Recent content by EMKoper

Thanks all, great advice ... I'll do the checks and let everyone know how it goes. I will be happy, Christian, if I can get the starter off without too much trouble -- I looked closely at it while I was changing the transmission fluid last weekend and was wondering if I'd have to do any...

Happy sailing season, all! I have a strange but repeatable engine starting behavior that has me concerned (E-35, 1984, M25). First noticed this behavior mid-last season: when I would hit the start button I would get a very brief crank from the starter motor and an abrupt starter motor stop...

"*Well, I guess on second thought it's pretty obvious: The topping lift is a wire. It is often slack while sailing--very slack, if you keep the boom low to make it easier to put the sail cover on. While sailing, the TL wire slaps around, wearing away the aluminum ears." Hum... I am not sure it...

I think Christian is right ... the pin doesn't serve any purpose today except let my main halyard support the boom at the dock. There might be a grinding in my future (which is the free fix to prevent future issues) ... I don't see any reason why my topping lift would fail at the dock or need...

Hello, happy start of the season to all! Of the parts of the boat that are in constant slow-motion state of becoming broken, I offer this below photo for advice and assistance. This is a close up of the metal part at the aft end of the boom (if anyone knows the name of this part or what it is...

Thanks for everyone's insight -- I did some research and I also think it is a shunt ... once I trace the wires back to the analog/digital amp and voltage meters maybe I'll be able to correct the reading (functional gauges sound like a nice idea). Again, the digital voltage reads well but the...

OK -- let me trace the smaller wires back and see where they go. I have a digital amp meter but it doesn't seem to be functioning fully thought it reads voltage well (matches a separate analog voltage gauge which the PO told me he relied upon).

Hello -- please see photo below... can anyone identify this part and what its purpose is? It is in my battery compartment... it seems to make a common ground connection but it looks a little excessive to be a terminal strip/bus (attachment areas spaced pretty far apart, and the parallel metal...

Solar Set-up - Continued I found the answer to my previous question -- yes, normally a small groove is drilled into the stainless steel rail so the pointy set screw holds more firm and can be screwed in flush. Not a hole all the way through, but just an indent. That being said, I have made...

Building Solar Mount... As a thread restart ... I have all components to install one (basically) permanent and one re-movable 30 W solar panel on my Ericson 35. I am building a relatively petite stainless steel contraption on the push-pit (resembles a tiny davit on one side supported by the...

Just put this on ... ... a few weeks ago ... also on the Starboard side .... might be just a little bit to thin but it was hard to tell that before ordering!

My issues... I don't know the right answer ... I just know that what ever step(s) I take are usually 2-3x more difficult than anticipated and cascades to other ancillary (though related) must-fix projects. This is like a self-licking maintenance circular feedback loop. So I am tending to do...

Why not? Christian - Why not internal versus external and #18?

Update and the plan - one question I have the solar plan ... going with a 25 A controller that can charge two banks independently and going to start with 2x 30 Watt panels. I have planned out the wiring with a little bus bar to combine the panels somewhere after with growth capacity -- the...

Narrowing Down the Questions Great longevity for that unit ... I see a theme that MorningStar seems relatively solid (seems to be moderately priced so I can see the attraction). I am starting to fine-tune my questions about controllers and battery banks and this question is about usage of the...