Lifeboat Conversion Ep23: Using old electrical conduit, vent fans, and making bunk supports [4K]

[@scowell]

When pulling wires through conduit, always add extra tape around the blunt edges of the wires, like a 'nose cone', to prevent them stalling on a step in size or on a junction. Loving the content, the Greenland bit was awesome... glad you didn't have to eat any dogs a la Shackleton.

[@AlexHibbertOriginals]

Now I know!

[@DeanZylman]

I would suggest using a different type of fan. a impeller fan or squirrel cage fan. they are way better at creating pressure and are therefore better at pushing/sucking air trough tubes.

[@cuzinevil1]

Damn. I had hate mail all ready to go and then you pull out the grinder... I feel so cheated. The Greenland video is brilliant.

[@ralfhoehne1927]

I deal more with hydrolics, but close. If you don't want to waste the larger fan you could place it over the discharge point if size allows. Just a thought.

[@coreypearson9464]

Another suggestion. In all wire connections where you would think just a wire nut was good. Twist, solder, then crimp connecter. That boat will be in constant motion. And the wire nut and tap just didn't seem to hold up after months at sea. Solder all connections that are not designed to be replaced with warn out components.

[@jimbranch6115]

I haven't chimed in yet but in years past did enjoy every opportunity to use my 22 oz east wing framing hammer. I feared the possibility of therapy. Now I have those for you and your angle grinder. Have fun, you're doing a great job.

[@AlexHibbertOriginals]

Cheers

[@seanfletcher6703]

Missed this series. Happy to see an update

[@AlexHibbertOriginals]

The Greenland doc took all my editing energy for some weeks!

[@seanfletcher6703]

@@AlexHibbertOriginals I just got done watching it, amazing work Alex. Keep up the good work!

[@napster7825]

There is a special lube made for pulling elctric wire through conduit, it's reminiscent of green slime. Or just take a bar of soap anf rub it on the wire really well, then be ready to put the brakes on so it doesn't go through to fast.

[@myoldaccount2560]

I use this stuff called Polywater. It’s great when pulling cable through plumbing because it doesn’t contaminate the water.

[@justsomeguy6474]

I too am a fan of spreading my failures out.....helps with the stinging.

[@marklapierre5629]

Being an HVAC engineer I can understand why your low head fan would not move air through a duct. You are also correct about stacking those fans to increase their head capacity. Like linking battery cells in parallel you don't get more voltage, but you do get more current. That's what you are looking for, a current of air.

[@AlexHibbertOriginals]

An intriguing but steep learning curve it's been!

[@Cintmaasmusic]

I like the project. And your great pronunciation.

[@MobileCabinWorks]

When pulling a new wire behind an old wire, I solder them together and pull them through, so they are the same diameter. No snags, no tape, no breaking half way.

[@pepperspray7386]

I just watched your backside go to a cold start find and train dogs after building a sled, and you can't beat a conduit? Makes me think of the flashing 12:00 on the VCR, eventually it becomes part of your life.

[@alttabby3633]

Sometime you can get past a blockage by blasting compressed air in the conduit as you pull the wire. Also to run a new wire in a conduit with a bend, apply vacuum to one end and feed paracord or string from the other end.

[@AlexHibbertOriginals]

I didn't try vacuum as I don't think the conduit is sealed, but I did try running a scout wire from both ends.

[@commoncaliforniadude]

When pulling wire through the conduit, have someone on the opposite end pushing the wire through the conduit at the same time. This may solve your hanging issue, sometimes the wires get bound around corners and need to be pushed as wel as pulled

[@ManxAndy]

Alan’s back……hooray, and on a WET Wednesday…….👍💪🇮🇲💖

[@konzo79]

I've been watching all of Alan's very interesting videos, thank you for sharing the building process!! I work in shipbuilding myself, maybe I could give you a tip without being too annoying :) There is a Zinc "paint" that we use when we cut the galvanized steel (pipes), to cover the exposed part after the cut. It's not as good as galvanizing the whole thing again, but helps prevent corrosion, specially with parts that will be in contact with water.

[@AlexHibbertOriginals]

Ah yes indeed. I was thinking of getting some, but to be honest a good coat of appropriate paint will do the job too!

[@thomasreams2357]

You should call the bed Allen's appendix. We don't really need them kind of just a junk organ but we don't take it out because we already have it

[@danneeson4341]

About that vhf radio. When i buy normal, every day use optics i go for the low range of the highest quality brands. They don’t dare to sell junk under the same name. A 150€ binocular from Kowa is usually better than a 300€ pair from some chineesium brand.

