Jump to content

Electrical Help


Featured Posts

Can anyone recommend somebody to sort my electrics? Based on stainforth-keadby canal at present.

 

Two leisure batteries, both showing 12+V with meter. No problem starting engines. All electrics work when hooked up to mains (12 & 240V), though 12 appears to only work when a battery charger is putting voltage in to the 12V loom.

 

Can't think of anything logical!

 

There is an inverter, also a 4 LED display thing which has never shown anything and a number of non connected wires in the engine bay.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Castaway

 

I Think your batteries might me nackered, you should be getting 13+ volts Your charger power is just running through them and probably not charging them so powering some 12 volt equipment on the boat. Usaully leisure batteries aren't used for engine starting, you might have a separate battery for that and that's why it starts unsure.gif

 

I'm no expert though other members will be able to solve your problem.

 

 

Julian

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As a guess your engine battery works but the house set do not, and you are living off the charger. However I'm in London and you are a bit far away for me to see clearly from here!

 

The unconnected wires in the engine space concern me, they could be the answer or a red herring.

 

If you are able start to draw a wiring diagram for your boat, batteries, generator and everything. then it may be obvious where the fault is.

 

OR you have to call in a boat electrician! Sooner or later you will want to move off from the mains tether and that is when things could go wrong.

 

Several forum members could help but finding a competent one in your area will be your job!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Try tracing where those unconnected wires go to,by their colour and pulling and pushing them a bit.If you feel competent enough you could check if any are live or not,with a bulb and wire,voltmeter or multi-meter.But at the very least tape up any bare wire ends in case they touch any metal that they shouldn't and short out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks.

 

A bit more info.

 

There is a seperate battery for starting the engine. There is no shore power, but I do have a Ring Booster pack which works as a 300W inverter and from this I can plug in a battery charger and put the output from that into the 12V circuit. This however isn't how it always was.

 

Originally, things appeared to work fine, though I did once leave the central heating pump on and probably completely discharged the leisure batteries. The second alternator wasn't receiving an instruction to kick in and charge the batteries (it seemed that was due to such a low voltage in the leisure batteries) but if I put some charge into the system via the aforementioned battery charger then the alternator would kick in. This no longer seems to be the case, putting the charge in isn't firing up the alternator now?

 

Yesterday I managed to borrow some 240V from the shore and had this in for a few hours. As mentioned, the leisure batteries were reading over 12V on the meter but I was getting no life from any 12V equipment? I'm hoping to get out and about on the boat soon to give it plenty of work, which may or may not help.

 

I've no idea what the box is which has 'LED' indicators, these have never lit up and looking at the various cable colours coming from it, they may correspond to some of the loose cables in the engine bay (Appear to come from that direction).

 

Cheers

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks.

 

A bit more info.

 

There is a seperate battery for starting the engine. There is no shore power, but I do have a Ring Booster pack which works as a 300W inverter and from this I can plug in a battery charger and put the output from that into the 12V circuit. This however isn't how it always was.

 

Originally, things appeared to work fine, though I did once leave the central heating pump on and probably completely discharged the leisure batteries. The second alternator wasn't receiving an instruction to kick in and charge the batteries (it seemed that was due to such a low voltage in the leisure batteries) but if I put some charge into the system via the aforementioned battery charger then the alternator would kick in. This no longer seems to be the case, putting the charge in isn't firing up the alternator now?

 

Yesterday I managed to borrow some 240V from the shore and had this in for a few hours. As mentioned, the leisure batteries were reading over 12V on the meter but I was getting no life from any 12V equipment? I'm hoping to get out and about on the boat soon to give it plenty of work, which may or may not help.

 

I've no idea what the box is which has 'LED' indicators, these have never lit up and looking at the various cable colours coming from it, they may correspond to some of the loose cables in the engine bay (Appear to come from that direction).

 

Cheers

 

I think you need an electrician as you originally asked, not in your area though. I do think your batteries are knackered, unscrew the cell tops and I suspect they've gone dry and not taking or holding a charge.

 

I'm sure some suggestions will be forthcoming.

 

Julian

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm hoping to get out and about on the boat soon to give it plenty of work, which may or may not help.

I should spend some time checking out the basics.

Disconnect all the batteries (taking note of which connections are connected where). Once separted you can check the water level if necessary and measure the voltage or charge them individually and see how they perform.

Any that pass with flying colours you can re-install!

If they all pass then you may have to move on and check the charging side!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We really do need an accurate circuit diagram to be able to give full and complete answers. If ths is a new situation then something obviously happened to precipitate the change, what was that? And how can you reverse the trend. Perhaps the house batteries are now flat or they may be dead. BUT as mentioned above this probably isn't the cause it is likely the effect of the fault.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It sounds like an open circuit between batteries and load. With pretty well zero thought the inspiration pixie is telling me to check the negatives first. You may or may not have defective batteries but that's not what's causing this.

 

 

I would also suggest a temporary bridge across the two master switch terminals - especially if it uses a plastic "key". Could be internal over winter corrosion etc.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The batteries are reading 12V, 12V equipment does not work, ergo they are no longer connected. When battery charger inputs to 12V system everything works. So the disconnection is between battery and charger.

Take your voltmeter and turn something 12V on. now try and measure between battery +ve and fusebox +ve. Do it again from battery -ve and fusebox -ve. Whickever shows voltage is where your fault lies. I suspect the negative connection because that's the one that always seems to be neglected and I have a hunch that it is mixed up with your charging problem.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank You, will get the meter out over the weekend and have a look.

 

Would a poor negative also tie in with the leisure battery alternator not kicking in (Although I guess it may be thinking there is enough juice in the leisure batteries and isn't required if I'm getting a good reading at the batteries)

 

Cheers

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Would a poor negative also tie in with the leisure battery alternator not kicking in

Yep. Because the batteries aren't making a circuit, so aren't exciting the alternator.

 

Snib's suggestion to use the meter to check Batt +ve to Fuseboard +ve and the same for the negatives is a good one - any voltage on either of those positions will point to where the poor connection is.

 

Tony

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Firstly, i concur witth what as already been suggested and suggest you take the following steps,

 

 

!) check across the house batteries for output, assuming you have voltage go to 2 , if not, check all battery connections and straps along with cells , but the liklehood is your batteries are dead.

 

2) meter between the house battery negative terminal and the fuse box positive, assuming no voltage present go to 3 if there is voltage go to 4

 

3) meter between the house battery negative and both positive terminals on your isolation switch, if you have voltage one side and not the other ensure the red key is in (easily kicked out inadvertanty) if it is in and there is only voltage one side the switch is faulty .... if there is no voltage either side check wiring and connections back to the batteries, if both sides check wiring and connections between the switch and the fuse box.

 

4) meter for continuity between the battery earth and your main panel earth block or earth stud and trace the wiring and connections.

 

providing there is voltage irrespective of whether it it 12 volts or not all the above tests will give an indication.

 

If you require any further help or advice feel free to PM me, incidentally, the unit with the led's that has been disconnected may well be a D.A.R. (digital alternator regulator) that has been disconnected when the 2nd alternator was fitted if of course it was an add on.

 

good luck

 

Rick

Edited by dccruiser
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Would appear to be sorted.......simple battery isolator switch fault. I do need to take a photo of the box with the LED's though and put this on for some information as to what it does/should do etc!

 

Many Thanks to all for the different things to try.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would also suggest a temporary bridge across the two master switch terminals - especially if it uses a plastic "key". Could be internal over winter corrosion etc.

 

 

Would appear to be sorted.......simple battery isolator switch fault.

Result!

 

Tony :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.