Our Victron System

Viewing our Victron System Data

Several of my readers asked about how I view the Boats Power System when not at the boat. 

It's a Victron System and is connected to the Internet via a Modem 24/7/365, so I can see the data online via the VRM ( Victron Remote Monitoring ) system.

In addition to all of the other cool things that Victron provides via my basic setup - we do not have any additional programming on the system -- there is the feature where I can share the data online.

There's now a link in the page menu above:-  'Victron System' ( just scroll up to the top of this page to see the Menu link )

It takes a few seconds to load but once is does, it's a live feed. It shows the important quick view information including the amount of power being produced and consumed. 

Of course, when I login to the VRM I get to see a lot more information and options.

We're looking to update the firmware on our system over the next month or so and I do not know if the view will change but I'm guessing the link will remain the same. You're welcome to view the data and I would appreciate any comments you have about this option.

Planning to take the boat out 1st weekend of September. Woohoo.

See you on the water.

Paul

Solar Panel Failure

One panel failed - what it means and how we dealt with it.

Background: 
We upgraded our our 3 BougeRV solar panels after our Standing Rigging update resulted in a change of the Backstay which, in turn, meant our old panels would no long fit in the area available. I chose Renogy Solar for the new panels. Purchased them from Amazon and built a new Solar Panel Frame to support them.

That was in March this year, so they are only 4 months old - and one failed!

Do Solar Panels failure due to 'Hot Spot' happen? Apparently they do in about 0.04% of installations, we just happen to have one that failed.

IMPORTANT: The first thing I did when I realized the Panel was broken, was to disconnect that panel from the system intent on eliminating any risk of further damage. Only the panel has failed, there were no signs of any other damage. Once the broken panel was disconnected, our solar production rose to over 200W ( our AC was running ). So the rest of the system appears to be just fine.

So now, the issue is how do we fix it and do we make any changes?

First the Fix

We had read about Renogy not having a very good record for Customer Service, but I have to counter that, our experience has been the opposite  -- very much Positive.

I reached out to Renogy and spoke to a human ( Ken ) within 30 seconds of dialing their number. Ken was very considerate, listened to my description of the issue and taking time to ask about our installation. He informed me that he would be setting up a 'Case' so that I could easily communicate with Renogy as we progressed through our Warranty Claim. I received an email with a link to their system within minutes of my phone call. Ken advised that I should respond quoting the Serial Numbers of each panel ( only one had failed ) as well as images of the Labels on the underside of the Panels.

Shortly after the phone call, I received another email, this one asking for details of how the panels are installed and how they are used. I provided that information via their system. The next morning I went down to the boat and took a dozen photographs, both from the On top of the panels and below, including the labels. I could not find the Serial Numbers.

Back home my wife and I reviewed the photos and she noted that the serial numbers were on a small, separate label to the main info label.

I put those photos into a google photo Album, added the link to the Case in the online Renogy Case system and typed in the Serial Numbers. That was yesterday, Thursday afternoon. 

By 17:30 they had replied !! Renogy asked for my shipping address for delivery of the replacement Panel.

Wow! that's totally different from the outcome I had been expecting from some of the online reviews.

I'll include a link to the Album at the end of the post and will update that album with the images from the new panel, install and solar production result as soon as I can.

Will we make any changes?

Yes! Our two panels were connected in Series, so all of the current would flow through both panels, even if one panel failed. The advantage of using a smaller AWG wiring from the Solar Panels to the MPPT Controller is nothing compared to the risk of a short in one panel suffering further damage. 

So, plan is to change the system wiring to individual controllers and wiring.

The update will include a new Victron MPPT 100/50 solar controller ( matching the existing controller )

Additional 10AWG wiring from the new panel to the new MPPT controller.

Additional VE.Direct network wire from the new MPPT to the Cerbo GX.

I'm pretty sure there is an empty VE.Direct connection socket in the top of the Cerbo GX.

I still need to do some decent cable management for this entire system. Add ing the new wiring for the Second MPPT controller will encourage that.

However, locating a 2nd MPPT controller might be more of a challenge. 

I may have to move the two MPPTs onto the bulkhead on the forward side of the install area, just below the Nav Table.

We'll see.

During this update, I'll also run all of the wires from the Solar Panels down to the combing via an outdoor conduit with water proof connectors in place of the existing clam shell entry to the combing.

Making the most of the change.

Now, we wait, in the meanwhile I'll order the 2nd MPPT and additional 6AWG wiring.

