Fixing Things in Exotic Places
 

It has been said that the definition of cruising in a boat is "fixing
things in exotic places". Unfortunately there is some truth to that,
and it's also true that necessity is the mother of invention, or in my
case, motivation. The circulating fan in our aft cabin (where we
sleep) air conditioner has been inoperable for a while. It hasn't
been a big deal since we've mostly been anchored out in a good breeze,
and with mostly comfortable temperatures. Today however we're docked
in Roadtown, Tortola (in the British Virgin Islands), the breeze has
abated, and temperatures have crept up into the mid to upper 80s.
It was time to do something.

There are no doubt professional A/C service people here in the BVI but
finding someone competent and reliable would be challenging enough
during the week and impossible on the weekend. Out came all of my
amateur mechanic tools, trouble lights and test equipment. With some
poking around, testing and inspection it was determined that the
circuit breaker was supplying power and that the local fuse was OK.
The connections behind the control panel seemed OK and nothing in the
wiring harness was obviously amiss. What next? I popped off the
cover to the junction box between the panel controls and the
condensing unit. Once again voltages seemed normal and there were no
obvious signs of electrical issues. Then I started tracing out the
wiring harness back to the control panel and noticed that there was a
big multi-block connector sitting in the middle. Sure enough, the
connectors did not look firmly seated. I used a big pair of channel
lock pliers to squeeze the connectors together, turned the switch on,
and voila the whole A/C unit came to life.

Mission accomplished.

Fixing Things in Exotic Places
 

"Wayne B" wrote in message
...
It has been said that the definition of cruising in a boat is "fixing
things in exotic places". Unfortunately there is some truth to that,
and it's also true that necessity is the mother of invention, or in my
case, motivation. The circulating fan in our aft cabin (where we
sleep) air conditioner has been inoperable for a while. It hasn't
been a big deal since we've mostly been anchored out in a good breeze,
and with mostly comfortable temperatures. Today however we're docked
in Roadtown, Tortola (in the British Virgin Islands), the breeze has
abated, and temperatures have crept up into the mid to upper 80s.
It was time to do something.

There are no doubt professional A/C service people here in the BVI but
finding someone competent and reliable would be challenging enough
during the week and impossible on the weekend. Out came all of my
amateur mechanic tools, trouble lights and test equipment. With some
poking around, testing and inspection it was determined that the
circuit breaker was supplying power and that the local fuse was OK.
The connections behind the control panel seemed OK and nothing in the
wiring harness was obviously amiss. What next? I popped off the
cover to the junction box between the panel controls and the
condensing unit. Once again voltages seemed normal and there were no
obvious signs of electrical issues. Then I started tracing out the
wiring harness back to the control panel and noticed that there was a
big multi-block connector sitting in the middle. Sure enough, the
connectors did not look firmly seated. I used a big pair of channel
lock pliers to squeeze the connectors together, turned the switch on,
and voila the whole A/C unit came to life.

Mission accomplished.



It's more often than not that bad connections are the reason.

Boats seem to foster bad connections. Seems to me solder
is the only real reliable way to go when joining wires.

My refrigerator has been doing a great job of almost freezing
my beer since I re-crimped the stupid spade connectors at
the connector block. Prior to that it would "lose its way" and
stop cycling on.

--
Sir Gregory

Fixing Things in Exotic Places
 

On May 12, 1:43*pm, Wayne B wrote:
It has been said that the definition of cruising in a boat is "fixing
things in exotic places". *Unfortunately there is some truth to that,
and it's also true that necessity is the mother of invention, or in my
case, motivation. * The circulating fan in our aft cabin (where we
sleep) air conditioner has been inoperable for a while. * It hasn't
been a big deal since we've mostly been anchored out in a good breeze,
and with mostly comfortable temperatures. * Today however we're docked
in Roadtown, Tortola (in the British Virgin Islands), the breeze has
abated, and temperatures have crept up into the mid to upper 80s.
It was time to do something.

There are no doubt professional A/C service people here in the BVI but
finding someone competent and reliable would be challenging enough
during the week and impossible on the weekend. *Out came all of my
amateur mechanic tools, trouble lights and test equipment. * With some
poking around, testing and inspection it was determined that the
circuit breaker was supplying power and that the local fuse was OK.
The connections behind the control panel seemed OK and nothing in the
wiring harness was obviously amiss. * What next? * I popped off the
cover to the junction box between the panel controls and the
condensing unit. * Once again voltages seemed normal and there were no
obvious signs of electrical issues. * Then I started tracing out the
wiring harness back to the control panel and noticed that there was a
big multi-block connector sitting in the middle. *Sure enough, the
connectors did not look firmly seated. * I used a big pair of channel
lock pliers to squeeze the connectors together, turned the switch on,
and voila the whole A/C unit came to life.