[@justsomeguy6474]

You have to name it. "The Government"

[@Hyratel]

I was actually watching some videos about this - in the 3d printing community there's a lot of back and forth between axial or radial fans - axial fans needa set of stator vanes in the outputto turn thechoppy turbulence from the blades into air moving down the ducting or nozzle

[@Hyratel]

It can be as basic as a couple of slotted together sheets of ligbt plastic or carbon fiber offcuts, stuck inside the blue cone with tube glue

[@AlexHibbertOriginals]

Thanks - I'll put together a test rig and see if the flow is ok without vanes.

[@Hyratel]

@@AlexHibbertOriginals axial fans are prone to turbulent stall if there's much backpressure and no stators to arrest the turbulence

[@kylebroflovski5333]

Maybe have the 2nd fan half way through as a booster pump. Also as your brother may have said, the angle of the corner has a big impact on the friction. Also the big fan may be useful in the middle of the boat if you need some extra airflow to help clear out the boat.

[@AlexHibbertOriginals]

Yes indeed

[@jonrpearce]

When pulling old cable out of a duct, always pull in string/line so you can pull new cable through when ready. Everything is easier with hindsight though isn’t it? Think I drove past your boatyard a few weeks back visiting family.

[@AlexHibbertOriginals]

That wasn't the issue. I was initially using the existing wires to try to guide the new ones through. They weren't pulled out immediately.

[@VinceW187]

If you want have a look at Alluring Arctic, they just got a new boat that they are prepping for extended stays in the cold.

[@AlexHibbertOriginals]

Have had a browse. By the looks of it, you could with the same money either buy Alan, or one hatch handle from Arktika!

[@VinceW187]

@@AlexHibbertOriginals Alan every single time

[@robschlotterbeck2566]

You should also get an HF radio if your going more than 50 miles from shore. This could seriously save your life.

[@AlexHibbertOriginals]

I've not heard of many going beyond VHF and for those in more remote areas, satellite. Can you outline the case for HF?

[@benjarickard]

Love the vids! Would be great to see you talking about your experiences in a Joe Rogan-esque format.

[@AlexHibbertOriginals]

You've pre-empted a new channel I have sitting in the background, ready to launch....but I need to make sure you lot are going to come along for the ride, sans Alan.

[@smokinlouie9885]

After watching the Allen Life Boat rebuild and Prep. I want one. Don't know what to do with it. But I want an Allen.

[@AlexHibbertOriginals]

There is only one Alan

[@markdavis2475]

I've often coated cables in silicon grease if the conduit feels like it's going to be tight.

[@AlexHibbertOriginals]

It wasn't a friction thing, more easy easy easy...thud. From both directions.

[@gmlong6097]

what's the story on that yellow level? do those wings/base fold up and rectangular again? looks like excellent stability - never seen one like that. Cheers

[@AlexHibbertOriginals]

It's a fixed rigid level.

[@cornmaized]

I’ve been neglecting viewing this series a little but the quality is still excellent!

[@AlexHibbertOriginals]

Cheers

[@tobyturner1767]

When i did my vhf licence made it fairly clear he was a big fan of icom and silva should've stuck to compasses.

[@tobyturner1767]

*my instructor made it...

[@gudnisnaer8171]

That platform should be named Dave

[@AlexHibbertOriginals]

Dave certainly wasn't too narrow!

[@jonathansimmons5353]

Bilge vent fans are easily available brand new with all fitting kit. Marine spec.

[@AlexHibbertOriginals]

Yes, I had a few. Crazily noisy and don't like speed modulation without whining. I've known people who are similar.

[@wilsonpickett9485]

all caught up in one day lounge chair adventurer that I am

[@AlexHibbertOriginals]

My congratulations.

[@AmIAntiAntianti]

Your writing style sounds like a old timey diary.

[@edwardoliver2086]

Cheers for the grinder footage, sorry about the hate mail but it was necessary

[@NCPFunK]

Concrete dimond grinding discs! will last 100x sandpaperdiscs

[@martyn101101]

Unnecessarily heavy and cost more than it should have? Donald must be its name.

[@Space_Reptile]

if the fan is in the pull instead of push configuration it might have a much better shot at moving air

[@AlexHibbertOriginals]

Possible. Although it can't be mounted at the actual exit vent, so there still has to be a constriction downstream of the fan without a redesign.

[@stevepettifer4896]

Is it worth considering a zone 1 SELV bathroom extractor fan of some sort? You can get IPX4 and IPX5 rated ones, although I suspect they are 12v so if you needed 24v that might be more difficult, although you do have to be careful as some of them are 12v AC. I think Xpelair do a 12v DC ultra quiet one in IPX4 and IPX5. No fan likes corners in the ducting, but if you can stick with 100mm flexible duct these might work for you. I expect you've already considered these but figured they were worth a mention. I spent too long reading about the damn things while replacing the ones in our house.

