Compass liquid
Ari Pohjanmaa
liquid from transmitter has evaporated or leaked causing weird course
indications; the part giving course is lying partly on the bottom of
the bowl and not moving correctly. What has been the original liquid?
It's transparent and smells a little like very old lamp oil but
otherwise doesn't feel like lamp oil.
I'm thankfull if someone knows what liquid to use.
Ari
Jim Carter
have Odorless Mineral Spirits.
Jim Carter
"The Boat"
Bayfield
"Ari Pohjanmaa" <pohj...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1b5a4cb6.03041...@posting.google.com...
Drizler
Try wandering out to the maintenance hangar of your local airport.
Aircraft compasses haven't changed in decades and they all use compass
fluid whatever that is. Big operators buy it by the gallon and I am
sure they would sell you some, it can't be too pricy. The small
Cessnas use the same stuff so if there is no major repair outfit
around ask for the phone # of any of the local A& P mechanics.
Somobody will have some. Otherwise you can probably buy your own from
Wag Aero or Aircraft Sprice & Specialty stores online. Good luck.
Jim B
"Drizler" <dri...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:2e60218d.03042...@posting.google.com...
> pohj...@hotmail.com (Ari Pohjanmaa) wrote in message
news:<1b5a4cb6.03041...@posting.google.com>...
> > I have Neco Marine NM4 transmitting compass on my steel boat. Some
> > liquid from transmitter has evaporated or leaked causing weird course
> > indications; the part giving course is lying partly on the bottom of
> > the bowl and not moving correctly. What has been the original liquid?
> > It's transparent and smells a little like very old lamp oil but
> > otherwise doesn't feel like lamp oil.
> >
> > I'm thankfull if someone knows what liquid to use.
> >
I grew a bubble in my Plastimo compass and did some research on this.
Apparently some compasses use alcohol based fluids, and others use oil based
fluids. Sounds like yours is an oil based fluid.
There's an international standard for the appropriate oil (sorry! don't know
the reference) which has to change viscosity very little over a wide
temperature range, musn't have volatile elements in it and mustn't have
certain solvent elements. Common sense really. One of the big oil companies
consumer departments should be able to point you in the right direction or
tell you of a retailer. In UK BPSP Marine services can help (+44 (0) 23 8023
0045).
Have fun . . . hope you find a retailer . . . otherwise I don't know what
you'd do with a 40 gallon drum of the stuff . . . set up a steel band?
--
Jim B, Yacht RAPAZ,
Summers in the Med, winters in UK
jim[dot]baerselman[at]ntlworld[dot]com
tuuk
and got air into it creating a bubble. I called and called and called,,
finally I found someone who works with the St. Lawrence Seaway in St.
Catharines Ontario, they turned me onto two marine repair places who did
this sort of thing. One guy did it out of his home in Richmond hill, he took
my compass, put a new light, glass dome, and re filled the liquid. About a
hundred bucks. But I would call the St. Lawrence Seaway, they run the locks
that get the ships from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario and they have sources for
these repairs. Worked for me.
"Drizler" <dri...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:2e60218d.03042...@posting.google.com...
Keith
kerosene they sell for lamps at home, not the industrial stuff.
--
Keith
__
Beam me up Scotty. This isn't the men's room.
"Drizler" <dri...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:2e60218d.03042...@posting.google.com...
Larry DeMers
deodorized mineral spirits.
Larry DeMers
Larry DeMers
Solvent" as the refilling solution by Richie Compasses, but found that no
hardware store carries Stoddards Solvent any longer. It was a standard item in
their paint dept. The closest I have come to finding it has been the clue that
it is a deodorized mineral spirit. This seems to be compatible with my fluid, as
I topped it off 5 years ago now.
I just did a google search on Stoddards Solvent, and it is defined there in
numerous places as a "deodorized Mineral Spirit". Check it out yourself..So it
seems that the term is more specific than generic. It sure could be related to
the products listed below however.
Larry DeMers
BinaryBillTheSailor@Sea++.com wrote:
> On Mon, 28 Apr 2003 12:05:39 -0500, Larry DeMers <dem...@sgi.com> wrote:
>
> > The oil in compasses is known as "Stoddards Solvent", and it is actually
> >deodorized mineral spirits.
> >
> >Larry DeMers
> >
> "Stoddard Solvent" is a generic term that covers a wide variety of lightweight
> petroleum distillates. WD-40 is one example. "Goof-Off" is another.
