Alternator resurgam
'Sarf & West mate, Sarf & West'
Pete Bernfeld
Tue 26 Feb 2013 20:31
Dave picked up the repaired alternator and it was dropped off at the boat by Convivia (I don't have a personal name). I'd rescued their dingy a couple of nights before when it went walkabout in a rainstorm. Anyway, I struggled for about thirty minutes trying to get the thing in place and eventually called a friend. As always Paul Calypso responded and came over. The problem was in order to fit said item one has to lean over the engine block, resting on a cross beam. Being a short chap I have to put my full abdominal weight on the beam and it's bloody uncomfortable not to mention hell on the back after about ten minutes. Paul being somewhere around the six foot mark has a slightly easier time of it.
Having got the thing in place we then discovered that the repair shop had put the mounting bracket back on upside down. Bugger! A quick phone call to Dave and yes he would be able to take it back then and there for me. I rang the repair shop. Many apologies and 'all you have to do is undo four bolts, whack it about a bit mate and the plate will turn through 180 degs. Any problems bring it back and we'll do it whilst you wait but you'll be able to do it OK.' A bit of cautious whacking with a vernier hammer later and the plate indeed was persuaded to assume the correct orientation. Connect up the wires and bingo! I have fully (almost) charged batteries again with no smell of burning so it seems like I got the wiring right as well. We had a celebratory pot of tea and then Paul hot-footed back to Calypso to start re-assembling the newly-varnished but still slightly tacky interior (not tacky as in bad taste but tacky as in it's been bloody raining for a week and the varnish takes forever to dry). He suddenly realised that the much-missed Lady of the Boat is returning in one week not two and probably wasn't expecting to be returning to a building site!
The mystery leak has mysteriously stopped again. This is more worrying than a relief because 'it's not logical captain.' Never mind, at least it has now periodically stopped raining. Now I have the alternator back no doubt we'll be having wall to wall solar charging weather.
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