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My Beta 43 domestic  alternator has been a bit flakey on occasion recently. I've seen it being slow to excite on start up but eventually kicking in, maybe as much as a few minutes into running. It also gave me a little over 15v the other day, and has a couple of times also shown about half the Amps I'd expect after night in on batteries - I often see a bit above or below 100 amps on start up, but I'm talking about 50 here. She's been fine the last couple of days, but they aren't self healing, are they!

 

The engine is a 2008 Beta 43, and the alternator is, like everything else of course, painted green so I can't see any identifying marks. Beta themselves have been very helpful and  tell me its an Iskra 14V 150A alternator IA1058 11.203.124 which they no longer use, but they  can source one with a 2 month lead time. 

 

I'm suspecting the regulator/brushes, but Googling til my fingers bleed hasn't turned up either the parts or any part numbers I can take further. I suspect the parts might be common to alternators under other manufacturers names, or perhaps there's an alternative alternator which would be compatible. Beta tell me the newer Iskra 175a they use is a different fit and form, and requires  changes to the loom, etc, so that's not an economical way forward.

 

It's a pretty common fit - has anyone been down this road before or is able to cast any light? 

 

Thanks for reading. :)

 

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I’d find a good local alternator place and put it on their counter and see what they say….one that deals with more commercial stuff might be better…and one that actually fixes stuff rather than just shifts boxes….if you say where you are someone might have a recommendation. 

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If you contact   https://find-open.co.uk/leyland/lancashire-rotating-electrics-ltd-901505    and send them the info you have and photos of the alternator from as many angles as you can they will match it up and send you the right replacement for £10 carriage next day. There prices are very good.

 

Measure the distance between the fixed mounting points, that is a critical dimension.

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7 minutes ago, frangar said:

I’d find a good local alternator place and put it on their counter and see what they say….one that deals with more commercial stuff might be better…and one that actually fixes stuff rather than just shifts boxes….if you say where you are someone might have a recommendation. 

A good option, I agree. I was hoping a "20 quids worth of regulator by post and fix it at my convenience" might be available before disabling the boat, but 'tis a good thought and I thank you for it.

4 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

If you contact   https://find-open.co.uk/leyland/lancashire-rotating-electrics-ltd-901505    and send them the info you have and photos of the alternator from as many angles as you can they will match it up and send you the right replacement for £10 carriage next day. There prices are very good.

 

Measure the distance between the fixed mounting points, that is a critical dimension.

Thank you Tracy, good to know.

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Another recommendation for LRE at Leyland.

 

They provide RCR with all the "odd" alternators so are quite used to boat bits, and carry stock of common bits like Beta regulators.

 

Mine was slapped on their counter, diagnosed as a failing regulator with the same symptoms as you are having and the reg was fitted for £20.

 

Admittedly that was a few years ago and they were local to me.  Might be a bit far for you to drive ...

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Sounds promising then @TheBiscuits. Like as not they'll be able to identify what I need from the info Beta provided - worth a call I think. A tenner for postage as @Tracy D'arth suggests will be worth it I suspect, but they are a bit far north to pop in with it at the mo - we're in Tixall Wide and the car isn't! Thanks for confirming correlation of symptoms and diagnosis. 

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23 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

Sounds promising then @TheBiscuits. Like as not they'll be able to identify what I need from the info Beta provided - worth a call I think. A tenner for postage as @Tracy D'arth suggests will be worth it I suspect, but they are a bit far north to pop in with it at the mo - we're in Tixall Wide and the car isn't! Thanks for confirming correlation of symptoms and diagnosis. 

One thing I would do if funds permit would be to ask them about a new/recon iskra & have yours repaired. That way if/ when it fails you can swap one in and send the other off at your leisure. I do like carrying spares of things like alternators & pumps…I know I might be a bit odd…

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Our Iskra has a brush/regulator module that is quick and easy to replace and cost about £20. But we have the 175A one and it sounds like yours is a bit different. But still, it might have the same sort of brush/reg module. Worth taking the plastic cover off the back to check. Ours was like this one...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/171489130869

 

Back of the alternator looks like this, you can see the brush/reg module to the right

 

image0.png.38bb66c65b397b39a01af69bd75bfb05.png

 

Just need to undo the two shiny screws and the little green screw (caution, a spacing conductor is beneath, don't lose it!). Of course yours might be totally different...

Edited by nicknorman
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11 hours ago, frangar said:

One thing I would do if funds permit would be to ask them about a new/recon iskra & have yours repaired. That way if/ when it fails you can swap one in and send the other off at your leisure. I do like carrying spares of things like alternators & pumps…I know I might be a bit odd…

I'm fortunate enough to have solar and also  a separate engine alternator I could reconfigure to avoid goosing the batteries so, being a Yorkshire bloke, I'm inclined to keep the £300 + vat for a replacement alternator in my waistcoat pocket, but you make a decent case. A second spare regulator might be in order.

