Prairie 36 Improvements - Page 8

FOG · 04-14-2018, 09:17 PM

Finished up the inverter installation. I took the easy route and wired the inverter to the starboard outlets. The outlet for the coffee maker, microwave, and aft head outlets (curling iron, etc.) are on the starboard outlet circuit.

Just had to move the buss bar down a couple of places, run a jumper to the circuit breaker above (port outlets), connect the inverter AC input to the buss bar, and the inverter AC output to the starboard outlet circuit breaker.

I like when things go according to plan. Not always the case when working on an older boat.

**FlyWright** · 04-14-2018, 09:20 PM

Just curious....did you install a large DC fuse holder between the battery and the buss bar?

**Comodave** · 04-15-2018, 12:42 AM

There should be a class “T” fuse inline with the inverter.

FOG · 04-15-2018, 09:53 AM

I have a 300 amp fuse (2ea.) on order at Westmarine. It will go on the positive battery cable between the battery and the inverter.
The inverter is connected to a seperate battery, not my house batteries, so there is no buss bar.

CaptTom · 04-15-2018, 12:52 PM

Nice! Once I started using my inverter I wondered how I ever lived without it.

Mine was wired through a switch so I could take the inverter out of the circuit and feed the affected breakers directly from shore power. It wasn't really rated for the load, so I updated that.

Another switch I added allowed me to power the water heater from either "side" of the breaker panel. This allowed me to balance the loads better, and it's turned out to be very useful.

[Funny story; note how I'd inadvertently flipped off the bilge pump switch when I installed the new panel, just before I took this picture? This lead to an unplanned high-water bilge alarm test some weeks later.]

**FlyWright** · 04-15-2018, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaptTom

Funny story; note how I'd inadvertently flipped off the bilge pump switch when I installed the new panel, just before I took this picture? This lead to an unplanned high-water bilge alarm test some weeks later.

I have a set if similar bilge pump switches at the end of my settee near the fwd steps. I'm constantly double checking them against unintentional bumps that move them to OFF. MANUAL on my switches is Momentary ON/Springloaded to OFF. I'm considering switch guards to prevent this.

CaptTom · 04-15-2018, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlyWright

I have a set if similar bilge pump switches at the end of my settee near the fwd steps. I'm constantly double checking them against unintentional bumps that move them to OFF. MANUAL on my switches is Momentary ON/Springloaded to OFF. I'm considering switch guards to prevent this.

The whole panel on the Prairie is recessed, with a Plexiglas door, so no worries about accidentally hitting a switch just walking by. Only when you're installing a new mini-panel right next to it.

It did teach me to always check the bilge pump switches, and while I'm at it, test them. So it was a good lesson, albeit a bit of a heart-stopper when that high water alarm went off at a very inconvenient time.

FOG · 04-15-2018, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaptTom

[Funny story; note how I'd inadvertently flipped off the bilge pump switch when I installed the new panel, just before I took this picture? This lead to an unplanned high-water bilge alarm test some weeks later.]

Interesting how Prairie 36’s were configured differently. I have no high-water bilge alarm. I do have two bilge pumps. Each with their own discharge hose and separate circuit breaker on the DC panel. However, when I got the boat only one bilge pump was installed and the hose to the other one was just laying in the bilge, no pump attached.

So I decided to install a second bilge pump next to the first one but put the float switch about a foot higher up on the post. Now after reading your post I think I might add a high-water alarm to that circuit.

FOG · 04-15-2018, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlyWright

I have a set if similar bilge pump switches at the end of my settee near the fwd steps. I'm constantly double checking them against unintentional bumps that move them to OFF. MANUAL on my switches is Momentary ON/Springloaded to OFF. I'm considering switch guards to prevent this.

One of my bilge pump switches is like the one pictured in Tom’s photo. It works the same way as you have stated; Momentary ON/Springloaded to OFF. I wish there was a bilge pump switch that was; Momentary ON/Springloaded to AUTO. This makes more sense to me.

CaptTom · 04-16-2018, 02:00 PM

I installed the high-water alarm. I think the boat originally had 2 bilge pumps, each with its own breaker, and the on-off-auto switch looked like an afterthought. I added a 2nd similar switch for the other pump. There is also a forward bilge pump which I suspect was an add-on, too. It's wired to the windlass circuit directly off the starting bank, so it's "always on" even if the breaker panel is totally powered down. Not a bad backup.

I've toyed with the idea of a 4th, larger pump in the lazarette. Normally there's not much water there, except what weeps in around the rudder shaft logs, but if we took some sort of running gear damage it could fill fast. The other option would be mounting the larger pump a little higher than the mid pump, which is where the water normally ends up anyway.

