Refilling compass.
 

After getting the boat out of winter storage I noticed that the compass had lost quite a bit of fluid. Enough to make it not work properly.

Went to the drug store and purchased some Glycoren (sp?). Refilled compass. Now the compass is floating in there at a wierd angle. Kind of sits at a 45 deg angle in the housing. Again, causing it to not work correctly. I keep moving the body of the compass around trying to get it to set right with no luck.

Did I do something wrong? Is there a possibility that the fluid originally in the compass is different than what I topped it off with causing a problem?

Ideas?

Buck

THE compass is supposed to be filled with oderless mineral spirits. To get all the air out, put the mineral spirits in the freezer and use a syringe to fill. Leave the fil hole at the very top with the cap off. As the mineral spirits warm up, it expands and gets any tiny air bubbles out.

Sure you didn't use Vodka. That would explain the wierd angle.:D

Anything's possible with me. :)

If the compass is "supposed" to be filled with odorless mineral spirits then why has everything thread discussing this lately said that it is Glycoren? (sp)

Buck

If it is a Ritchie compass they no longer use any form of mineral spirits. I suggest that you contact their customer service department and they will redoe your compass at a fair price. You still need the leak repaired. You definitely did not put the right fluid in. I just had my FB500 serviced and brought up to date by them. Their turn around is about two weeks, and you will have an upgraded compass to current design standards when they are finished.

I have heard of people using Baby Oil.

Knowing your local, I'm just glad that you didn't use rendered chicken fat. :D

K...I'll call Ritchie. That's the brand of compass I have anyway. I'm sure it's nothing more then the wrong stuff in there.

Cord...Moonshine would have been the liquid of choice in my area given the availability of the product. ;)

Thanks all!!

Buck

Fred,

I hate to do that to you. Something tells me that you'll use it somewhere down the road with all the boats you work on. I did see it for sale on West Marine's site in fairly small quantities.

It looks like I'll need to empty it and start over. I don't know how much the thing holds. 8-10 oz maybe? Dunno?

Buck

Compass? We don't need no stinkin compass!!!!!!! Dude, where you boat, do you really need a compass?? LOL!!! Can you EVER get out of sight of land? Didn't think so. :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

I just refilled mine last fall and Ritchie said to use ordorless mineral spirits. They also gave me the number for a local repair place. I called and left several messages and he guy didnt call m back for two weeks. When he did call, he told me that trying to refill it without putting the compass in a vacume was pointless and that could only be done at the factory. He tried real hard to sell me a new compass. Thats when I called Ritchie back and got the info on freezing the mineral spirits. I have not one bubble in mine now. I got the stuff at Home Depot in a small can. I also replaced the dome and seal at the same time with parts ordered from Ritchie. My dome had cracked at the base.

As always, this site has come through again. Thank you ALL for the quick, knowledgable responses.

I will get some odorless mineral spirits and try that first. Probably a cheap fix if that's what it is. If not, I'll call them and go from there.

Not the end of the world, but it's enough to bother me. :(

Buck

Just wanted to update everyone on this little project.

Ordered a new Compass Dome and O Ring for my compass. (base of dome was cracked causing the leak)

Got some odorless mineral spirits. Used the freezer method and all is well.

Thanks all!!!!!!!

Buck