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burtandnancy
12-04-2004, 12:06 PM
Well, Nancy caught me with her electric blanket, so I had to go to plan 2 for winterizing the boat. I know there is a lot of criticism for putting any kind of heat source in the motor compartment, but in my life around light bulbs, I've never had one explode or otherwise cause a spark. So I took my heavy duty drop cord and 100 watt bulb, protected by a wire cage and placed it between the two sets of CMI's. Just for fun, I also hung a thermometer from the hatch pin. After a really cold snap at Lake Mead, +/- 30 low to +/- 50 hi, I sneaked up on the boat, threw off the cover, unsnapped the cockpit cover and raised the hatch. It was 55 degrees in there!
One final note. Voltage runs high in Boulder City, usually around 128V (close to the dam you know) so we buy mostly 130V bulbs rather than 120V bulbs. The filaments are heavier and I have yet to blow any bulbs in the house or garage. Just thot this may help someone. However, if you blow up your boat, don't call me...

Havasu Hangin'
12-04-2004, 01:16 PM
Light bulbs are a bright idea.

Sleek-Jet
12-04-2004, 02:00 PM
One final note. Voltage runs high in Boulder City, usually around 128V (close to the dam you know) ...
That's not the reason... The accepted standard for voltage at the outlet is 120V +/- 5%, and the higher the better. The reason is if the voltage is to low, the electric motors in your house don't last (they will burn up), while to high of voltage burns out elements (like light bulb filaments). Voltage regulators at the substations are set to maintain that voltage. Distance from the generator has no bearing on the voltage at your house.
We shoot for 124V at the substations. It is a little higher at your house for several reasons. One, since air conditioning load is heavy most of the year, the power company runs the voltage higher to save the compressor motors and keep the volatge within limits during high load times. Second, you are probably close to a substation and the voltage does tend to be higher do to shorter feeder length (a shorter piece of wire has less resistance than a longer piece), thus less line loss of voltage.
All in all, most people would see longer bulb life if they used 130v bulbs, simply because the voltage at their houses is higher than they think.

burtandnancy
12-04-2004, 06:07 PM
sleek jet, thank you, that was really enlightening. Makes sense too. I've always kidded about the higher voltage as our Lake Mead home is only about 6 miles from the dam. I'm really sold on 130v bulbs...

Dr. Eagle
12-04-2004, 08:18 PM
I took an extention cord, bought an outdoor single gang electric box and a line voltage thermostat. I cut the extention cord and hooked it up to the thermostat. I used romex clamps where the cord goes in and out of the thermostat box.
I set the thermostat for 50 degrees and when it activates it turns on the two 60 watt drop lights hooked up to it.
I have a wireless weather system and I bought an additional remote temp. sensor so I can monitor it in the house. I have the computer set up to alarm if it gets down to 35 degrees.
So far the last two weeks it has gotten down to around 25 degrees outside on the colder nights, but the inside of the engine compartment hasn't gone below 45.
IMHO it beats the heck out of doing the full on winterization thing.

carreraboat
12-05-2004, 07:09 AM
The problem i see with the light bulb is you never know if it burned out till it is too late!

ahhell
12-05-2004, 07:22 AM
I used antifreeze... :idea: