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12-01-2020, 11:24 PM
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#1
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Veteran Member
City: Oceanside
Vessel Name: Layla
Vessel Model: 1979 34' Californian LRC
Join Date: Oct 2020
Posts: 74
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Ritchie Compass Light Fix
My old boat had two Ritchie Compasses on it. The one on the flydeck was in pretty sad shape with a huge bubble and lettering that was browning. I was considering topping it off with more compass oil, but it also seemed to have defects in the glass so I'm going to toss it. The other one is in OK shape except that the internal light was toast with the lighting wire broken and using an old incandescent bulb mount that was completely corroded. I replaced that socket with a LED and thought I would share some pics. Taking these pictures exposed some more glass flaws which really surprised me. Maybe these just are too old?
__________________
-David
"Knotty & Nauti, not Naughty!"
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12-01-2020, 11:34 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
City: Seal Beach, California
Vessel Name: Snooker (for now.....)
Vessel Model: 1981 34 Californian LRC
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 147
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I’ve never done it but I know Ritchie offers a rebuild service. Don’t know what the cost is or if it would be worth it.
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Matt
"You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."
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12-02-2020, 10:28 AM
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#3
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TF Site Team
City: Seneca Lake NY
Vessel Name: Bacchus
Vessel Model: MS 34 HT Trawler
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 7,828
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bustlebomb
I’ve never done it but I know Ritchie offers a rebuild service. Don’t know what the cost is or if it would be worth it.
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They also sell repair parts and you can get diagrams online. Repair is not difficult.
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Don
2008 MS 34 HT Trawler
"Bacchus"
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12-02-2020, 10:44 AM
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#4
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Guru
City: gulf coast
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 3,440
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It may be the oil itself that has darkened.
Ideally it would be non photochemically reactive but who knows.
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12-02-2020, 11:51 AM
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#5
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TF Site Team
City: Seneca Lake NY
Vessel Name: Bacchus
Vessel Model: MS 34 HT Trawler
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 7,828
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bayview
It may be the oil itself that has darkened.
Ideally it would be non photochemically reactive but who knows.
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I think you will find Ritchie recemmends odorless mineral spirits for fill. I've done a couple and repair/refill was EZ.
Follow directions for putting it in freezer prior to use to help drive out any entrapped air.
__________________
Don
2008 MS 34 HT Trawler
"Bacchus"
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12-02-2020, 02:52 PM
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#6
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Enigma
City: Slicker?
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 16,567
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Greetings,
Mr. DB. Nice. I see the 280 ohm resister but is that a diode in the circuit as well?
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RTF
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12-02-2020, 04:47 PM
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#7
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Guru
City: Montgomery
Vessel Name: Choices
Vessel Model: 36 Grand Banks Europa
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 897
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I rebuilt mine. Go to grandbankschoices.
New glass fluid, seals, oil.
Not much to it, looks like new.
They have cards too.
__________________
36 Grand Banks Europa
Montgomery, TX
Blog: "grandbankschoices"
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12-02-2020, 09:46 PM
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#8
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Veteran Member
City: Oceanside
Vessel Name: Layla
Vessel Model: 1979 34' Californian LRC
Join Date: Oct 2020
Posts: 74
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Yep! LED. Light Emitting Diode
__________________
-David
"Knotty & Nauti, not Naughty!"
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12-02-2020, 10:00 PM
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#9
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Enigma
City: Slicker?
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 16,567
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Greetings,
Mr. DB. Nope. NOT the LED, that other "device" in series with the resister on the, I assume, +'ve lead of the LED or is that 2 resisters in series?
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RTF
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12-03-2020, 08:53 PM
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#10
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Veteran Member
City: Oceanside
Vessel Name: Layla
Vessel Model: 1979 34' Californian LRC
Join Date: Oct 2020
Posts: 74
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RT Firefly
Greetings,
Mr. DB. Nope. NOT the LED, that other "device" in series with the resister on the, I assume, +'ve lead of the LED or is that 2 resisters in series?
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Oh! Now I get that you are referring to the pics! Those are actually four resistors. Two 360 Ohms in parallel in series with two 200 Ohms in parallel to equal 280 Ohms total. I did this so I could keep the resistors within their power limits. I am dissipating about 1/2 Watt through them and I only had 1/4 Watt resistors in my tool box. Good question!
__________________
-David
"Knotty & Nauti, not Naughty!"
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12-03-2020, 08:58 PM
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#11
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Veteran Member
City: Oceanside
Vessel Name: Layla
Vessel Model: 1979 34' Californian LRC
Join Date: Oct 2020
Posts: 74
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Choices
I rebuilt mine. Go to grandbankschoices.
New glass fluid, seals, oil.
Not much to it, looks like new.
They have cards too.
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I think mine has too much glass damage to worry about fixing. Here is a picture of that one. The cracks REALLY show up if you light it and look at it in the dark. Bummer.
__________________
-David
"Knotty & Nauti, not Naughty!"
