[TheForge] costs of ownership question

[terry l. ridder]

On Tue, 11 Sep 2012, Jerry Frost wrote:

> Terry:
>
> This sounds like a strange problem, probably due to everything's 
> antiquated status. I've never heard of a ship becoming so magnetized it 
> causes the pistons to stroke out of line. That much magnetism would be easily 
> measured from many yards away, probably hundreds of yards. A compass in the 
> ship will point at the densest concentration of iron close by OR the longest 
> continuous steel structure close. However if the same compass starts acting 
> wonky walking down or to the peir I might buy magnetism. Heck, I'd expect the 
> harbor master to have mentioned it messing with other ship's navigatino 
> systems before now.
>

i would agree. the only place on earth i have seen piston sleeves egged
by a magnetic field was at fermi national laboratory in batavia,
illinois when the 15 ft bubble chamber was still operating. the
superconducting magnet which was basically a toriod, had a magnetic
field 40,000 times the earth's magnetic field.

you could not use the freight elevaltor when the magnetic was operating
because the magnetic field would cause the freight elevator hydraulic ram to
bend and jam the elevator into the concrete elevator shaft.

the close-circuit television cameras did not work either when the
magnetic was up. go figure. ;-)

We had to use berylium alloy tools in the magnetic field. a normal ace
hardward combination wrench would become a lethal weapon in the magnetic
field.

the hydrogen compressor, nitrogen compressor, the liquid helium engine,
etc where all in the magnetic field. the compressors would last about 3
months then they had to be rebuilt because of the cylinder egging.

btw: your tax dollars at work. the 15 ft bubble chamber is now a very
expensive lawn ornament at Fermi Lab. seriously, a lawn ornament.

>
> Degausing isn't so hard to do if necessary all you need is a loop of cable 
> around an iron core. An electro magnet but running on AC current, maybe a 
> yoke would work like for magnaflux testing but that's out of my range.
>
> Egging the sleeves is telling me you have a bent crank, bad bearings or a 
> call an expert situation. I'm no diesel mechanic but egged sleeves would have 
> me on the phone immediately.
>
> What did the ship's survey say about the aux engines?
>

the ship survey done by the ship broker in new zealand had several file
cabinets of blue prints on the ship. the original aux diesel engines
were rated as 125,000 hrs before a major rebuild would be required. that
being said there is the caveat that the aux engines may not be the
original engines or even anything close to the original engines.

there is a sister ship to this one, but her captain has become not
further coming with information about the operational nature of her
ship. before she would be rather terse now she just does not answer my
queries.

>
> You DID have a survey done before you bought it didn't you?
>

yes, a survey was done.

> Please tell us you didn't buy a SHIP without having a survey done.
> A survey will give you important details about the ship and it's
> equipment/geat like age and make of auxillary engines 
> availability and suppliers of parts. And that's besides their condition and 
> expected lifespan. Just walking through looking at things isn't enough to 
> tell you much of anything about a ship.
>

it has been suggested that perhaps taking it to a south korean ship yard
for a once over would provide valuable information about the ship and
equipment. that of course takes two things i tend to not like to spend,
time and money.

>
> Here's hoping you the best Terry, wish I oculd be more help. Jer
>

-- 
terry l. ridder ><>