Alternator problems .....continued

[nicknorman]

Currently, the relay is not installed and OP has patched the sense wire direct to domestic +ve.

[chubby]

Om ,

 

Engine on . Smartgauge SOC at 99 .

 

no probs when throttle returned to idle .

 

Engine alternator : 14.5v

Cabin alternator : 14.3 V

 

Cheers

 

Voltages given are from the smartgauge readings

Edited January 1, 2015 by chubby

[Sir Nibble]

And the voltage at th cabin battery whilst the alternator is at 14.3?

Whoa, no, not gauge readings. Use a meter to check battery and alternator voltages. We are looking for any significant differences.

[nicknorman]

Also worth mentioning that OP has briefly run the engine with the sense wire disconnected and got 15v or more. Could this have damaged the new alternatorr?

Edited January 1, 2015 by nicknorman

[Sir Nibble]

Unlikely

[chubby]

Ok

to measure to voltage at batts .. no probs

 

To measure voltage at alternator ? How , where , ?

 

ive no idea

 

cheers

[nicknorman]

Fat red wire to fat black wire or, if no fat black wire, use the casing instead.

[chubby]

ok

 

tested with multimeter . cabin bank only . SOC now at 100 . No problems yet .

 

At battery 14.2 v

 

At alternator i put probe +ive to the green / sense terminal - 14. 15 v

 

At yellow / lamp terminal 13.95 - 14.05 ( flickering )

 

cheers

Cheers Nick

 

Crossed posts . i tested wrong . back in a mo

Ok

 

right . im going round in circles again . nor knowing what im doing .

 

The fat red cable is bolted onto the back of the alternator covered with a rubber sleeve .

 

Is it here i probe ? red probe .

Black probe to alternator casing ?

 

cheers

[bottle]

Yes

[chubby]

Cheers Bottle

 

Done as above .

 

14.2 V

 

cheers

[Sir Nibble]

That all looks pretty good to me. But the fault is not apparent at the moment is it. Can I be a pain and ask for a voltage at the engine battery?

[chubby]

Sir Nibble ,

 

Thankyou .

 

I shall go & check the engine battery voltage with engine off & on

 

cheers

 

OK , as they say on strictly come dancing .... the results are in :

 

With multimeter at battery terminals , not via smartgauge =

 

Starter batt , engine off since 40 mins ago - 13.2 v .

 

Starter batt , engine on ( no return of symptoms incidentally ) - 14.4 V

 

cheers

Edited January 1, 2015 by chubby

[MtB]

May I compliment all the technical bods on here for their persistence in helping chubby with these alternator problems?

 

And chubby too for his dogged determination to answer the resulting stream of questions and tests to carry out from the technical bods, especially when the tests and questions get difficult or demanding.

 

A refreshing change from the normal course of events when someone asks for help then ignores the requests for detailed information.

 

Chubby is a shining example of how to get the very best from the techies on here.

 

Happy new year!

[Sir Nibble]

Engine details please so I can google for a circuit diagram

[bizzard]

Could that relay once have been a relay for the starter motor solenoid, (very common) to protect a not man enough key or start switch button, and been bypassed. If so it would need reinstating in case the start key-button burns out.

[chubby]

Sir Nibble ,

 

Engine details from " Declaration of confirmity " document

 

date of completion is December 2001 . Liverpool boat co .

 

Engine : Yanmar 1603 diesel .

Serial number . 20645 .

 

These are confirmed on a plate at the top of the engine .

 

I have an electrical diagram from Barrus . On it are declared changes made to the system .

My version of this diagram is " issue 10 "

in the top left of the diagram it states :

BARRUS SHIRE CANAL BOAT ENGINE

1650 , 2000 , 2200 WIRING DIAGRAM

12 V

02 BUILD

ISSUE 10 .

 

At the top right of this diagram are 3 changes

 

24/09/1999 - ISSUE 8 - ADD IGN FEED ( grey ) TO 80 A ALT

 

04 / 05 / 2000 - ISSUE 9 - ADD FUSE PROTECTION

 

25/05/2001 - ISSUE 10 - RELAY ADDED TO SEPERATELY EXCITE 80 A ALT . PROVIDE TERMINAL FOR SEPERATE BATTERY BANK .

 

Hope this is sufficient info

 

cheers

[Sir Nibble]

Not the right info i'm afraid. What model is the engine? Barrus shire 20? 30? 35? 40?

[chubby]

Sir Nibble ,

 

The numbers you mention are not present in any engine paoerwork .

 

There is a page in the manual that states how to identify your engine as its necessary information when making an enquiry or for ordering spare parts etc .

 

The first number i quoted (1603 ) is the TYPE .

 

The other number is its serial number .

 

This is all it says . I just checked an engine service receipt - no info on there either so the first four digit number is what identifies its type .

 

Sorry .

[Sir Nibble]

I've not been able to find a manual online nor in fact any mention of any 02 build Barrus

[chubby]

Just googled Barrus Shire & i see that these days their models are numbered as you state 20 , 30 , etc on thier engine manuals

 

Therefore i went to the same relevant page at the front of my manual , dated August 2001 . The manual relates to the following models .

 

SHIRE 1650 , 2000 & 2200

 

so still no 20 , 30 , 40 etc

 

sorry

[Sir Nibble]

That's life

[DaveGood]

Chubby,

 

Essentially sir nibble is asking "what is the engines horsepower"

[chubby]

Ok , thanks

 

i believe its 30 HP .

 

cheers

[chubby]

Ok

 

Back on the boat now . Tried engine & symptoms have returned . After revving the alternator into operation the lamp & buzzer turn off .

Within 45 seconds they come back on .

Batteries at 100 SOC after being charged by solar all day .

 

Im just about out of ideas now . If the relay needs. replacing etc then thats fine , but im unable to establish which type i need as i just can t make the necessary judgements or calculations .

 

It does seem , bizarrely , that if my batteries are at 100 SOC ( genuinely full as the solar is charging all day ) then alternator is switching off & the alarms are coming on . Weird .

 

Its looking the white flag might have to be waved afterall .

 

Bugger !

 

cheers

[smileypete]

I'd try temporarily connecting the warning lamp, on the non alt side, to the domestic batt +ve instead, see if that helps. If not then a relay probably won't cure the issue.

 

cheers, Pete.

~smpt~

Edited January 2, 2015 by smileypete