bloody electrics

[John Orentas]

High Pengy

 

The fan on the charger should run continuously when it is switched on and is powered by the 230 volts. Look for switches on the unit itself and try and trace the supply wiring it should terminate at a fuse, circuit breaker or normal kind of switch.

 

It is pretty obvious that the batteries have not been charging from the battery charger but they have been charged a little probably from the standard alternator. Keep you batteries topped up using distiled or de-ionised water.

 

You really do need to make an effort to understand something about your electrics, you can't always be sure of getting someone to come out and sort it, remember these things are not built into anyones chromosomes. Start by buying a multimeter and perhaps the clamp meter I recommended, read a book or two, some are advertised in the boating magazines.

[Crazy Scheme]

John is right - when we moved aboard (about 3 months ago, we were in a major panic, because NOTHING seemed to be working right. We had bought a liveaboard from a guy who really knew what he was doing regarding boat electrics (everyone on our mooring looked up at his boat and his set-up).

 

Do some reading up - boat electrics isn't rocket science, I also think that getting your boat to do what you want, it's like playing an instrument. You need to be there, be on it, discover and fix stuff for yourself in order to find out how it really works.

 

Try not to panic - we knew nothing, but we managed to sort things out - a combination of help from others, and DIY.

[bottle]

the water in the batteries seems to be down just over an inch.from my posts

 

The water (distilled or de-ionised) should just cover the plates, if you cannot see the plates then it is OK.

 

Do not over fill, there should be an air gap between the water and the top of the battery.

[pquinn]

hello all,ihave requested a diagram of how my boat is wired up.

just two small points 1.my builder rekons that the battery charger is not wired to work when the engine is running.it will only work when i run from a generator.so now i must buy a genny ,iwas thinking about one of those little honda suitcase types. but he rekons i cant plug just any old generator in.does any of this make sense ,should there be some sort of switchover system so the battery charger works with either a genny or when the engine is running.????

 

somebodys gonna die.....

[bottle]

Hi

 

Why would you want the charger to work when the engine is running, the engine will have either one or two generators attached (alternators) to charge the batteries.

 

The separate charger is for use when the generator is running or if you are connected to a land line.

[pquinn]

Hi

 

Why would you want the charger to work when the engine is running, the engine will have either one or two generators attached (alternators) to charge the batteries.

 

The separate charger is for use when the generator is running or if you are connected to a land line.

 

 

 

all i know is that the builder told me to turn on the charger when the engine was running

[bottle]

 

 

 

all i know is that the builder told me to turn on the charger when the engine was running

 

 

Silly builder ........................................unless some one knows different.

[Ernie]

Why would you want the charger to work when the engine is running

 

I run mine when cruising as my 110Amp alternator only outputs around 15/20Amps or so when at tickover and low revs.

Some days, I spend half my time on low revs and tickover due to locks and passing moored boats etc. Running my charger while cruising, I get a full 50Amps (80Amps if both chargers on) even when the engine is on low revs. This works because my Electrolux travel pack generates enough power to run the charger, even when the engine is at low revs.

I checked with Sterling and they confirmed that it is perfectly OK to run their chargers in parallel with the alternator.

[pquinn]

i think that untill i get somesort of diagram detailing how all these boxes are wired together that i will never understand whats going on.

story of my life really.

[Golden Duck]

I think we have a similar set up to yours on Golden Duck.

We have a Dometic/Electrolux Travel Power Strap-on Generator and we have the Sterling Battery Charger, which looks the same as yours in the picture.

 

The builder told our delivery crew not to have the charger on when the engine was running and the Travel Power switched on.

He said that the domestic alternator would charge the batteries then - the charger only being used on the shore line.

 

We presume there is some threat of confliction if both are on ???

Presumerably, the alternator would provide a slightly different charging voltage to the battery charger ?

 

By the way, our charger fan doesn't run all the time - I think it has some form of temperature sensor as it seems

to cut in after a while, when charging.

Edited September 5, 2006 by Golden Duck

[Guest]

Snip

By the way, our charger fan doesn't run all the time - I think it has some form of temperature sensor as it seems

to cut in after a while, when charging.

 

Likewise our Sterling 40A