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Wed, April 24 2024, 03:33 [ Login ] [ Contact Forum Admin ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, [8], 9 ]

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Date Posted: - Friday - 01/ 5/07 - 9:22am
Author: Capt'n Mike - Gypsy Mariner
Subject: I get 13.9 Volts - Check you bilge pump too!
In reply to: Randall 's message, "Check my logic, please" on - Tuesday - 01/ 2/07 - 2:30pm


When you ran your engine at "idle", what was the engine RPM? I have a Balmar 150 Amp alternator that charges each battery bank independently. It will does not put out it's maximum charge amps until it is rev'd a good bit above idle. I will check this weekend, but it seems like the max. charging voltage of 13.9 kicks in around 1000 rpm and the maximum amps are not reached until somewhere between 1250 and 1500 rpm, but I haven't checked the exact rpm so it may be a little higher or lower. My alternator's charging voltage is 13.9 volts, which seems to be about a half volt or so higher than what you are getting.

If the belts are slipping you should hear it happening and get a lot of black belt dust around the pulleys. My alternator belt wakes the dead when it slips! What is the amp rating for your alternator? You may what to pull it and bring it to an auto electrical shop for bench testing.

When you are ready, you may want to look at replacing your batteries with AGM or Gell cells. When they are not in use, they hold there charge much better than wet cells, but they are expensive. After Hurricane Katrina, my slip did not have electrical power (it still doesn't a year and a half later), so I ran a generator and the engine to charge the batteries. I only used the lights and the radio on the weekends in the slip so I did not have a huge demand on the house bank, but the house bank still would get depleted rather quickly. What I wasn't thinking about is that the bilge pump was tied into the house bank and was an automatic that would turn on sometimes and draw quite a bit of power for a short time. This made it almost impossible to stay ahead of the game only charing the batteries for an hour or so ever week or two. Finally I bit the bullet and bought a large 120 watt solar panel with a great "smart" solar charge regulator. I bought the stuff on e-bay and it seems like it cost about $700 total. It can put over 6 amps an hour back into the house bank at high noon. It was the second best purchase I've ever made for a boat (an autopilot being #1). Now I don't need shore power and can leave the Gypsy Mariner alone for months if I wanted to and the house batteries will be fully charged when I go aboard.

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