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Post by Deleted on Aug 10, 2020 15:57:49 GMT
Yes it is a Beta and is so old (27 years) there was only one type of panel and the circuit diagrams are hand drawn. The second alternator is a Prestolite 90amp jobbie and I can assure you there is no lamp hanging about behind the panel So how does the Prestolite jobbie get excited? It's self exciting, much like masturbation
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Post by Deleted on Aug 10, 2020 15:59:45 GMT
So how does the Prestolite jobbie get excited? It's self exciting, much like masturbation That's an interesting concept ! No external input. Must try that while awake
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Post by JohnV on Aug 10, 2020 16:04:59 GMT
a new voice to add a little more confusion
as Magnetman has said it often is a rectifier of sometimes the regulator itself. I don't have any personal experience with the Sterling regulator but I would guess that it is more likely to be a basic regulator showing this fault wehich will probably be the engine battery alternator ....... if you have a volt meter stick it on the engine battery with the engine running and get a voltage reading ..... If charging it should be 14.2 to 14.7 volts. then check the voltage on your domestics which should be not dissimillar ....... If they are both charging correctly then I wouldn't stress too much ....... they will often work for a long time like that.
Without pictures I wouldn't care to comment too much ..... Nick (Telemachus) will possibly be more familiar with the Sterling regulator and care to comment ........ He's a pedantic bugger but generally gives decent advice on such matters
as haas already been said .... Ignore any technical advice from Foxey
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Post by Deleted on Aug 10, 2020 16:15:28 GMT
Where in the system are you? Does that have a bearing on wether the alternator works correctly or not? just south of Birmingham on the GU No, I was just curious, ... however you might at least get some offers of actual practical help if folk know where you are.
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Post by naughtyfox on Aug 10, 2020 16:29:10 GMT
as haas already been said .... Ignore any technical advice from Foxey Who has mostly done all the maintenance on his own boat, one of the few here to have actually cruised round the country during the past 7 years, and who has golden oil lapping at his engine bearings and gearbox cogs.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 10, 2020 16:37:36 GMT
For what it's worth @grobag ... my mate has the exact same engine in a boat he had built in 2003 ... the light has ALWAYS been very dimly lit. He has just learned to live with it ... it would worry the hell out of me If I were you I would have a leccy have a really good check and make sure all is well. Rog
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Post by metanoia on Aug 10, 2020 16:55:35 GMT
as haas already been said .... Ignore any technical advice from Foxey Who has mostly done all the maintenance on his own boat, one of the few here to have actually cruised round the country during the past 7 years, and who has golden oil lapping at his engine bearings and gearbox cogs. Ha! Ha! Ha! What a deluded, arrogant cheeky b******d ! Although he can be quite rude, personal and downright nasty I have so far demurred from the "ignore" option .... but ... Good luck, @grobag - stop fretting, things take a little longer when you live out here - I'm sure it'll all work out in the end and you'll be fine!
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Post by Deleted on Aug 10, 2020 18:12:43 GMT
as haas already been said .... Ignore any technical advice from Foxey Who has mostly done all the maintenance on his own boat, one of the few here to have actually cruised round the country during the past 7 years, and who has golden oil lapping at his engine bearings and gearbox cogs. 'One of the few here ...' Really ? I would have said there's quite a high percentage of live aboards here ... and a high percentage of more leisurely boaters who actually travel, and have done the system. A bit dismissive ... and rather like me, you have repeatedly stated your own 'limitations' on technical skills. Rog
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Post by metanoia on Aug 10, 2020 18:20:51 GMT
Golden oil hardly laps when one can't even start one's engine - never mind engage one's gearbox cogs!
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Post by Deleted on Aug 10, 2020 18:47:35 GMT
Yes ... amused me too that he berates others for not boating ... from Finland Rog
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Post by Telemachus on Aug 10, 2020 19:25:27 GMT
Sorry been busy today - Gliding club tug annual maintenance.
