Recent content by TomandJeri

Technically, yes, but don't bet your life on it. It has to do with the voltage gradient in water. In fresh, which doesn't conduct all that well, the gradient is higher across a given distance than in salt water, and the human body is more conductive than fresh water. Stretching out your arms...

Absolutely. I can show you no shortage of bad oil reports (from our local Cat distributor, and for some reason, they all get sent to me) on engines from 300 hp to 1000 hp showing contamination with metals, water, and/or other chemicals that on retesting are magically gone. Sample drawing...

We get regular reports from oil samples taken in the field of both diesel engines and hydraulic systems. While it's instructive to watch trends, what usually pops up the yellow and red flags (same Cat analysis results form as yours) are really bad things like high water content and dirt levels...

This has almost nothing to do with anything, other than being a fog horn in a fog horn discussion, but I found this tour and demonstration really interesting and thought others might too, especially those living around the SF Bay or similar areas during the time they were still used...

This is where it gets sticky, to me at least, especially in a sailboat, and I don't see that part discussed anywhere near as much as the actions required of the give-way vessel. The stand-on vessel is required to maintain course and speed, presumably so the give-way vessel can predict it's...

By any chance have you cracked open any of the banjo terminations? I had a similar problem with a 3GM in a sailboat, and it turns out the copper (I think?) washers under and over the fittings don't like being loosened and retightened from bleeding too many times. I was getting a little air in...

My FIL had a thruster installed in his KK42 decades ago when it was new, and rarely ever used it. I asked why not once, and he said that it mainly made a lot of noise and drew the battery down, so he didn't bother. I have no idea if it was 12 or 24V. But the take-away for me was, if you're...

In NYS and most others, a single pilot/escort starts at 12 ft wide, among other triggers (length, height, load overhang). Two pilot/escorts usually start at 14 ft width. Below that, oversized load signs and a permit are required. But as you said, it is state dependent, and even areas of a...

Two fans in series is normally used to provide adequate (whatever is decided by whomever is designing it) flow in a relatively high resistance application, like ductwork. Each fan moves the same amount of air, of course, but operates higher on its flow rate vs static pressure curve. It's...

These might be what you want. I've replaced them in the past. Easy job. They were even on the shelf at my local WM...

Sounds to me like the seller didn't want you to see the second (worse) survey and valuation. But I'm just a naturally suspicious person when it comes to things like this. I'm new to power boating, but none of what's in those surveys give me pause. I'd expect to put money and effort into a...

AFAIK, that's good enough on the Great Lakes, and is what I've done on sailboats. But not good enough on Lake Champlain, according to what I've read, and the first-hand report of my FIL who was gigged for not having broken open and capped the discharge line and thru-hull connections (or removal...

Put your voltmeter on the "Load" side of the solenoid (the other lead on a good ground) and have someone push the button to energize it. See if it's actually closing and putting voltage to the load side. Could be bad brushes in the motor, or if it's anything like the string of junkers I owned...

Good question. So I tried it, using a cheap 400W (continuous) inverter in an extruded case with twin outlets and a cigarette lighter plug in my Grand Cherokee. I tested a 75W incandescent flood light and a 10" 26W (nameplated) table fan on high speed. Light (Utility) Power 76.2W Current...

The only gypsy ending in "133" is for 5/16" G4 (or G40) HT chain, at 11.7 links/ft. Not that yours actually is that one, but it's interesting that it has that number stamped on it. 5/16" G40 HT has a 3900 lb WLL, while 3/8" G30 BBB is 2650 lb. If 50% more length is needed over what you have...