So first bits to arrive came on Monday July 20th, that's all of the wiring and the MPPT Controller. Next the VE.Direct cable arrived and the new Stainless Steel screws arrived ( the Screws are to replace the ones that came with the 4040 pieces for the Mounting frame, they have corroded badly in the few months since the install. ) 

The last piece is the replacement panel. This is where it gets a little confusing.

When purchased back in March this year, the 'pair' of panels came from Amazon. The packaging was amazing! The box had several layers of bubble type foam sheets outside and between the two panels, Each corner had a stiff plastic piece that kept the panels separated by about 3/8" and there were similar but straight pieces of plastic to secure the ends and sides of the panels and then the cardboard box was particularly solid. It was really a work of packaging art. Very impressed.

Then I received an email from Renogy stating that the minimum quantity of panels for shipping was 2. And they would send one of those packages and asking if I would first ship our good panel back to Renogy in CA. With experience of receiving broken solar panels, I was not confident that I could ship that good panel back to them in make-shift packaging giving it any chance of arriving in one piece.

My reply was to suggest that I await the shipment of two panels and then ship one back with the broken one, both in their packaging which would give them a much better chance of surviving the trip via UPS back to CA.  I'm waiting on their response which I think should arrive on Monday or Tuesday. Before I could send that email, a second response from Renogy arrived. It had the tracking number of the two panel shipment, due to arrive Tuesday.

Ok, a bit of cross talk going on somewhere, I'm sure it will work out.

Meanwhile, here's the review of the updated installation of the additional electronics.

( Link to the full image: Click here ) 

With the design complete and everything except the new panels ready, I'm hoping we'll get some of the install done on Wednesday this week ( July 29th. )

Checked the Tracking - UPS - due to arrive today after lunch. I hope it's on time as it's Peggy Birthday and we plan to go out this evening to celebrate.

UPS delivered them later than expected and the Box was in really bad shape, I had little hope of the panels being unbroken BUT THEY WERE OK!

Stored in my workshop for a few days as I have stuff to do before doing the install on the boat.

Making progress.

Down to the boat. Remember, it's August! I removed the damaged panel and started replacing all of the corroded bolts with stainless steel. However after 2 hours, I was done! The heat and humidity combined were just too much for me. Dripping in sweat, I quickly wrapped up the tools and we headed home for a revitalizing shower. 

A couple of days later, back to the boat with the new panel. It was an easy install. I disconnected the cables from the older panel and connected them to the new replacement panel just to make sure we have a good panel. Time to drain the batteries to encourage the MPPT to want to charge them. So I turned on the water heater with the Multiplus in Invert mode, that quickly used at a lot of watts. The solar production ramped up and very soon hit 240Watts of input. Woohoo! We're good to go, just have to finish the new wiring.

Another day, installed the new MPPT. actually, I relocated the original in order to mount both of them next to each other - purely aesthetics.

I need to be able to refer to the two systems. So the Aft Panel is connected to the Outboard MPPT and the Fwd Panel will be connected to the Inboard MPPT. So I'll refer to them as the Aft Controller and the Fwd Controller.

Also installed the additional breaker for the input of the 2nd solar panel to the second MPPT.

Little steps, but in this heat, at least it's moving in the right direction.

Next is to rework the wiring. My buddy Mike came down to the boat the next day. He's in the process of upgrading his boat to LiFePo4 and Victron, so he came by just to observe and ask questions. Plus we hadn't done lunch in a few weeks.

With the main battery switch off and the Aft breaker open .I made up the cables to the new Bus Bar for the Positive outputs of the two MPPT's and rewired the Battery cable to that Bus bar. Battery switch back to 'Both' 

Next was the VE.Direct cable from the Fwd Controller to the Cerbo GX ( that's the last remaining VE-Direct input on the Cerbo ) Now the MPPT springs into life, flashing Blue Light showing that Blue tooth is available. 

Opening the Victron Connect app on my phone, I was able to connect to the Fwd Controller and change the charging mode to Smart LiFePo4. NOTE! There's a magic number on the side of the MPPT that allows reset of the Pin when logging into the device. Fortunately, that label is on the side of the heat dissipater plate on the right side of the MPPT, I'll have to take a photo of that for my records, and I'll have to unmount the Aft MPPT so that I can get that label too.

Now with the Blue Tooth connection, both MPPTs are showing in the Victron app. Of course, there's no input yet as the Input to the Fwd MPPT as it's not connected yet. That's another day, meanwhile it's lunchtime with Mike, it's on me, just to say thanks for the company.

