A25 for sale in Annapolis

[Bob Noodat]

Sorry, but a lot of misinformation is out there.

The mortality rate is nowhere near 3%. This is the mortality rate among those tested by a flawed test. The overwhelming majority of those tested are already showing clinical symptoms and are in medical care. This is in fact a low morbidity disease, and most of those infected will show few if any symptoms. Young and healthy people will show a negligeable mortality rate, similar to that of influenza. On the other hand, the mortality rate among those who are vulnerable, namely the elderly and others with pre-existing conditions especially of a respiratory nature, will be more like 10 to 30%, depending on their level of vulnerability.

We will all get it, sooner or later. Most of us, as with seasonal flu, will be barely aware that we have had it.

We are overreacting. A year from now that will be the headline: Why did the world overreact to Coronavirus?

Is this still on-topic?

[nebulatech]

It's off topic, I agree.

[Bob Noodat]

I will admit, looking it over again, that it has several good points. Also willing to be convinced on the horsepower. Wiring I don't like the look of, and I don't have the faintest idea how much a professional rewiring job would cost, in fact, I'm even afraid to ask!

[WillieC]

(Summary of this here long post: Bringing A25 wiring up to snuff is not a deal breaker.
There, now go do something important.)

There aren't that many wires in an original A25. It can be kept simple. I have kept much of the original wiring, the fuse panel and all two of the branch circuits. None of it is tinned copper, there are no 'proper' shrink wrapped crimps, the color code is all 'wrong'. (The control panel/instrument light wiring still looks like death, maybe this summer with our down time... I also need to get serious about labelling before dementia sets in. Right now, I remember it like I wired it yesterday. What's this #10 wire? #10? What for, oh the Esparanto heater, right!)

What I cleaned up was pretty basic. The engine sensor wires were all not so hot (from getting too hot) at the engine and, LO, I found there was a pretty good loop in the harness. All I did there was shorten the wiring and used good crimps and heat shrink. VIOLA! In my clean up, I removed ALL the crap tagged onto the batteries and removed it to bus bars and neat little bolt on fuse sets. Thus my beef with the Annapolis boat. The unknown to me, entirely inaccessible 1,2, Both, Off switch was moved up to be actually usable. And I switched it off of 'Both', which is the default position to kill 'Both' batteries at the same time. I also moved the engine ground point from the original deep dark recess of A25 bilge hellhole directly to the starter holder (separate chunk of metal on the MD17C) and actually in a serviceable location. There are pics here at AOG somewhere.

While I was at it, I figgered it might be a good idea to actually tie the batts down. This is a very good idea you don't want to be pondering in five foot standing waves. Who knew?

Granted, I am an electrician, but I had to read plenty to get close. Start with Marine How To, keep it simple, look around for skilled hands and try not to fix too much of what may not be busted.

I didn't like the 40 year old 35 A Franch alternator (which was still working) so I paid too much at a local auto electric shop for a 60A. Then I discovered DB electric and got another alternator. Nothing fancy, internal regulator.

Since I switched to Grp 31 batts, simple lead-acid, I also installed big-azz fuses at the battery posts. I do not like unfused conductors at any voltage. There is welding current available at 12v battery terminals. Trust me.

You can go nuts, which I of all people am tempted to with my skills, but it works for us, for now. Did I mention parts are expensive? Even sitting on the hook out in the Canal, with no solar, I have no problem with batteries draining. We have an LED, photocell controlled anchor light. I have never had to switch to my reserve battery, but I do swap battery leads each season. This is a two battery set-up, we always run on one and that is also our start battery. The second battery is the drop dead emergency engine start if the main craps. It is kept charged with an echo charger. Cheap. When it gets dark, we read with headlamps and go to sleep. We pull anchor early. Life's good.

