switches
on, causing the batteries to be "dead" when I arrived in May 05.

Upon charging using shore power the result was exactly as you
describe. Sizzling heat, strong smell and water (acid) on floor of
compartment. I got by temporarily by disconnecting the two worst
batteries (7&8 from memory) and charging while motoring was OK but
problem re-occurred with shore power. All the batteries had to be
replaced and this cured the problem. The batteries (original Delphi)
were by this time 4years old & therefore towards the end of their life
anyway.

I realise you say that your batteries check out OK but the symptoms
are identical.




In amelyachtowners@yahoogroups.com, "mgrunstein2002"
<mgrunstein2002@...> wrote:

can anyone comment on the subject. Recently, while motoring, the battery
compartment heated up and upon opening it I was confronted with steam,
sizzling with water accumulating on the floor of the compartment, the
batteries too hot to the touch and strong smell. I left it open and
after a few hours they cooled down. This did not repeat when we
continued motoring and charging and discharging were again normal.

This happened again while we were connected to shore power, again with
the compartment closed. When open and charging it was normal again. now
I sail with open compartment and so far so good.

The alternator and batteries were checked and nothing wrong was found.
My batteries are the ASM or GSM from West Marine at $200+ each.

Any ideas?

Yahoo! Groups Links

_________________________________________________________________
Windows Live Messenger has arrived. Click here to download it for free! http://imagine-msn.com/messenger/launch80/?locale=en-gb

We just replaced all of ours. They are a standard group 31 deep cycle
battery. Delphi has been purchased by interstate batteries and were readily
available at $90- US here.

Fair Winds,

Eric

Amel Super Maramu #376 Kimberlite





_____

From: amelyachtowners@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:amelyachtowners@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of eutikia2003
Sent: Thursday, October 26, 2006 8:12 AM
To: amelyachtowners@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Amel Yacht Owners] Re: Cooking batteries



About standard DELPHI freedom marine(calcium) batteries I am now
wondering if to replace or not all of them.
They are in good shape but working from 1/1/2004.
The next november 2007 I think to across the Atlantic and I wish
full power on board.
Every suggestion will be appreciated,
thanks to all,
Giovanni TESTA
EUTIKIA, SM2000 # 428
--- In amelyachtowners@ <mailto:amelyachtowners%40yahoogroups.com>
yahoogroups.com, "John and Anne on Bali Hai"
<annejohn@...> wrote:

I am no expert in this area but if I had the problem I would be

very

very worried. There is clearly at least one fault somewhwere in

the

electrics be it battery, alternators, regulators, battery chargers
or defective wiring with intermitent connections.
You were very lucky to have caught the problem just in time before
you had a fire on board and you got away with acid deposits, no
explosions from hydrogen release, no lung damage from sulphurous
acid fumes etc.
If it was me I would find a top class electrician and get his
diagnosis and cure. If he cannot find the cause get another expert.
You are probably aware that every year there are boats burnt out
whilst on the hard as well as in a marina as a result of mains

being

left connected to charge the batteries and when they become
defective they over heat.
On an entirely different point I recently had problems with one of
my batteries and never understood why Delphi claim that you can

see

the health of one of their batteries by looking at the little

window

which should be green in a perfect world. I thought that this was

B

S until the electrician scraped off the protective film from the
windows and all was revealed!

Be warned, Anne and John SM 319

About standard DELPHI freedom marine(calcium) batteries I am now
wondering if to replace or not all of them.
They are in good shape but working from 1/1/2004.
The next november 2007 I think to across the Atlantic and I wish
full power on board.
Every suggestion will be appreciated,
thanks to all,
Giovanni TESTA
EUTIKIA, SM2000 # 428
--- In amelyachtowners@yahoogroups.com, "John and Anne on Bali Hai"
<annejohn@...> wrote:

I am no expert in this area but if I had the problem I would be

very

very worried. There is clearly at least one fault somewhwere in

the

electrics be it battery, alternators, regulators, battery chargers
or defective wiring with intermitent connections.
You were very lucky to have caught the problem just in time before
you had a fire on board and you got away with acid deposits, no
explosions from hydrogen release, no lung damage from sulphurous
acid fumes etc.
If it was me I would find a top class electrician and get his
diagnosis and cure. If he cannot find the cause get another expert.
You are probably aware that every year there are boats burnt out
whilst on the hard as well as in a marina as a result of mains

being

left connected to charge the batteries and when they become
defective they over heat.
On an entirely different point I recently had problems with one of
my batteries and never understood why Delphi claim that you can

see

the health of one of their batteries by looking at the little

window

which should be green in a perfect world. I thought that this was

B

S until the electrician scraped off the protective film from the
windows and all was revealed!

