Two At Sea

January 8, 2024

I have been struggling with a decision for a few weeks about changes in my battery charging settings. Today I asked ChatGPT for help making the decision. I asked…

Can I talk something over with you? It’s regarding my lithium batteries and charging them with my alternator and Balmar regulator. Right now, the settings on the regulator are such that the charging cuts off too early, especially when we motor long distances. The batteries get to 100 percent, but just. I am considering changing the regulator settings to force the bulk charge time to be longer and setting the absorption voltage to be the same as the bulk voltage.

On the other hand, I’m thinking if it ain’t broke… I worry that the cells in the batteries aren’t getting equalized as they spend very little time at or near 100%. I opened the batteries and measured the individual cell voltages and they are within 0.002 volts of each other after almost two years of use since the last measurement. Maybe I shouldn’t mess something that’s working?

ChatGPT’s Response to Me…

It sounds like you’re carefully considering how to optimize the charging of your lithium batteries to ensure they are maintained in top condition, especially during long motoring distances. Your concern about the batteries cutting off too early in the charging process is valid, particularly with the goal of maximizing their lifespan and performance. Here are some thoughts and considerations:

• Bulk and Absorption Voltage Settings: Setting the absorption voltage equal to the bulk voltage can indeed ensure that the batteries are fully charged, especially if the current setup seems to cut off the charge too early. This adjustment could help in achieving a deeper charge, potentially benefiting the battery’s longevity and usable capacity.
• Equalization and Cell Balance: Your observation about the cell voltages being within 0.002 volts of each other is a good sign of balanced cells, which is crucial for lithium battery health. This balance indicates that your current setup has not adversely affected the battery’s internal equilibrium, which is a positive outcome.
• If It Ain’t Broke: The adage “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is often wise, especially in complex systems where changes can have unintended consequences. Given the batteries are showing good balance and have been performing well under the current settings, there’s an argument to be made for maintaining your current setup, especially if it has been reliably supporting your needs.
• Risks of Adjusting Settings: While adjusting the settings might improve charging efficiency or depth, it’s important to weigh this against the risk of potentially overcharging or stressing the batteries, which could affect their lifespan. Lithium batteries have specific charging requirements, and deviations from these parameters can sometimes lead to negative outcomes.
• Consulting Manufacturer Guidelines: If you haven’t already, reviewing the manufacturer’s guidelines or reaching out to them (or a knowledgeable community) for advice on charging settings might provide insights tailored to your specific battery type. They might offer recommendations on whether your proposed changes are safe and beneficial for your battery model.
• Monitoring After Changes: Should you decide to adjust the regulator settings, closely monitoring the batteries’ response to these changes would be crucial. Keep an eye on cell voltage balance, any signs of overheating, or unusual behaviors. This vigilance can help you quickly revert any adjustments if adverse effects are observed.

Given the balanced state of your battery cells and your thoughtful approach to their maintenance, either decision requires weighing the benefits of potentially improved charging against the risks of altering a currently stable and effective system. Your inclination to maintain a cautious approach reflects a wise strategy in managing sophisticated marine electrical systems.

My Conclusion:

While Chat didn’t give me any direct, conclusive answers, somehow it moved me more firmly into the “If it ain’t broke” camp. I think I’ll leave it alone and check the cell balance in another year.

I posted this incase it helps someone else, maybe with some other issue. While Cyndi is brilliant, talking things like this over with her isn’t usually productive.

ChatGPT has been a great consultant for technical issues. My last conversation was about our troublesome outboard engine. Again, I didn’t get a direct, conclusive fix for the issue but the discussion helped me figure things out. Now, with a new carburetor, it runs better than new!

-Rich

January 24, 2024

We’ve been having problems with our Parsun 3.6HP 2-stroke outboard for the past few months. At first, I thought it was an ignition system issue, but after replacing all the components in that system with no change, I moved on to other possible causes.

The spark plug was fouling badly. After about 30 minutes to an hour of running, the plug would be so badly carboned up, the engine would just die and would not restart until I cleaned the plug. I thought that maybe the fuel was the issue, but no, not that either.

I took the carburetor apart to inspect and clean it. There was no obvious issue but I decided to try to replace the entire carburetor. Getting a new one was not a simple task here in Indonesia. Google showed me that quite a few other small engines use a carburetor that looks the same as mine. One was a Tohatsu and a local parts store was able to get one for me.

The Tohatsu part has some minor differences from the Parsun version. I was able to use a few of my old parts (choke and throttle attachment) to make it work. In doing so, I found something I hadn’t realized before.

I believed there was no mixture control on the Parsun carb other than the jet sizes. When I started swapping components, I found I was wrong. This is a little frustrating as there’s nothing I could find online or in the manual about this.

Above are the components that move in the carburetor to control the engine speed. The black cylinder moves up and down to control the air flow and the brass needle attached to the bottom of the cylinder controls the fuel flow.

It turns out there’s a little circlip on the needle that sets its position relative to the cylinder. I might have been able to make the fuel mixture more lean by moving this circlip to a higher slot in the needle. Oh well. Live and learn.

I offer this information so that others might learn how to make this adjustment if necessary, though actually, the carburetors are so inexpensive that if I had access to a supply of them, I would have changed it out earlier.

It seems to run great now, though I haven’t really given it enough of a run to know for sure. It was too windy here today to risk having to row back to Legacy.