Ok, next - wiring for the new panel to the new breaker and the new breaker to the Fwd Controller.

My plan is to install Conduit that will be connected to an enclosure beneath the Fwd Panel, it will run down the outside of the Radar mounting pole then into the combing - replacing the existing clam shell POS with a 90º elbow that connects into the existing cable hole in the combing. I'll run a piece of string as a messenger through the conduit and use that to insert the original solar cables and the new cable, so we'll have 4 wires in that conduit.  I'll take a look at the cable(s) for the Radar dome to see if they will fit in that conduit also. At present the radar cables are ty-wrapped to the outside of the Radar mounting pole.

OK, making progress. I'll close this post and create a new one for the rewiring of the solar cables via the conduit.

Hope to get that done this next week.

See you out there.

Paul

PS. Renogy received the package with the good panel along with the broken panel. They sent a very nice email, they were pleased that it was all working well.

So, this failure turned out to be not so bad and I'm really pleased with the way that Renogy handled the situation.

I'm considering building a Solar Generator for the house. Guess which company I'm going to use for the components! Yup. Renogy.

Thank Ken ( and your team ).

Paul

Locating a Coolant Leak on Universal M25-XP Diesel Engine

 A Drip is still a Leak!

We keep a doggy pad under the engine to use an early indicator of any leaks, they fit nicely beneath the engine between the engine support stringers. Earlier this year the pad was wet, looking around the engine I noticed that the Heat Exchanger was showing signs of Corrosion around the hose connection from the Engine Coolant Pump. Checking my Service history ( there's a link near the top of this page ) shows that I serviced the Heat Exchanger in 2022. At that time I took it apart, cleaned everything and put it all back together. It lasted another 4 years.

So, I replaced the heat exchanger, and, of course, while at it, I replaced all of the hoses for the Coolant system, sure looks pretty now. BUT the leak, a persistent, barely a drip, but it's a Leak!

After a few days, there is a visible drip forming on the Port Rear Underside of the Oil pan, not easy to see but with my head on the cabin soul it's visible. Cleaned it up, wiped down as much of the engine as I could access, more Paper towel balls pushed into places where you might expect a leak. That included all of the hose connections, around the filler cap ( Radiator Cap ) below the coolant pump, around the bottom of the new heat exchanger.

Finally, we found that the source was somewhere higher up than the oil pan. Of course there is no coolant in the Oil pan, but finding trace markings where something was leaving a mark was a step in the right direction.

Using a Endoscope ( Boroscope ) connected to a mobile phone, we took dozens of pictures, there really was nothing to see but it did look like the Freeze Plugs were all ok, well, that's 'all' that we could see! There's one hidden behind the Injection pump and another behind the Starter, I think there is also one behind the Oil Filter.  Anyway, nothing to help pinpoint the leaky leaky.

While doing all of this, I recognized that the Thermostat Housing was looking rough, paint flaking off of it, and excessive dirt around the gasket between the Housing and the Mounting.  So, just a bit of Project Creep, I removed the Thermostat housing. We last changed out the Thermostat in 2016, it's due.

Removing the Thermostat housing also exposed the Gasket, not in good shape! ?A trip to Southern Power in Coconut Creek to get new Thermostat and Gasket nearly failed! I have purchased several engine related parts from them in the past, their staff were extremely helpful, I even promote them in an earlier blog post. BUT things have changed. They sold their Kabota supplies and focused on Phasor generators. No more Kabota support :(   However, the rep did go back and found both the Thermostat and the Gasket.

Back home I stripped down the Thermostat Housing, removed the Temperature Sensor, Temperature Switch and the Air Bleed valve ( that has never worked ). I removed all of the old flaky paint, polished the interface between the housing and the mounting. Cleaned the Air Bleed Valve, it works now, then applied 3 coats of high heat golden (color) spray paint.

Took the Thermostat housing and new Thermostat + Gasket down to the boat. Now the good news.

There was no Coolant Leak !!! The few drips from when we removed the housing the other day was all. 

But now the Bad News - Seems that the coolant leak was disguising a fuel leak!

We had put wads of paper towel in several parts of the engine, all were dry except the piece that was beneath the Injector Fuel Return hose from Injector #3 to connect to the return pipe.

Looking closely, fingers rubbing beneath the hose clamp were wet with fuel - we smelt it!

The hose is almost original and so is the clamp, it's the perforated type miniature hose clamp. It had cut into the surface of the 3/16" rubber hose.

It took an hour to find the correct hose for a replacement. It has to be SAE J1527 but I could not find 3/16" hose to that standard.

