We have been very busy over the last few days. Planning an overhaul of the plumbing and waste system takes some time and thought. As you saw from the 'Captain's Log' that Michael posted, he knows what he wants to put in...now it's a question of sourcing, ordering and waiting for it all to arrive. While we're waiting, we have begun to remove some of the old pieces - starting with the holding tank.
To get to the holding tank, we had to remove the battery box. This is a fibreglass box that holds the batteries needed to start the engines. The 'house batteries', those used to power the fridge, lights, ice maker, etc when we're not plugged into shore power are completely separate.
We opened the battery box and saw the two massive engine batteries. We started by mapping all the connections as we removed each one to make sure we put it all back together properly. Then came the question of how to get these brutes out of the boat. Each ones weights approximately 160 pounds, so there was no way I would helping to haul them out. Michael got one of the guys who works in the marina to come by and help, and between them they managed - but it wasn't easy for two of them to maneuver themselves and the big heavy batteries in a small space.
Once the batteries were out, we noticed a lot of black discoloration on the bottom of the box. With box out, we could then see the floor below the box, with definite damage. This what battery acid does to wood and tin.
It appears that one of the previous owners had a battery leak, and simply replaced the batteries without repairing any of the damage. Add it to our list of things to do!!!
Today, we ought to be able to get to the heart of the matter - the stanky tank. Can't wait.
No comments:
Post a Comment