Mission accomplished.

Good methodical testing paid off for you , Wayne. Glad all turned out
well.

Fixing Things in Exotic Places
 

On May 12, 2:32*pm, " Sir Gregory Hall, Esq·" åke
wrote:
"Wayne B" wrote in message

...









It has been said that the definition of cruising in a boat is "fixing
things in exotic places". *Unfortunately there is some truth to that,
and it's also true that necessity is the mother of invention, or in my
case, motivation. * The circulating fan in our aft cabin (where we
sleep) air conditioner has been inoperable for a while. * It hasn't
been a big deal since we've mostly been anchored out in a good breeze,
and with mostly comfortable temperatures. * Today however we're docked
in Roadtown, Tortola (in the British Virgin Islands), the breeze has
abated, and temperatures have crept up into the mid to upper 80s.
It was time to do something.

There are no doubt professional A/C service people here in the BVI but
finding someone competent and reliable would be challenging enough
during the week and impossible on the weekend. *Out came all of my
amateur mechanic tools, trouble lights and test equipment. * With some
poking around, testing and inspection it was determined that the
circuit breaker was supplying power and that the local fuse was OK.
The connections behind the control panel seemed OK and nothing in the
wiring harness was obviously amiss. * What next? * I popped off the
cover to the junction box between the panel controls and the
condensing unit. * Once again voltages seemed normal and there were no
obvious signs of electrical issues. * Then I started tracing out the
wiring harness back to the control panel and noticed that there was a
big multi-block connector sitting in the middle. *Sure enough, the
connectors did not look firmly seated. * I used a big pair of channel
lock pliers to squeeze the connectors together, turned the switch on,
and voila the whole A/C unit came to life.

Mission accomplished.

It's more often than not that bad connections are the reason.

Boats seem to foster bad connections. Seems to me solder
is the only real reliable way to go when joining wires.

My refrigerator has been doing a great job of almost freezing
my beer since I re-crimped the stupid spade connectors at
the connector block. Prior to that it would "lose its way" and
stop cycling on.

--
Sir Gregory

though some here have disputed the practice, I still say that
solderless crimp connections always work best with a drop of solder on/
in them.

Fixing Things in Exotic Places
 

On Sun, 12 May 2013 12:52:22 -0700 (PDT), Tim
wrote:

though some here have disputed the practice, I still say that
solderless crimp connections always work best with a drop of solder on/
in them.

=======

The experts say no because the solder creates a "hard spot" which can
work harden and break after repeated vibration, same as using solid
copper wire instead of stranded. There is nothing wrong with a good
crimped connection if it is made properly and kept dry. One of the
secrets to keeping it dry are to always install them with the wire
pointed downward, and/or have a drip loop within an inch or two of the
connector.

http://captnpauley.typepad.com/.a/6a0111685112b3970c0105371a237d970b-800wi

Fixing Things in Exotic Places
 

On Sunday, 12 May 2013 18:09:15 UTC-3, Wayne B wrote:
On Sun, 12 May 2013 12:52:22 -0700 (PDT), Tim

wrote:



though some here have disputed the practice, I still say that

solderless crimp connections always work best with a drop of solder on/

in them.



=======



The experts say no because the solder creates a "hard spot" which can

work harden and break after repeated vibration, same as using solid

copper wire instead of stranded. There is nothing wrong with a good

crimped connection if it is made properly and kept dry. One of the

secrets to keeping it dry are to always install them with the wire

pointed downward, and/or have a drip loop within an inch or two of the

connector.



http://captnpauley.typepad.com/.a/6a0111685112b3970c0105371a237d970b-800wi

Last year we changed phone/internet/tv provider from a local company to Bell.
The installers didn't use a loup and didn't properly caulk the entry point of the optical fibre cable.
Water leaked into my house and the phone company's insurance had to make good on repairs.
You'd think the young installers would know better.

Fixing Things in Exotic Places
 

On May 12, 4:09*pm, Wayne B wrote:
On Sun, 12 May 2013 12:52:22 -0700 (PDT), Tim
wrote:

though some here have disputed the practice, I still say that
solderless crimp connections always work best with a drop of solder on/
in them.

=======

The experts say no because the solder creates a "hard spot" which can
work harden and break after repeated vibration, same as using solid
copper wire instead of stranded. * There is nothing wrong with a good
crimped connection if it is made properly and kept dry. *One of the
secrets to keeping it dry are to always install them with the wire
pointed downward, and/or have a drip loop within an inch or two of the
connector.

http://captnpauley.typepad.com/.a/6a0111685112b3970c0105371a237d970b-...