Be warned, Anne and John SM 319

I am no expert in this area but if I had the problem I would be very
very worried. There is clearly at least one fault somewhwere in the
electrics be it battery, alternators, regulators, battery chargers
or defective wiring with intermitent connections.
You were very lucky to have caught the problem just in time before
you had a fire on board and you got away with acid deposits, no
explosions from hydrogen release, no lung damage from sulphurous
acid fumes etc.
If it was me I would find a top class electrician and get his
diagnosis and cure. If he cannot find the cause get another expert.
You are probably aware that every year there are boats burnt out
whilst on the hard as well as in a marina as a result of mains being
left connected to charge the batteries and when they become
defective they over heat.
On an entirely different point I recently had problems with one of
my batteries and never understood why Delphi claim that you can see
the health of one of their batteries by looking at the little window
which should be green in a perfect world. I thought that this was B
S until the electrician scraped off the protective film from the
windows and all was revealed!

Be warned, Anne and John SM 319

I left my boat over winter '04 in Dubrovnik marina and contracted the
boatyard to run the generator & charge the batteries every 2-4 weeks.
They clearly did not do this and they also left the battery switches
on, causing the batteries to be "dead" when I arrived in May 05.

Upon charging using shore power the result was exactly as you
describe. Sizzling heat, strong smell and water (acid) on floor of
compartment. I got by temporarily by disconnecting the two worst
batteries (7&8 from memory) and charging while motoring was OK but
problem re-occurred with shore power. All the batteries had to be
replaced and this cured the problem. The batteries (original Delphi)
were by this time 4years old & therefore towards the end of their life
anyway.

I realise you say that your batteries check out OK but the symptoms
are identical.




In amelyachtowners@yahoogroups.com, "mgrunstein2002"
<mgrunstein2002@...> wrote:

I am not an Amel owner, so I don't know about the actual charger used
in one, but I do know that for a proper operation it is necessary to
measure temperature at the batteries. This temperature is one of the
variables which are used to determine the correct charge
current/voltage. It will reduce charge current when the temperature
rises above a certain level.

Just an idea.

Best,
Eddy May
--- In amelyachtowners@yahoogroups.com, "mgrunstein2002"
<mgrunstein2002@...> wrote:

can anyone comment on the subject. Recently, while motoring, the

battery

compartment heated up and upon opening it I was confronted with

steam,

sizzling with water accumulating on the floor of the compartment,

the

batteries too hot to the touch and strong smell. I left it open and
after a few hours they cooled down. This did not repeat when we
continued motoring and charging and discharging were again normal.

This happened again while we were connected to shore power, again

with

the compartment closed. When open and charging it was normal again.

now

I sail with open compartment and so far so good.

The alternator and batteries were checked and nothing wrong was

found.

My batteries are the ASM or GSM from West Marine at $200+ each.

Any ideas?

can anyone comment on the subject. Recently, while motoring, the battery
compartment heated up and upon opening it I was confronted with steam,
sizzling with water accumulating on the floor of the compartment, the
batteries too hot to the touch and strong smell. I left it open and
after a few hours they cooled down. This did not repeat when we
continued motoring and charging and discharging were again normal.

This happened again while we were connected to shore power, again with
the compartment closed. When open and charging it was normal again. now
I sail with open compartment and so far so good.

The alternator and batteries were checked and nothing wrong was found.
My batteries are the ASM or GSM from West Marine at $200+ each.

Any ideas?

A more simple solution is to dril a hole in the companionway frame and
install a small sliding bolt lock. This is quick to use and leaves
the screw nuts in place so that they can be used to hold the
companionway slide at any desired height. This is not as pretty, but
it can be installed in less than 10 minutes and it will never ware out
or need adjusting.

Regards,

Miles Bidwell
LADYBUG

--- In amelyachtowners@yahoogroups.com, "jrjrjrouse2000"
<sailingjudy@...> wrote:

How many times have you turned and turned the campanionway plastic
thumb nuts to open and close the campanionway?

