CC Hydra ICE 240A - Extremely tight fit for cooling lines

[gyrotron]

Hi Guys,

What is the best way to make the silicone lines fit without difficulty on the aluminum cooling tubes? What I.D. and O.D. silicone tubes should I be using? I don't want to break the aluminum tubes trying to bend them.

Thx

[BHChieftain]

I remember trying to get them on my older CC hydra 240s... pretty hard. I found that you needed to pair the cooling lines up together and work them on as a single unit vs. putting one line on and then the other...
Chief

[Fluid]

All you need is a lubricant. Spit works well. Install one line, thoroughly wet the outside of both lines and the second line and it will slip right on. Done dry it is almost impossible.



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[Chilli]

Ditto! Just take it is slow. If you try to work the cooling lines up too fast you can cut them on the ends of the aluminum tubing. I've used thin and thick walled silicon cooling line and have made both work.

[gyrotron]

Guys,

The application will be on a 42" boat I just finished so I am using 4mm ID and 8mm OD silicone tube. Is that too big? What is the max OD you recomend?

Thx

[gyrotron]

Guys the oil and patience method worked for me. I appreciate the help of all those who chimed in. Thx!

[Cooper]

Soap, dawn liquid

[Cooper]

I've been after castle to modify the design, stager the cooling holes and use fittings to get rid of the glued in tubes. Email tech with this suggestion, maybe if enough responses they will change.

[gyrotron]

Soap, dawn liquid

Thx Cooper, I'll try this one next time

[properchopper]

I've been after castle to modify the design, stager the cooling holes and use fittings to get rid of the glued in tubes. Email tech with this suggestion, maybe if enough responses they will change.

FWIW I had a face to face conversation with Patrick Castillo, head of Castle Creations several years ago just prior to the release of the marine Ice controllers. I informed him of the too-close proximity of the cooling lines (as well as the clear shrink on the gen 1 Hydra 240 covering the tube ends which required trimming back to get the waterline on). Had same conversation with Joe Ford, the FE friendly tech at CC. Both said they would deal with this situation. Draw your own conclusions.

I fixed the too-close-to-slide the silicone tubing-on problem on both a gen 1 and a late model Hydra Ice 240 by inserting a snugly fitting drill bit into the tubing ends and GENTLY bending them away from each other ever so slightly, just enough to allow each cooling line to clear each other.. Even so, my gut (without the benefit of any empirical data) tells me that the cooling tubing configuration on the new marine Ice controllers isn't an optimum solution, looking much like an afterthought applied to the aircraft controller heat sink.

[Cooper]

I agree with above! Realizing that it is a lot of work to change the assembly line after production has started but it would be nice for that change. They are one of the best, if not best, esc for the price range. Always something to improve on so maybe next generation.