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8 hours ago, nicknorman said:

Our Iskra has a brush/regulator module that is quick and easy to replace and cost about £20. But we have the 175A one and it sounds like yours is a bit different. But still, it might have the same sort of brush/reg module. Worth taking the plastic cover off the back to check. Ours was like this one...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/171489130869

 

Back of the alternator looks like this, you can see the brush/reg module to the right

 

image0.png.38bb66c65b397b39a01af69bd75bfb05.png

 

Just need to undo the two shiny screws and the little green screw (caution, a spacing conductor is beneath, don't lose it!). Of course yours might be totally different...

Thanks Nick, that's really very helpful indeed. It'll be a bit different on the 150a no doubt, but not vastly so as you say. It does help confirm the reg as a viable way ahead.

 

Love the Haynes manual tip about the spacing conductor - that warning is usually found over the next page shortly after the spring has sprung into some deep dark recess!

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1 hour ago, Steve56 said:

This is what comes up in the Cargo catalogue when you look up the Iskra number 11.203.124.

Screenshot_20220412-122746_Adobe Acrobat.jpg

Screenshot_20220412-123226_Adobe Acrobat.jpg

Thank Steve. I've been finding stuff like that, but noting that it shows a 115a alternator, not the original 150a, I'm inclined to think that whikst it may fit as a replacement assembly, I'm concerned that once it branches off into various component part numbers the match deteriorates. I suspect the right component might be in the maze, but how to find it? That said, if I have the back off, I can see if it matches the photo of 234937. Appreciate your help 

1 hour ago, robtheplod said:

No idea if this is of any help but this is whats on my Beta 43.....

 

 

x.jpg

Different alt Rob, but thank you for taking the time to take the photo. How come it's not green!? Maybe a previous owner has has similar fun? 

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12 minutes ago, pearley said:

I'm surprised Beta say the 175a one won't fit. We had two 150 amp ones fail in our first year and then the 175 amp one fitted as 150 amp no longer available. Was a straight forward swop.

Yep, I was surprised too - you'd have thought they'd have found a replacement for the 150 that had the same fit, form and function to avoid alterations, thus permitting the swap you did.

 

I asked Beta that very question, and they kindly provided a parts list needed for the conversion. It included a new pulley and a wiring loom (there's only a big thick power cable and a couple of control wires, so I'm not sure what would have changed).  If it was a cheaper bit if kit I'd try it, but it's an expensive experiment.

 

We're still surprised, aren't we...! ;)

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Won't fit the polyvee belt and the existing mountings unless it's the same physical size, in which case it's not a bog standard cheap one!

 

@Sea Dog already has a spare alternator anyway, the smaller engine one, which can be used with a jump lead to the domestic bank if necessary.

 

He's also got solar so can probably manage for a few days if he needs to.

 

If he's got a travelpower and a mains charger as well he might not need a domestic alternator ... :D

 

 

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11 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

If he's got a travelpower and a mains charger as well he might not need a domestic alternator ... :D

No Travelpower. I do have a lovely blue mains charger, but I'm still in Tixall Wide with the rain coming down in stair rods - I'm not plugging in to one of CRTs extensive network of electric boat charging trees in these conditions!

Of course, starting this thread has convinced my occasionally hiccuping  domestic alternator to work flawlessly now anyway... So that's that fixed, right? ;)

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6 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

Of course, starting this thread has convinced my occasionally hiccuping  domestic alternator to work flawlessly now anyway... So that's that fixed, right? ;)

 

Sadly not.  Mine had the same symptoms as yours, specifically including the intermittent fault.

 

When LRE replaced the regulator on it, it was the second time it had been on their test rig.  The time before it tested as working perfectly, but started messing about again some time after refitting.

 

Edited by TheBiscuits
clarity
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7 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

Sadly not.  Mine had the same symptoms as yours, specifically including the intermittent fault.

 

When LRE replaced the regulator on it, it was the second time it had been on their test rig.  The time before it tested as working perfectly, but started messing about again some time after refitting.

 

I jest - I know they don't heal up. I'd have contacted LRE already if I wasn't so busy relaxing by the stove whilst the squally weather goes through... :rolleyes:

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I assume you can't get to a car at all, Rotec in Sutton-in-Ashfield happily replaced my Beta 38 domestic alternator from stock. They are about an hour away from you in a car. Might be worth calling them for advice 01623 453512 even if you can't get there.

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4 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

I jest - I know they don't heal up. I'd have contacted LRE already if I wasn't so busy relaxing by the stove whilst the squally weather goes through... :rolleyes:

 

Just bear in mind it's Easter this weekend, so if you want bits shipping before the two bank holidays ...

 

 

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