Electrical mystery with generator

[bluegreencanal]

Hi boaters...

 

I never fail to work out my problems with the wonderful help and support I get here...

 

This one I have been scratching my head over for weeks. Living on a boat is expensive enough as it is but I am having to run my inverter to do anything major and have had to give up hoovering and ironing...I am desperate :-)

 

My generator works. It produces enough power to run the charger and the batteries charge fine but I can only run my 230 v sockets through the inverter.

 

I have SEARCHED for a fuse and tested all those I can see and looked inside everything to see if there are any hidden fuses.

 

There is a bit of a leak on the water pump but who's pump doesnt leak? It produces enough water circulation to keep it cool enough to work in spite of that.

 

Does anyone have any other ideas? I am wondering if it is the alternator but am not convinced as I have been told it must be producing enough (230) to run what is working at the mo.

 

I used to be able to use up the excess power produced by setting the CAM switch to generator instead of inverter. This seems to be ok (it looks ok, it is a big old clunky switch no signs of burning or anything to worry about) do they break?

 

I would be so happy if someone could point me in the right direction. Thanks folks!

 

Sue

[Chalky]

What generator is it? If we knew the type and model it would help

[WotEver]

I think the topic title should have been "Electrical problem with mystery generator"

 

Tony

[Iain_S]

The battery charger is working, which would imply some output from the genny, so odds are it's OK. The charger would never be run from the inverter , and so the feed to the charger will be taken off before the "Genny/Inverter" switch. So most probably wiring between switch and genny, or switch itself. To find out which will require a voltmeter set to a suitable AC range. There should be 230V AC or so between live and neutral on the genny contacts on the switch with genny running and inverter off. If there is, the switch is faulty; if not the fault lies elsewhere. BE VERY CAREFUL while contacts/connections are exposed, 240V can be lethal!

 

I don't see how the alternator can be the cause of the lack of 240V. Do the batteries get charged with genny off and engine on?

 

Iain

[Chris Pink]

Hmmm...

 

Whereas IainS' diagnosis seems correct the advice to go fault finding with the system live is more than a little gung-ho.

 

This fault is most likely a mechanical wiring fault or possibly the switch, all of which should be initially tested with generator and inverter off. First by visually inspecting every connection between generator and switch and then by using the continuity setting on multimeter.

 

If this fails then I would only advise checking the live circuits by someone experienced in electric, who will almost certainly find the fault by the method above.

 

This is a simple fault but do not try and find it with the system live.

[Iain_S]

Hmmm...

 

Whereas IainS' diagnosis seems correct the advice to go fault finding with the system live is more than a little gung-ho.

 

This fault is most likely a mechanical wiring fault or possibly the switch, all of which should be initially tested with generator and inverter off. First by visually inspecting every connection between generator and switch and then by using the continuity setting on multimeter.

 

If this fails then I would only advise checking the live circuits by someone experienced in electric, who will almost certainly find the fault by the method above.

 

This is a simple fault but do not try and find it with the system live.

 

Yeah, you're right. However, it's the way I'd do it, having seen one diagnosis of a genny fault totally screwed by the low resistance of the genny windings

 

Iain

[bluegreencanal]

What generator is it? If we knew the type and model it would help

 

Thank you

 

Yes, sorry, it is a Mase marine 5.7kW generator think it is called an IS 6.5

 

Sue

[WotEver]

Hi Sue,

 

I think you need a 'man with a multimeter'. A fellow boater might well be happy to assist if you're not confident with mains fault-finding.

 

It's one of... Fuse, Switch, Wiring, in descending order of likeliness.

 

Tony

[bluegreencanal]

I invited an electrician to come and sort it out.

 

Meanwhile, I installed a battery to start the main engine.

 

cabled it all back togeterh and the mystery problem just disappeared. Assuming loose connection - still going to get electrician to tell me why he thinks it works now...

 

[bluegreencanal]

the mystery problem just disappeared. Assuming loose connection - still going to get electrician to tell me why he thinks it works now...

 

 

They mystery problem reappeared as it was a couple of cables which had dropped out of the main selector switch - thank heavens for the wonderful electrician! Thanks for advice again people. Much appreciated.