Update: January 25, 2024

We just took about a 45 minute test run and WOW, WOW, WOW! I don’t remember our outboard ever being this quiet and smooth. It just purrs. How can the carburetor make this kind of a difference?

I asked ChatGPT about this and here’s its response…

The carburetor plays a crucial role in the performance of your outboard motor, as it’s responsible for mixing the correct ratio of air and fuel necessary for the engine to run efficiently. When the carburetor is functioning properly, it ensures that the engine receives the optimal mixture, leading to several improvements:

1. **Improved Efficiency:** A well-adjusted carburetor ensures that the fuel is thoroughly mixed with air, which leads to more efficient combustion. This means that every drop of fuel is used effectively, contributing to smoother operation and less noise.

2. **Smooth Operation:** An engine with a properly functioning carburetor will typically run smoother. This is because the engine is receiving the right amount of fuel at the right time, reducing rough idling and enhancing overall performance.

3. **Reduced Noise:** Engines can be noisier when there’s an imbalance in the air-fuel mixture, often caused by a faulty carburetor. With a new carburetor that’s correctly adjusted, the engine runs more quietly as it’s operating in its optimal state.

4. **Better Throttle Response:** A new carburetor can improve the responsiveness of the engine to throttle adjustments. This means when you increase or decrease the throttle, the engine responds more quickly and smoothly, enhancing your control over the boat.

5. **Lower Emissions:** A correctly functioning carburetor also helps in reducing emissions. By ensuring that the fuel burns efficiently, it reduces the amount of unburnt fuel and other pollutants released into the environment.

In summary, replacing or repairing a carburetor can have a significant impact on the performance of your outboard motor, leading to quieter operation, smoother running, improved fuel efficiency, and better overall engine health.

-Rich

January 21, 2024

Our fuel jugs, like all fuel jugs, soon had broken caps.

3D printer to the rescue! The cap in my hand is the original (broken) cap and the cap on the yellow jug is the first generation of my printed replacement caps. It turns out that the printed plastic was no match for heavy-handed fuel station attendants. As long as I was the one doing the tightening, there was no problem, but as soon as vice-grip-hands Vern got ahold of it, crack!

Today, I printed fuel jug caps, Gen 4. This one has stainless wire wrapped around it. Go for it Vern. I dare you!

(We’ll see how long these last.)

Here’s another post about some of our 3D printed boat parts.

-Rich

January 21, 2024

This is a screenshot of AIS data on PredictWind (gathered via satellite).

Legacy is the yellow dot in about the center of the screen. In all this space, there are only two other boats, both northeast of us in Misool. We have seen very few other cruisers since we’ve been in Indonesia. In this respect, this is very unlike any other place we’ve cruised.

Throughout the South Pacific, we’ve had to worry about anchorages being filled to capacity with other cruising boats. That’s a negative but the comradery has been a big positive. Other cruisers have also been a great source of local information (though often “local misinformation”).

“Where are the best anchorages at the next island?”
“Where can I fill my propane tank?
“Is the restaurant on the wharf any good?”

Without the cruising fleet, that information has been harder to come by.

I guess the perfect situation is a mix of other cruisers around as well as time to ourselves in solitary anchorages. We’ll probably get that as we move into heavier trafficked parts of Indonesia in the coming months.

-Rich

Posted January 20, 2024, about September 20, 2022

The afternoon heat was peaking, and the water was calling to us. Yet, with these islands lying near shark territory, we weren’t keen on risking a swim off the boat, particularly as we noticed no one else was in the water. What we were willing to do was go bask in the water near the shore.

Taking the dinghy ashore, we discovered the pristine-looking beach had surprisingly coarse and rubble-strewn sand, a bit tough on bare feet. Beneath the water, numerous rocky patches dotted the area, but we managed to find sandy spots on which to sit. We settled in, the water rising to our chests, and simply relaxed.

One of my favorite things in life is to swim freely off our boat, diving straight down into the warm tropical water, then allowing myself to naturally float back up to the surface amid the rising bubbles. But I will never turn my nose up at simply sitting in an ocean/stream/lake or pool, taking in the scenery and enjoying the water’s cool, refreshing effect. For the most part, this was how we interacted with the ocean in Queensland, and for me that was perfectly satisfying. Below, photos from our trip ashore.

After a time, now cool and comfortable, we headed back to the boat for showers and to unwind relax below decks until the sun went low in the sky. We then made our way up to the cockpit to watch the evening unfold.

Right away, I marveled at how wonderful the breeze felt. I don’t think I’ve ever experienced a breeze that felt nicer than this one! I looked around and admired the scenery, awash in the golden light of the approaching sunset. Neighboring boats, floating serenely in the bay’s calm waters, completed this evening scene. For a moment, I felt this was about as nice a place as I’ve ever been. It was a fleeting feeling, but I could certainly call this one of my nicest moments.

We went below, and I prepped and seasoned a couple of beef filets for Rich to grill outside while I cooked green beans and new potatoes to go with them. It made for a wonderful dinner. One of the benefits of cruising  a first world country is the availability of food we know and love: grass-fed beef, free-range chicken breasts, fresh plump seafood, quality bakery bread, artisanal olive oils, and tables laden with beautiful produce. After years of cruising in all sorts of places, shopping amidst such abundance is something I will never take for granted.

Overnight, some swell found its way into the anchorage, causing a gentle roll. It wasn’t too bad, and Rich appeared to be sleeping soundly through the movement. Not so much, though, as I would learn the following day.

–Cyndi