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Batteries not charging when engine is on et al


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Hello, and it is customery to apologise for ones daftness in these situations, so uhh, sorry about that! But as the darkness and coldness approaches...I could do with some advice

 

Here is the rub

 

1. Batteries no longer receive charge when engine runs.

 

2. Batteries do not hold charge adequately.(drops to 10v at night)

 

About my set up.

 

I have 3 80 watt solar panels and mppt controller

I have 40 amp alternator

I have sterling 4 step alternator regulator

I have 2 little black boxes one of them has relay written on it

 

The battery light no longer dims when engine runs

 

Need to fix, spending as little money as pos.

 

What do ya reckon?

 

Cheers

 

Martin

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Alternator has give up or belt has give up. Check the alternator output with a multimeter.

Seconded.

 

However, two faults used to crop up on my previous boat that had the same effect:

1) The smaller wire at the rear of the alternator used to break off the crimp periodically, usually at an inconvenient time like when in a tunnel.

2) The kids used to catch the red isolator and switch it off accidentally.

 

ps ideally the batteries shouldn't get below 12.2V (ish) off load, so you need to get them above 10V ASAP.

Edited by Guest
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Currently reading 12.6. Still light so would imagine when first becomes dark will rest as 12.2 ish

 

When brighter, earlier today 13.5

 

Few hours of darkness and very little use, say brief water pumps, inverter running, will fall to about 11 and then downhill from there...

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Checking with a multimeter both on the alternator and on batteries while running, might shed some light. Smaller wire has been mentioned already, but that happend to me twice.

 

Does your alternators over there have the changeable regulator thingy on the casing? I've always found it useful to have a spare regulator.

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Surely you have to be 4ft tall to work on these things full time eh?

 

Well visual check no broken off wires to alternator, I loosened alternator so i could get visual, and moved it a touch, which was silly with hindsight, how tight should the belt be?

 

I will set multimeter to current, will see if current comes out..

 

Cheers..........

Im surprised to learn this boat had superdooper aftermarket thingy fitted! This is an education

 

The engine is sole btw, anyone heard of that b4?

Sole with accent over the e

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Surely you have to be 4ft tall to work on these things full time eh?

 

Well visual check no broken off wires to alternator, I loosened alternator so i could get visual, and moved it a touch, which was silly with hindsight, how tight should the belt be?

 

I will set multimeter to current, will see if current comes out..

 

Cheers..........

Im surprised to learn this boat had superdooper aftermarket thingy fitted! This is an education

 

The engine is sole btw, anyone heard of that b4?

Sole with accent over the e

Yes. They are marinised Mitsubishi engines, similar to Thornycroft and Vetus engines.

http://www.solediesels.co.uk/

 

http://www.diamonddiesels.co.uk/

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Perhaps you meant etc?

 

Et al. is used to refer to a number of people (usually authors), or a number of places in a text. (Or a number of places in a boat's engine room? No probably not...)

Maybe a number of authors of posts will help get his alt. working though?

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Could also be a duff split charge relay, try what Caprifool mentions in post #7.

 

So summing up it could be one or more of:

 

Broken external alt controller connection

Bad isolator

Bad split charge relay

Defective connections

 

While engine is running, comparing the voltage on the domestic batts to that between the alt 'B+' output and casing should shed some light.

 

cheers, Pete.

~smpt~

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Thanks folks, yep it is the alternator, no output deviation when running, will either get refurbed or new.

 

I think the regulator was put on because the weedy 40 amp alternator took a while to charge, but if it contributes to killing the alternator prematurely, this is a false economy right? So that can go

 

Also im thinking it is most likely that all leisures need replacing, I mean they reach decent enough voltage at sundown, 12.4 or so, they just cant hold onto it....if one cell or one batt was bad, would it not reach a good voltage to begin with?

 

Do you think getting beefier alternator would introduce other problems?

 

Thanks for help all, so good to have something like this.

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Thanks folks, yep it is the alternator, no output deviation when running, will either get refurbed or new.

 

I think the regulator was put on because the weedy 40 amp alternator took a while to charge, but if it contributes to killing the alternator prematurely, this is a false economy right? So that can go

 

Also im thinking it is most likely that all leisures need replacing, I mean they reach decent enough voltage at sundown, 12.4 or so, they just cant hold onto it....if one cell or one batt was bad, would it not reach a good voltage to begin with?

 

Do you think getting beefier alternator would introduce other problems?

 

Thanks for help all, so good to have something like this.

You would have to ensure that the belt was up to the job. I think Sole/Diamond Diesels would be able to advise

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Thanks folks, yep it is the alternator, no output deviation when running, will either get refurbed or new.

 

I think the regulator was put on because the weedy 40 amp alternator took a while to charge, but if it contributes to killing the alternator prematurely, this is a false economy right? So that can go

 

Also im thinking it is most likely that all leisures need replacing, I mean they reach decent enough voltage at sundown, 12.4 or so, they just cant hold onto it....if one cell or one batt was bad, would it not reach a good voltage to begin with?

 

Do you think getting beefier alternator would introduce other problems?

 

Thanks for help all, so good to have something like this.

12.4 volts is not really an ideal voltage to be starting from. They are nowhere near fully charged at that!

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A moderate upgrade of alternator sounds like a good idea, ask Solé about it, or chance it and fit a 70 amp alternator (with the risk of needing a new drive belt). If you are frequently on moving water then a small engine may suffer power shortage if the alternator is drawing a lot of power.

 

Get to a place where you can get a shoreline charge -salvage what's left of the batteries as soon as possible. Then seriously minimise your electrical load til you have resolved your battery state. this means turning things OFF for awhile at least

 

Can you extend your solar? Check it's fully working but remember that it is well into seasonal decline.

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Do an electrical audit, if you know nothing of electrickery(like me) post your usage on here and let the boffins advise/fight it out. I note for instance that you mention an inverter, what for instance does it invert for? but be prepared for a long thread smile.png or perhaps go on the Smartgauge site and try and learn, no.................I could not either

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