[quote=Capt. Sam;18744]Congrats Jim, She's beautiful. Pristine and I see lots of extras, davits, radar wow! I did notice something that surprised me on the engine photos, Looks like the coolant hose running from the pump back to the heat exchanger runs outside the belt. Am I seeing that right? I would think it would cause you to have to disconnect the hose to remove or install a new belt. Having had two belts break while away from the dock, I wouldn't want the added trouble. But maybe I'm not seeing it correctly.
In any case you're gonna love the boat.
Sam[/quote]
That's an M35B, that's why it is run like that. I thought the same as you but the M35B owners say it's not a big deal to disconnect the hose, it is the raw water only, not the anti freeze side. I am told 5 mins for belt change.
Also, regarding belts, I have found the only belt that will stand up to a hi-amp alternator is a Dayco TopCog which is what the OEM belt is. They call it TopCog because the cogs (teeth) are on the outside, not the inside. They help cool the belt. The belts with the cogs on the inside will destroy themselves quickly, even the "premium" NAPA ones are no match for a big alternator under load. I have destroyed 3 NAPA belts on 2 different engines with hi amp alternators with less than 15 hours each and am into year 3 now of a Dayco TopCog, approaching 250 hours and still showing little wear. They need to be broken in, they will make dust for about 8 hours then they settle down and just run. Need to be tight but not excessively so, about 1" play maximum on the longest side.
Pulley alignment is critical, which goes without saying I guess.
Yes, nice looking boat, well equipped and maintained. A good, rare find.
Daco TopCog, man, I'm writing that down as I'm going through belts very quickly as well with my new 80amp Balmar. Thanks for the info.
Sam:D
Capt. Sam Murphy
1994 Catalina 36, Hull 1327
Shoal draft, two cabin model.
Panama City, Florida
Sam, I forget if you added an external regulator, but if you're going through belts, it could well be that it occurs at startup after a night on the hook. You might be interested in the Small Engine Mode feature of the regulators:
Alternator heat, Regulator Controls, Small Engine Mode
[url]http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,4454.0.html[/url]
Small Engine Mode - discussion with link to the picture of the toggle switch: [url]http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,4454.msg27149.html#msg27149[/url]
No reason not to buy the better belt, but I've been using Napa 7390 and 7395 belts for 15 years, the last 10 with a 100A alternator with no issues.
Stu Jackson, C34IA Secretary, C34 #224, 1986, SR/FK, M25 engine, Rocna 10 (22#)
If it's a Xantrex or a Balmar that is recent it should do a soft start. We even had an old Hehr Aqualine that did soft start. Our current one, a Xantrex XAR does not put any power into the field wire for 20 seconds or so and then it slowly ramps up the current, you can watch it on the monitor slowly climb from 5 amps until it gets to whatever the batteries will take. That should not cause belt issues.
Its a Balmar 80 amp with their ASR-5 regulator. I've now used the belt saver program and backed it off 35%. And the belt is fine but I'm thinking I'm not getting what I need for the batteries quick enough. I'll experiment by taking it back to maybe -20% or so.
Capt. Sam Murphy
1994 Catalina 36, Hull 1327
Shoal draft, two cabin model.
Panama City, Florida
Sam, Maine Sail & I have written about the difference between the "belt saver" mode and the Small Engine Mode. The difference is that "belt saver" means the regulator is ALWAYS putting out less current. The Small Engine Mode means YOU get to choose between 50% and 100% with a simple toggle switch without having to use the reed switch and reprogramming the regulator (which I find to be a PITA). That's in the links I provided earlier.
Stu Jackson, C34IA Secretary, C34 #224, 1986, SR/FK, M25 engine, Rocna 10 (22#)
I moved this thread from the other one, it was kind of hijacking the other thread.
We have a 90 amp and I just let the regulator do its thing. Does your tach come on as soon as your engine starts? If so then the regulator is turning on the alternator right away when it starts which is hard on the belt and engine. Ours takes 20 or so seconds before the tach comes on, and then the regulator over about 2 minutes increases the output of the alternator to whatever the batteries will take, right up to 90 amps if they can accept it, which they rarely can.
I am told that Balmar makes the Xantrex regulators so I would have thought the Balmar would do that as well. I used the standard flooded lead acid profile on the alternator which is how it came from Xantrex.