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Wed, February 05 2025, 04:51 [ 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: - Tuesday - 12/15/09 - 1:44am
Author: Randall
Subject: alternator and hardwire
In reply to: Randall, Murre, M31 's message, "alternator regulators" on - Monday - 12/14/09 - 1:45am

Thanks gents.

Steve, I'll have a closer look at the alternator next weekend. The regulator discovery came at the end of the day when my brain wasn't up for more riddles.

By the way, thanks again for the reference to Ronko plastics. Mind boggling selection. Still can't seem to find quite the right shape, but so it goes...! :)

Paul, I think it's safe to say I don't have an up to date alternator. I don't think anything on Murre is up to date, unless that date is 1972. :) But I'll check it out. Given the price of regulators, would it be as cost effective to replace the alternator w/a smarter one?

Both batteries had tons of odd wires coming into them with no busbars, posts, or fuses for that matter, to "interrupt" the flow of electricity to the device in question. This was why I was so confused when, after removing all but the battery cable, the house still lit up like a Christmas tree.

As it turns out, all these wires were either AC charger or AC plug related or dead end wires to nowhere. A lot more digging revealed that a hot boat cable runs under the engine to a large, naked fuse whose connector looks like a lasagna noodle, and thence to the starter. ALL the house electrics run off the top post of this fuse. Makes sense ONLY in that the "factory" fuse box is a straight shot up from here.

The fun just doesn't stop! :)

RR

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Replies:

[> [> Alternator -- Paul - 1971 M31 - #106, - Tuesday - 12/15/09 - 9:02am

Here's a good link to an article on alternators: http://www.autoshop101.com/trainmodules/alternator/alt112.html

You can pick up a working alternator with built-in regulator at any wrecking place. Pulling them apart, cleaning and replacing worn components is a breeze.

Here's an article on rewiring - http://www.tongacharter.com/report-wire.htm

Careful with 12V - I almost burned my boat down because I let down my guard. 12V will not "blow" wiring or equipment, rather it will make it glow like a light bulb... Once I accidentally shorted a small line to hot and it instantly lit up, with burning insulation dripping off it, as far as I could follow it... I was waiting for it to fail (too hot to touch) but it never did - just kept on glowing bright orange and the boat was filling with toxic black smoke from the burning, dripping insulation. after what seemed an eternity (maye 2 seconds) I wrapped a screwdriver around the glowing wire and tore it loose. Not knowing what was set aglow in areas that I could not see, I stayed on the boat (in the fumes) for at least a half hour to make sure nothing would "puff" into flames behind my back.

12V is very dangerous because it gives most folks a sense of harmlessness because it doesn't bite. But believe me, it will set anything and everything on fire if you let it.

If you have a starting battery sitting around somewhere, just practice with a small piece of wire - accross the two terminals - it will light up and glow forever.

FWIW


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[> [> Alternator regulators -- Steve M32 SEAN O'Sea, - Tuesday - 12/15/09 - 10:51am

I went with an older style Delco with an external regulator so that I could hook up one of the newer multi-stage marine regulators to it. My understanding is that can't be done with one of the newer internally regulated alternators. If you want a mind-numbing treatise on the subject muddle your way through Calders' "Boatowners Mechanical and Electrical Manual" If you only have one battery bank and do not stay on the hook for more than two days or so you may not need a fancy setup and could go with an internally regulated model. I wanted two banks (starting and house) and the ability to keep the batteries topped off (see Calder). This is a subject with more opinions than there are boaters and it is changing all the time so take everything said with a big grain of salt and do your own research.


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