THE BATTERY MONITOR SAGA
When we bought the boat, the battery monitor
didn’t work.
“Never mind,” I said. “It won’t make
any difference.
Three deep cycle batteries later I decided to try
to fix it. I noticed that a small variable resistor was corroded and had fallen to
pieces. I was able to get an identical one from Jaycar and solder it into
the printed circuit. It worked. Back on board the boat I installed it and
happpily went about charging batteries and keeping an eye on them so that they
didn’t overcharge (the cause of our defunct deep cycle batteries which was
caused by our smart charger losing massive quantities of smartness)
I wasn’t entirely pleased with the crude and
uncalibrated display and so searched aliexpress for voltmeters.
Here’s an example: http://www.aliexpress.com/item/R1B1-Portable-Digital-Voltmeter-DC0-100V-Red-Light-LED-Panel-Voltage-Meter/1243447711.html
Here’s an example: http://www.aliexpress.com/item/R1B1-Portable-Digital-Voltmeter-DC0-100V-Red-Light-LED-Panel-Voltage-Meter/1243447711.html
Total cost US$2.74.
I bought three and housed them in a little box. Each one goes to a different battery and I have put a switch on the common negative lead so that I can turn easily turn them off. They are great.
We can see how the motor alternators are working (see the Alternator saga), check how the wind generator is working and manage the dumb charger so that the batteries are kept in good condition.
I bought three and housed them in a little box. Each one goes to a different battery and I have put a switch on the common negative lead so that I can turn easily turn them off. They are great.
We can see how the motor alternators are working (see the Alternator saga), check how the wind generator is working and manage the dumb charger so that the batteries are kept in good condition.
All up less than $20 and a very happy outcome
THE ALTERNATOR SAGA
Last year our service battery alternator stopped
working. Unfortunately, we could only buy a replacement as the place we
were in didn’t have anyone that could repair it. This year we set out, but soon
noticed that the batteries weren’t getting charged (see the Battery Monitor
Saga).
So miles from nowhere and with the motor running, I took off the engine covers to have a look. All OK, but just to make sure, I pulled on each wire to see whether it was firm. The active lead, which had a difficult-to-see terminal, was hanging loose. The nut had fallen off (vibration). Touching the wire on to the possible terminal created a strong spark on one and nothing on the other. I took a punt that the alternator was working and that I wasn’t shorting it out. The new meters helped here too.
So all I needed was a new nut. All the nuts in my little supply were too big, too small or imperial thread instead of metric. I scoured the boat and eventually found a nut on a camera mount that worked. Off with the motor and on with the lead and nut. The nut was tight because my sparking tests had damaged the thread, A gentle spannering solved that.
Fingers crossed, motor on 13.5 volts on the voltmeters, an alternator purring away and batteries getting happy again.
So miles from nowhere and with the motor running, I took off the engine covers to have a look. All OK, but just to make sure, I pulled on each wire to see whether it was firm. The active lead, which had a difficult-to-see terminal, was hanging loose. The nut had fallen off (vibration). Touching the wire on to the possible terminal created a strong spark on one and nothing on the other. I took a punt that the alternator was working and that I wasn’t shorting it out. The new meters helped here too.
So all I needed was a new nut. All the nuts in my little supply were too big, too small or imperial thread instead of metric. I scoured the boat and eventually found a nut on a camera mount that worked. Off with the motor and on with the lead and nut. The nut was tight because my sparking tests had damaged the thread, A gentle spannering solved that.
Fingers crossed, motor on 13.5 volts on the voltmeters, an alternator purring away and batteries getting happy again.
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