Modifications, repairs and improvements, 28TE

[Sisu22]

I want to go with LED lights but I just don't know which ones are warm. Most of them are harsh white and I like the yellowish-orange that halogen and incandescent bulbs burn (2700K)

[Norseman]

I want to go with LED lights but I just don't know which ones are warm. Most of them are harsh white and I like the yellowish-orange that halogen and incandescent bulbs burn (2700K)

We had the choice of cool, natural or warm.
Wifey picked natural, good choice,.
Will try to shoot a picture tomorrow.

[Pitou]

I want to go with LED lights but I just don't know which ones are warm. Most of them are harsh white and I like the yellowish-orange that halogen and incandescent bulbs burn (2700K)

I know what you mean about a lot of LED's being harsh BRIGHT white. I went with warm white and they aren't harsh to my eyes. Marine Beam does have color temperature listed in their descriptions for "most" bulbs. Warm white seems to be 2700K - 2900K and cool white upward to 6000k. The owner is super helpful too and will take your phone call to discuss. I've had good luck with this company as have others on this forum. Do a search on Marine Beam on AOG.

Here is a link to their side mount Bi-Pin bulbs:
http://store.marinebeam.com/side-mount- ... d-bulbs-1/

[Norseman]

The window frame project is coming along, but slow.
I had galvanic corrosion on all 5 external frames due to SS canvas cover snap buttons and screws reacting with the aluminum frames.
The corrosion flaked the paint off.
Tried to take the frames off for sandblasting and powder coating but could not budge any of the frames, probably installed with 5200.
Decided to scrape, sand and paint in place. Also removed all SS screws and replaced with aluminum fasteners but slow going, a # 10 alu screw is slightly larger than the SS #10. With the alu screws being soft I already torqued off 2 screw heads. Had to drill out the old holes then grind the screws down:(
Instead of 30 seconds or install each screw, it now takes 5 minutes.
The small hole on the bottom picture is from the old snap button screws. Will find plastic buttons and install with aluminum screws, that should stop all galvanic action before any further damage is done.
Hopefully.

[Sisu22]

Very nice work. Are you painting the fiberglass in between the windows at the same time, or is that the newly-cleaned gel coat that you have?

Also, does anyone know where to get the rubber seals that are shown in the picture above / are they replaceable without removing the windows?

[Norseman]

Very nice work. Are you painting the fiberglass in between the windows at the same time, or is that the newly-cleaned gel coat that you have?

Also, does anyone know where to get the rubber seals that are shown in the picture above / are they replaceable without removing the windows?

No, did not paint the gelcoat, newly compounded and waxed.
I had to repair the black gasket today, used masking tape and black goo:

image.jpg

[Norseman]

Solved the problem with metal screws, metal snaps and galvanic corrosion: Plastic glue-on snaps:
They seem to stick like the devil, easy fix.

[Norseman]

Next project is a fresh water tank gauge.
Some of you must have done this in the past...?
Sender unit and float aft and inboard I guess?
Power from nearby batteries but where did you run the wires to the gauge? (I am thinking gauge in the cabin next to 12/110 Volt aft facing panels.)

[Pitou]

Nice job clipping through your upgrades. Creature comforts are important and often necessary for comfortable boating.

I added a Fireboy Xintex Pneumatic Sender in my 28's water tank and coupled it with their LLM style gauge. It was accurate and worked great without issue. I set the sender mid tank to the lowest point and powered it all through the DC main switch and bus bar on the panel. A pretty easy DIY.

Here are a couple of pictures of the gauge which was a 2 sender unit. I had another similar sendedr to the holding tank which did not work well at all. If I had kept the boat I would have wired an exterior foil type Scad Solo sender to the LLM gauge. Those work!

3.jpg

LLM & Inverter Gauges.jpg

[Norseman]

Nice job, thx.
How did you get inside that lower panel? From the bottom?

[Norseman]

In the meantime I added a Volt meter for the house bank with a momentary push button.
Left room for another gauge and button for the start Battery but not sure I need that.
The house bank needs to be monitored closely as I plan to stay for days at anchor and have no generator onboard. Solar panels are also somewhere on the big list of things to do..

[Pitou]

Nice job, thx.
How did you get inside that lower panel? From the bottom?

There was access from above with the AC/DC panel removed.

Digital volt meters are a must. Here are some pictures from part of my DC refit and of my new Digital Volt Meters with custom panel from install this past spring. All 3 DVM's are wired direct to each of my banks.

Panel Prep.jpg

DVM, Charger Monitor.jpg

Seaboard DVM . ProMariner Monitor.jpg

[Norseman]

“There was access from above with the AC/DC panel removed.”

I am trying to run a cable from the above panel where my DVM is down to the Battery banks in the bilge.
So far not doin too good. Hoping to crack that nut today without having to pull teak plugs to remove bottom of bulkhead cabinet.
Will try a snake and have a remote camera ready if needed.
Does the wire bundle go straight down along the side of and behind the companion way opening, or does it go outboard and along the hull on the Port side?
Too much upholstery, tried to remove some to gain access but at the same time, trying not too dismantle the boat just to run a wire:(

[Pitou]

The wiring bundle splits. Some down and along the outboard port side at quarter berth ceiling height and back to stern for AC shore power plug-in, etc. The way to figure all of this out for the easiest path is to remove the buttons covering the fastener screws for the quarter berth ceiling panel and a few buttons and screws on the cabin ceiling / same in the head. The buttons that I'm refering to are the ones that are seen in your picture of your DVM and in the photo of my Panel. Once you have access to these areas your access should become evident. I've been there, done that.

Have fun! ...

[Norseman]

The wiring bundle splits. Some down and along the outboard port side at quarter berth ceiling height and back to stern for AC shore power plug-in, etc. The way to figure all of this out for the easiest path is to remove the buttons covering the fastener screws for the quarter berth ceiling panel and a few buttons and screws on the cabin ceiling / same in the head. The buttons that I'm refering to are the ones that are seen in your picture of your DVM and in the photo of my Panel. Once you have access to these areas your access should become evident. I've been there, done that.

Have fun! ...

Aye Mate.
Found it, and had fun..
Had to bite the bullet and pull panels.
Ran wires and got another Voltage gauge hooked up.
While down rhere I ran wires for the fresh water tank gauge and pulled the 2 wash down faucets:Corroded and nasty. Getting new ones, prices ranging from $43 to $99 each.