420/44 DB Owners Club

[Alex F]

My port side fuel gauge goes off and on. The analog and digital. It seems like it’s a loose connection. When I am running the top end it comes and goes a lot quickly, when going slow it will stay off a lot longer.
Anyone ever had this issue.

Before chasing the whole run from ER to the bridge, have you checked connections at the tank?

29 SENDING UNIT, FUEL SENDER WEMA 20" 12V

 

[NorCalRobert]

My port side fuel gauge goes off and on. The analog and digital. It seems like it’s a loose connection. When I am running the top end it comes and goes a lot quickly, when going slow it will stay off a lot longer.
Anyone ever had this issue.

Also if checking connections at the fuel sending unit on tank, there is an access panel under the hide a bed couch

 

[Crushin It]

My port side fuel gauge goes off and on. The analog and digital. It seems like it’s a loose connection. When I am running the top end it comes and goes a lot quickly, when going slow it will stay off a lot longer.
Anyone ever had this issue.

I am having the same issue same side - - - 06 44 Sundancer

 

[ttmott]

My port side fuel gauge goes off and on. The analog and digital. It seems like it’s a loose connection. When I am running the top end it comes and goes a lot quickly, when going slow it will stay off a lot longer.
Anyone ever had this issue.

In 2003/4 SR went to digital gauges (LinkSys). Your gauges are provided the digital data from your Diesel View / Vessel View.
The fuel tank sender which is if original a standard resistive sender and connects to the engine harness. That analog signal then is processed by the SIM module (that black Motorola box) and outputted on the Smartcraft CAN bus.
The CAN bus is then connected to the Diesel View or Vessel View.
If you have other fuel level indicators then those are also digital and provided their signal via a NMEA 2000 data system (most likely). If you have other fuel level indicators and they are the old style analog and are directly connected to the fuel level sender then you will have significant issues with the digital signal; it doesn't sound like this is your arrangement however.

I would say if you are getting an intermittent signal then there is an issue with the actual sender in the fuel tank, the wire connected to it or that wire connected to the engine's harness. There is also a ground wire tied to the sender but there is also a bonding wire connected to the tank (those are usually redundant).

 

[Bruce SEA 993]

Does anyone know how much overlap the sliding door frame there is over the glass. Or another way to say it it: how far inside the frame is the glass. I want to install a soft close/open and I have to screw a little bracket to the sliding door that catches the spring and piston unit that is mounted to the door frame.

The bracket on the door has a square protrusion that catches the spring/piston unit.

If I drill a pilot hose into the door frame and hit the glass, I'll have 4000 bits of crumbled safety glass at my feet...

Thanks!

 

[Bruce SEA 993]

I figured out the door, there is a wide frame on the latch side.

The reason for it is the door does not always get latched and if we get waves or wake from the side the door goes banging side to side.

Here is the open side soft close:

And here is both sides. Only one "catcher":

 

[Bruce Davenport]

I own a 2007 44db. Since I have owned it I have never had any water at the valve in the anchor chain locker. This weekend I decided to try and solve that problem. The valve appears to be fine and the waterline going through the anchor locker ok. I was wondering if anyone on this forum knows where that water line originates from. Is there a manifold in the boat perhaps that may have a valve in that line that is shut off.?

 

[bajturner]

I own a 2007 44db. Since I have owned it I have never had any water at the valve in the anchor chain locker. This weekend I decided to try and solve that problem. The valve appears to be fine and the waterline going through the anchor locker ok. I was wondering if anyone on this forum knows where that water line originates from. Is there a manifold in the boat perhaps that may have a valve in that line that is shut off.?

There is a manifold under the galley floor on the slight starboard side. You access it through the storage hatch in the galley floor.

 

[Bruce SEA 993]

I am trying to figure out how to get a 12 volt outlet in the 2nd stateroom for a "portable" 120V/12V freezer. The only 12V near that area is the lighting circuit. I guess I could come from the batteries but cannot figure out how to "break into" the stateroom. I was looking behind the forward cushion on the back of the couch where the water fill goes down to the tank. I cannot see if there is a way into the stateroom.

Thanks!

 

[bajturner]

I am trying to figure out how to get a 12 volt outlet in the 2nd stateroom for a "portable" 120V/12V freezer. The only 12V near that area is the lighting circuit. I guess I could come from the batteries but cannot figure out how to "break into" the stateroom. I was looking behind the forward cushion on the back of the couch where the water fill goes down to the tank. I cannot see if there is a way into the stateroom.

