Can't get our engine to start!

[Phil Ambrose]

I see Ms McGrath has been on Facebook asking the same questions. Hope she gets sorted...

So the collective wisdom of CWDF does not inspire her with confidence then?

Phil

[the barnacle]

Your post made no sense at all, however as you suggest we should let the OP decide.

Phil

 

let me spell it out to you Phill -

 

the Op Question -

 

After a successful trip yesterday we're trying to head off but our engine wont start. I have literally no idea what to it. Its making a ticking noise instead of its normal start sound.

 

my reply -

 

yesterday i got up and my van wouldnt start and i had a ticking sound - it was the battery that had died and wouldnt take a charge - after checking i had power going to the battery, i replaced it.

 

How does my reply make no sense?? the only difference is the Boat wouldnt start, my van wouldnt start - so i replied with what i found was wrong with my van.

[Arthur Brown]

Yes, sadly people go to people they like, not people who know, when they want help and advice.

[Phil Ambrose]

 

let me spell it out to you Phill -

 

the Op Question -

 

After a successful trip yesterday we're trying to head off but our engine wont start. I have literally no idea what to it. Its making a ticking noise instead of its normal start sound.

 

my reply -

 

yesterday i got up and my van wouldnt start and i had a ticking sound - it was the battery that had died and wouldnt take a charge - after checking i had power going to the battery, i replaced it.

 

How does my reply make no sense?? the only difference is the Boat wouldnt start, my van wouldnt start - so i replied with what i found was wrong with my van.

Very good but your post as it stood in isolation just read as if you were telling us you had trouble starting your van,

Phil

[MtB]

 

let me spell it out to you Phill -

 

the Op Question -

 

After a successful trip yesterday we're trying to head off but our engine wont start. I have literally no idea what to it. Its making a ticking noise instead of its normal start sound.

 

my reply -

 

yesterday i got up and my van wouldnt start and i had a ticking sound - it was the battery that had died and wouldnt take a charge - after checking i had power going to the battery, i replaced it.

 

How does my reply make no sense?? the only difference is the Boat wouldnt start, my van wouldnt start - so i replied with what i found was wrong with my van.

 

 

You were about 100 posts too late. Had you read the thread you'd have seen the original problem was fixed long ago..

 

and convo had moved on to something else.

[the barnacle]

Thanks for the replies Phil and mike i had said sorry for not reading the 115 replies and that i hope my post helped. just some times i dont have time to read all the replies while working

[Lmcgrath87]

I have some photos of our electrics if anyone would like to take a look.

 

Would I need to get a marine specific electrician or would any electrician be able to help?

So the collective wisdom of CWDF does not inspire her with confidence then?

Phil

No not at all, this forum doesn't always load on my phone and I dont own a computer.

 

Very happy with the advice given on the forum.

I'm going to go right back to the original post here. When you set off cruising, were there any lights illuminated on the dashboard? There shouldn't be any lights illuminated, sometimes you need to rev the engine to turn the alternator warning light off.

 

Nope no lights on the dash but sometimes we did need to rev the engine to turn off the alternator light.

[Bettie Boo]

I have some photos of our electrics if anyone would like to take a look.

 

Would I need to get a marine specific electrician or would any electrician be able to help?

 

No not at all, this forum doesn't always load on my phone and I dont own a computer.

 

Very happy with the advice given on the forum.

 

 

Nope no lights on the dash but sometimes we did need to rev the engine to turn off the alternator light.

 

I promise I won't suggest it yet again after this, but...

 

Have you tried to contact Tony Brooks yet? Maybe your not aware, but he wrote books and gave boaters classes in electrics and engine maintenance - I really don't think you'll get a much better or more experienced offer that his.

[Lmcgrath87]

Don't know if this will help?

 

1 is connected to the mains via the shore line. 0 is off. 2 is for using the inverter when the boat is not connected to the mains.

 

The box below is a RCD trip for the mains.

 

The blue / silver / black item above is the galvanic isolator.

 

Blue box to the right is the inverter.

 

DSCF4951

 

ETA this is our boat, yours may be different.

 

Comparing photos we have the rcd trip thing and our setting on the one with dials has been on 0 (with the exception of the other day which was 2 which isobviously incorrect) so this would lead me to think 1 would be shorepower.

 

There is also an one/off switch which lights up green.

 

We popped to the boatyesterday but didn't see anyone around to ask. if we don't find anyone today we can pop in to the shop on the Tuesday.

 

I have a friend who is an electrician but would we need a marine specific engineer?

 

I promise I won't suggest it yet again after this, but...

 

Have you tried to contact Tony Brooks yet? Maybe your not aware, but he wrote books and gave boaters classes in electrics and engine maintenance - I really don't think you'll get a much better or more experienced offer that his.

Did not realise that. I will drop him a pm.

[Phil Ambrose]

Glad you came back, I reckon IMHO that a boat specific sparky would be your best bet, its doubtful that an ordinary sparky would know much about the mysteries centred around boat electrics. Best bet would be to see if Mike or Tony are still up to giving you some help. Having followed this thread I have a feeling that it's nothing too serious (other than the smoke issue but that is secondary at the moment)

Phil

[Bettie Boo]

Did not realise that. I will drop him a pm.

 

type his name into a search engine, you'll get two different people one being a race car driver the other is Tony Brooks of this parish, it will tell you all about him and his experience & expertise

[Alan de Enfield]

I have a friend who is an electrician but would we need a marine specific engineer?

 

 

 

We have just bought a new (to us) boat - it was professionally built and fitted out but the original owner (an electrician) insisted on doing the wiring himself.

