[Rhodes22-list] OB Motors ( for Rummy)

Tue Jun 22 09:35:09 EDT 2010

Loosing motor power (or the ability to use the motor) in a busy channel can 
be very disconcerting and dangerous.  I see far too many boaters, not all on 
new boats or newbies, who just "lose it" and make a bad situation much 
worse.  Thank you for having the presence of mind to secure the boat at 
anchor, safely out of the channel, while investigating the cause of the 
problem.

I assume that the loose nut that you found was on the power connection to 
the lift motor.  These are fairly common in automotive (starter) and marine 
applications.  A nut is used to secure a wire lug to a binding post, 
providing a high current path from the battery to the motor.  A lockwasher, 
and in some circumstances a serated washer, is generally employed to 
maintain tension on the nut, especially in high vibration environments.  A 
rubber boot, containing dielectric grease, is usually fitted over the 
assembly to prevent corrosion.  The nut should be tightened to a tension 
specified by the manufacturer using a torque wrench to prevent damage to the 
binding post while maintaining good connection.  Use caution to avoid 
shorting the wrench to items attached to the other battery terminal since 
high current feeds may not be fused.

Check to see if you have the lockwasher and be sure that it is properly 
assembled.  Important connections such as these should probably be checked 
annually to be sure that they have not been compromised.

Note to Stan: OK, who forgot to tighten the nut during final checkout?

