simonsayssaysimon

Confirmed. Charger now showing amps and charger matches battery voltage using separate cables. I should have done this first in hindsight - but what was through me was the 12.9 on battery and charger end of cables. Why that isn’t showing a drop will probably remain a mystery. Next check and redo all existing connections but at least I know the batteries work with the charger and the charger works. Thanks everyone for your help! I was listening but wasn’t getting drop in the other direction (battery to charger), that’s what was confusing me. Anyway case closed thanks again for taking the time to respond.

Cables are fine thickness wise haven’t had an issue like this in the 14 years I’ve been on the boat. Current on battery gone from 12.88 to 12.92 Current on charger 14.8 Will leave for a few hours and see how it goes. Agreed on voltage drop though but any positive movement at the moment is positive. Will test with known good non calcium battery to see if voltage drop is similar to be sure whether it’s cable or battery.

Update: Checked charger with separate cables direct to known good battery: works - 14.4v across battery terminals while charging Measured with charger off - Checked existing cables to charger: 2 dead positives 1 positive and negative are fine. Voltmeter negative to charger negative connection, positive voltmeter to battery charger positive. Had 12.8ish on 1 set. Disconnected dead 2 positives and proceeded with live positive and negative. Battery charger on - charger terminals 14.4 volts. Battery 12.8ish. But climbing very slowly! Realised it’s a calcium battery. Increased absorption voltage on charger to 14.8. Battery seems to be charging albeit very slowly! Summary: a) 2 positive cables are loose somewhere b) Calcium batteries albeit “new” have internal resistance probably limiting the smart charger and require higher voltage to charge.

14.4 with 0 amps is the readout from the victron app. 12.9v is the battery voltage and cable voltage (measured across the terminals and at the ends of the cables that connect to the charger.) Despite what the app says I get 12.9 and dropping with the charger off and on. I will try charger to battery terminal tomorrow as advised.

12.9 is with the charger off and measured across the battery terminals. The 14.4v 0 amp is from the charger. Thanks for the advice everyone. Shall test as advised and work my way through the cables. A poor connection makes sense.

Hi all I had a shoreline connection fail due to water ingress while I was away leaving me with flat batteries and a charger still showing bolts but no amps. I assumed this done for as the blade fuse was still intact but it was definitely not charging. On replacing the batteries and charger with the same model victron: blue smart ip22 12v 30amp 3 connection. the charger says it is charging - staying on bulk for a while then changing on 14.4 volts. But 0 amps?? Leaving the charger on for a while it is definitely not working - battery voltage is slowing dropping as my fridge draws charge. The wires to the charger are showing 12.9ish volts so I can assume all is fine there. Any why it isn’t charging?

Alan keys on torque wrench did the job. a little more leverage and Ping! Everything worked like it was supposed to. All fixed.. Despite disconnecting my gearbox (not enough room to remove) I managed to get the bolt tight by clamping the small pulley with a wrench and holding on for dear life with one arm while torque wrenching the bolt with the other! Note for future readers: standard pulley bolt on a BV1505 is 23mm not 46as stated above! Thanks for all the info and support through this job which is arguably the biggest I've done. Wasn't scary at all in the end.

It was a youtube video like that that finally gave me understanding. Thanks for the post though! I wish those videos would show real world 19 year old pulleys that are really stuck! heating and tapping towards the engine now.. argh. Tempted to try and fit the car jack between the bulkhead and the pulley to push it off But I'll wait for my alan connectors to arrive for my torque wrench to get more leverage on the release bolt first.

Lordy. I'm experiencing and then ...and then already.. So I can't get the travelpower pully to pop off the taper. Mine had three holes, two with alan bolts in and the third open (to release hopefully) There is also a half moon shaped hole with a groove running through the centre of the pulley. I don't understand the purpose of this... pin? Please say no.. So any ideas? Am I missing something? Or is it a case of tap harder? Foiled on the other end now by two bolts under the Hurth gearbox that I can just access but are still showing me two fingers. Time to cut a wrench in half and attach a leverage bar... EDIT: It works as described, it's just really jammed.

Thanks again.. Looks like I'll have to disassemble and see. My troubles only started when I ran the engine without the travelpower belts. After putting them back on it's all still running really smoothly. Hopefully I can tighten the nut and replace the seal and be good to go.. There is always hope right?

Thank you so much for such a detailed if slightly terrifying answer. Any chance you know what size crankshaft oil seal I'll need? Or is that a contact beta with a photo of your engine question?

Hello all. Recently the dual belts on my travelpower broke and after removing them I cruised the half an hour or so home to my mooring. The engine seemed fine without belts on the second alternator with no extra vibration and if anything seemed better due to the lack of the monster travelpower alternator. However. This was a very stupid thing to do. I took the boat out since then and all oil drained out. Well, sprayed out. Everywhere. I refilled with oil and replaced the filter. Tested the engine and still oil droplets. I suspect the leak is between the fly wheel and the engine. This has messed up the standard alternator too I fear as the tacho goes up to tick over but stays there no matter what the revs (checked all wiring). There seems to be a tiiiny bit of play on the flywheel and the gap between the fly wheel and the engine is ominously shiny (approx 4mm). Oil level is stable when the engine is off. How do I remedy this situation?

Hi All I've recently bought a stirling 30 amp galvanic isolator and have been faced with two issues: Firstly: I can't see where the earth is connected to the engine mount - what should I look for and is there another likely place for it to be Secondly I have a front and back input for my shoreline. I have switches for front/back and then on a separate switch engine (I have a Seapower similar to a travelpower)/Mains/off Could I connect it before the second switch Many thanks, Simon

I would very much like to try that icebreaker paint.. Last winter I stripped my 6 month old comastic right along the waterline in the ice. So I'll be blacking again this year.. icebreaker paint Is this the same stuff? (edited to colour link)

Thanks for the reply Martyn. Any idea if I could tune the motorised satellite dish with a sky box?