Further reading suggested that 1/4" hose would fit if the correct type of hose clamp is used.

I found the 1/4" hose online at West Marine and the hose clamps on Amazon. The clamps are on their way to arrive Monday, the hose was supposed to be delivered last night - didn't happen and I had paid shipping for same day delivery. Perhaps I misunderstood and perhaps it was same day shipping and not same day delivery.

If the hose arrives Monday, then we'll install on Tuesday, test run the engine and assuming all is ok, then we'll plan to do a dump run ( 3 miles out ) on Tuesday so that we can enjoy a trip Friday till Sunday for the 4th of July.

This is the Thermostat housing before removing for servioce.

The air bleed valve on the top does not work, there seems to be a leak between the housing and the mounting.

Note: The fitting to attach the Blue hose to the Housing has only one hose clamp. That's because the fitting is too short for 2 hose clamps.

With the housing removed, the condition of the Gasket is obvious.

Forgive me, but I didn't take any photos of the housing after cleaning it up, removing all of the paint and polishing the gasket surface. It looks like new now.

Also installed a new Thermostat and serviced the Bleed Valve. So it's in a lot better condition now.

This is the fitting that is from the Coolant pump, the hose to the Hot Water Tank is attached to it.

It has a Tapered thread. I removed it, it does have a handy slot in the end for a large flat screwdriver. That got a clean up too.

So the Coolant system should be a lot better now.

The Hose and Clamps arrived, just a couple of days late, but better late than .... :)

 Just in case you didn't know. Eximius is docked in Fort Lauderdale, that's South Florida - Freaking HOT! 

Here's a pic to prove it. The Cabin temperature was 103º F when we got down to the boat.

Of course, first thing - get the AC running, that dropped it to 93º F within an hour, barely bareable.

With the cabin cooler, off came the engine covers, again, and the serviced Thermostat cover was reinstalled. I use a Liquid Gasket to follow up with the new Gasket, that worked really well.

The Red Liquid Gasket is just visible where the Housing attached to the Mount. Looks pretty with the new paint job.

The Liquid Gasket has to be applied to both surfaces and allowed to air cure for a few minutes, then the two pieces are attached but only bolted down loosely. Then is is supposed to cure for an hour before tightening down the two bolts.

While waiting for that hour, I went ahead and replaced the fuel return hose from the 3rd Injector Banjo to the hose securing point before it connects to the 1/4" return hose that takes the unused fuel back to the Diesel Tank.

Still some time to go, so I climbed into the Aft Berth and replaced the bulkhead that separates the Fuel Tank from the Berth.

With that all done, I tightened the bolts of the Thermostat housing.

The final cure of the Liquid Gasket is 24 hours before running the engine.

So I placed a bunch of tell-tale paper towels around the areas where we previously saw the leak: Around and beneath the Fuel Return hose clamps.

Beneath the engine and around and beneath the Thermostat housing.

Then it was time to shut up shop and leave the boat for 24 hours.

Next Day! Woooooo Hoooooo !!! Fixed. I filled the Coolant Reservoir, installed the Pressure Cap, checked all of the paper tell-tales--- Nothing! I'll put that one in the Fixed column.

Time to start the engine.  Opened the Fuel cock on the top of the Fuel Tank, Opened the Raw Water thru-hull, Turned on the Engine Electrical supply switch on the Control panel above the Nav Station, Key in the 'Ignition' and let the fuel pump run for 10 minutes - I always do this after any service work on the fuel system - running the fuel pump effectively bleeds the Injector system.

Time for a break from the Sun. My Buddy Mike arrived to see how things were going and the get in some Chin Wag time which worked our great. After 10 minutes of curing the worlds problems, back on the boat and start the engine. It started 1st time after 20 seconds of Glow Plug heating. 

With the engine running, back in the cabin and there's a Coolant Leak !!!! Grrr. 

With my head down on the cabin sole, I could see the source - not a leak! but the Reservoir was overflowing. I may have put a tad too much coolant in the system.

After drying that up, I checked the engine temperature, it was starting to overhead - totally expected. We needed to Burp the coolant system.

Process is easy. Shut the engine down and it cool back below 160ºF then restart the engine and immediately go Wide Open Throttle. The Engine Temperature gauge needle dropped down to it's normal ( about 150ºF for us ) and all was well. We checked the Heart Beat: Engine Temperature, Fuel, Voltage, RPM and Exhaust + Water discharge. All was good.

Finally, move this one into the DONE Column.

We're actually planning to trip on the boat.