Oh, I do understand that, but i understand what I do. And what I do
seems to work well for me. then again, What i do on wiring, isn't
really a strategic process, but in some cases, the ' keeping dry'
is.
I've had wire crimped well into a connector and with a matter of
simple humidity, still corrode over rime making the connection
useless.

I do understand the 'hard spot' theory, but I also understand
anchoring the wire is important as well.

?;^ D

Fixing Things in Exotic Places
 

On Sun, 12 May 2013 14:43:35 -0400, Wayne B wrote:

It has been said that the definition of cruising in a boat is "fixing
things in exotic places". Unfortunately there is some truth to that,
and it's also true that necessity is the mother of invention, or in my
case, motivation. The circulating fan in our aft cabin (where we
sleep) air conditioner has been inoperable for a while. It hasn't
been a big deal since we've mostly been anchored out in a good breeze,
and with mostly comfortable temperatures. Today however we're docked
in Roadtown, Tortola (in the British Virgin Islands), the breeze has
abated, and temperatures have crept up into the mid to upper 80s.
It was time to do something.

There are no doubt professional A/C service people here in the BVI but
finding someone competent and reliable would be challenging enough
during the week and impossible on the weekend. Out came all of my
amateur mechanic tools, trouble lights and test equipment. With some
poking around, testing and inspection it was determined that the
circuit breaker was supplying power and that the local fuse was OK.
The connections behind the control panel seemed OK and nothing in the
wiring harness was obviously amiss. What next? I popped off the
cover to the junction box between the panel controls and the
condensing unit. Once again voltages seemed normal and there were no
obvious signs of electrical issues. Then I started tracing out the
wiring harness back to the control panel and noticed that there was a
big multi-block connector sitting in the middle. Sure enough, the
connectors did not look firmly seated. I used a big pair of channel
lock pliers to squeeze the connectors together, turned the switch on,
and voila the whole A/C unit came to life.

Mission accomplished.

Do you work on RV air conditioners? Haven't had a problem yet, but who knows?

Glad it worked out for you.

John H.
--

Hope you're having a great day!

Fixing Things in Exotic Places
 

On May 12, 5:17*pm, True North wrote:
On Sunday, 12 May 2013 18:09:15 UTC-3, Wayne B *wrote:
On Sun, 12 May 2013 12:52:22 -0700 (PDT), Tim

wrote:

though some here have disputed the practice, I still say that

solderless crimp connections always work best with a drop of solder on/

in them.

=======

The experts say no because the solder creates a "hard spot" which can

work harden and break after repeated vibration, same as using solid

copper wire instead of stranded. * There is nothing wrong with a good

crimped connection if it is made properly and kept dry. *One of the

secrets to keeping it dry are to always install them with the wire

pointed downward, and/or have a drip loop within an inch or two of the

connector.

http://captnpauley.typepad.com/.a/6a0111685112b3970c0105371a237d970b-....

Last year we changed phone/internet/tv provider from a local company to Bell.
The installers didn't use a loup and didn't properly caulk the entry point of the optical fibre cable.
Water leaked into my house and the phone company's insurance had to make good on repairs.
You'd think the young installers would know better.

" Fiber Optics " by Bell are a complete LIE. But YOU go on believing
it, you dumb****....LMAO

You would believe that....HAhahahahahahahahahahaha

Fixing Things in Exotic Places
 

On 5/12/2013 5:27 PM, Tim wrote:
On May 12, 4:09 pm, Wayne B wrote:
On Sun, 12 May 2013 12:52:22 -0700 (PDT), Tim
wrote:

though some here have disputed the practice, I still say that
solderless crimp connections always work best with a drop of solder on/
in them.

=======

The experts say no because the solder creates a "hard spot" which can
work harden and break after repeated vibration, same as using solid
copper wire instead of stranded. There is nothing wrong with a good
crimped connection if it is made properly and kept dry. One of the
secrets to keeping it dry are to always install them with the wire
pointed downward, and/or have a drip loop within an inch or two of the
connector.

http://captnpauley.typepad.com/.a/6a0111685112b3970c0105371a237d970b-...

Oh, I do understand that, but i understand what I do. And what I do
seems to work well for me. then again, What i do on wiring, isn't
really a strategic process, but in some cases, the ' keeping dry'
is.
I've had wire crimped well into a connector and with a matter of
simple humidity, still corrode over rime making the connection
useless.

I do understand the 'hard spot' theory, but I also understand
anchoring the wire is important as well.

?;^ D

The primary consideration is a strong mechanical connection (crimp).
Soldering has limited value except in high current situations. The best
corrosion prevention starts with tinned wire. followed by waterproofing
the connection.