Alternator Not Charging

[TheBiscuits]

We are coming around to the idea we probably won't be mobile this week, but there are worse places to be stranded.

 

Didn't plan on having a week in the marina, however, it's not so far that bad.

See, it's starting!

 

Engine not working, check.

 

Having to stay another few days, check.

 

Hoping to get fixed soon, check.

 

You'll be proper boaters soon, not hobby boaters. Brush up on the CRT rants before next week.

[Naughty Cal]

Thanks for the offer Alan.

 

Will see what the sparky says in a bit. If it is the alternator we might take you up on that offer.

 

It's a 70 amp that's on it.

 

If it does turn out to be the alternator the guy who has refurbished it is getting both barrels tomorrow!

See, it's starting!

 

Engine not working, check.

 

Having to stay another few days, check.

 

Hoping to get fixed soon, check.

 

You'll be proper boaters soon, not hobby boaters. Brush up on the CRT rants before next week.

HA ha.

 

Perhaps we should tow it round to the CRT moorings outside the marina tomorrow

[Alan de Enfield]

Thanks for the offer Alan.

 

Will see what the sparky says in a bit. If it is the alternator we might take you up on that offer.

 

It's a 70 amp that's on it.

 

If it does turn out to be the alternator the guy who has refurbished it is getting both barrels tomorrow!

 

I have PM'd you

[Naughty Cal]

Just replied thanks.

[Naughty Cal]

I take it all back.

 

The alternator is at fault.

 

Going back tomorrow to give them both barrels. At tickover it's kicking out 6v on full revs a bit over 12v.

 

We have the video evidence and the engineer has a report and his number to ring if we have any problems.

 

See what tomorrow brings!

[alan_fincher]

I take it all back.

 

The alternator is at fault.

 

Going back tomorrow to give them both barrels. At tickover it's kicking out 6v on full revs a bit over 12v.

 

We have the video evidence and the engineer has a report and his number to ring if we have any problems.

 

Or you have some other fault on your electrics, which is serially trashing any otherwise good alternator that you connect to them............ ()

[Naughty Cal]

Checked everything possible.

 

Alternator is fooked!

 

Lincoln is due to become a war zone tomorrow. Engineer even confirmed what we had suspected and then doubted!

Edited October 5, 2015 by Naughty Cal

[Wanderer Vagabond]

 

Does he come out to the middle of the North Sea ?

Does he carry spare parts for marinised 7.5 litre, 6-cylinder Ford engines ?

 

(I forgot to mention the spare impellors and fan belts.)

If I find myself in the middle of the North Sea in my 60 foot narrow boat I think having a knackered engine will be the least of my worries, my principal worry will be 'How the f**k did I get here' .

 

I was going to ask why you didn't have a spare drive belt but you have now covered that, so where is your spare fuel pump?

[Naughty Cal]

On the life boat?

[Naughty Cal]

The alternator is now back in the workshop. Despite his initial claim that it is good he has upon further investigation found some faults. We are picking it back up at about 5pm putting it back on the boat and then if that doesn't work he is coming out to have a look.

 

The cynic in me thinks it will work this time!

[Naughty Cal]

And so the debacle continues

 

This morning it went from its working fine on his test bed nothing wrong with it, to finding a minor fault he needs it today to fix it, to just receiving a phone call to say he is waiting for parts to fix it.

 

Both barrels, aimed and fired.

[billS]

Would a new alternator not be quicker and cheaper? They are pretty readily available.

[Naughty Cal]

Would a new alternator not be quicker and cheaper? They are pretty readily available.

It would have been if we had ordered it on Saturday, we would have had it fitted today and be off on our way by now.

 

If I order it now I have missed the slot for delivery tomorrow so it will be Thursday before it arrives and fitted.

 

We have been promised ours back tomorrow morning. But we have heard that before!

 

As for cost. There is no extra charge over the initial repair costs as it is their cock up.

 

It's more of an annoyance factor really having taken a week of work and five days in being stuck on our berth.

[Bod]

Alan De, would have had his spare fitted in 20 mins.

 

 

Bod

[Naughty Cal]

Alan De, would have had his spare fitted in 20 mins.

