Got a Big Tub ???

[tpenfield]

Since our summer house is starting to look more like a boatyard, we decided to get some big (100 gallon) 'tubs' (actually farm troughs) to run the engines during prep work, etc. Sort of a necessity with my brothers Yammy F-350's as they have 2 water pickup areas on the lower unit, so the conventional muffs don't work.

Anyway, this morning after fixing my starboard engine, I tried out the tubs.


It takes about 5-10 minutes to fill them, but they seem to work out nicely. I like the fact that I can have both engines going and I can rev them up a bit without worrying about 'collapsing' the hose, which can happen when running on the muffs.

Here is a quick video of both engines running via the tubs.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Ted, your just on the cusp of the bravo pumps being able to self-prime.

for those of you tuning in, to use a tub like Ted has shown, the water level must be about as high as the raw water pump.

what you may not know is Ted ran his motors on muffs prior, thus priming the system. on a dry start, the impeller may not have primed.

 

[tpenfield]

A dry impeller would be bad. I usually have soapy water or AF in the pump . . . your first start of the season should probably be on the muffs.

These tubs are great for when you have to tinker with the engines

 

[Mischief Managed]

Don't forget that the heat from the engine AND the exhaust is going into the cooling water, warming it up substantially with each pass through. If you leave it running long enough in those tubs, it will overheat.

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,..... Glad it's workin' for ya Ted, but I ain't a fan of usin' a tub,.....

Most folks think just coverin' the intake ports is deep enough,....... But it Ain't,.....

With an Alpha, the Pump, has to be flooded, or force fed,....

As Scott said, if you hadn't run yer motors previously, you'd probably have smoked the impellers, as yer system was already "Wet",....
Partially pre-primed,.....

 

[tpenfield]

Points well taken. I guess I need a taller tub I think the water level was about 6" above the top of the intake ports.

I did run the engines for about 10 minutes while doing some tinkering. The water in the tubs never got more than slightly warm. . . Maybe 70 degrees F

 

[89retta]

Would this set up work for Volvo SX drive and would the pump also have to be primed ?

 

[roffey]

Ayuh,..... Glad it's workin' for ya Ted, but I ain't a fan of usin' a tub,.....

Most folks think just coverin' the intake ports is deep enough,....... But it Ain't,.....

With an Alpha, the Pump, has to be flooded, or force fed,....

As Scott said, if you hadn't run yer motors previously, you'd probably have smoked the impellers, as yer system was already "Wet",....
Partially pre-primed,.....

good info, I will keep in mind... I use the muffs but was thinking of the same setup here.

 

[Sea18Horse]

It struck me how clean the water is in those tubs. With my 56 and 57 Johnson outboards those tubs would look like a superfund site in about 10 minutes . For the record the water pumps themselves need to be submerged on those as well or they won't prime.

Cheers.....................Todd