So, I can positively say " See you on the Water "

Thanks Peggy for keeping me Sane on this one.

Securing the Radar Mounting

 

Radar Mounting post was attached to the Backstay Bridle

When we purchased Eximius in 2015, the Radar Mounting post was braced by an aluminum tube that was attached to the Backstay just above the Bridle. So many things wrong with that even though many sailboats have the Radar mounted on or by the Backstay.

When adding our new solar panels after the Backstay was modified when we replaced the Standing Rigging in March this year, the Bridle is now about 8' above the solar panels but I still did not want to attach the Radar mount to the backstay.

This is the setup for the new panels supported on a  4040 Aluminum Extrusion frame, looks very neat and clean.

The Radar Pole was supported also with a strut that passed through the port side of the Bimini frame which prevented a Cockpit full enclosure. I removed that strut during the installation of the new solar panels.

There's one more supporting strut, it's an Aluminum tube attached near the top of the Radar Pole and lower down to the top of the aft railing near the Outboard Motor & Mount.

Plan its to replace that Aluminum tube with a Stainless steel tube.

Here's the schematic of the brace that will attach the Radar Pole to the Solar Mounting frame. Basically a piece of 4040 Extrusion, secured to the Port side Solar Mounting Beam at one end and attached to the Radar Mounting post on the other with a Stainless Steel Pipe Clamp.

Just need to measure the distance from the Solar Mounting Beam to the Pole, cut the piece of 4040 and shape the end to the curve of the Radar Post, then straighten out the Pipe Clamp and secure it in place using a couple of M6 bolts and T-Nuts.

Easy ( hope that doesn't come back and bite me. )

Ok, it really was that easy! After shaping the curved end of the 4040 extrusion using a grinding wheel on my cordless 4.5" angle grinder, down at the boat it took all of 10 minutes to install the bracing beam.

All done! 

The strap is really secure. Sorry about the surface corrosion on the Radar Mounting Pole, it's not a 316 SS pole!

Also, note the hanging wire with a ring terminal crimped to the end. That's a left over from the PO, I think he used it as a HF antenna for receiving Net messages in the Bahamas. I may do something with that sometime when the project list is getting thinner.

Also, note the cables from the Solar panels. they are just hanging there at the moment.

Plan is to enclose them inside of a Plastic Conduit from a Box mounted beneath the panels and then entering the boat through a conduit 90º elbow and into the side of the combing near the base of the Radar pole. That should eliminate the UV damage the cables are suffering. Of course, those cable are a single length from the panel connections all the way down to the Circuit breaker adjacent to the Victron MPPT solar charge controller.

That's a higher priority than the HF antenna mentioned earlier.

This pic shows the beam in place. Note that the bolts used on the 4040 extrusions are not SS and they have surface corrosion already, that's less than a month. 

I have plenty of those bolts, so I'll spray the bolts and the install them with some TefGel as they are mounted in Aluminum, hence the differential metal corrosion.

Changing them out will be easy but will involve some boat yoga.

Easy peezy.

We're looking for a weather window to take the boat out. It will have to be via Port Everglades as the Hillsboro Inlet is still having shoaling problems and with 6' of the boat below the waterline, shoaling around 6' will see us hit bottom in any kind of wave action. 

See you on the water.

Paul

Replacing the Engine's Heat Exchanger

Typical Boat Project Creep - Leaking Heat Exchanger

During a routine engine inspection, we noticed a bit of coolant leak and I suspected it was coming from the Coolant Reservoir overflow due to an aged Pressure cap. After cleaning up the closed bilge under the engine and placing a puppy pad to detect any coolant leak with the engine off for a week or two, I felt confident that it was a leaky pressure cap. WRONG !! When I checked today the puppy pad was soaked with engine coolant. Clean Coolant!  It has to be leaking from a hose, hose connection or the Heat Exchanger. There's no visible source of the leak and it's pretty minimal but a leak is a leak!  Plus side? We now have a new Radiator Pressure Cap. 

The heat exchanger is showing it's age. Last serviced 4 years ago, but showing some corrosion by the Raw (Salt ) water hoses and the Coolant hoses. But the hoses connecting to the Reservoir and their connections seem to be good, those hoses are probably original.

Decision made - it's time! I ordered a replacement heat exchanger from Mr Cool online.$560 inc. Tax & Shipping ( UPS Ground )

It arrived Thursday ( 4/16 ) and it looks as good as the photo. 

I decided to replace the coolant hose with Silicone Radiator hoses, they are on their way but won't arrive till April 24th ( Amazon ), so I'll hang back on the heat exchanger till next week. Got plenty to do in the meanwhile. 

