PROBLEM WITH MUSTANG INFLATABLE PFDS

Distributed by the Office of Investigations and Analysis: Http://marineinvestigations.us

October 4, 2012 Alert 3-12
Washington, DC
PROBLEM WITH MUSTANG INFLATABLE PFDS

The Coast Guard has become aware of certain Mustang Survival Inflatable PFDs with Hammar MA1 hydrostatic (HIT) inflation systems which may not inflate and require a new re-arm kit to properly  inflate by manual or automatic activation. This safety alert identifies which products are affected. Certain inflatable PDFs may be subject to delayed or non-inflations. To determine if you are impacted please follow the instructions below.

USCG Approval Mustang Product
N/A MA7214 HIT inflatable re-arm kit
N/A MA7218 HIT inflatable re-arm kit for LIFT
160.076/8611/0 MD0450 Inflatable Vest PFD with LIFT
160.076/5204/0 MD0451 Inflatable Vest PFD with LIFT (no harness)
160.076/5201/0 MD3183 Deluxe Inflatable PFD with HIT
160.076/8608/0 MD3184 Deluxe Inflatable PFD with HIT (with harness)
160.076/5300/0 MD3188 Inflatable Work Vest/PFD with HIT
160.053/116/0 MD3188 Inflatable Work Vest/PFD with HIT

If you have a re-arm kit MA7214 or MA7218 you need only to check the lot number on the CO2 cylinder label. If your CO2 cylinder is marked with lot numbers 404121 or 404122 please contact Mustang Survival’s customer service group at the number below.

If you have a PFD listed above refer to the sewn-in approval label to determine if it was “Made in Canada” and the “MFG DATE” is April or May 2012. If so, you will need to check the lot numbers of the CO2 cylinder. The CO2 cylinder lot number is visible through the yellow bladder fabric. Manually unpack your PFD by opening the zippers and unfolding your PFD. Find the CO2 cylinder that is attached to the round inflator within the yellow bladder. Press the yellow bladder fabric against the cylinder to read the label to view the lot number through the fabric. If your CO2 cylinder is marked with lot numbers 404121 or 404122, please contact Mustang Survival’s customer service group for instructions and to arrange for a replacement inflator assembly.

All other CO2 cylinder lot numbers are satisfactory. Repack your PFD so it is ready for use per the instruction manual. Mustang Survival Customer Service Group: 1-800-526-0532

Additional information is available at www.mustangsurvival.com/HIT. Please note the following photographs.

Distributed by the Office of Investigations and Analysis: Http://marineinvestigations.us To subscribe: Kenneth.W.Olsen@uscg.mil

Photograph showing view of lot number through fabric. Lot number on cylinder label.

This Safety Alert is provided for informational purposes and does not relieve any foreign or domestic requirement. Developed by the Lifesaving and Fire Safety Division, United States Coast Guard Headquarters, Washington, DC. For additional information contact Mr. Martin Jackson at Martin.L.Jackson@uscg.mil.

Relocating The House Batteries

The next big project will be the installation of an inboard generator. The engine compartment of a Marine Trader 34 is not known to be the roomiest, so a few modifications are needed to make space available. The most logical placement choice is a shelf on the port side forward where we installed the house battery bank when we first bought the boat. Even then, we knew they would eventually have to be moved to accommodate the generator. There was still some work to be done to clean up the wiring, so it was time to move the house bank and tidy things up.

The storage box and platform that was mounted directly in front of the engine had to be removed to make room for the house batteries. This location was chosen based on the ease of access when filling the wet-cell batteries and the fact that it would put the weight of the batteries low and in the center of the boat. Once the generator was installed, it will be important to shift weight around to compensate for the weight of the generator on the port side of the boat. The bilge pumps are located here so access to them is important too. Since it has been a long time since this area was uncovered, it needed a lot of cleaning and a fresh coat of paint.

The first step was to build a new shelf on which to place the batteries. The shelf needs to be strong enough to hold the weight and resistant to possible battery acid spills from normal charging and filling. The platform was also sized to allow for the addition of another pair of batteries should we decide to enlarge the bank. Our current house bank consists of two pairs of 6-volt golf cart batteries to give us a total of 440 amp hours on the house bank. With the generator installed, we may not need any more than this. But if our cruising habits show we need a larger bank, we can easily add another pair. The shelf was tabbed into place and covered with a layer of fiberglass cloth soaked in epoxy. This added strength and sealed the shelf from battery acid.

The space between the stringers is wider than the batteries, so a box to restrict movement and secure the batteries was needed. It, too, was coated with epoxy to seal it, and everything was given a fresh coat of paint. If we want to add more batteries, it will only take the removal of one side to expand the box.

The batteries were all disconnected from their previous location and moved into the new space. Each pair of 6-volt batteries were wired positive to negative to create two 12-volt batteries.

In my opinion, the best way to wire multiple battery banks is to have all charging sources and load cables connect to a common point. All connections are made to power posts and additional power strips rather than at the battery posts. The positive connections to the battery bank are fused for safety. I think the most efficient charging occurs when the cable runs from the charging source to each battery are the same length. To accomplish this, I used power posts for the positive and negative connections. The cable from each battery to the power post is exactly the same length. This way, there will not be the slightest voltage drop from the power post to either of the batteries. I refer to each pair of 6-volt batteries as a single 12-volt battery.

The only exception I made was the Echo Charger that keeps the start battery charged. The ground and the positive connection for the Echo Charger is connected directly to the battery. The wiring is much neater and easier to identify should troubleshooting be needed later. I also used covers on all of the positive connections to avoid shorts from dropping tools or other mishaps. The batteries are very easy to access, so checking water levels and refilling will be fairly easy. All cables, posts and connections received a coat of dielectric grease to prevent corrosion. All of the wing-nuts that came with the batteries were replaced with traditional nuts to keep them secure.

All of the battery cables were made to the length needed. The connectors were crimped on, and heat shrink tubing was used to seal the connectors. All of the cables were slightly over-sized for extra safety.

This area is the main location to climb down into the engine compartment for maintenance and repairs. For us short folks, it can be a long step down. To help protect the batteries from having things drop on them and to give me a place to step down into the compartment, a shelf or "step" was built to fit over the top. I can step down or sit on it while working in the compartment without stepping or sitting directly on the batteries. It is reinforced using a 2X2 screwed and epoxied to the underside for strength. A removable section was added just in front of the battery shelf to give some extra added flat space for moving around and to protect the bilge pumps. It is easily lifted to provide access to the lower part of the bilge. The next step will be to reinforce the platform for the generator. Stay tuned.