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12-03-2020, 09:16 PM
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#12
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Enigma
City: Slicker?
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 16,567
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Greetings,
Mr. DB. Thanks. So I'm guessing a 1/2 watt 280 ohm on the + side is the way to go. I took "electronics" about 50 years ago and with my Dollarama spectacles and non-existent memory I just wanted to clarify.
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RTF
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12-03-2020, 10:35 PM
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#13
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Guru
City: Boston
Vessel Name: Adelante
Vessel Model: IG 30
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 1,611
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DBoat
I think mine has too much glass damage to worry about fixing. Here is a picture of that one. The cracks REALLY show up if you light it and look at it in the dark.
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UV damage. Ritchie sells domes and o-rings. Simple repair and probably a lot cheaper than new compass (assuming you still have the model label attached.)
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12-04-2020, 07:06 AM
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#14
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Guru
City: Ft Pierce
Vessel Name: Sold
Vessel Model: Was an Albin/PSN 40
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 28,157
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Your choice...but as often as I have used a compass in the last 20 years, as long as I can see the card under the lubber line..... I might just fix the light and any bubble and call it good.
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12-04-2020, 07:21 AM
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#15
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TF Site Team
City: Seneca Lake NY
Vessel Name: Bacchus
Vessel Model: MS 34 HT Trawler
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 7,828
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SoWhat
UV damage. Ritchie sells domes and o-rings. Simple repair and probably a lot cheaper than new compass (assuming you still have the model label attached.)
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Exactly... Parts available. I found just cleaning the card helped brighten things up when I did a rebuild. There seemed to be a very fine/faint brownish haze on internal parts that wiped off easily when apart.
__________________
Don
2008 MS 34 HT Trawler
"Bacchus"
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12-04-2020, 07:24 AM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 340
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I went through my compass about 8 years ago. I replaced the glass and recall it was relatively cheap. I replaced the oil and a bubble showed up a few days later. I removed the fill screw, topped it off and put the compass in a small vacuum chamber for a bit. Compass has looked great ever since.
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12-04-2020, 07:48 AM
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#17
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Veteran Member
City: Grand Haven
Vessel Name: Feath (fee-a) Gaelic for Calm, Tranquil
Vessel Model: 1989 Jefferson 37 Sundeck
Join Date: Jul 2020
Posts: 84
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compass
I have had this company rebuild a compass for me:
Andrews Compass Service. (No affiliation with company) Just know from personal experience that they do good work.
www.andrewscompass.com
PROFESSIONAL MARINE COMPASS ADJUSTMENT SERVICE FOR DANFORTH ITT, RITCHIE NAVIGATION, PLASTIMO, CASSENS & PLATH, SUUNTO, DIRIGO, SESTREL/SIRS NAVIGATION AND C, PLATH COMPASSES
They are out of Mass.
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12-04-2020, 01:05 PM
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#18
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Veteran Member
City: Oceanside
Vessel Name: Layla
Vessel Model: 1979 34' Californian LRC
Join Date: Oct 2020
Posts: 74
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I guess I'll keep it around in the Todo pile and see if I can clean it up and add fluid. Maybe after I get through my full-page of other fixes for the boat. I'm trying not to get overwhelmed! It would be great to do a complete overhaul and document it. It was fun replacing the light in the other one and am very happy about how it came out.
__________________
-David
"Knotty & Nauti, not Naughty!"
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12-04-2020, 01:49 PM
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#19
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Guru
City: Southport, FL near Panama City
Vessel Name: FROLIC
Vessel Model: Mainship 30 Pilot II since 2015. GB-42 1986-2015. Former Unlimited Tonnage Master
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 4,984
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DBoat
I guess I'll keep it around in the Todo pile and see if I can clean it up and add fluid. Maybe after I get through my full-page of other fixes for the boat. I'm trying not to get overwhelmed! It would be great to do a complete overhaul and document it. It was fun replacing the light in the other one and am very happy about how it came out.
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To-do lists are great, as long as you look at them once in a while. Great stress reliever for me. Wake up in the middle of the night with a project on my mind? Reach over and tell the wife to remember - uh, NO!!! Forget that. I write it on a night stand pad.
__________________
Rich Gano
FROLIC (2005 MainShip 30 Pilot II)
Panama City area
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12-06-2020, 11:59 PM
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#20
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Veteran Member
City: Oceanside
Vessel Name: Layla
Vessel Model: 1979 34' Californian LRC
Join Date: Oct 2020
Posts: 74
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The saga continues... I got my good compass all fixed up, took it to the boat yesterday adjusted it this morning to true North, went to install it later in the morning and BAM! a bubble has appeared. What the heck! It wasn't there before. I posted the pics above that prove it. Really not happy. Maybe need to get a new seal, and finally order more fluid. Ahhhhhhh! Also bought a cheap temporary one from Amazon that is all plasticky, that one actually seems to work ok for now.
__________________
-David
"Knotty & Nauti, not Naughty!"
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