We have posted some photos of a solution that we really like. The
idea did not originate with us. Another Amel owner made a prototype
and we believe that we have perfected it.

See the photos and drawings we posted in a new album
titled "Campanionway Latches."

Regards,

Bill & Judy Rouse
SECURITY SM2 387

-
We were aboard Security and saw the cam latches. My first thought
was, "Why didn't I think of that?" Mine are made and our SM will be a
joy to open and close!!! Thanks Judy and Bill.


-- In amelyachtowners@yahoogroups.com, "jrjrjrouse2000"
<sailingjudy@...> wrote:

How many times have you turned and turned the campanionway plastic
thumb nuts to open and close the campanionway?

We have posted some photos of a solution that we really like. The
idea did not originate with us. Another Amel owner made a prototype
and we believe that we have perfected it.

See the photos and drawings we posted in a new album
titled "Campanionway Latches."

Regards,

Bill & Judy Rouse
SECURITY SM2 387

-
We were aboard Security and saw the cam latches. My first thought
was, "Why didn't I think of that?" Mine are made and our SM will be a
joy to open and close!!! Thanks Judy and Bill.


-- In amelyachtowners@yahoogroups.com, "jrjrjrouse2000"
<sailingjudy@...> wrote:

How many times have you turned and turned the campanionway plastic
thumb nuts to open and close the campanionway?

We have posted some photos of a solution that we really like. The
idea did not originate with us. Another Amel owner made a prototype
and we believe that we have perfected it.

See the photos and drawings we posted in a new album
titled "Campanionway Latches."

Regards,

Bill & Judy Rouse
SECURITY SM2 387

EXCELLENT!
How could have we been leaving without it before? I'll make it right away!
Georges Pellegrini

The point is that you open the companionway by one simple flip of
each wrist, rather than turning and turning and turning and
turning.....

Judy

--- In amelyachtowners@yahoogroups.com, "Alex Paquin"
<alex.paquin@...> wrote:

--- In amelyachtowners@yahoogroups.com, "jrjrjrouse2000"
<sailingjudy@> wrote:

How many times have you turned and turned the campanionway

plastic

thumb nuts to open and close the campanionway?

We have posted some photos of a solution that we really like.

The

idea did not originate with us. Another Amel owner made a

prototype

and we believe that we have perfected it.

See the photos and drawings we posted in a new album
titled "Campanionway Latches."

Regards,

Bill & Judy Rouse
SECURITY SM2 387

Looks interesting but I don't seem to get the point!

Alex Paquin
Simpatico Maramu #94

--- In amelyachtowners@yahoogroups.com, "jrjrjrouse2000"
<sailingjudy@...> wrote:

How many times have you turned and turned the campanionway plastic
thumb nuts to open and close the campanionway?

We have posted some photos of a solution that we really like. The
idea did not originate with us. Another Amel owner made a

prototype

and we believe that we have perfected it.

See the photos and drawings we posted in a new album
titled "Campanionway Latches."

Regards,

Bill & Judy Rouse
SECURITY SM2 387

Looks interesting but I don't seem to get the point!

Alex Paquin
Simpatico Maramu #94

How many times have you turned and turned the campanionway plastic
thumb nuts to open and close the campanionway?

We have posted some photos of a solution that we really like. The
idea did not originate with us. Another Amel owner made a prototype
and we believe that we have perfected it.

See the photos and drawings we posted in a new album
titled "Campanionway Latches."

Regards,

Bill & Judy Rouse
SECURITY SM2 387

Check out what this French company is doing:

* shipwrecks plotted off the French coastline
* coastal aerial photos (of French Atlantic and Med) tie to Google maps
* raster nautical charts overlaid on Google maps (technology demo)
* tide predictions around the world
and more

http://www.justmagic.com/GM-GE.html

Heck, once broadband connectivity is available thru out the oceans of
the world (read cheaply) imagine how that will change navigation.

Richard

Thanks John for your efforts on my behalf, corrections noted.

Gary

--- In amelyachtowners@yahoogroups.com, "John and Anne on Bali Hai" <annejohn@...>
wrote:

Hello again Gary,
I have just had a look at my message of yesterday and seen that I gave
you a wrong dimension. The depth of the forward end of the locker from
the cockpit to the vent pipes is 127 cms.

My apologies for this silly slip, John SM 319