Mike
s/v Shanghai'd Summer ('81)
Nissequogue River, NY

From: <ftugwell at cox.net> Tuesday, June 22, 2010 8:52 AM
> On Saturday I was single-handing my Rhodes on the Potomac with good
> winds (around 15 k) and when I decided to return to port, the engine
> would not drop--in fact, nothing happened when I pressed the remote
> (this is new) button to lower the lift.  I called Stan, who went through
> all the alternatives with me: a) checking the connections on the busbar
> in the laz, and on the battery; b) reading the instructions to find the
> release for the motor; and c) in an emergency situation, cutting the
> strap while holding the motor up with a line so that it does not drop.
> We had already determined that there was still power, since my
> instruments were all working.  I was in the middle of the channel with
> lots of boats zooming around and a good wind, so I decided to go back to
> the marina area and anchor to check things out.  Since it was relatively
> easy, I did reach in the laz and, to my surprise, I found a loose nut
> connection. (not a wire nut, just a nut)  After I tightened it, the
> motor lift worked.  Many thanks to Stan for walking me through this on
> my new boat.  An aside: no surveyor will approve a boat for sale if it
> has wire nuts.  these are not for marine use.
>
>
> On Tue, Jun 22, 2010 at 8:08 AM, Joe Camp wrote:
>
>> Rummy and Chris:
>>
>> There seems to be a Freudian undertone in all of this "nut" talk.
>> Can we switch to something more directly phallic, like "raising the
>> mast?" Just a thought, but let's not hide our true natures...men.
>>
>> Joe
>> --- On Tue, 6/22/10, R22RumRunner at aol.com  wrote:
>>
>>
>> From: R22RumRunner at aol.com Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] OB Motors (
>> for Rummy)
>> To: rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org
>> Date: Tuesday, June 22, 2010, 7:57 AM
>>
>>
>> Wire nuts are not for marine use. I prefer soldered connections with
>> shrink tubing and then a layer of liquid electrical tape. I'm glad we
>> dug a little deeper into this subject.
>>
>> Rummy
>>
>>
>> In a message dated 6/21/2010 1:35:40 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
>> ccowie at cowieassociates.com writes:
>>
>> Thanks for the advice. The nuts I was referring to are not the wing
>> nuts on the battery rather control wires from the outboard lift
>> switch have wire nuts that seem to come a bit loose every now and
>> then. I plan to replace them with a better quality crimp but joint.
>>
>> Christopher P. Cowie
>>
>>
>> 4400 MacArthur Blvd, NW Suite 300 Washington, DC 20007 202.342.2711
>> 202.342.2691 fax 202.270.1470 mobile
>> [ccowie at cowieassociates.com]
>> cowieassociates.com
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org
>> [mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org] On Behalf Of Michael D.
>> Weisner
>> Sent: Monday, June 21, 2010 8:42 AM
>> To: The Rhodes 22 Email List
>> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] OB Motors ( for Rummy)
>>
>> Strictly speaking, wire nuts are not a good choice in a marine
>> environment since they do not form a gas-tight joint. You should use
>> solder or crimped butt joints for more trouble free permanent wiring
>> solutions. If you wish to use wire nuts, simply make them gas-tight
>> by adding a dielectric grease to block corrosion during assembly of
>> the joint. Loctite makes a good quality grease which is available
>> just about everywhere (MSC Direct is a great source for this,
>> stainless fasteners, tubing, etc,):
>> http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/NNSRIT?PMPXNO=3108381&PMT4NO=87953202
>>
>> If you are in a salt environment, stay away from the conductive
>> "passivated" greases (zinc or copper added) as they have been thought
>> to cause some galvanic activity that can degrade the wire joint.
>> They're also a bit more costly.
>>
>> If you want to try an old solution for the corrosion that usually
>> works, just paint some Vasoline around the joint to block corrosive
>> vapors. It may not be hi-tech but it has worked well for years.
>>
>> Make sure that the wires are real clean before joining, use a NEW
>> wire nut and paint some grease on for protection and your joints
>> should last several seasons without trouble.
>>
>> Mike
>> s/v Shanghai'd Summer ('81)
>> Nissequogue River, NY
>>
>>
>> From:   Monday, June 21, 2010 7:07 AM
>>> The nuts are fine. You probably need to clean the copper connectors
>>> on
>> the
>>> battery and the cable and tighten a little tighter than hand tight.
>>> Use
>> a
>>> small pair of pliers.
>>>
>>> Rummy
>>>
>>>
>>> In a message dated 6/20/2010 8:34:51 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
>>> ccowie at cowieassociates.com writes:
>>>
>>> My 2009 has a long shaft and electric lift. Stays in the water
>>> during
>>> high seas on the Chesapeake bay and doesn't drag when
>>> lifted. Motor
>>> casing touches the rail in the raised and tilted position. I have
>>> a
>>> yamaha 8 hp run the carberator dry and flush the cooling system
>>> with
>>> fresh water after each use. Runs great so far. The only trouble
>>> so
>>> far has been the electric switch looses power every now and then in
>>> the down position. Solution is to grab the wire nuts in the laz
>>> and
>>> give them a sqeeze. Kind of like kicking a computer when it
>>> doesn't
>>> work. I'm pretty sure wire nut connections on a boat are not a
>>> good
>>> idea and I should replace them.
>>>
>>> Chris Cowie
>>> Cowie Associates PC
>>>
>>>
>>> On Jun 20, 2010, at 5:17 PM, "R22RumRunner at aol.com"
>>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Joe,
>>>> Again, it depends on the lift. If you are getting the standard
>>>> (non-motorized) lift, you will want the long shaft and deal with
>>>> an
>>>> occasional drag.
>>>> (Maybe)You can tilt the motor once all the way up. It's not a big
>>>> deal. But
>>>> you want to keep the prop in the water while the engine
>>>> is running.
>>>>
>>>> Rummy
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> In a message dated 6/20/2010 4:00:55 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
>>>> jjcampjr at yahoo.com writes:
>>>>
>>>> Rummy:
>>>> I'll have the 7:1 lift. I do not get the boat until July 28; I
>>>> believe
>>>> it's manual, but I don't know for sure. Really, if the 20" is
>>>> going to
>>>> cavitate, I have no control over that. It does what it does,
>>>> right? What length
>>>> shaft do most Rhodes owners use? Thaks.
>>>> Joe
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --- On Sun, 6/20/10, R22RumRunner at aol.com
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> From: R22RumRunner at aol.com Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list]
>>>> OB Motors
>>>> To: rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org
>>>> Date: Sunday, June 20, 2010, 3:31 PM
>>>>
>>>> Also,
>>>> Cavitation is not good for an outboard motor. It is hard on the
>>>> cooling
>>>> impeller (doesn't like running dry) and has been known to twist
>>>> or
>>>> snap
>>>> crank
>>>> shafts.
>>>>
>>>> Rummy
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> In a message dated 6/20/2010 1:22:54 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
>>>> jjcampjr at yahoo.com writes:
>>>>
>>>> John:
>>>> The cavitating is something I can live with. OTOH (to borrow a
>>>> wonderful
>>>> acronym from you) the added drag when heeling to port would be a
>>>> PITA (to
>>>> borrow a wonderful acronym from Stan). I hadn't considered
>>>> that,
>>>> and
>>>> your
>>>> advice has made my decision far easier.
>>>> Joe
>>>>
>>>> --- On Sun, 6/20/10, John Lock wrote:
>>>>
>>>> From: John Lock Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] OB Motors
>>>> To: "The Rhodes 22 Email List"
>>>> Date: Sunday, June 20, 2010, 12:00 PM
>>>>
>>>> Longer shaft will cavitate less in rough seas under power.
>>>> OTOH,
>>>> longer shaft may drag the prop in the water when heeled over to
>>>> port
>>>> under sail.
>>>>
>>>> Cheers!
>>>> John Lock
>>>> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>>>> s/v Pandion - '79 Rhodes 22
>>>> Lake Sinclair, GA
>>>> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Jun 20, 2010, at 10:45, Joe Camp wrote:
>>>>> Hello; here's a probably easy question: In the realm of
>>>>> long
>> shaft
>>>>> OB motors, would a 25" shaft have any advantage over a 20"
>>>>> shaft?
>>>>> Thanks.
>>>>> Joe Camp (poem included)
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Old Scar
>>>>>
>>>>> JJ Camp
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> You whisper to me with every
>>>>>
>>>>> fleeting glimpse:
>>>>>
>>>>> Accusation! Guilt! Reasons!
>>>>>
>>>>> you should not be
>>>>>
>>>>> like a snake, running
>>>>>
>>>>> up my arm on one side, down
>>>>>
>>>>> the other, looking
>>>>>
>>>>> for a hole to hide
>>>>>
>>>>> you from mongoose eyes
>>>>>
>>>>> that know your genesis
>>>>>
>>>>> in my reckless past.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Twenty-plus years have faded
>>>>>
>>>>> you, almost to the color of flesh
>>>>>
>>>>> you used to be before
>>>>>
>>>>> they laid me down,
>>>>>
>>>>> opened me up to bleed
>>>>>
>>>>> out the bad medicine
>>>>>
>>>>> I remember!
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> So I never use that hand
>>>>>
>>>>> to lift my whiskey anymore.
>>>>>
>>>>> Some lessons,
>>>>>
>>>>> I refuse to learn through pain
>>>>> 2000
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> __________________________________________________
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