Hose arrived, they look really good, bright Blue!

We'll replace the Heat Exchanger and the coolant hoses next week ( 1st week of May). 

I'll try to pump out the coolant using a small hand pump we keep on the boat. Any that leak will go into the Engine bilge which is blocked off from the boat bilges. That will avert any coolant being pumped overboard.

Can you feel the Creeping Project Syndrome kicking in yet?

Sometimes I should spend a while longer inspecting things that I'm going to replace.

While swapping out the Heat Exchanger, I realized that the 39 year old hoses from the Heat Exchanger to the Reservoir are looking their age and when I tried to remove that hose, it was obvious that now is time to replace the entire hose line from the heat exchanger to the coolant pump.

Right now it's a Heath Robinson setup.

There's a traditional ( OEM ) hose from the heat exchanger to a Metal Elbow connector, that connects to a rubber hose about 2" long, that's connected to a brass Elbow and then via another piece of rubber hose, which appears to have several wraps of tape beneath the hose clamp, and finally to the Coolant pump connection.  All of those connections are made with the old type perforated hose clamps.

So, here's the parts that will be installed as soon as they arrive, that's a week later.

This is the 7/8" ID Silicone Radiator Hose.

Connection to the next item:----

These are the 304 Stainless Steel Connectors to join the pieces of hose and navigate around the corner of the engine and the Alternator

I'll not be using the clamps which come with the barbed connectors. T

This is the same hose material but is molded for a 90º turn to get around the corner of the engine and Alternator

I'm using another of the Stainless Steel Connectors to connect to the next bit.

This is the 90º molded turn with expansion to 1" ID for connection to the Coolant pump.

Schematic of Coolant Hose Connections

All of the pieces have arrived. Plan is to do the upgrade on Sunday - should finish it before lunch, but it is a boat project and we all know how they have a habit of creeping :)

Before:

This is how the engine looked in 2020, several things have changed, New design alternator support arm, New drive belt and pulleys, some of the hoses have been replaced with Blue Silicone.

It's time to service the Oberdorfer Raw Water Pump but that can wait a few days. I have a spare.

We have an upgrade for the Oil Filter but that's not high on the Boat Priority list.

Ok, back to the Heat Exchanger and Hoses upgrade.

After:

Here's the 1st part of the new hose setup.

The 1" to 7/8" 90º Silicone reduction elbow hose is connected to the Coolant Pump ( Top left of image ) 

Next is a 7/8" - 7/8" Stainless Steel Connector ( inside the hose joint :) ) 

Then the 7/8" to 7/8" 90º elbow.

I secured that 90º elbow with a large Zip Tie to reduce any risk of chafing of the hose against the Alternator support arm.

The 90º elbow is connected with another 7/8" to 7/8" coupler onto a flexible 7/8" Silicone hose.

Tried my best to route that hose so that it does not chafe against any of the wiring or the Starter Solenoid.

That flexible Silicone hose connects to the Heat Exchanger ( the connection is below the Heat Exchanger and nearly impossible to photograph from on top of the engine.

That completes the hose upgrade and install of the new Heat Exchanger.

Next - Test for leaks and eliminate air in the system.

But first! Refill the coolant system.

It took most of this bottle of coolant. That's 3.78L 

After filling the reservoir I opened the Raw Water thru hull and started the engine. As soon as we confirmed that the exhaust was blowing out water, I raised the RPM to 2000. Then just waited to see if the engine temperature rose above 150ºF, our normal operating temperature.

It did! When it climbed to 175ºF I shut down the engine and let it cool for 20 minutes while I worked on another project. Before restarting the engine, I added a little more coolant to the Reservoir and then Ran it again, but this time running the engine at WOT. The engine temp gauge showed 160ºF at this start but soon went down to our normal 150ºF. I left the engine running for another 5 minutes and it stayed in the golden zone.

Consider this project done! 

I cleaned up the coolant that had flowed out of the overflow pipe and dried the engine bilge. Just a check for when we go back to the boat in a few days.

With the project done, I closed the Raw Water valve and tided up a little. Next time we're at the boat, I'll store all the tools and make the cabin liveable again. I did find some corrosion on the bear box bleed screw, so I'll take a wire brush to that and put on some protective coating on it. Probably a zinc spray.

Ok, update the service history and move on to the next job.

See you on the water, probably next week.

Paul

Installing New Solar Panels pt. 2

Installing New Solar Panels 2026 Pt. 2

Ok, I think I have everything but don't hold your breath. 

Saturday, we mounted two beams of 4040 Aluminum Extrusion ( made from 2 1m pieces, so 2 meters long )  They were secured to the Bimini Frame at the four corners using 1/2" AL Spacers and 3 1/2" M6 Bolts that threaded through the Bimini tube hinge fittings.

That all went well, but, because of the position of the Backstay Bridle, I had move the aft solar panel a little further that means the beams will need extending by about 6" I have the bits to do that.

To attach the Solar Panels to the Beams, I ordered

Once cut to length, they can be connected into the rectangular frame and mounted on the boat over the top of the Bimini.

These will be attached to the Beams using the T Nuts and the M8 Bolts then they will be bolted to the sides of the Solar Panels with nuts and bolts.

So far this has turned out better than I thought. It looks good, is pretty simple and very sturdy. I did run the Inverter once the panel was connected and turned on the Water Heater, that's about an 1,800w load. The panel output ramped up to 295Watts! From a 320w panel that's pretty good.

Next to extend the beams and mount the 2nd panel for a total of 640Watts of Solar power. The two panels will be in series which should give about 40+ Volts and 24Amps well within the 100v / 50Amp Victron MPPT Solar controller.

Should have some pics of the setup this week. Later I'll move the wiring to inside of a conduit and eliminate the UV damaged cable clamshell on the outside of the coaming.

Well that went really well.

Turns out the simple method was enough.

There was a Aluminum tube that braced the Radar pole to the old Backstay bridle that was just above where the panels are now. I never liked that setup. But I can mount another piece of the 4040 from the Port side mounting frame to the pole and will improve the stability of the Radar. I'll take pics of that too.

Meanwhile, another job to cross off the list.

Sailing plans are for a week Monday down to Biscayne Bay.

See you there.

New Bimini for our Catalina 34

Replacing the Bimini 2026

The new Standing rigging backstays requires two holes in the Bimini wider apart than the original large hole ( 6" Square ) and it was just not feasible to 'modify' the old canvas, besides it has so many patches that we often referred to it as Joe's Coat.

Over the past few years I have made several Bimini's and Dodgers as well as a bunch of other Canvas works that help fund my addiction - Off Center Harbor Disorder. So it was an easy decision to make a new Canvas Bimini. 

My plan was to just make a new version of the old one with a few tweaks.

Unusually, I decided to treat this as a client's project and keep track of the cost and the time. Typically, I charge around $2000 for a Bimini plus materials. It can be a lot less but rarely more.

So far I have over $1200 in hours and materials.

Once of my clients asked about the materials that I use. Almost always, I use Sunbrella for outside canvas, but use other materials for edge grips and inside liners. The thread that I love is Sailrite's Lifetime PTFE TEX 92 thread, it's not cheap: $160 for 8oz. But the thread is really good, it's hard to cut with a hot knife. I have my Sailrite LSZ 1 ZigZag - Straight stich machine tuned up to use that thread. That took a while to achieve, so now no other thread is allowed in my workshop.

So far I have about 18 hours of labor into the project, so it's getting close to my best priced Biminis.

Time for some pics but I got carried away with the test fit and markup for the new Solar mounting frame.

However, I'm really pleased with the outcome. 

To do: 

• Apply reinforcement patches where the Solar mounts attach.  (DONE)
• Extend the port forward snap flap ( it's 2" too short ) (DONE)
• Expand the backstay holes slightly ( the canvas is stretched where the backstay bridle passes through the canvas and leather reinforcements. (DONE)
• Fix missed stitches on Binding port aft snap flap. (DONE)

Then back to the boat for the final fit and mount the solar frame.

2nd fitting today. Now I'm getting picky! ( or trying to be more of a craftsman )

I'm not liking the finish of the lower edges of the snap flaps, so I'm going to clean them up and rework the binding of those short pieces.  But the rest of it is good.

While there at the boat, I reviewed the Bridge Piece and the old piece will not fit, oh how sad, I'll have to replace it with a new bridge piece, I'm actually looking forward to that.

OK. One more day of fixes then it's finally back on and all done.

Bimini Done.

I tidied up the corner flaps that have the sockets to snap onto the studs that are on the SS Frame.

Tension looks good. I'll probably enlarge the two holes for the backstay bridle and put small covers over the holes to help keep rain out.

Turned out nice. There are zippers on all for edges. The forward ones are for the bridge piece - coming soon - and the sides and aft edge zippers are for a full enclosure.