 

 

Bod

I know and we rather foolishly turned down the offer on the word of this clown.

 

Never mind. Tomorrow is another day. Who knows, it might even be the day we venture out of the marina..........

[Wanderer Vagabond]

Would a new alternator not be quicker and cheaper? They are pretty readily available.

 

I'm not sure how readily available they are. My 'reconditioned' alternator failed on me back in 2014 in Newbury and it took about a week to get a new replacement at a cost of about £225 since I needed to keep the old one to take back to the firm that 'reconditioned' it (although I suppose technically it didn't have to be that alternator to be lobbed through their workshop window, any old alternator would have done )

[Naughty Cal]

 

I'm not sure how readily available they are. My 'reconditioned' alternator failed on me back in 2014 in Newbury and it took about a week to get a new replacement at a cost of about £225 since I needed to keep the old one to take back to the firm that 'reconditioned' it (although I suppose technically it didn't have to be that alternator to be lobbed through their workshop window, any old alternator would have done )

It will be going through the window of his Dolomite if it isn't fixed today.

 

We can get a replacement Valeo unit delivered on Friday if needs be.

[Semitrad]

After many years of repairing electronic equipment I can say that one of the worst faults is an intermittent one. Something that works fine for hours or even days on test can fail within minutes of return to the customer, leading to accusations and recriminations all round. The effects of a soaking with water, or worse, seawater, can be terminal.

Perhaps this is where the real blame lies.

[Naughty Cal]

That theory would stack up fine if he had not found more parts that need replacing after initially saying it was good to go back on the boat!

 

Liam has just gone to pick it up again and the chap has assured us that this time it is 100% right.

 

Not sure I have any faith in this assurance to be honest but we shall see. I could be proven wrong.

[nicknorman]

That theory would stack up fine if he had not found more parts that need replacing after initially saying it was good to go back on the boat!

 

Liam has just gone to pick it up again and the chap has assured us that this time it is 100% right.

 

Not sure I have any faith in this assurance to be honest but we shall see. I could be proven wrong.

Liam is a mechanic, get him to fix it next time because if you want a job doing properly, you generally have to do it yourself!

Edited October 7, 2015 by nicknorman

[Naughty Cal]

Liam is a mechanic, get him to fix it next time because if you want a job doing properly, you generally have to do it yourself!

Liam is a panel beater!

[bizzard]

A great many back street auto electrical alternator, starter motor, dynamo repairers rarely actually fit new bits apart from perhaps brushes and a few odd terminals, they just pick up old units in bulk from breakers yards and the like, test em and the ones that don't work they strip down and use the bits that are good to repair or recondition others. Once the casings are sand blasted and part painted they can look fantastic.

Just have a peek into the back workshops of some of the repairs and you'll see heaps and heaps of old units, half stripped, with mountains of old parts all jumbled up waiting to be used again. They usually only buy in a new part ''under sufferance'' if they haven't the correct part amongst their mountain of old still but seviceable stuff.

They are not all like this of course, but a great many are.

[Naughty Cal]

A great many back street auto electrical alternator, starter motor, dynamo repairers rarely actually fit new bits apart from perhaps brushes and a few odd terminals, they just pick up old units in bulk from breakers yards and the like, test em and the ones that don't work they strip down and use the bits that are good to repair or recondition others. Once the casings are sand blasted and part painted they can look fantastic.

Just have a peek into the back workshops of some of the repairs and you'll see heaps and heaps of old units, half stripped, with mountains of old parts all jumbled up waiting to be used again. They usually only buy in a new part ''under sufferance'' if they haven't the correct part amongst their mountain of old still but seviceable stuff.

They are not all like this of course, but a great many are.

I have little doubt that this chaps "back of shop" is exactly as you describe

[nicknorman]

Liam is a panel beater!

Oh. Well did he try beating the alternator with a big hammer?

[bizzard]

I have little doubt that this chaps "back of shop" is exactly as you describe

Probably. When I had my garage I knew all the local auto electrical repairers and would often pop in with a faulty unit for them to test and because I knew them so well I was often invited ''out the back'' whilst waiting, and they almost all operated the same. It was quite obvious what was going on, but cheap at half the price, you pays yer money and takes yer chance.