Buzzer in and Engine Run

Yesterday afternoon I realized that I had forgotten to install the external buzzer/light in the cockpit engine control panel.  Our initial attempt at the end of the engine installation failed because the wrong electrical harness had been sent by Volvo.  Forgetting that task was a real pain because it would have been so easy when the port quarter berth was clear for the installation of the engine controls on Monday, but would be more difficult now because it would require yet one more clear out of the quarter berth.

I started to prepare myself for the job by looking at previous emails from Mark, looking at the basic schematic provided by Volvo, and looking at the labeling on the new harness.  There was a branch labeled "key" which had a terminator, which meant that it did not have to be connected to anything, and in my case would not be used because I do not have an engine key switch.  There was another branch with a terminator labeled "Neutral" that I had not seen before.  I telephoned Mark in Port Townsend and after digging out his copy of the Volvo schematic he explained the connections very clearly.  The "Nuetral" cable is to report when the gear is in neutral to the MDI control logic and is not used on Pachuca.  He said that the job would be easy and it looked so easy to me that I decided to do it immediately rather than wait until the next morning.

I first connected the buzzer to the new harness because a lot of force was required for the tight fit of the connectors.  I then cleared out the quarter berth area and in 10 minutes had the new harness connected in the path between the engine and the panel.  Fortunately I was able to mount the buzzer without help by pushing it through the tight hole from the inside then managing to thread the nut from the outside without pushing the buzzer back in.

I powered up the system and the buzzer and light gave to short bursts to signify that the electronics self checking had been successful.  I had feared that the buzzer would put out one of those high pitched squeals that can be heard at the other side of the marina but was pleasantly surprised at its tolerable low pitch.

This time there was no battery alarm that had resulted in my taking the alternator to Port Townsend for replacement.  At 1100 rpm I noted that the voltmeter was recording 14 volts.  I don't recall seeing more than 13.3 or 13.4 volts from the original alternator. 

I telephoned Mark and reported the success.  His reply was "Life's Good".  I thanked him for his help while thinking that life was indeed looking pretty good.

I then tidied up the cabling as best I could using plastic ties.  The photo shows the cable harnesses running along the top of one of the stringers.  Yes, I know that it looks very open and industrial, but that's the way I like it.  I want to able to reach and see as much of the wiring as possible.  At the left you can see the new engine control with the two red cables below it.

Larry Back In La Paz

I expect to be away for the next two days.  Larry Conlee arrived in La Paz on Sunday morning after the long drive from his home in Oregon.  Brenda and I met Larry at the hotel we stayed at in the early summer, and he took us on a memorable tour of the Loreto area.  We plan to visit the mountains in the Loreto area, prepared to sleep rough in the bush if we have to.  One will sleep in the truck, the other will on a cot under the stars.  I told Larry that I wasn't fussed about where I slept until he mentioned the cougars lurking around them thar hills.