300 Sundancer questions.

[Fill Ess]

Not sure what year your 300 is, but if you have the smart craft gauges with digital read out, you can zero out the fuel used on the port and starboard gauges every time you tank up. Then you can see (approximately) how much fuel you burn. This is a good guess as to how much you'll need in each tank when you hit the fuel dock.

Good call, I'll try this next time I tank up.

BTW, any of you guys with the Smartcraft gauges install the vessel view mobile?

 

[Time Enhancer]

This is how I do it too. Sounds similar to if you put a soda bottle under the faucet and you can hear the pitch change higher and higher as it approaches full and comes up the neck. Same thing is happening with the tank and the hose from the transom.




Not sure what year your 300 is, but if you have the smart craft gauges with digital read out, you can zero out the fuel used on the port and starboard gauges every time you tank up. Then you can see (approximately) how much fuel you burn. This is a good guess as to how much you'll need in each tank when you hit the fuel dock. For me it can be plus/- a few gallons each time depending on how full I got it the last time. This is when the listening to the fuel fill port as you get close to your target number. Obviously you'll have to account for any generator time as that isn't caught by the smart craft. If you have a Kohler 5E or ECD, they aren't super fuel hungry. Less than a gallon per hour of run time fully loaded down, and less than that if just powering a few things. You can google the owners manual for that and see the burn rates.

--Edit-- Duh you have an 05. Let me know if you want help on zeroing out port and starboard fuel burn readings on your two gauges. Same model as me.

Yes,
I would like to know how to zero it out once its filled please. Getting to know this boat. None of my outlets are working including the cig. lighter port at the helm. Trying to figure that out also. Checked the panel. Its all on. Going to work on the generator this weekend. Installing a new impeller 1st and checking oil level. Shuts down after 30 sec. After startup. The generator only has 80 hrs of usage.

 

[Fill Ess]

Yes,
I would like to know how to zero it out once its filled please. Getting to know this boat. None of my outlets are working including the cig. lighter port at the helm. Trying to figure that out also. Checked the panel. Its all on. Going to work on the generator this weekend. Installing a new impeller 1st and checking oil level. Shuts down after 30 sec. After startup. The generator only has 80 hrs of usage.

All the 110V AC AND the 12V DC plugs are out?

 

[Time Enhancer]

All the 110V AC AND the 12V DC plugs are out?

Seems like that is the case at this moment.

 

[Fill Ess]

The previous owner of my 290da drilled holes in the bottom of the sump box because there was some water getting in there. In my case it was from a leaking water tank fitting. He wasn't into fixing the root of the problems.

Did you replace the sump box? If so, how hard was it to remove the old box? I'm starting to wonder if mine has a slight leak. I made sure it was completely dry (outside the box), and left it for a few days. When I came back, I had a little bit of water -- maybe a shot glass worth. Then I took the boat out for about 3 hours, looked again and no additional water. It looks wet around the base of the box.

 

[Fill Ess]

Seems like that is the case at this moment.

Ok, assuming you have the shore power on, and Outlets/Fridge breaker on, did you check the GFCI on the outlets (like the head one)?

For the 12V DC receptacles, there is a 15A breaker under the helm in the EIM box (lower left corner) that you can check.

 

[HawkX66]

Did you replace the sump box? If so, how hard was it to remove the old box? I'm starting to wonder if mine has a slight leak. I made sure it was completely dry (outside the box), and left it for a few days. When I came back, I had a little bit of water -- maybe a shot glass worth. Then I took the boat out for about 3 hours, looked again and no additional water. It looks wet around the base of the box.

Yes. I installed a new sump box. It wasn't hard at all. Just keep track of which hose goes where and reinstall them in the same location as long as it's a similar box your installing.
You might want to just shut the breaker off and fill it with water to see if it is in fact leaking. Maybe even add a few drops of colored dye to the water.

 

[Fill Ess]

Yes. I installed a new sump box. It wasn't hard at all. Just keep track of which hose goes where and reinstall them in the same location as long as it's a similar box your installing.
You might want to just shut the breaker off and fill it with water to see if it is in fact leaking. Maybe even add a few drops of colored dye to the water.

I was just checking out this new box design (98B) and it seems like they have improved a few things.

https://www.wholesalemarine.com/rule-800-gph-shower-drain-system/

Thanks for the advice! We just had heavy rain last night so I'll see if I got any more water in the sump. If the plastic box is leaking, it's definitely a slow leak. There is still some pink antifreeze left over in the box from winterizing but not enough color to where I can tell in the water outside the box.

 

[Time Enhancer]

Group ,
Have any of you had any of your steps start to break at the weld from underneath? My last step and second to last step nearest to the cabin floor are broke at the welds. The last step is almost completely broke and leaning forward.

 

[Fill Ess]

Yes. I installed a new sump box. It wasn't hard at all. Just keep track of which hose goes where and reinstall them in the same location as long as it's a similar box your installing.
You might want to just shut the breaker off and fill it with water to see if it is in fact leaking. Maybe even add a few drops of colored dye to the water.

Hawk, when you were doing the new box, did you ever find replacements for the blue pump base? Both tabs are broken off from the 800 pump inside the box? All I could find was the complete pump, but at $18 maybe I should just get the whole pump, use the new base now and hold onto the pump as a spare?