[@AlexHibbertOriginals]

Would probably work fine, but these IP68 units are very efficient, quiet, and uncomplicated to install.

[@lugsatronic]

I've used the furuno fm8900 radio before and find it's group scan to be lacking, and cycle time is quite slow. If it picks up something on one of your assigned channels and you don't get to it quick enough it's a pain to turn scan off and then manually go to the channel. I'm sure every radio has its own little idiosyncrasies and they'll all do the job in the end.

[@AlexHibbertOriginals]

It's also about 5x my budget!

[@lugsatronic]

@@AlexHibbertOriginals easy one to rule out then 😂😂

[@timmymartin317]

Good job!

[@SportSoulLife]

VHF radio, they are mostly the same stuff all of them. Just make sure its: 25W Has DSC Has DW Is approved Icom is always a safe bet for boats. As for what model pairs to the AIS unit, no idea.

[@SportSoulLife]

Oh what it important though is that it has a good ground and that the coaxial cable that goes to the antenna is of right specifications. Stay clear of any super cheap RG-8 stuff, that stuff belongs in a happy meal not on lifesaving equipment.

[@AfroMyrdal]

2:35 I normally don't comment on things before watching an entire video, but those splises with solder haven't melted as they should and are not held together properly. For something going into such a harch environment I would look into getting it meltet probably even though it will probably be completely fine.

[@AlexHibbertOriginals]

The solder melted and flowed in both. It doesn't completely fill the void.

[@AfroMyrdal]

@@AlexHibbertOriginals Okey, they just looked a little thick to be melted properly :)

[@purpleom9649]

You need something to stop that boat from rolling around in the sea, I think the first big wave taken side on will see the boat upside down for a brief moment and even if that doesn't happen you will be sick as dogs as soon as you get on open sea.

[@AlexHibbertOriginals]

I strongly recommend watching previous episodes! It's discussed a lot.

[@purpleom9649]

@@AlexHibbertOriginals I do believe I've watched all your well written/shot episodes to date and I might have missed the centre of gravity being drastically moved but I can't recall it. If it's going out on open sea for more time than it's designed to with less than the weight of 20 odd people I might suggest some calculations for weighted keels.

[@jamesbramlett5407]

Can't find any of those books on Audible. Maybe during some longer passages, you could record yourself reading your book? I've found that self-narrated books do quote well on Audible, and they will often sponsor an episode, series of episodes or even a whole season.

[@AlexHibbertOriginals]

Alas - no Audible for now.

[@jamesbramlett5407]

@@AlexHibbertOriginals I kinda wanna hit the down thumb ha

[@macslife]

Starliner Platform 😉

[@townsville69]

Narrow (minded), Heavy (handed) and Expensive you say ? Have to call it Thatcher. Ohh or Thatcher hatch ?

[@ptonpc]

Seconded.

[@thefallen446]

Would it help if you put the fan midway through the run that way it sucks and blows

[@AlexHibbertOriginals]

Not if there's still a constriction straight after the fan.

[@jamesbramlett5407]

I have that SAME Shirt! (Where'd u get urs? ;))

[@KnightsWithoutATable]

Name it "The Plank!"

[@jtclements]

Call it the "Fatform". XP

[@pontuswendt2486]

AMAZINGNES!!!

[@dirkdiggler4860]

Each 90 in a duct is like 1.5 m of straight pipe

[@AlexHibbertOriginals]

Yes, I'm finding this!

[@desmondbroad1305]

Use cable tracing rods £20toolstation job done😍

[@69shovlhed89]

it doesn't look like your heat gun was hot enough to melt the solder in your connectors; the ring of solder should completely suck into the wires

[@AlexHibbertOriginals]

The solder is inside that constricting ring. Different colour grey.

[@HeikosGarage]

Those heat shrink connectors are not very good connections. Someone on KZbin did testing, cut them apart after using them to see the penetration of the solder. It wasn't great.

[@AlexHibbertOriginals]

Yes I've seen a lot of debate on that. I think given their practicality, as long as you ensure a good physical connect pre-heating and then visually see the solder flow, you're unlikely to have a disaster. I did a couple in a rush years back and didn't watch for the solder. They worked fine without voltage drop, but when I came to remove them for a re-design, they pulled away with a yank.

[@timerickson7056]

why couldn't you put the fan near the vent and pull the air from the engine compartment that way the smaller cone adapter wouldn't have back pressure.