Of course, it makes the dodger top look old! But !!! I'm going to get that done pretty soon.

This moves us closer to being able to get the boat out for a few days - now, if only the Hillsboro Inlet was open for us :(   Right now it has severe shoaling and we could not get out. It's nearly 3' depth at low tide and not enough tide to let our 6' draft clear the bottom.  So our trips will have to be via the Port Everglades inlet for a while until the Hillsboro Inlet District Dredge is able to get back on top of the shoaling. Weather is not cooperating in that objective.

But we will see you on the water soon - just have to replace the Engine Heat Exchanger.

Paul

Caring for Strataglass

How to care for Strataglass Vinyl Window Material used on Sailboat Dodgers and Enclosures

I get asked a lot about this issue, what is the best way to take care of Strataglass Vinyl material that is subject to the UV damage that occurs outdoors in South Florida.

It's a good question. I have seen dodger material that is so damaged that I could put my fist through the material. It's Crispy, Brown, Dry and almost completely opaque after just a few years from installation. When I asked the owner what they had used to keep it clean, the reply was Dishwashing Soap. Others had used Pledge type waxing products.

Why not use those domestic cleaners / polishers?

Simple! They remove the plasticizers from the surface of the Vinyl. Now just to be clear, the plasticizers are removed by UV rays, good old South Florida Sunshine. As those plasticizers degrade, so does the surface of the vinyl and the transparency. The vinyl become ridged and opaque, almost impossible to clean, they turn brown as they prematurely age. This can happen in just a couple of years here in SoFla. 

The answer is to protect your Strataglass and other brands often referred to as Isinglass.

When I purchase Strataglass, normally #40 gauge,  it comes in a 5 sheet container and that container includes mulitple warranty registration documents for the material.

Proper maintenance of Strataglass is essential not only for clarity but also to keep the manufacturer's warranty in effect. The recommended care routine relies heavily on products from the IMAR line.

Routine Maintenance Schedule

Frequency	Action	Procedure
After Every Use	Rinse	Thoroughly flush vinyl surfaces with clean, fresh water to remove salt and abrasives. Air dry or use a high-quality chamois or microfiber towel.
Every 1–2 Weeks	Clean	Use Strataglass Protective Cleaner. Spray directly on the surface or a soft cloth and wipe gently.
Every 1–2 Months	Polish	Apply Strataglass Protective Polish. Use small circular motions with a soft cloth, let dry briefly, then buff to a shine.

Best Practices for Longevity

• Immediate Spot Cleaning: Keep a bottle of protective cleaner on board. If sunscreen, insect repellent (DEET), or other chemicals touch the vinyl, clean them off immediately to prevent permanent clouding.

• New Enclosure Care: New vinyl is soft and "impressionable." Keep panels installed and fastened as much as possible to help them stabilize. If you must stack them, place a soft fabric (like a bed sheet) between each panel.

• Temperature Awareness: Avoid rolling up vinyl when the temperature is below 15°C (60°F), as the material can become brittle and crack. Ideally, only roll them when it is above 21°C (70°F).

• Storage: Never store panels wet. If they develop clouding from moisture, exposure to sunlight or a hair dryer (used cautiously) can usually clear it.

Critical "Never" List

Using the following products will damage the vinyl coating and void your warranty:

• Harsh Cleaners: Never use Windex, Rain-X, Pledge, Plexus, Simple Green, or Orpine.

• Waxes: Avoid car wax or "wash and wax" combo products.

• Commercial Products: Do not use cleaners or scratch removers designed for standard commercial-grade vinyl or plastics.

Note: For the best results, ensure your hands are free of sunscreen before handling the panels, as the oils can cause permanent marks that are nearly impossible to buff out.

That pretty well covers the best practices for keeping your Strataglass vinyl windows clean and clear, however I go a step further. COVER the windows.

I recommend that all Strataglass vinyl windows are covered when the boat is at the dock.  The covers should be UV resistant, and should have a soft material where the covers touch the vinyl. It's best if the covers are attached along their top edge with a material flap that covers a zipper the full width of the window. This reduces the risk of rain drizzling down the inside of the covers and any rain borne chemicals leaving a streak on the Strataglass.  When I make the covers, I use that method of securing the top edge of the cover and Twist Lock Fasteners along the lower edge. If needed, I'll use additional Twist Lock fasteners along the vertical sides of the covers. 

Now, when I get asked " What's the best way to protect my vinyl windows " I'll just say - it's complex but read my blog.

Thank you.

I hope this all helps. 

May your vinyl's stay bright and clear.

Paul