Thanks!

There is an area along the engine room firewall, directly below the sofa that has access near the light valence in the stateroom. I found it when fishing line level outputs from the stereo to behind the sofa. That gets you into the room at least.

 

[Bruce Davenport]

Thank you bajturner.

 

[Bruce SEA 993]

There is an area along the engine room firewall, directly below the sofa that has access near the light valence in the stateroom. I found it when fishing line level outputs from the stereo to behind the sofa. That gets you into the room at least.

Oh, I will have to look. Thanks

 

[saopm]

My salon A/C is struggling today here in the northeast. It is running full force, shades closed and it’s 79 degrees in here. Is this just the way it is with these boats? Has anyone successfully installed a higher BTU unit?

 

[bajturner]

My salon A/C is struggling today here in the northeast. It is running full force, shades closed and it’s 79 degrees in here. Is this just the way it is with these boats? Has anyone successfully installed a higher BTU unit?

Is the filter clean?

 

[boaterholic]

My salon A/C is struggling today here in the northeast. It is running full force, shades closed and it’s 79 degrees in here. Is this just the way it is with these boats? Has anyone successfully installed a higher BTU unit?

As mentioned above, check filter, and also check your AC strainer and look over the side and confirm it looks like proper water flow on the AC cooling water discharge.
Down here in the hot humid southeast I can keep mine at 75.

 

[saopm]

Filter is clean and I have good water flow. I also had the windows tinted last season. I have good airflow too. I think a bigger unit is needed, but not sure it would fit through the cabinet.

 

[boaterholic]

Filter is clean and I have good water flow. I also had the windows tinted last season. I have good airflow too. I think a bigger unit is needed, but not sure it would fit through the cabinet.

One more thing to check is the temperature of the cold air discharged into salon. Have you checked it with an AC thermometer? If you don’t have one you can get one at auto parts store.
If I remember right mine is coming out at about 65 degrees. If yours is not coming out cool enough you may need to have it checked with gauges to see how the Freon looks.

 

[Alex F]

My salon A/C is struggling today here in the northeast. It is running full force, shades closed and it’s 79 degrees in here. Is this just the way it is with these boats? Has anyone successfully installed a higher BTU unit?

Short answer is yes. When it's 90+ and sunny, the 16K unit just can't cool it more than to 79-80. And of course this is just depending how accurate this thermostat numbers are.

As to bigger unit, unfortunately this is where it gets tricky due to the fact that the boat is wired for 110V only. I'm still running my original units. But, would love to hear feedback from those who replaced theirs to a newer, either 16K turbo or 18K BTU. Those were the most common options offered by Dometic, AFAIK. There are other brands that offer 20/22/24K, but my preference is Dometic.

There was a discussion here on how to improve the temps and the only "simple" solution is to make sure your staterooms A/C has connection to a vent outlet mounted behind dinette sofa. The idea is to have SR A/C assisting the salon unit to cool it off.

 

[NorCalRobert]

My salon A/C is struggling today here in the northeast. It is running full force, shades closed and it’s 79 degrees in here. Is this just the way it is with these boats? Has anyone successfully installed a higher BTU unit?

Do you have both a/c units on? Cold air from Solon will drop down to bedrooms and heat from bedrooms will rise to the Solon but the reason I ask if Both a/c’s are on is there is a supply air duct by your dinette that supplies air to the Solon from bedroom a/c as well

 

[saopm]

Short answer is yes. When it's 90+ and sunny, the 16K unit just can't cool it more than to 79-80. And of course this is just depending how accurate this thermostat numbers are.

As to bigger unit, unfortunately this is where it gets tricky due to the fact that the boat is wired for 110V only. I'm still running my original units. But, would love to hear feedback from those who replaced theirs to a newer, either 16K turbo or 18K BTU. Those were the most common options offered by Dometic, AFAIK. There are other brands that offer 20/22/24K, but my preference is Dometic.

There was a discussion here on how to improve the temps and the only "simple" solution is to make sure your staterooms A/C has connection to a vent outlet mounted behind dinette sofa. The idea is to have SR A/C assisting the salon unit to cool it off.

My units are original too. The forward one does a great job since the rooms are smaller and there are no windows. 18k BTU sounds good if it will fit. Definitely something to think about over the winter.