[@AlexHibbertOriginals]

The exit from the port is a fixed diameter - so the reduction would still have to happen there.

[@bertchristensen9234]

Name the platform Les. As in less than ideal.

[@petergilbert7106]

Hey Alex, Is it worth your time doing some affiliate purchase links on amazon or similar for products you feature? I would certainly feel better about buying products you recommend if I know that you and Alan might benefit financially from my purchase.

[@AlexHibbertOriginals]

I'd prefer to avoid those sorts of marginal/commission-based games.

[@merlin51h84]

Where were you on Apollo 13????

[@AlexHibbertOriginals]

You're not the first to make this observation.

[@gjs9871]

I’ve seen baofeng radios work well.

[@VinceW187]

Great video. Instead of giving it a random name, name it after the largest new contributer this week. Although I am not sure they would appreciate it. Can always call it Dave he was also a bit on the larger side :)

[@AlexHibbertOriginals]

But certainly not too narrow!

[@robertphillips6296]

WD-40?

[@AlexHibbertOriginals]

I wish!

[@AbhishekXavier]

How about bed weight, like dead weight but a bed.....😅

[@hadorstapa]

How about Steve?

[@robdavy4468]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/p5mXf5uBpZ14jbs for those too lazy to go and find the (very good) hour long arctic video!

[@michaelyoung7261]

For the algorithm

[@friedtomatoes4946]

Don't use those things to connect. It's low temp solder and will fail with time. Especially in the rough and changing conditions you will be in. Also when they fail you can't repair them you have to replace them.

[@friedtomatoes4946]

If you're going to use them at least use flux so that the wire can absorb the solder. That's another issue with these the solder does not always bind with the copper wire

[@friedtomatoes4946]

Please please please please please please please please please trust me on this. I do electrical repair all the time these things are problems and a half but they can work

[@AlexHibbertOriginals]

I'm unsure what parts you are saying will fail. The solder? If so that''s no dramatic problem as the two ends are very well mechanically held together/intertwined.

[@friedtomatoes4946]

@@AlexHibbertOriginals sorry I just got back from work when I wrote that and I was a bit exhausted so I did not explain very well. Specifically the solder that is in there has two major flaws. One under mechanical stress or more importantly temperature fluctuations. it shatters/disconnects from the wire. Two it fails to wick into the solder enough and pulls out. If the wires are in an area where they will not move at all this is not an issue but any area with any mechanical stress or movement they will fail. This is to do with the solder itself not properly wicking itself into the copper wire and the fact that low temperature solder can be brittle. For example in the video you did the red wire did not have completely melted solder nor did it fully wick. If you were to take that joint and bend back and forth for maybe a minute and then pull on it with a decent pull I have a feeling it may break. Again I could be wrong and so long as these aren't put under stress it may not be an issue but in my experience about 1 in 10 will fail.

[@friedtomatoes4946]

@@AlexHibbertOriginals kzbin.info/www/bejne/q5_bdpevjJ2Fhpo this really shows kinda what I am saying from an electrician

[@Will-Parr]

I hate blue plastic defiance. Excellent video however. Congrats

[@AlexHibbertOriginals]

Don't we all.

[@xpop2005]

Plank

[@ansiviewer]

Contact The KZbin channel Ham Radio Crash Course…

[@MARK-xj9ss]

dUUUDE , that conection on wires your doing on watter will fail cuz of all movement btw you didnt melt it properly.... after melting you shouldnt be able to see that soldering ring it shouldv been gone in the wires . you need to get it above 200c to melt and usualy it burns that plastic tube in that temperature :D also you can ask any proper car electrician what they think of soldering

[@AlexHibbertOriginals]

Hi Mark. I think you may have different types mixed up - these I've checked with an electrician friend. The dark metal band you can see constricts but doesn't melt. The lighter grey solder is inside, and you can visually see it melting and encompassing the two bare cable ends. I've done tests on spare lengths, and once done, it takes a lot of efforts to pull them apart. The only limiting factor can be that the silicone cable sheaths don't fully bond to the seal rings on each end of the connectors.

[@allwaysareup]

Bill

[@godsangryhands4499]

Too expensive.. too narrow.. drinks too much.. unecessarily heavy.....The Platforms name is.... wait for it.... "THE EX WIFE!!" LOLOLOLOL. ;-)

[@SD-unlimited]

Properly Lousy Attempt To Fabricate Only Renders Misery

[@jeremyprice679]

Boris

[@perfectpitchtodd]

Too heavy, too expensive, and difficult to work with, let's call it the US government. (and yes, I'm from the US). I also have an incessant need to use comma's.

[@fakingbidensinnocence64]

I would name that thing democRAT policy