>
> BB
Brian Whatcott
When I was running a plane, the A&P who did my annuals sold a compass
refill kit. He said he used kerosene, but refined lamp oil is good.
This is not a life or death issue.
Some old old marine compasses used high test alcohol, but this is out
of style.
If you insist on spending more money, you might consider a 0W winter
weight synthetic oil, for slightly better damping stability at
temperature extremes.
Brian Whatcott Altus OK
Larry DeMers
Yeah, that part about how many uses it gets assigned to it is sort of surprising.
Well, I think that I may have been lucky then, because 5 years or so ago, I did add
some mineral spirits to the oil in my Richie binnacle compass, to release the bubble
in the chamber. I have had no ill effects in that time, but the quantity that I used
was small..about 30cc's. Richie was not specific, and in fact told me that I can find
it in large hardware stores. I think I need to talk to them again.
Anybody ever get their Richie repaired? I have a few small crazes in the dome, and
want to replace it. How long does it take, and how expensive? (I know..better asked
of Richie)...;^)
Larry D.
BinaryBill@Sea++.com wrote:
> On Tue, 29 Apr 2003 09:42:21 -0500, Larry DeMers <dem...@sgi.com>
> wrote:
>
> > Sorry, I would like to see a reference to that claim. I was given "Stoddards
> >Solvent" as the refilling solution by Richie Compasses, but found that no
> >hardware store carries Stoddards Solvent any longer. It was a standard item in
> >their paint dept. The closest I have come to finding it has been the clue that
> >it is a deodorized mineral spirit. This seems to be compatible with my fluid, as
> >I topped it off 5 years ago now.
> > I just did a google search on Stoddards Solvent, and it is defined there in
> >numerous places as a "deodorized Mineral Spirit". Check it out yourself..So it
> >seems that the term is more specific than generic. It sure could be related to
> >the products listed below however.
> >
> >
>
> Stoddards Solvent must contain at least 65% C10 hydrocarbons, but
> other than that the recipe can vary quite widely, and there are many
> ingredients. It is a "mixture". It can be found in various
> formulations under tradenames, such as Varisol, and even as "Stoddard
> Solvent", but the ingredients may vary quite a bit from supplier to
> supplier. You would need to know where Ritchie gets their particular
> Stoddard Solvent from if you wanted to be sure of getting the same
> thing, with the same porportions of the same ingredients, and of
> course the same specific gravity. If they told you to use "any"
> Stoddard Solvent that you can find, then perhaps it's not that
> critical, as long as you use something that generally approximates
> what they use. It's used in dry cleaning, and sometimes can be found
> as "naptha spot cleaner"
>
> BB
Marc
years ago. The dome was $42.00 US, The diaphragm was $12.00 US and the
card was $40.00 US. plus labor it came to $135.00
On Tue, 29 Apr 2003 14:27:53 -0500, Larry DeMers <dem...@sgi.com>
Jere Lull
>Ritchie's website has repair locations. I had my SP-5 repaired two
>years ago. The dome was $42.00 US, The diaphragm was $12.00 US and the
>card was $40.00 US. plus labor it came to $135.00
>
I checked with their shop local for pretty much a rebuild of our
Navigator -- even the black plastic is getting crumbly. They said
usually under $75. Then I found and ordered a new one at SailNet for $119.
--
Jere Lull
Xan-a-Deux ('73 Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD)
Xan's Pages: http://members.dca.net/jerelull/X-Main.html
Our BVI FAQs (290+ pics) http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/
Larry DeMers
Yeah, that is what I was wondering about..repair vs. new. I paid around
$450 in 1991 for this compass, and I like it a lot. I'll call Ritchie and see
what they have to say.
Thanks All..
Larry DeMers
Donny
>and got air into it creating a bubble. I called and called and called,,
>finally I found someone who works with the St. Lawrence Seaway in St.
>Catharines Ontario, they turned me onto two marine repair places who did
>this sort of thing. One guy did it out of his home in Richmond hill, he took
>my compass, put a new light, glass dome, and re filled the liquid. About a
>hundred bucks. But I would call the St. Lawrence Seaway, they run the locks
>that get the ships from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario and they have sources for
>these repairs. Worked for me.
Tuuk, I'm in Plattsburgh NY, up in the northeast corner. Can you hook
me up with this guy? I have some work for him.
Thanks
Donny
six.be...@nospammeverizon.net
(Remove the, "nospamme", from the above email to reply.)
'74 Trojan Sea Raider 25'
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