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Sterling unit

Markymark

By Markymark
in Boat Building & Maintenance

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Jess-- Rising Star

Jess--

Posted
Posted (edited)

anything getting hot (alternator) or warm (batteries)?

 

hot alternator would point to heavy current being drawn

 

1 battery warmer than the rest could point towards a faulty battery

Edited by Jess--
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MtB Veteran II

MtBDonate to Canal World

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Yes 12.4 on the alternator and battery 11 on the leisure

 

 

If that is with the engine running they should be the same.

 

You have a seriously flat leisure battery and probably a failed alternator. Or at best a very poor electrical connection between the alternator and the leisure battery. Posssibly a failed relay.

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MtB Veteran II

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12.7v from the alternator is not enough to be charging the battery. It shoulsd be 14.4 or better, 14.8. Probably a failed diode in it.

 

There is another possibility though. You have a hefty and very flat battery bank and the alternator voltage is being pulled down by a high charging current and after a couple of hours or more of charging those voltages should both rise towards 14v+.

 

What size and how many leisure batts do you have?

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MtB Veteran II

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Yes 12.4 on the alternator and battery 11 on the leisure

 

 

So the next question is... were those voltage readings taken at the end of a two hour engine run, or did you start the engine with those flat leisure batteries and take the readings immediately?

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Alan de Enfield Veteran II

Alan de Enfield

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The sterling unit keeps on showing the yellow light "low voltage warning" the yellow light was clicking on and off delivering a boost to the leisure battery's last week? been running the engine for 2hours any ideas.... cheers Markymark

 

 

 

After 2 hours of engine running and the batteries at 11v - something is 'dead' - maybe :

 

1) Alternator

2) Batteries totally knackered

3) Broken / disconnected wire.

4) Broken fan belt

Edited by Alan de Enfield
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Tony Brooks Veteran II

Tony BrooksDonate to Canal World

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I would also ask what "Sterling unit". Sterling supply a range of equipment including inverters, battery chargers, advanced alternator controllers, split charge systems and their alternator to battery charger and battery to battery chargers so it would help if we knew which it is.

 

If, for instance, its an advanced controller then it can be taken out of circuit easily. If its an A to B unit then that itself could be faulty.

 

 

Just seen Mike's post, I agree, that's the first thing to check.

Edited by Tony Brooks
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MtB Veteran II

MtBDonate to Canal World

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Alternator slightly warm but only as warm as engine been running for 2hours, alternator been out and checked a couple of weeks back battery's not getting hot getting trickle charge from solar

 

 

This bit needs looking into. What is the history here please? What prompted you to remove the alternator for checking? Who checked it and for what? Do we trust their technical ability to bench test an alternator?

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Markymark Engager

Markymark

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This bit needs looking into. What is the history here please? What prompted you to remove the alternator for checking? Who checked it and for what? Do we trust their technical ability to bench test an alternator?

The alternator went to a proper alternator place in Hackney wick it was all working fine last week clicking off and on the only thing I've done is put some wax on the fan belt to stop it squeaking

Lesuire battery's now up to 11.6 via solar

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Guest

Guest

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The alternator went to a proper alternator place in Hackney wick it was all working fine last week clicking off and on the only thing I've done is put some wax on the fan belt to stop it squeaking

I would think this is the problem. It sqeaked because it was losing drive. Remove, clean pulleys thoroughly and fit new belt at correct tension. Re tension after a few hours and check tension frequently would be my advice.

Edit, the pulleys could also be worn.

Edited by Guest
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Guest

Guest

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The fan belt that is on is a new one should I get one without teeth?

What engine is it? Our Vetus works the fan belt really hard, and I find the toothed type to be best, specifically the "Gates" make which are top quality but good price from our local truck/car parts place. I just took the old belt in and they found an equivalent. I can keep a couple of spares for the same price as a single Vetus belt.

One thing I have noticed about Gates belts is that they take a little more time to stretch or bed in than some makes, meaning I have to tweak the tension two or three times when I change it whereas other makes of belts only seemed to need doing once. Worth it though. Other ones used to shed rubber, but the Gates don't anywhere near as much.

Edited by Guest
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dmr Veteran II

dmr

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Wax is not the usual cure for a slipping belt !!!

 

What do you mean by alternator clicking on and off? this is not what alternators do. Sounds like you have an on going fault here, probably bad wiring, but could be an alternator intermittent fault that was good the day the alternator was tested. Are you sure it was a proper alternator tester? 99% of "proper" garages who offer to test batteries are not proper at all.

 

Need to measure volts at battery and at alternator (thick wire) with engine not running and again with engine running.

 

...............Dave

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Markymark Engager

Markymark

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What engine is it? Our Vetus works the fan belt really hard, and I find the toothed type to be best, specifically the "Gates" make which are top quality but good price from our local truck/car parts place. I just took the old belt in and they found an equivalent. I can keep a couple of spares for the same price as a single Vetus belt.

One thing I have noticed about Gates belts is that they take a little more time to stretch or bed in than some makes, meaning I have to tweak the tension two or three times when I change it whereas other makes of belts only seemed to need doing once. Worth it though. Other ones used to shed rubber, but the Gates don't anywhere near as much.

It's a GM 1.5

Wax is not the usual cure for a slipping belt !!!

 

What do you mean by alternator clicking on and off? this is not what alternators do. Sounds like you have an on going fault here, probably bad wiring, but could be an alternator intermittent fault that was good the day the alternator was tested. Are you sure it was a proper alternator tester? 99% of "proper" garages who offer to test batteries are not proper at all.

 

Need to measure volts at battery and at alternator (thick wire) with engine not running and again with engine running.

 

...............Dave

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