Boat Toilets Staff Blog: Easy Ways to Keep Your Alternator Running Strong
Give Your Alternator a Nice and Long Life
Raritan Engineering your boat toilets suppliers would like to share with you this week some great information regarding easy ways to keep your alternator running strong.
So I was thinking about Bitcoin today, the digital crypto-currency that seems no less cryptic than what’s in my wallet these days, and this got me thinking about giant stone money on the island of Yap, and because I spent most of my time on Yap rebuilding an alternator, this got me thinking about alternator belts.
1 - Check belt for excessive wear. Compare the belt width and depth with your spare belt (you have one of these, right?). When the engine area around the belt is coated with black dust, the belt is probably slipping or misaligned. Small-case, high-output alternators get very, very hot.
2 - Obviously, you must have the right size and type of V-belt. Look for A-series industrial belts, available from most auto parts stores. A quirk of these belts is that the belt number is not identical to the belt length: an A41 belt, for example, is 43 inches long.
3 - Check belt alignment. The belt must be properly aligned with the engine and alternator pulleys. Do not assume that the pulleys are aligned, even if you have a factory-installed alternator. A misaligned belt will often chirp—as opposed to a squeal or screech for a slipping belt.
4 - Check pulleys for corrosion and proper operation. The pulley should not wobble on its axis. If the pulley-end bearings have failed (listen for distinct rumbling or roughness as you spin the unloaded alternator), check alignment carefully after replacing the bearings, as this may have contributed to the failure.
Why Let Your Alternator Die Earlier Than Necessary?
5 - Your boat toilets distributors talk about how proper belt tension is an equally important issue. The correct belt tension depends on the pulley arrangement on the individual engine, as well as the type of accessories driven by the belt. A belt that is too tight can cause problems, but loose belts are more common.
6 - A Gates Krikit V-Tension Gauge is a handy tool to have on board for checking belt tension. It is easy to use, and the instruction sheet gives belt tension guidelines for a variety of pulley and accessory combinations.
7 - The engine compartment must be kept clean. A lot of air gets sucked through an alternator. If your engine runs dirty, that dirt will find its way into the alternator, coating the windings and other components.
8 - Make sure the alternator gets plenty of airflow. This may mean increasing engine compartment venting. A beautifully insulated engine compartment that reduces noise is very efficient at keeping the heat inside.
9 - New belts tend to stretch during the first several times you run your engine. After replacing the belt, allow a run-in period of about 10 minutes and check tension again.
10 - After your final adjustments, make sure your alternator mounting bolts—at the bracket and at the alternator—are tightened down. Some manufacturers give torque for the bracket numbers, 70 to 80 foot-pounds or thereabouts.
Bottom line: By paying a bit of attention to your alternator belt before the season begins, you can save yourself some big Bitcoin down the road.
So don't forget these important tips for keeping your alternator running strong. 1) Check the belt for excessive wear; 2) check belt alignment; and 3) the engine compartment must be kept clean.
Man screams when fishing rod pulls away suddenly—then, a friend helps to reel in a ‘monster'
Ever had the feeling when you are out fishing that you have hooked a big one? The man in this video thought so, and when he reeled it in—oh boy, what a whopper! It was a catfish that weighed over 250 pounds (approx. 113 kg).
Fishing can be fun if you are getting plenty of bites and just plain boring when you aren’t. Famous fisherman Yuri Grisendi didn’t have time to be bored though; he had hooked a gigantic fish while out on the River Rhone, France.
After landing the 8-foot monster catfish and taking plenty of photos, Yuri gave it a kiss and set it free. He caught this river monster in 2015, and it was his personal best.
Visit us here at http://raritaneng.com/raritan-product-line/marine-toilets/marine-elegance/ and see how we provide you the best products in the marine sanitation industry today.
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