On Saturday 07 October 2006 23:33, Derek wrote: > I am working on building an electric pump system. I > plan to put the batteries in a small pelican case. > How do you get the power cord out of the case? I > could run the cord out through the side of the case > opening, but am concerned that I may be introducing a > leak. I could drill through the case, and put sealant > around the wire. What methods have been found to be > satisfactory? Thoughts? We have a big pump system that works well, where the sealed lead acid battery box is vented in the bottom, and the contacts on the battery are greased with Vaseline. The switch (marine quality on-off switch used by boaters) is mounted in a little plastic box, connected to the battery box with outdoor quality electric cabling (from an old outdoor jule-tree lightening). I sealed the hole in the box as well as I could with hot glue, and regularily spray the innards of the switch with 5-56, WD-40, or similar. The lid to switch-box is sealed with Form-a-Gasket, and there is very little air inside, so the risk for leaks is minimal! The pump is rather big, but was the cheapest, seawater-proof, I could find! On the battery box there are two banana style jacks, as the GPS gets its power from the battery, as will the navigation lights, one day :-)! A solar panel that can feed the battery, is also available for longer trips :-)! The same plugs on the battery box are used for charging at home, with a CTEK charger, said by some (like Yatching World) to be the best ! A hefty SLA is heavy, so it is strapped to the bottom of the kayak, of course, and the pumps is strapped to the bottom, too! Other types of rechargable batteries either selfdischarge very fast (NiMHs), or age fast if 'topped up' (NiCADs should always be discharged before being recharged), or are costly, and need even costlier chargers and can cause lethal accidents due to their habit of catching fire (Li-Ions). Lithium and water is a lethal mix, as many of us know, and such batteries can easily cause firebomb-style pyrothechnics. A short is all that's needed - and I wouldn't want that in my kayak! And if you charge the battery while under way to the paddling trip you might get a nice warming fire in your car ... Non-rechargable batteries need a case that can be opened and sometimes can't deliver decent amps to drive a pump! And you have no idea if they are properly charged or not! Good luck, Tord Photos and descriptions of my set up: http://foldingkayaks.org/gallery/album07 *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Sun Oct 08 2006 - 03:27:13 PDT
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