pop bottles instead of foam

[JaSla74]

Re: pop bottles instead of foam

How bout we stuff'em with some cheap PFDs. I know they expire and all, but I would guess they'd still float if needed.

 

[Mark42]

Re: pop bottles instead of foam

OK Mark42, I am prompted to respond to one of your baits, I?ll leave the rest for someone else to bite on?

If you don?t mind chasing down intermittent electrical problems then use crimp connections. If you want to spend your time fishing/boating than solder your connections, using rosin core solder only. Providing one knows the difference between a cold joint and a quality solder job.

In either case be sure to tug test your connections before leave them.

Although I do agree with you, I have to point out that Coast Guard regulations specify a mechanical connection is required for electrical connections, and soldering alone does not comply. So they specify crimping. If you want to solder on top of that, they do not care, as long as a crimp is done.

I used crimp connections only on the MFG rebuild, and painted the bare connections (like buss bars) with liquid electric tape. The MFG is used in salt water, and after 5 years, there have been no electric failures. But I did notice some light corrosion from salt air on any contact that was not sealed.

 

[JorgeE]

Re: pop bottles instead of foam

OK guys, I get it... use only flotation foam.
I like the idea of pouring the foam into plastic the removing the plastic... I also like hte idea that the foam will adhere to the compartment sides as it's poured in... At least I have some time to decide. And Dond-O... I get it.. it's "Aft" not "Rear" :redface:

I realize this is slightly out of the thread, but since it was asked here...
Couple of tips on soldering... from experience and (good) industry practices for the most reliable connection:
You need a mechanical connection, and a electrical connection. Whle you can do both in one step, it's best to have both "separate".
The crimping is the mechanical. The stronger the crimp, the better as long as you don't neck down the wire strands too much, or even cut some of them.
Once you have the good crimp, heat the terminal, and touch the solder to the wire. The crimp contact will transfer heat to wire... when the wire is hot enough to melt the solder, you know your whole connection is HOT. Solder should then flow between the wire and terminal easily (assuming wire was clean and oxide free), as mentioned, rosin core solder is best. When you see solder come out of the other end of terminal, you know you have a coodn connection.
The solder becomes the electrical connection, and also seals the jont from corrosion.
For best reliability, you can slip a piece of adhesive lined heat-shrink tube over the wire before crimping, then heat the tube and the connectin is REALLY sealed. When heated, the adhesive (actually Hot Melt Glue) will melt & flow and seal the connection end to end. The heat shrink tube also acts as strain relief for wire, protecting wire from breaking.
Having said all that, a good crimp connection, using right type of crimp tool, will work very well.
By the way, I've recently seen Lowe's carry crimp-on terminals with adhesive lined heat-shrink tubing; I think they call them "severe duty" or something ike that.

I reeally appreciate the fact that so many here want to do things right...

Oh and sschefer... they don't get the teflon to stick to anything, they just get the other stuff to stick to the teflon

Jorge

 

[Mark42]

Re: pop bottles instead of foam

Apparently others here don't feel it's a good idea. Structurally they won't do much because air is easily compressed......

That is my argument against using plastic bottles. The kids were playing with empty water bottles in the pool, and just submerging them a foot or two they started to collapse from water pressure. So if the boat gets swamped and fills with water, the farther underwater the bottles are, the less effective they are, and sinking is inevitable.

The need to be pressurized, but then that introduces the opportunity for them to leak down.

If members are afraid of using foam because of the water absorption issue, take note that the foam used now is Polyurathane and it does not break down in contact with water like the old polyester foam did. Those big floating docks are made from Polyurathane foam that sits in direct contact with water 24/7 and do not absorb or break down at any rate that affects their performance.

But if you are still afraid of water being trapped and rotting the stringers, deck, etc, then pour the foam in big trash bags, place bag in the cavity to be filled, and let it expand inside the bag so it does not adhear to the boat. That way water will drain around it, through drainage holes you provide in stringers and bulkheads, and into the bilge where it gets pumped out. If rope or tubing is taped to the hull beforehand, it will leave impression in the foam to help with water drainage and air circulation. Lots of room for creativity here.

Just something to think about.

 

[sturdavj]

Re: pop bottles instead of foam

Mark42 I agree with you 100%. I work in the world of Train Transit (talk about Federal regulations?) and we crimp all of our connections before making the hard mechanical connections to a terminal lug.

I am willing to bet that the crimpers the CG regulations call for are not the two sided pinch-type tool, which is what the majority of readers here might think of as crimped connections.

The crimpers used in our type of application crimp 360 degrees, and cost an average of $50.00 to $75.00 and I have seen ?real cool? ones as high as $350.00.

But Mark42 I have read many of your posts and I realize I am not telling you anything you did not already know.

Thanks for the dialog.

 

[oops!]

Re: pop bottles instead of foam

epoxy sticks to poly but poly doesnt stick to epoxy.


the reason foam sucks so bad is that when it expands it fills all the caviteys and you have no where for any trapped condensation or leaked water to go......so the foam must eventually soak up the water.

on most boats built from the 80's on.....the foam was used as a structural componont of the boat.......they used it so they could cut down on the more expencive fiberglass resin and chopped strand.

most of these boats......if the foam is removed.....it must be replaced or the hull reinforced...not just by bulkheads but by actual layers of glass....or the hull will be weak with out the foam.

search "boat rot wet foam prevention"....that thread is the most comprehencive discussion on the forum.....everything from pfd's to soda bottles to pool noodles

 

[dirtyoldman]

Re: pop bottles instead of foam

OK, I'm convinced. Pop bottles would not provide even good flotation. My main concern was waterlogged foam. I will look into the other stuff.

Thanks!

 

[Tacklewasher]

Re: pop bottles instead of foam

Oh and sschefer... they don't get the teflon to stick to anything, they just get the other stuff to stick to the teflon

Totally wrong.

It's teflon that will stick to anything. And nothing will stick to teflon. Your way, it would fall out of the pan and the potatoes (I hate eggs) would stick to it.

 

[sschefer]

Re: pop bottles instead of foam

Taklewasher - You win, you're right.