robpw

How elaborate do you want your electrics? Keep a good schematic of electrics and mark each cable well at various point along the length. Make your cable runs twice the size that you first thought of and leave one cable spare to act a draw string. Include access points in each cabin. Keep mains and battery cable well apart and clearly marked. Think carefully about auto and manual switching of split charge system and 240ac hookup. Provide a ring main, just as important as on dry land! Fit suitable Residual Current Device/s. Read up specs on available inverters. You don't really want those cheaper square waves if your fond of digital devices like Sat tv and computer screens. Pure sine is best but of course with every degree of arc comes a greater cost. robpw

What did you replace it with? Hi Blackroseplumbers merchants is probably the best idea. I think that the ring is pretty standard and there islikely a fair margin for error. I guess that the market for the individual item is so small as to be non existent. I was rather expecting to find "why buy the whole thing, when you can buy this partfrom us" on the net. There are many hundreds of O ring manufacturers out there, its just that theyonly sell engineered spec in bulk. But I think that your right, plumbers merchants, my next call!Many thanksBob

Not a pleasant job, but it has to be done occasionally. Ive found that over the years the rubber seals on my Jabco manual toilet have an almost predictable longevity. The 'pump valve' (517 on most sheets) for example, last in the order of two to three years; the 'top seal' (527), about two years; the bugbear of it all the 'piston seal' (529), a rubber O ring of about 40mm diameter, lasts on average one year and certainly no more than 18 months before being totally defunct. The thing that annoys me most is that I have to spend £25.00 buying the complete service kit, when all I really need is that O ring, no more than 50 pence worth of rubber. Why Jabco or its distributors can't sell the kit as sepetate items I don't know, well I do know, but that a whole new can of fiscal worms that I won't open here! Anyone know of a retailer of required type of O rings? all the best robg

CAUTION Don't do anything unless and until you can supply a good spec of your wiring system, preferably a schematic or at very least a good description of basic connections. Even then you would stand a very good chance of blowing something. Problems of this kind require an experience eye and suitable test equipment. To those who believe that chargers come in multiple output flavours, the vast majority of boats that have the luxury of a mains supply to connect to, have SINGLE output chargers. These are more often than not manually switched into the split charge system. I would guess that the principal reason for this is cost. regards RJG

Senokot! Thanks for being the first. Bob x

Iv'e got that bunged-up feeling. Stern gland problems. Grease is ok from the hand reservoir up to the socket of the stern gland. I've tried the traditional bent coathanger remedy but with no success. My guess is impacted grease, although I've never heard of such a thing. I'm wary of putting a blow torch on the brass but can't think of anything else. appreciate any ideas. regards Bob G. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- p.s. Friday 7th Aug Thanks y'all so far. "Prince William" is a 70ft trad. yom is 1986 so no new shaft or anything like that. Ive had her on the network for 15 years with the prop in almost daily use. For the past 6 month have been in the marina so prop has been less rotated, maybe one hour every three weeks, (ah the constant pleasure of 240vac and WIFI. Maybe bunged up is the price you pay). Ive totally cleaned out the old packing from the stern gland. The stern gland itself is a strange beast, the input socket is from below and by pushing a thin long bladed screwdriver in it would appear that it does not go directly through to the prop shaft ??? maybe right-angle turn towards the back of the device then right-angle up , right-angle forward, but I'm only guessing. thanks for your help so far. Bob