Nightwatch Posted March 22, 2019 Report Share Posted March 22, 2019 Hello. I have an issue. With the engine running at low revs and the battery monitor showing 3.8 - 4.1 ish, indicating that the batteries are 'getting near' the charging beeper starts to beep as if there's not enough revs on to trigger the alternator to charge. This has only just started in the last few days. With the revs up and the batteries needing 'food' there's no beeping. I have a victron 702. Could it be that I need to reset the settings? I have a starter and a bank of 4 x 110 amp hr batteries, fifteen months old. We live aboard and very very rarely go in shore power. This happens when cruising and going into neutral at locks etc. Not all the time but most of the time once the batteries have had their fill. Ideas and advice please. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Brooks Posted March 22, 2019 Report Share Posted March 22, 2019 (edited) Are you sure it is the charging "beeper"? If you don't have an oil pressure gauge I would suspect its a low oil pressure warning but the most likely reason is a faulty oil pressure switch. Which warning lamps come on or glow when this happens cup, your hand around them. Does the beep come from the instrument panel or the Victron? If the former it could be a no charge warning, low oil pressure, or overheating. In the latter case I would still suspect the sender without any other symptoms. Charging voltage is no real indication of the batteries getting near to fully charged. Use the BVM to measure tail current. The voltage just tells you we the alternator regulator has stated to work, that is probably several hours before the batteries are charged. Edited March 22, 2019 by Tony Brooks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchcrawler Posted March 22, 2019 Report Share Posted March 22, 2019 17 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said: Are you sure it is the charging "beeper"? If you don't have an oil pressure gauge I would suspect its a low oil pressure warning but the most likely reason is a faulty oil pressure switch. Which warning lamps come on or glow when this happens cup, your hand around them. Does the beep come from the instrument panel or the Victron? If the former it could be a no charge warning, low oil pressure, or overheating. In the latter case I would still suspect the sender without any other symptoms. Charging voltage is no real indication of the batteries getting near to fully charged. Use the BVM to measure tail current. The voltage just tells you we the alternator regulator has stated to work, that is probably several hours before the batteries are charged. That would be my bet as well. I wondered what the 3.8 is referring to Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBiscuits Posted March 22, 2019 Report Share Posted March 22, 2019 3 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said: That would be my bet as well. I wondered what the 3.8 is referring to I assumed he meant tail current in Amps - that would be about right for a nominal 440Ah bank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchcrawler Posted March 22, 2019 Report Share Posted March 22, 2019 7 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said: I assumed he meant tail current in Amps - that would be about right for a nominal 440Ah bank. Seems very likely but I have guessed wrong before. many times 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Brooks Posted March 22, 2019 Report Share Posted March 22, 2019 1 hour ago, TheBiscuits said: I assumed he meant tail current in Amps - that would be about right for a nominal 440Ah bank. I thought he had missed the 1s off voltage readings. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightwatch Posted March 22, 2019 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2019 The 3.8 is the current going in. It does go lower than that after a long days cruise. However, I have checked the oil and it was lower than it should have been, but not very low. Which is good. After many years of motoring the cars I ran could easily almost run out of oil, no indication on the dipstick before I got me backside in gear to check it. I do check oil and water on the boat fairly regularly and it's the oil that never needs topping up. Water is a different matter. About a pint now and then. Just like me. Thanks for the nudge towards oil, I would never have thought that even after owning a boat for 17+ years. I'm not the best maintainer. Don't hate me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchcrawler Posted March 22, 2019 Report Share Posted March 22, 2019 I probably will be nothing to do with oil level, do as Tony says and cup your hand around the oil light to see if it flickers with the bleep Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightwatch Posted March 22, 2019 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2019 Murphy's law. Cruised for a few hours and it didn't beep. I have carried out the above mentioned in post 7 since mooring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBiscuits Posted March 22, 2019 Report Share Posted March 22, 2019 1 hour ago, Nightwatch said: Murphy's law. Cruised for a few hours and it didn't beep. I have carried out the above mentioned in post 7 since mooring. Oil's well that ends well then! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sea Dog Posted March 22, 2019 Report Share Posted March 22, 2019 1 hour ago, ditchcrawler said: I probably will be nothing to do with oil level, do as Tony says and cup your hand around the oil light to see if it flickers with the bleep I think it was a "beep" - bringing a "bleep" in at this stage is only going to cause further confusion. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchcrawler Posted March 22, 2019 Report Share Posted March 22, 2019 1 hour ago, Sea Dog said: I think it was a "beep" - bringing a "bleep" in at this stage is only going to cause further confusion. sorry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightwatch Posted March 23, 2019 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2019 16 hours ago, Sea Dog said: I think it was a "beep" - bringing a "bleep" in at this stage is only going to cause further confusion. Is there an upper limit to confusion? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tree monkey Posted March 23, 2019 Report Share Posted March 23, 2019 1 hour ago, Nightwatch said: Is there an upper limit to confusion? The lithium battery thread 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rusty69 Posted March 23, 2019 Report Share Posted March 23, 2019 (edited) 20 minutes ago, tree monkey said: The lithium battery thread Its simples monkey. Don't overcharge em,don't under charge em. Don't charge em when its cold. And WotEver you do DON'T INSTALL THEM UNDER YOUR BED.......The Lithium salts disperse in the atmosphere when it gets dark, leading to hallucinogenic dreams. Edited March 23, 2019 by rusty69 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsmelly Posted March 23, 2019 Report Share Posted March 23, 2019 2 minutes ago, rusty69 said: Its simples monkey. Don't overcharge em,don't under charge em. Don't charge em when its cold. And WotEver you do DON'T INSTALL THEM UNDER YOUR BED. Do a complete rewire, save up for eight years to buy em, change yer alternators, have a big fire extinguisher handy.....................proper fit and forget kit 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rusty69 Posted March 23, 2019 Report Share Posted March 23, 2019 4 minutes ago, mrsmelly said: Do a complete rewire, save up for eight years to buy em, change yer alternators, have a big fire extinguisher handy.....................proper fit and forget kit Yeah, but apart from that.......its simples! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceinSanity Posted March 23, 2019 Report Share Posted March 23, 2019 1 hour ago, rusty69 said: ...The Lithium salts disperse in the atmosphere when it gets dark, leading to hallucinogenic dreams. Oooh yes please, much cheaper! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rusty69 Posted March 23, 2019 Report Share Posted March 23, 2019 Just now, BruceinSanity said: Oooh yes please, much cheaper! Only £1000 a pop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sea Dog Posted March 23, 2019 Report Share Posted March 23, 2019 3 hours ago, Nightwatch said: Is there an upper limit to confusion? Yes, but a bleeper will sound when its reached (or a beeper - I forget which). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchcrawler Posted March 23, 2019 Report Share Posted March 23, 2019 43 minutes ago, rusty69 said: Only £1000 a pop. Surly you get more than one pop out of them with their long life 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Bob Posted March 23, 2019 Report Share Posted March 23, 2019 11 hours ago, Nightwatch said: Is there an upper limit to confusion? Yes, 14.1V. Don't listen to those muppets? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sea Dog Posted March 24, 2019 Report Share Posted March 24, 2019 11 hours ago, Dr Bob said: Yes, 14.1V. Don't listen to those muppets? The Volt is not the correct unit to use to quantify confusion. I'm not sure what is, but I think in might be the "Eh". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cuthound Posted March 24, 2019 Report Share Posted March 24, 2019 2 hours ago, Sea Dog said: The Volt is not the correct unit to use to quantify confusion. I'm not sure what is, but I think in might be the "Eh". No need for the h because an Erlang is the number of telephone calls handled by a switch (exchange) in an hour. ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Bob Posted March 24, 2019 Report Share Posted March 24, 2019 36 minutes ago, cuthound said: No need for the h because an Erlang is the number of telephone calls handled by a switch (exchange) in an hour. ? I think I'd be confused handling a erlang of telephone calls in an hour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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