[DesertAlbin736]

Let's not get side tracked by various opinions of CoVid19. Que Sera, Sera, whatever will be will be but hopefully not a "bring out your dead' situation. We're on wait & see about our cruising plans. Trip is still months away & we're not locked into anything yet. On to the North Carolina A25 in question. WillieC writes

You can go nuts, which I of all people am tempted to with my skills, but it works for us, for now. Did I mention parts are expensive? Even sitting on the hook out in the Canal, with no solar, I have no problem with batteries draining. We have an LED, photocell controlled anchor light. I have never had to switch to my reserve battery, but I do swap battery leads each season. This is a two battery set-up, we always run on one and that is also our start battery. The second battery is the drop dead emergency engine start if the main craps. It is kept charged with an echo charger. Cheap. When it gets dark, we read with headlamps and go to sleep. We pull anchor early. Life's good.

Just so. My holding tank upgrade project (converting from 9 gallon tank to 20 gallon tank) snowballed like a Rube Goldberg machine into a major electrical rewiring project when relocating batteries to the starboard bench seat locker to make room for the larger holding tank, which meant a smaller space for the batteries which made it more difficult to access to check & top up electrolyte in conventional flooded batteries which meant switching to AGM's, which necessitated installing an external "smart" voltage regulator (different charging regime) which wasn't compatible with the Yanmar/Hitachi 35 amp alternator which meant getting a new Mark Grasser 100 amp alternator (their smallest amp output, check prices on those, ouch!). Also a new battery charger for when on shore power, new longer, heavier gauge battery cables, which was just as well since the old ones weren't tinned. And while at it completely reworking the antiquated shore power circuitry, adding up to date dual 110V breaker panel, converting to a Blue Sea systems 12V master switch & SI/ACR relay (which has on-off selector & except for manual override position only combines house & start via a separate charging circuit when the relay senses charging voltage coming from the alternator), and reworking the 12V distribution terminal strips in the head compartment.

Went from this:

Battery Well 1.jpg

To this:

DSCN3419 (1280x960).jpg

From this stock Yanmar alternator

DSCN3491.JPG

To this DC Power Solutions 100 amp alternator

DSCN3601.JPG

And 110V AC shore power entrance from this scary mess:

DSCN3366.JPG

To this (with galvanic isolator added to the green wire safety ground at the service entrance):

DSCN3410 (1280x960).jpg

And, as WillieC mentioned, adding bus fuses to battery terminals (my set up is three group 27 dual purpose AGMs, one start batt by itself and two house batts in parallel.

CWR34978-2.jpg

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[WillieC]

For the record... I did NOT say, You could go nuts, LIKE DA!! HA!

[DesertAlbin736]

It's only money, but less worry about current leakage while on shore power and general safety/reliability issues not to mention need to pump out every other day.

[Bob Noodat]

20200320_143223.jpg

Just saying....

[Bob Noodat]

It's only money, but less worry about current leakage while on shore power and general safety/reliability issues not to mention need to pump out every other day.

Old electrical stuff is the cause of sleepless nights. That is why retired electricians live the Life of Larry in the Lap of Luxury. To name no names.

[tribologist]

Darn, I searched for Albin in anapolis... dod you guys see the repowered Albin 30 on trailer.... if it was not for the insecurity of the whole aerospace business i would be awfully tempted.

[Bob Noodat]

Darn, I searched for Albin in anapolis... dod you guys see the repowered Albin 30 on trailer.... if it was not for the insecurity of the whole aerospace business i would be awfully tempted.

That certainly looks like a deal... and look at that trailer! Not mentioned but presumably included.

He calls it a pocket cruiser. Big pocket.

The 25 is still there. Main picture just shows the panel.

[Bob Noodat]

This is still off topic, for which I apologise, but since this group of people is obviously both intelligent and open minded, I think it will be worth posting here. Besides, it was my posting in the first place, so there!

https://www.statnews.com/2020/03/17/a-f ... able-data/

[Nancy]

Big kudos to this group for intelligent discussion, agreeing to disagree, and generally not getting down in the muck. The forum moderators thank you.

[DesertAlbin736]

RE electrical & wiring issues, you know what they say, "Let an electrician check your shorts".

"Life of Larry"? He's the cable guy. Riley is the electrician.