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Showing results for tags 'batteries'.
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So.. for the last few days our engine has been kicking out white fumes from the exhaust and seeming much noisier from it too. So thinking it could be water in the fuel I drained both fuel filters and continued on our way. The smoke returned 15mins into cruising and even spat out a little black when going astern into the locks. So We gave her a rest. By the morning our starter battery didn't have enough charge to turn over the engine and we had to charge it from our genny. Even tho we have the starter isolated all the time when not running? The battery isolator is new from amazon? But we remove the key so surely that cannot drain it? today we charged the starter off the genny and eventually got her started. She blew white smoke for the hour and a half cruise to bedwyn and we stopped. We decided we could try checking the valve clearances, not easy as we couldn't find the tdc for each valve. But then after only 2 hours moored the engine again wouldn't tick over! And each time the key turned in the ignition you could watch the battery voltage dropping on the starter and even on the leisure battery readers. we are baffled! I am guessing they are two separate issues, the smoke and the batteries draining. But it feels so coincidental to all happen at once. any advice or ideas would be great. Or anyone near bedwyn on the k&a willing to help would be great too!
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Hi Everyone I've been trying to work out how much Solar and batteries I need, ideally to be able to use the panels for most electricity even through winter. I have lots of roof space and I budgeted for a lot of Solar so I'm ok with the finance side. I have done the usage calcs based on 'worst case' or maximum potential use, and overspeced the solar needs by 100% to account for winter. However, the Bimble solar calc seems to suggest I need a 1166 AH battery bank!? I assume this is because I need double the AH I use so as not to run the batteries to 0. That's a lot of batteries though! Am I understanding this correctly? What do other potentially power hungry users have? Thanks Caitlin
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Hi there, I wonder if anyone could help me figure this out, it's to do with the voltmeter on my dash board. With the engine off, it looks like this: When I turn the key to warm the glow plugs, it looks like this (starter battery is dead): When the engine has just turned on (here in neutral, the dial goes up with more revs) But soon thereafter it goes like this and stays there: This despite my multi meter giving a reading of around 14.4v. Any ideas? Thanks in advance
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I'm trying to install new batteries. My old batteries only ever put out 11volt i tried yesterday but stoped. Please see my diagrams to help me know where to bolt the ? Wires to the new batteries. (Not accurate diagram drawn from memory) Sorry if this is a stupid question but I'd prefer ask them to do something really stupid
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Hello! I have a couple of engine questions! Everything I know about engines I've learned when something has gone awry with my engine over 5 years of boating. I must have been very lucky as I'm still quite ignorant. I nearly killed my starter battery by leaving the key in the IGN position when I turned off the engine yesterday. I only noticed because the dedicated solar charge controller for the starter was making a ticking noise. I jump started the engine and fortunately the battery is now OK. Which leads me on to my first questions: 1) Should there be a deafening beeping as soon as the key is in the IGN position and the engine's not running? If so, is it possible that something has come unplugged, or is there a missing component? 2) What is actually draining the battery when it's in this position? This is the second time this has happened, last time I wasn't so lucky and the starter battery was shot. Luckily though, I had a semi-dead leisure battery that I managed to bring back to life. It now always reads 13V. This first instance happened only a few weeks into owning this boat, so for the most part I've been using said leisure battery as a starter. The engine always struggles to turn on - I warm the plugs for a good 20 seconds, try to start her in neutral with the clutch, then try giving some revs, then engage the engine, give it some revs, then it gets going - maybe none of this helps, it just needs a lot of encouraging. 3) If my engine struggles to turn on, would it likely start better with a made-for-purpose starter battery? I also have an issue with the fuel line right at the tank - actually I just need to get the tank cleaned. This means that the engine won't run or start unless it's on high revs (no RPM gauge so can't say exact how high) and cuts out in neutral/low revs even when warm. Is this more likely the culprit? (I still had the same issue before this problem developed). I'll be very grateful for your input before I roll up my sleeves and get oily/diesely.
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Hawksmoor is a semi-trad with a Beta Marine engine mounted below the deckboards which are sound insulated (and hence thermally insulated). The batteries live on a shelf off to one side. We have recently put a digital thermometer on top of the battery bank and recorded ambient air temperatures of 44 to 46 degrees C Googling "Max temp for lead acid batteries" suggests a max temp of 50 degrees C I would imagine that this setup is pretty much what most boats have (maybe without the insulation). Has anybody else measured temperatures "down below"? Any thoughts as to whether these sorts of temperatures might hurt the batteries or shorten their life?
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I am planning to move my 4 x 110Ahr leisure batteries to a new position where there is only room for three. So the idea is to fit 3 x 130Ahr batteries instead. Slightly less total power available, but possibly slightly better SOC may be maintained. I can find quite a bit of info on connecting banks of 2 or 4 or 6 etc, but nothing on 3 x batteries. I would appreciate the battery gurus' advice on how best to arrange the batteries' interconnections. If it is relevant I am a leisure boater and the boat is often left for several weeks unattended. Thanks in advance.
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I finally got around to wiring up my Smart Gauge today. I've been using a cheapo lcd panel meter (for volts) just tapped in to the 12v wiring in the cabin, and it's been a good indicator of what's going on. But for the Smart Gauge I have run the proper wires in the proper way, straight to the batteries (via the supplied fuses) and all wiring nicely covered in black flexible conduit I was trying to work out which kind of batteries I actually have - as the Smart Gauge needs to know. Turns out they seem to be Vetus SMF 105ah, and I think I found them on the Vetus website, but although mentioning that they are sealed for life, it doesn't actually specify which kind of technology they are. They do say Boost Voltage 13.9-14.8, Float Voltage 13.3-13.8 @ 20c. I've got six options... 1. Deep cycle, wet cell antimony lead acid. 2. Gel Cell lead acid (a type of VRLA) 3. AGM 4. Hybrid 5. Carbon fibre lead acid 6. Maintenance free (wet cells but no way to top up the electrolyte) lead acid. It also says that there are two kinds of AGM and one type os similar to type 1 above (wet cell with similar voltages bur held in a glass matt). I'm wondering if anyone can tell me the battery type to select? I'm thinking 6? I've attached some pics - my neat wiring :), Battery terminal showing build up of sulfate (what do you guys think about that!?) and what I think is a Vetus battery. Thanks
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Apart from MPPT controllers, are there any chargers or combis which have the option to do an equalising charge? Trojan recommends 16.2V until SG stops rising. I have bought a bench DC Power Supply to 'do' mine as existing, Sterling, charger does not need replacing.
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- equalising
- equalizing
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