Acorn To Arabella · video

What this video covers

Nigel Calder, author and marine electrical authority, visits Arabella in Camden, Penobscot Bay, to diagnose the rapid zinc anode loss on the prop shaft that Steve reported in an earlier episode.1:59 Calder brings a silver-silver chloride half-cell reference electrode and an ohmmeter to distinguish between galvanic corrosion and stray current corrosion, explaining the two mechanisms in detail: galvanic corrosion is driven by dissimilar metals in contact, while stray current corrosion is imposed from an external source and ignores the galvanic table entirely.6:43 Initial half-cell readings show only 220 millivolts, suggesting the shaft zinc is loose and not making proper contact.11:46 When the engine runs and the alternator loads to roughly 100 amps, the half-cell voltage drops measurably, confirming stray current leakage from the alternator onto the shaft circuit.38:16 Satchel joins by phone to clarify a known Wakespeed regulator issue: the existing internally regulated alternator continues producing field current even with the Wakespeed disconnected, indicating the internal regulator is not properly disabled.22:59 Calder concludes the fix is replacing the internally regulated alternator with an externally regulated "dumb" alternator that the Wakespeed can fully control.34:18 A separate finding implicates graphite packing in the stuffing box — graphite sits near gold on the galvanic series, far above zinc, accelerating zinc consumption through galvanic corrosion independent of the alternator fault.42:28 Steve also announces Arabella will leave Camden and sail south to the Boston area so the crew can be near his mother during chemotherapy treatment, and asks viewers for winter dockage recommendations south of Boston.0:37

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