Changing the Receiver/Dryer

Now that the Kubota has been mounted on the brackets, it is time to start re-assembling it and integrating it with the rest of the systems, or "creating our Frankengen".  The heat exchanger and salt water boost pump (for the Kubota engine) were installed.  The water filter housings were mounted on the bulkhead also. 

Kubota heat exchanger and water filters for watermaker

We had decided to change the refrigerant from R12 to R134a.  Since the DC system already utilizes R134a, we only will have to carry one type of refrigerant.  (It's a dual circuit cold plate and can run two types of refrigerant if we so choose.)  While flushing the old system in preparation for the new refrigerant, Mike checked the existing water-cooled refrigeration condenser unit and found that it would not pass the refrigerant through the the receiver/dryer.  The receiver/dryer stores liquid refrigerant for the refrigeration system until it needs it.  It contains two felt filters and desiccant (drying pellets) between them.  It turns out that it was clogged.  You can see dirt in this picture.  Mental note to selves:  change the filter dryer every year, as recommended by the manufacturer, to prevent this from happening to us.

Old receiver/dryer cut open for inspection

Dirt in old receiver/dryer

So the new receiver/dryer arrived and Mike brazed it into the assembly.  This assembly will be in the raw water cooling circuit for the Kubota engine.  The tube on the right is a heat exchanger which contains two circuits of tubes -- one set for raw water and the other for the coolant.  At the top of the tee on the left he installed a charging port.  This will make it easier to charge (add refrigerant to) the refrigeration system.  By design, this type of system may lose refrigerant over time (just like the air conditioner in your car), necessitating a means to charge the system.

Picking up the Pace

We are picking up the pace, as it is not quite as cold these days, and thus a little more bearable on board.  While Mike was clearing a space for the brackets for the "frankengen", he was moving hoses and found that the drain from the aft sink choked from 1 1/4" to 3/4" and was completely blocked.  He also found a bad connector in another hose.  Well, they are about 30 years old, so they were replaced:

New connector and bad connector

1 1/4" chokes down to 3/4" (connection at lower end)

You can see the 30-year calcium build-up and the new "T" connector here:

30-year calcium build-up

New "T" connector; no choke point

Things are rolling a little faster now.  Thanks to our friend Gary, Mike was able to finish welding the brackets for mounting the "frankengen" (a homemade version of an Aquagen) in the engine room.  What we're calling the "frankengen" is a Kubota diesel engine, which drives (1) a refrigeration compressor, (2) a large-framed alternator for charging the batteries, and (3) a high-pressure pump for a reverse osmosis (RO) watermaker.  He had assembled the entire unit and had tested the alignment of the belts, etc.  Then he marked the alignment of all the pieces, so he could re-assemble it on the boat.  It was disassembled and we were waiting for the opportunity to take the Kubota piece to the boat when the seas were calm and there was no snow or ice on the deck.  The Kubota was awkward to handle and weighed 119 lbs.

The "Frankengen"

Today was a good day.  It was in the mid 40s and the sun was shining and there was no breeze.  Mike had prepped the engine room by clearing a space and mounting the brackets.  Now, all we had to do was lug it to the dock, drag it out onto the finger pier and maneuver it onto the boat, into the engine room, and up onto the brackets.  It was a two-person task (plus a little help from the simple machines on Abake).  We used a jib halyard to move it from the finger pier to the deck (we're bow-in-first in the slip), then the main halyard to move it to the cockpit.

The throne awaits Frankengen

Made it to the cockpit

Then we opened the aft hatch all the way and guided the Kubota through the hatch to the aft cabin floor.  From there it was no more simple machines, only humans who moved it into the engine room and lifted it up onto the brackets and secured it.  Whew!  We feel that we accomplished a major milestone today.

Down the hatch!

Securing the Kubota

Now the other pieces need to be re-assembled, hoping of all hopes that everything again lines up and runs smoothly.  We'll keep you posted.

A Slow Winter

We haven't posted in a while, maybe because there wasn't much to say.  Our holidays were wonderful, spending it with family and friends.  We took about 2 1/2 weeks and drove to Florida to see Jenny's parents and cruising friends Dave and Wendy who were stateside for a little while.  We had a wonderful time with all of them and were enthralled with the record breaking warm weather.

Back in Maryland we have hunkered down a few nights with a roaring fire in the fireplace.  Mike has been finishing up assembling the Kubota in the garage and overhauled the refrigeration compressor on it.  He's also set up the radio (again) in the basement and has the Pactor and everything integrated and working.  (It had required a modification for a clipping problem, which required factory servicing in Washington state.)  He's received e-mails, weather faxes, and is listening to the cruiseheimers net these days.  Jenny has worked on a few small sewing projects and watched videos on making cushions.  She's ready to go, but needs the cabin taken out of "garage" mode to "cruising" mode before she attempts any new cushions.  Just so we have a picture for this blog, these are the window coverings that were finished, using Warm Window.  They will keep the sun/heat out and when needed, the warmth in!

Hopefully February will bring the installation of the rest of the watermaker and the new batteries.  Then we will be able to move some things on board.  Progress is slow right now, but it's progress.  Once the weather breaks, we'll pick up the pace.