 

My background is electrical ( years at college - primarily mains/HV but not much 12v) and I cannot make head-nor-tail of what he has done. Example - the ammeters are not connected to show the current going into the batteries, they are wired to show the demand placed by the 'accessories'. They are 50-0-50 meters which is not much help when drawing 150 amps thru the inverter.

 

The marine electrician at the boatyard is helping me get to grips with a mass of seemingly unrelated ( to any norm) spaghetti.

 

Every boat we have owned is wired differently and previous owners have added wires with sticky-tape and scotch locks, there appears to be no standard 'convention' for boat wiring.

 

I would suggest you need a 12v electrician with boat experience.

[Murflynn]

I find it very odd that at least 2 respected technical people have offered to come and help, yet the OP insists on trying to get advice on the internet.

 

Please, please take up Tony or Mike's offer without further ado. As we say in the trade:

 

Nike - JFDI

Edited May 3, 2015 by Murflynn

[Lmcgrath87]

I find it very odd that at least 2 respected technical people have offered to come and help, yet the OP insists on trying to get advice on the internet.

 

Please, please take up Tony or Mike's offer without further ado. As we say in the trade:

 

Nike - JFDI

I have pm'd Tony but am very aware it's a bank holiday so wouldnt want to disturb someone's weekend. The questions are helping me in terms of learning. I haven't actually touched anything electrical on the boat since Friday - nor do I plan to, til we have someone who knows what they are doing with us. Still learning a lot from the comments though!

[bizzard]

Be wary of domestic and industrial electricians as they often haven't much of a clue with 12v stuff, even inverters. 12 or 24v and mains, Marine, boat, motor home, caravan, campervan electricians should be ok.

[Tony Brooks]

 

SNIP

 

 

The marine electrician at the boatyard is helping me get to grips with a mass of seemingly unrelated ( to any norm) spaghetti.

 

Every boat we have owned is wired differently and previous owners have added wires with sticky-tape and scotch locks, there appears to be no standard 'convention' for boat wiring.

 

I would suggest you need a 12v electrician with boat experience.

 

And that is why the OP did not get a definitive answer and will not - whoever she asks on line. Far too many people seem to think boats are like cars where whoever makes them they all tend to conform to the same design criteria.

 

I await the OP's PM or phone call but I am little miffed at having wasted last Tuesday waiting for a communication from her. However I am not qualified to give definitive advice on mains equipment and wiring.

 

TBH increasingly I find that when trying to help people one gets messed about. I am still rather pissed off over the Danfoss control unit I offered to give to a member on condition it was collected from Reading but ended up being expected to email photos. then post it, only to be told it was not correct - that is why I specified collection. Still it seems TIm gets better results in the midlands.

[patty-ann]

So the collective wisdom of CWDF does not inspire her with confidence then?

Phil

I think its very tough to ask for people to come and see..I always feel i'm bothering people and always used to try and sort out myself through internet searches etc..However having made few mistakes Stuart persuaded me..well ordered me to always run past him BEFORE I have a go not AFTER..I am the same in the house and have messed up here as well....my dad used to tell me I never quite got stuff right. Perhaps she's worried that summit she's done has "b......" her boat up.

Hope all gets sorted....

[Tony Brooks]

I have pm'd Tony but am very aware it's a bank holiday so wouldnt want to disturb someone's weekend. The questions are helping me in terms of learning. I haven't actually touched anything electrical on the boat since Friday - nor do I plan to, til we have someone who knows what they are doing with us. Still learning a lot from the comments though!

 

Well if you have it has not arrived yet. Best pick up the phone PDQ, taking my wife to church in half an hour and have plans that can easily be postponed for this afternoon. 01189874285

 

PS if you used the email notification of my last PM to try to PM me it will not work. You need to do it from the actual forum.

[Tony Brooks]

Just fund the PM but the forum has yet to notify me.

[LEO]

Just fund the PM but the forum has yet to notify me.

 

Wrong Post - I see Tony has found the PM.

Edited May 3, 2015 by LEO

[Phil Ambrose]

I think its very tough to ask for people to come and see..I always feel i'm bothering people and always used to try and sort out myself through internet searches etc..However having made few mistakes Stuart persuaded me..well ordered me to always run past him BEFORE I have a go not AFTER..I am the same in the house and have messed up here as well....my dad used to tell me I never quite got stuff right. Perhaps she's worried that summit she's done has "b......" her boat up.

Hope all gets sorted....

Hi Pat, always remember that if people offer help you are NOT bothering them. Give Molly a pat from me.

Phil

[patty-ann]

Hi Pat, always remember that if people offer help you are NOT bothering them. Give Molly a pat from me.

Phil

Cheers I'll try to remember...Molly in dog house..she dug out baby field mice demolishing all these new plants I had planted whilst I waged war against Japanese Army in field.

[chazzy]

Tony, you are a true gent hanging in there with the offer of help.

[Tony Brooks]

All is well and has been once the second RCR chap did his stuff. The fan belt looks almost new to me. The alternator is an A127 clone and a quick check (without discharging the domestic bank) returned 47.5 amps revving so it looks a reasonable output. The split charge relay looks like a smallish Lucas one and it looks as if the alternator output goes to the engine battery, but it all seems to work OK.

 

The 1 0 2 switch is a mains change over switch and the mains circuits work from both the inverter and shoreline.

 

The "noise" reported as the last problem seems almost certainly to have been the no charge warning buzzer sounding because the engine was stationary with the ignition on.

 

All in all it looked a tidy boat.

 

Hopefully the OP and her husband are now more confident and informed about boats.

[Alan de Enfield]

Well done that man !