Ex-Aquasport/Wellcraft employee (Bob C)...

[Glock Diver]

GD,
Yes, it is a WHOLE lot easier to check the breaker!  See if there is any resistance, even minimal, across the spade terminals.

Yeah great idea. I pulled off the switch panel and removed the circuit breaker. Interestingly enough, the rubber cap that covers the push button on this breaker was missing...     Might that have something to do with it?

So I tested it with the meter. Here's where I'm in uncharted waters.  But if I tested it correctly for resistance, I was getting readings between 0.2 and 70.5.  I'm not an electrician, but I don't think that's right...  
Does it look like I'm doing this right?  

[Glock Diver]

Another query for the experts.  I bought an on-board battery charger today at Bass Pro, and I'm trying to figure out where to mount it.  Why did I buy a charger?  Well, let's just say that I learned the hard way about having fully charged batteries when you launch your boat!!  

Anyhow, it looks like there's a flat surface area in the bilge just aft of my 2 batteries, as you can see in this photo (actually I had removed 1 of the batteries).  Is there sufficient support to mount the charger here with 4 screws?

Now that I think about it, getting a drill in there to make the pilot holes is gonna be tricky

[Capt. Bob]

Does it look like I'm doing this right?  

You should always test resistance readings with your right hand/hook and volt/amps with your left.

[Glock Diver]

You should always test resistance readings with your right hand/hook and volt/amps with your left.

Nice!  
I didn't really mean the hand technique so much, but the setting on the meter... (usually I keep a lead in each hand, but had to grab the camera phone with my right! ;) )

[seabob4]

Mike,
Any reading other than .000 or .001 indicates the presence pf more resistance than you want.  Another check is to apply voltage to the breaker and check for voltage drop across the terminals.  Your output side should be the same as the input side.  Keep in mind that since all your breakers were installed/wired at the same time, they all most likely are in the same condition.

As far as your install of an onboard charger, what I would do is relocate your washdown pump to the top of the stringer just below the current location, then mount the charger where the pump was.  It will live in a lot better environment than the one you were thinking about, and a whole lot easier to install.  Use a charger inlet like this one, from Marinco:


Excellent idea to install the charger, regardless of any    incidents!!

Bob C

[Glock Diver]

OK, thanks Bob... Getting a new breaker today, and with any luck, that will do the trick.  I did notice that when I peeled back the insulation from my pump's wire, a few of the strands were dark gray in color, while the rest were shiny copper.  So, if the breaker doesn't fix it, I guess I'm about to try my hand at rewiring a pump!

I will see about relocating that livewell pump to make space for the battery charger.  My only concern is having 8" of open space around the charger, as the manual calls for.  That thing gets HOT, and I want to make sure its far enough away from fuel & oil lines.

So why the big open space behind the 2 batteries?  Space to place a 3rd battery?

[seabob4]

Nah, pretty much the result of the design, as well as the fact that it is pretty far back there!

If your worried about heat build-up, just leave the little access door open when your charging...

[Glock Diver]

Hmmm, finding a new push-button type circuit breaker may be a little tougher than I thought.
I've struck out at both West Marine and Bass Pro.  

Any reason I couldn't use an in-line fuse instead?

[seabob4]

No, but breakers are better, resettable, if you know what I mean.

Give me your amperage needs, and I'll get you the breakers, exact fit.  If you want, we'll start with the washdown pump.  If you want to replace all on your switch panel, we can do that too.  You'd have them by the end of the week.

Bob C

[Glock Diver]

No, but breakers are better, resettable, if you know what I mean.

Give me your amperage needs, and I'll get you the breakers, exact fit.  If you want, we'll start with the washdown pump.  If you want to replace all on your switch panel, we can do that too.  You'd have them by the end of the week.

Bob C

 
Bob, I'm gonna owe you more than a few beers, my friend!  <insert beer mug emoticon here>

The livewell pump is on a 10amp breaker, like the one in my picture above.  Please let me know what I'll owe you.  My switch panel has 12 breakers across, and I should probably replace those too while I've got the panel off, huh?  I'll take a look at the amperage on those and PM you.

Are those push-button types rare?  I struck out at 4 different places today! BassPro, West Marine, Lowes, and Advance Auto...

[seabob4]

Mike,
West Marine used to carry them, at a reasonable price.  i guess that has gone by the wayside...

I'll get you your breakers... :bball: GO MAGIC!

[stringali]

Hey Seabob,

Today i changed my lower unit oil.  The oil did come out slightly grey which means water in the oil.  When taking off the 2 screws to change the oil, I noticed that the top screw had 2 teflon washers on it while the bottom screw did not have any.  Is this normal?  I would think that it isn't.  Then, when i went to install the screw from the oil pump into the bottom opening, it would not fit, like it was too small and loose.  I tried to install it into the upper opening and it fit fine.  I then tried both screws in each opening and they worked fine in both.  That was weird that i couldn't get the fitting to screw into the bottom opening.  So I filled it from the top and slowly opened it to bleed out the air while I was filling it.  Would you know why it did not fit into the bottom, strange.  I will watch the oil and check it after a few times to see if the oil is changing color again, hopefully it was the missing washer that caused the water to get in.

Not to ask again, but when you can, could you tell me where I could get that replacement cover hatch for my cabin entrance.  Steve
What kind of gas (size) lever should I use for the cover.

Thanks Seabob

[WaveDancer]

hmmmm good idea to test the breaker. Sounds better than running new line, no matter how easy Bob makes it sound!

Wave- why did you have to cut your dash? Couldn't you install the breaker from inside the compartment?

GD,

Post a picture of your dash if you can.

If it is the same as mine, the circuit breakers all mount to the dash panel, and the dash panel mounts to the helm.

On mine, if you remove the 16 some screws from the dash panel, you can pull it forward enough to work on it.

As far as drilling it out, it has to do with the size of the circuit breaker that passes through the dash panel, nothing else.

WD.

[Glock Diver]

hmmmm good idea to test the breaker. Sounds better than running new line, no matter how easy Bob makes it sound!

Wave- why did you have to cut your dash? Couldn't you install the breaker from inside the compartment?

GD,

Post a picture of your dash if you can.

If it is the same as mine, the circuit breakers all mount to the dash panel, and the dash panel mounts to the helm.

On mine, if you remove the 16 some screws from the dash panel, you can pull it forward enough to work on it.

As far as drilling it out, it has to do with the size of the circuit breaker that passes through the dash panel, nothing else.

WD.

Will do. All my breakers are above the switch that operates the circuit, along a long switch panel that's about 18" long. I have 12 switches on it, but only about 6 or 8 screws hold the panel to the helm. While I'm on that subject... I'd love to know where to find a replacement panel. Mine is cracked in half and the corners are broken off!

[seabob4]

Well GD, got to work on the breakers today.  Got most of them, will have the rest tomorrow:


PM you on the price.  Don't worry, will be cheap, considering...

As far as your switch panel, check out Marine Surplus down where you are or in Sarasota.  They used to buy all of Wellcrafts outdated stuff, and they may have your panel.  MG&G out of Virginia Beach was making our stuff back then, but I doubt you'd have much luck with them considering the age of the boat.

Bob C