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A minor modification that might be of interest...[oil buzzer]

toddster

Curator of Broken Parts
Blogs Author
I could never break my Dad of the habit of turning off the key of the diesel tractors immediately after they started. Maybe that was once a thing? He could never figure out why the batteries were always dead... :rolleyes:

BTW: While a properly-running Atomic 4 shouldn't quit with the switch on, sometimes it happens, and it can be tempting to just "sail on." But leaving that switch on is a good way to burn up the coil. Kudos for annoying buzzer!
 

Geoff W.

Makes Up For It With Enthusiasm
Blogs Author
Wait ... what? ... that's a thing?
I don't think I was told to turn the ignition key off after the engine starts when I bought the boat 3+ years ago, and I've never done it.
What is the reason for doing that? What are the risks from not doing it?

My understanding is if you leave the ignition on while sailing, the fuel pump continues clicking, quietly drawing battery for no reason. I'm not sure if it's also bad for the pump, but I'm sure someone does.
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Pump still energized?

Our former Universal diesel had a Facet electric lift pump. As I recall it would build pressure (fast clicking noise) and when up to the 3.5 psi (or something like that) would stop clicking or at least click very slowly. There was an incorporated pressure switch in it, AFAIK.

Since our engine had a separate cable pull knob to stop the engine, I never used the "key" at all for that.

Now we have a Betamarine with a stop push button on the engine panel, and have to remember to never use the key to try to stop the engine. (As a back up, there is a marked small "stop lever" mounted adjacent to the front end of the high pressure pump.)

I doubt that leaving the lift pump on would harm anything, but am not a mechanic either!
 

markvone

Sustaining Member
What he said!

Nobody mentioned this, but the oil pressure buzzer reminds me to turn off the ignition when sailing starts.

My engine cutoff is back-pressure on the throttle. To also turn off the ignition I have to do the Ericson grovel-down to the cockpit panel below my tootsies. In the (loud) action of deploying and trimming sails, wrangling guests and dodging other boats, it would be really easy, without the buzzer, to forget to turn off the ignition.

I added the buzzer when I redid my panel. The new buzzer has saved me from logging many engine hours on the Hobbs while sailing.

FWIW, Marine Tex epoxy will repair cracks in the original panel and you can paint it.

Mark
 

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Kenneth K

1985 32-3, Puget Sound
Blogs Author
Nice panel. How do you like the key switch for the starter? I'm thinking about putting one in--fewer connections behind the panel. Do you remember what switch you used?
 

markvone

Sustaining Member
Ken,

The panel had the key switch when I got the boat. It's the only piece of the entire panel that I didn't replace when I re-habbed it. I can look next time and get the part number. The key is OK but it does require you to carry it or get it from inside in my case vs a push-to-start button. All of my inboard boats have had the key switch so I don't have any experience with the push button start. The key doesn't really add any anti thief protection in my mind. My power is off anyway when I leave the boat. On the E36RH you can go to the foot of the quarter berth, remove a big panel and there is the back of the engine panel ready to hot wire. And the there are the sails, just sittin' there ready to sail away without even going inside.

Mark
 
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