If it is a 9 diode alternator there will be a D+ terminal that is connected to the warning lamp. If the light is dimly glowing when the batteries are fully charged and the solar is producing power, this is normal and nothing to worry about, it is just happening because the alternator is pretty much shut down due to no current demand. If the light glows dimly even though the batteries are nowhere near fully charged, this indicates a field diode failure. Maximum alternator output will be significantly reduced.
If it is a 6 diode machine it won’t have a D+ terminal and the warning light is not responsible for initial excitation. If the light is glowing in such an alternator, it is a minor issue with the regulator / controller and probably nothing much to worry about.
You can do a bit of detective work, have a look at the connections on the back of the alternators. There will be a fat wire that is the charging current output. There may then be a wire on one of the alternators that drives the tachometer, normally on a terminal labelled W. There will likely be another wire on both alternators that drives the warning lights.
So plan of action: check the wires on the back of the alternators, look for labelling (embossed letters etc). Post pictures if poss. Try removing the wire(s) connected to D+, with that wire disconnected the alternator warning light won’t illuminate with ignition on and engine not running, so doing it one at a time should allow you to identify which alternator is causing the light to glow dimly.
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Post by patty on Aug 10, 2020 19:30:41 GMT
Sorry been busy today - Gliding club tug annual maintenance. If it is a 9 diode alternator there will be a D+ terminal that is connected to the warning lamp. If the light is dimly glowing when the batteries are fully charged and the solar is producing power, this is normal and nothing to worry about, it is just happening because the alternator is pretty much shut down due to no current demand. If the light glows dimly even though the batteries are nowhere near fully charged, this indicates a field diode failure. Maximum alternator output will be significantly reduced. If it is a 6 diode machine it won’t have a D+ terminal and the warning light is not responsible for initial excitation. If the light is glowing in such an alternator, it is a minor issue with the regulator / controller and probably nothing much to worry about. You can do a bit of detective work, have a look at the connections on the back of the alternators. There will be a fat wire that is the charging current output. There may then be a wire on one of the alternators that drives the tachometer, normally on a terminal labelled W. There will likely be another wire on both alternators that drives the warning lights. So plan of action: check the wires on the back of the alternators, look for labelling (embossed letters etc). Post pictures if poss. Try removing the wire(s) connected to D+, with that wire disconnected the alternator warning light won’t illuminate with ignition on and engine not running, so doing it one at a time should allow you to identify which alternator is causing the light to glow dimly. What Nick says is normally right ref this complicated stuff..... not that I know anything really about lecky stuff.....
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Post by Jim on Aug 10, 2020 21:29:08 GMT
as haas already been said .... Ignore any technical advice from Foxey Who has mostly done all the maintenance on his own boat, one of the few here to have actually cruised round the country during the past 7 years, and who has golden oil lapping at his engine bearings and gearbox cogs. And who's waterpump died from pumping unchanged/infrequently changed rusty water round the system. Why not top up with hardly used engine oil, the water pump will run for years.
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Post by naughtyfox on Aug 11, 2020 12:32:19 GMT
Who has mostly done all the maintenance on his own boat, one of the few here to have actually cruised round the country during the past 7 years, and who has golden oil lapping at his engine bearings and gearbox cogs. And who's waterpump died from pumping unchanged/infrequently changed rusty water round the system. Why not top up with hardly used engine oil, the water pump will run for years. It's our car engine water pump you idiot. Toyota said they're good for around 100,000km, our car has done 180,000km. Apparently a slight leak from the seal (or whatever) - can't say I've noticed, coolant level hasn't gone down as far as I've noted, no drips on the car port floor. Coolant was changed a year ago (pink antifreeze). No rise in engine water temperature whilst driving, and we've just done that 2,500km trip to Senja and back, up and down the Norwegian hairpins. Have made a note to have the water pump changed when it's convenient for us. Boat engine water pump - new 5 years ago. Old one was still working but we had the engine renovated and had lots of new bearings and parts switched. I have changed the impeller twice on this new pump (once a year is recommended but we don't do that much driving of the boat, as you know - although a lot more than some on here!!)
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