FoxtrotCharlie · 04-16-2018, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlyWright

Is Schedule 40 sufficient for the pumpout run or is Schedule 80 the only suitable PVC? My tank-to-pumpout fitting hose is due for replacement and I'm considering using PVC.

Al, schedule 80 is designed (usually) for pressurized water supply installations, where schedule 40 is for D/WV (drain, waste, vent). 40 should be easily stout enough for pump out lines, but cost for that short line will be nothing for either. Just don't skimp on the pvc glue/cement - takes more than most think - especially as you get to 1.5" and up - and LOTS when gluing up 4" drain lines! (speaks the landlord

)
Good luck with the install.

**FlyWright** · 04-16-2018, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FoxtrotCharlie

Al, schedule 80 is designed (usually) for pressurized water supply installations, where schedule 40 is for D/WV (drain, waste, vent). 40 should be easily stout enough for pump out lines, but cost for that short line will be nothing for either. Just don't skimp on the pvc glue/cement - takes more than most think - especially as you get to 1.5" and up - and LOTS when gluing up 4" drain lines! (speaks the landlord

)
Good luck with the install.

Great info! Thanks, FC.

FOG · 04-16-2018, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaptTom

I installed the high-water alarm. I think the boat originally had 2 bilge pumps, each with its own breaker, and the on-off-auto switch looked like an afterthought. I added a 2nd similar switch for the other pump. There is also a forward bilge pump which I suspect was an add-on, too. It's wired to the windlass circuit directly off the starting bank, so it's "always on" even if the breaker panel is totally powered down. Not a bad backup.

I've toyed with the idea of a 4th, larger pump in the lazarette. Normally there's not much water there, except what weeps in around the rudder shaft logs, but if we took some sort of running gear damage it could fill fast. The other option would be mounting the larger pump a little higher than the mid pump, which is where the water normally ends up anyway.

I thought I saw some good size limber holes that would direct any leaks from the rudder shaft logs to the aft lower section of the bilge. I’ll have to check the next time I have the bed open.

BTW I did have another issue with my aft bilge pump with the lower float switch. At first I thought I was getting some bad float switches, because they would only last a couple of months before burning out. But then after some investigation I realized that the float switch was in the aft section of the bilge and the pump was much further forward in the engine room section of the bilge.

The submersible pump would be running dry but there was still water holding the float switch up. Once I moved the pump next to the float switch in the aft section of the bilge I haven’t had a problem.

FOG · 04-19-2018, 09:04 PM

I'm calling my holding tank installation - done. New engine room floor installed over new holding tank.

As with just about everything boat, you always find something else to improve while you're doing another improvement project.

I made a few wiring changes to my battery box and will be adding another battery box just for the inverter.

**Comodave** · 04-19-2018, 09:20 PM

Looks very nice.

kokopelliTim · 04-20-2018, 06:15 AM

That was an ingenious idea for the holding tank.
I do like the workmanship and the way she looks now.

Congrats.

You boat is coming along well and I hope you can escape to cruise soon.

Tim

FOG · 04-20-2018, 09:08 AM

Thanks guys.

She is scheduled for a bottom paint job in one month. Once they splash her, we will be starting the Great Loop.

I have a few more things on the improvement list, but some will just have to wait.

FOG · 04-24-2018, 07:01 PM

I almost got away without buying anything when I installed new galley and aft head faucets. Everything was going great until I turned the water pressure back on. Then drip, drip in the galley cabinet. But this was from a connection that I didn't even mess with.

After taking that connection apart I noticed the plastic compression nut was cracked. Not only that, there was some kind of "fix it" tape wrapped around it. So it must have been cracked for some time and someone tried to repair it with tape. It worked, but I must have moved something to cause the drip, drip.

So I had to buy a 1/2" compression fitting, brass, to fix it. The irony in all of this is that looking for something else I found a good, un-cracked plastic compression nut in my boat stuff stash.

I'll hang on to the good plastic compression nut for an emergency. Or better yet, I think I'll buy a couple of brass compression fittings for spares. I don't know what else I may find and it seems like good insurance.

**Comodave** · 04-24-2018, 07:12 PM

The one thing I hate working on is plumbing. No matter how careful I am, there is always a drip... Usually have to take it apart and put it back together several times to get the drip to stop.

FOG · 04-25-2018, 07:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Comodave

The one thing I hate working on is plumbing. No matter how careful I am, there is always a drip... Usually have to take it apart and put it back together several times to get the drip to stop.

Dave, I feel the same way. This time after everything was fixed, I left the boat for about an hour to run an errand, purposely leaving the water pressure ON.