 

[Fill Ess]

Group ,
Have any of you had any of your steps start to break at the weld from underneath? My last step and second to last step nearest to the cabin floor are broke at the welds. The last step is almost completely broke and leaning forward.

Wow, I haven't heard of that before. What is the best way to fix that? Remove the entire frame and have all the welds re-done?

 

[HawkX66]

Hawk, when you were doing the new box, did you ever find replacements for the blue pump base? Both tabs are broken off from the 800 pump inside the box? All I could find was the complete pump, but at $18 maybe I should just get the whole pump, use the new base now and hold onto the pump as a spare?

I installed a new pump so I never looked for the base. Are you sure about the $18 for a whole new pump? Seems pretty cheap. Must be off brand right? I went with a "Rule" 1100. I know 800 would be fine, but I went with the 1100 "just in case." The bilge pumps are one place where I don't feel comfortable with off brand equipment. Probably would be fine, but I wouldn't have the warm and fuzzy...

 

[Time Enhancer]

Wow, I haven't heard of that before. What is the best way to fix that? Remove the entire frame and have all the welds re-done?

I'm going to see if I can get a welder to come out and look at it. Maybe throw wet leather down on the floor and wet towels everywhere. It would be alot to try and remove that whole steel stair setup.
Surprised. Glad I noticed the welds broke before someone went in their face. Probably me.

 

[Time Enhancer]

This is how I do it too. Sounds similar to if you put a soda bottle under the faucet and you can hear the pitch change higher and higher as it approaches full and comes up the neck. Same thing is happening with the tank and the hose from the transom.




Not sure what year your 300 is, but if you have the smart craft gauges with digital read out, you can zero out the fuel used on the port and starboard gauges every time you tank up. Then you can see (approximately) how much fuel you burn. This is a good guess as to how much you'll need in each tank when you hit the fuel dock. For me it can be plus/- a few gallons each time depending on how full I got it the last time. This is when the listening to the fuel fill port as you get close to your target number. Obviously you'll have to account for any generator time as that isn't caught by the smart craft. If you have a Kohler 5E or ECD, they aren't super fuel hungry. Less than a gallon per hour of run time fully loaded down, and less than that if just powering a few things. You can google the owners manual for that and see the burn rates.

--Edit-- Duh you have an 05. Let me know if you want help on zeroing out port and starboard fuel burn readings on your two gauges. Same model as me.

Let me know how to zero out the fuel if you would.
Thanks

 

[Fill Ess]

I installed a new pump so I never looked for the base. Are you sure about the $18 for a whole new pump? Seems pretty cheap. Must be off brand right? I went with a "Rule" 1100. I know 800 would be fine, but I went with the 1100 "just in case." The bilge pumps are one place where I don't feel comfortable with off brand equipment. Probably would be fine, but I wouldn't have the warm and fuzzy...

That's true, it was a cheap knockoff pump -- but a cheap way to get just the strainer base

 

[Time Enhancer]

Group ,
Finally got my generator to work. New impeller installed.
Started right up and ran. Pushed water well for cooling but smoked a bit here and there.
Normal ??

 

[JimFromMD]

Let me know how to zero out the fuel if you would.
Thanks

You click through the modes until you get to the setting with current and total GPH burn rates displayed. Then simultaneously press troll and mode (left and middle buttons). It will ask if you want to reset, and then you press the middle button (if I recall correctly). If you get into troll mode by pressing the left button first, you can wait or turn the motor off and back on to try again. I do this after each fuel up on each motor... that way you have a ballpark burned amount for fueling up. If you have a dual motor setup, there is a similar fuel burned on the combined gauge, but I never bother that one.

 

[Time Enhancer]

You click through the modes until you get to the setting with current and total GPH burn rates displayed. Then simultaneously press troll and mode (left and middle buttons). It will ask if you want to reset, and then you press the middle button (if I recall correctly). If you get into troll mode by pressing the left button first, you can wait or turn the motor off and back on to try again. I do this after each fuel up on each motor... that way you have a ballpark burned amount for fueling up. If you have a dual motor setup, there is a similar fuel burned on the combined gauge, but I never bother that one.

I will give it a shot. Appreciate it.
Installing new guages this weekend.

 

[Chillaxin']

I'm going to see if I can get a welder to come out and look at it. Maybe throw wet leather down on the floor and wet towels everywhere. It would be alot to try and remove that whole steel stair setup.
Surprised. Glad I noticed the welds broke before someone went in their face. Probably me.

The P.O. of my boat had the welds redone on the middle and lower step. It looks like they added a brace as well.
As for removal, there are 2 trim pieces to remove and it exposes the upper mount hardware.

 

[Fill Ess]

The P.O. of my boat had the welds redone on the middle and lower step. It looks like they added a brace as well. As for removal, there are 2 trim pieces to remove and it exposes the upper mount hardware.

Just looked at mine and I'd agree. The bottom bolts are visible but if you can get the trim off the top, it would be ideal to remove the whole thing and take it to a welder. You will have to paint it after the repair anyways, which would also be easier if it's not on the boat.