connecting two oil coolers

[stav]

Hi,

Having fitted a new gearbox (last year) I have ended up with two oil coolers, one for the engine and one for the gearbox. Initially I had a bent piece of plastic tube but then soldered up a bit of 3/4" tube and a 3/4 to 1" in copper reducer. But I am wondering if the copper tube was the best thing to make the connecting tubes from?

They are isolated by the rubber tubes but I do leave the seacock open most of the time. All the seacocks are wired together to the anodes.

Will it be OK? Or suggestions for other ways the connect the two oil coolers.

Thank you.

 

[VicS]

Hi,

Having fitted a new gearbox (last year) I have ended up with two oil coolers, one for the engine and one for the gearbox. Initially I had a bent piece of plastic tube but then soldered up a bit of 3/4" tube and a 3/4 to 1" in copper reducer. But I am wondering if the copper tube was the best thing to make the connecting tubes from?

They are isolated by the rubber tubes but I do leave the seacock open most of the time. All the seacocks are wired together to the anodes.

Will it be OK? Or suggestions for other ways the connect the two oil coolers.

Thank you.

You can disconnect that lot for starters. Through-hulls and seacocks should be made of corrosion resistant materials that do not need the protection of anodes and the interconnecting wiring can lead to unforeseen problems ( see the MAIB comments in the report on the near loss of the FV Random Harvest)

Copper should be Ok provided it is not subject to vibration that could cause fatigue but I would not use the paper thin stuff that is used these days for domestic plumbing. No objection either I would have thought to using hoses where practical.

 

[stav]

Thanks VicS will look in to removing wires but quite well done inc keel bolts etc. Will look for some thicker copper tube! I was worried it might be corroding other parts away: It is why I had to change the old gearbox.

 

[Plum]

Hi,

Having fitted a new gearbox (last year) I have ended up with two oil coolers, one for the engine and one for the gearbox. Initially I had a bent piece of plastic tube but then soldered up a bit of 3/4" tube and a 3/4 to 1" in copper reducer. But I am wondering if the copper tube was the best thing to make the connecting tubes from?

They are isolated by the rubber tubes but I do leave the seacock open most of the time. All the seacocks are wired together to the anodes.

Will it be OK? Or suggestions for other ways the connect the two oil coolers.

Thank you.

Vic has given good advice although I used some domestic copper tube in my raw water cooling circuit 15 years ago and it is still looking good. Also, do I assume your raw water curcuit is based on 1 inch bore and you have stepped down to 3/4 inch bore for the new oil cooler? If so, will you get enough flow rate through the 3/4 pipes to keep your engine cool?

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk

 

[Tranona]

Not sure why you are worried about corrosion of those tubes as they don't seem to be connected to any metal so just have seawater running through them.

They are nothing to do with the bonding system fitted to your seacocks and keel, none of which is necessary anyway as Vic says. Not sure why you describe them as "well done", although I suspect the wires and terminals look need and well attached - just not doing anything useful!

 

[stav]

The 'well done' bit is how neat the wiring to the seacocks is, connectors and made spirally (sort of for antivibration etc. Looks like a job that someone charged the previous owner a lot of money for................ Hadn't thought about the change in diameter but have run the engine hard for an hour or so and temperature looks normal. But will look at getting some different end caps for the gearbox oil cooler. My logic was it was not connected to anything but did want to double check as the previous gearbox died due to corrosion: I hadn't appreciated that someone had fitted brass fittings in the aluminium housing to take the cooling pipes. I went to check what the white powder was and everything just crumbled away....... Hence my checking that what I had done was OK. Thanks for the replies again.