Project - Electrical Outlets

This particular electrical project was more gratifying than the mast leak project.  It is always more fun to improve functionality then repair a maintenance item!  For some unknown reason to me there were two sets of outlets at eleven locations around the boat.  The expected 120vAC (household) outlets were there, but next to each was a two pronged outlet that was wired to 12vDC (auto/boat).



 



I had no use for a two prong 12vDC outlet so after some research for a better 12vDC solution, I found these great Magnadyne outlets that fit the standard outlet box and use standard faceplates.  They only require a single 12vDC power connection and internally convert the USB ports to the standard 5vDC almost all portable devices need these days (phones, iPad, etc). 

2 Port 5vDC USB with a 12vDC Outlet

4 Port 5vDC USB Outlet

Each USB port puts out 2A, so will charge tablets that most standard USB wall plugin bricks supplied with phones will not.  A lot of electronics from headsets to flashlights use the USB 5vDC standard, so quite useful!



This was one of the easier outlets since I could access the back...I think it was the only one

For older 12vDC (auto) electronic plugs, the 2 port unit has the standard "cigarette lighter" style 12v plug.  Only Gen X and earlier generations will know why they call it a "cigarette lighter" socket.  So no "spilling the beans"!  I ended up swapping eight of the eleven older two prong outlets with the 2 Port +12vDC socket and the remaining three with the 4 port USB outlet.  If all boat projects could be so easy!  Well sort of....



New USB/12vDC outlet along side the AC outlet...just waiting on the cover...

As you saw in the pictures above, the old two prong outlets had two standard roundish openings and the new USB outlets have the single rectangular opening.  We could have purchased all new black plastic rectangular covers for less than $1 each, but we had all the great looking teak outlook covers... and every $11 counts!  So with a Dremel and drill (and a few hours) we were able to change the two openings in the original teak covers into one rectangular opening.




Julie precisely drills the new mounting holes in each cover!

As most boat owners know one project leads to another.  I figured while I was doing the 12vDC sockets I might as well change out the two AC outlets to the GFCI protected AC outlets recommended from our purchase survey.  I did tell the insurance company I would take care of the critical recommended items after all.

Modified cover installed...now about that required GFCI AC outlet

 

It was not so easy... the new GFCI outlets would not fit the old opening.  So after many hours of enlarging openings, which took more time than all eleven 12vDC outlets, I was ready to move on to the next project.

Living On a Boat in Winter

With our January temperatures fluctuating between 18F and 45F degrees, it may be a good time to point out a few items that help us stay comfortable on Manna.  If you have spent much time looking at our gear list you may have noticed we do not have a heater installed on Manna.  At dock we use an electric oil heater like the one pictured below, but we also like to anchor out... even in winter.



Quiet Dockside Heat

Although warm enough, we noticed right away we would wake up to a rain forest above our heads when it was cold outside.  So we purchased a Whynter RPD-411WG 40 Pint Portable Dehumidifier.  A great feature to look for is a dehumidifier that has a continuous drain in addition to a holding tank that has to be emptied.  We can be away from the boat for a week or more and the dehumidifier drains into our galley sink keeping the boat dry.

Nice to wake up to a dry boat!

Before moving on to our anchoring comfort item, we do enjoy one other dockside warmth convenience.  A Sunbeam Electric Heated Blanket with dual controls and a preheat setting.  The dual controls is nice since I usually turn my side off before going to bed and Julie can keep her side going all night.  With heat localized to our bed we can turn down the electric oil heater at night... but the mornings get chilly until the cabin warms back up.

Great localized heat

I have not connected my Kill-a-Watt meter up to the blanket yet, but the control states 360W at 120vAC or 3 Amps (A = W/V).  I assume this is both controls on high.  If Low is considerably less I think we may be able to use the blanket at anchor running off our inverter and 750 Amp battery banks.

Lastly we wanted an inexpensive solution to heat the boat at anchor in the winter.  Between labor and cost installing a diesel furnace (or any other major heat source installation) did not excite us, since we plan on being in a much warmer place next winter.  So we settled on a Sengoku HMN-110 HeatMate 10,000-BTU Portable Radiant Kerosene Heater. 

Includes the lovely warm glow at night

It took a lot of convincing Julie this was a "good" idea.  She is already sensitive to odors and had nightmarish images of being at her grandmother's small place strictly heated by kerosene.  So after much research I found Klean-Strip Green Klean Heat fuel.  Conveniently sold at Ace Hardware stores.  Part of the research showed the heater gives off the most odor when it is started up or shut down, which I can confirm.  So we light and shut down the heater in the cockpit.  This involves carefully carrying the lit heater in and out of the boat.  So far it has not been a problem!  We love the heat and warm glow the heater provides.

Project Mast Leak

Manna was in pretty good shape when we purchased her.  But... as any boat owner can tell you there are always projects to be done.  Although having low hours and very well taken care of, most of the boat is original from 1993.  So as we prepare to head south down the western North American coast fall of 2017, there will be quite a few project posts mixed in with actual sailing posts.



Winter in the Northwest...Rain Clouds

 

This first project post is a common problem for keel stepped masts or through the deck mast installations.  Leaking around the boot that seals the deck thru hole for the mast.  Knowing our mast boot was probably original from 1993 I tried a temporary fix of tape during some heavy rain periods.



"Emergency" repair tape and electrical tape could not stop the drips

The tape did not slow down the leak very much and after closer inspection I found small holes in the mast boot.  Knowing I would not be able to get a replacement boot locally, I sought another temporary solution.

After some internet searching I came upon a solution that worked very well for our rainy Northwest climate.  A couple $4 wax rings from the local Ace hardware store did an excellent job.  After a month+ the mast is still dry!  I am almost thinking this is a permanent fix!



Our local Ace hardware store is a great source for all sorts of supplies!

The wax was easy to form and surprisingly not to gummy.  It flowed well with finger pressure and did not stick to my hands at all.  I imagine this would not be so simple in warmer climates, so be warned if you are thinking of doing the same thing in the Bahamas.  It may still work, but you may need some sort of wax release sprayed on your hands... or rubber gloves.

Not a sculpting master piece, but I was going for function over art

Julie would have made it prettier, but I am happy it stopped the rain.  Also, I am not sure how well the wax will hold it's shape in warmer climates.  I should test my installation by taking some of the wax and putting it in an oven at 100 degrees F just to see if it turns into a puddle.  That would be a bummer if my dry mast started dripping wax instead of water!

 Happy New Year!