Neal Posted June 3, 2008 Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 Problem with my Arvor 250AS For some reason my reserve battery keeps draining. I have 2 separate isolator switches - one for the main battery which starts the engine and a second one which isolates the reserve battery which basically runs everything else. The alternator recharges the main battery - or at least doesn't appear to drain it! But doesn't seem to top up the reserve battery, which I am sure it should do! Firstly, I have tried unsuccesfully to get hold of Sam at Tricketts Marine - can't seem to get hold of him - does anyone know of his whereabouts. Secondly, can someone else help - I need it sorted quickly, as each days fishing requires a complete battery recharge and I can't use the windlass at all - even with the engine running it flattens the battery in seconds. The boat is on a Pontoon in Cobbs Quay. Neal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted June 3, 2008 Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 Neal, I presume that you switch the battery switch to the second battery to ON once the engine has started, thus allowing it to charge? Sometimes there can be a 50 amp fuse to stop the engine cranking off the secondary\leisure battery - might be worth seeing if this has blown. Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
great white Posted June 3, 2008 Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 Hi Neal Try calling Kevin Dixon 07816 629915 He helped me with installation advice on Alfresco and a couple of electrical snags over the years on Great White If he is not available Des Brace 07870 455054 Both are good 12 volt electrics men Charlie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duncan Posted June 3, 2008 Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 (edited) you have some pointers already but I would add the following - 1. many modern electronics incorporate a voltmeter window - but you have to go looking for it or create an overlay. Well worth having it present all the time. 2. using that, or connecting a basic unit across the load of a unit (the back of the windlass solenoid is perfect) check as suggested above - specifically start engine increase revs on engine to 1000 to kick in the alternator switch all the b/switches to on you should have about 14.2 - 14.4 volts on your supply side if the alternator is 'reaching' those points! however you can simply switch the aux b/switch off and see if the voltage reading drops as well. running the windlass direct from battery without a charge voltage is not a good idea for either the battery or the windlass. overall this is one of those things on a boat that you really should pull apart and understand anyway ie if the engine start battery fails how would you connect the aux battery to use that? physically disconnect and swap? etc etc actually there is only really fuel/battery (and associated like starter motor/solenoid etc) and steering on a diesel boat - and the good news is that once started you can discount the battery bits until you need to start it again - another reason why voltage readings in full view are really usefull! other thing is a quick call to the retailer as they may have installed the aux and they don't all have the same ideas as to how to do it! Edited June 3, 2008 by duncan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neal Posted June 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 Yes, to all of the above. I only run the windlass with the engine running - which now flattens the reserve battery immediately and turns all the instruments off. It didn't use to! I have spoken to the manufacturer re this problem and they have indicated it is a problem they have encountered with the alternator. I don't have the time to deal with it during the week and probably the knowledge either. Hence wanting someone to deal with it. Sam Trickett services the boat annualy, so thought he would be best to deal with it but I can't get hold of him and I don't know why? Too busy? as was the next person I called - Kev Dixon. So until someone goes down to the boat and says this is the problem and this is the cost of fixing it, I will have to keep trying to contact people and if I want to use the boat, keep spare charged batteries on board and not use the windlass. Cheers for all the help and suggestions so far. Neal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
great white Posted June 3, 2008 Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 I spoke to Kev this afternoon and as you say he is very busy If you want him to assist I would book him in mate, with the opportunity to cancel if it gets fixed. One of the lads at work has a contact who repairs alternators I will get the number for you, but I am not sure if he will come to the boat. You may need to take it off and drop it up to them. But I will find out Charlie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gas Posted June 3, 2008 Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 Neal Try Holes bay Marine ask for Richard they are in Cobbs and he will walk out to your boat.i found the guys great to deal with and they don't rip you off. Craig Abode11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AHoy Posted June 3, 2008 Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 Neal, I will be at Cobbs Quay on Sunday and can have a look at your boat electrics then if it hasn't been resolved. PM me with your phone number and I will check back with you. Alan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manic Moore Posted June 4, 2008 Report Share Posted June 4, 2008 Neal It sounds that you have the same problem I had with mine. It appeared to have the memory effect. Charge it all day, it appears to be fully charged, use it for 5 minutes and its flat. Even if the alternator was draining the battery although that would be a new one, try swapping the batteries over. I think you just need a new battery mate Regards Gordon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neal Posted June 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 4, 2008 Tried that - even bought a brand new battery in Alderney on my last trip - for the princely sum of Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
great white Posted June 5, 2008 Report Share Posted June 5, 2008 Neal Can I suggest you check the voltages[ engine running] both at the battery and both sides of the isolator switch. If the switch is playing up a new one should be cheaper than a battery, and if you have not done so take the connectors off and clean them up prior to tightening Good luck Charlie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mw Posted June 9, 2008 Report Share Posted June 9, 2008 what was the problem Neal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverick Martin Posted June 9, 2008 Report Share Posted June 9, 2008 Neal did Stuart (electrician) get in touch with you? he knows what your problem is If he didnt give me a bell for his number Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neal Posted June 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2008 Hi Martin, Yes thanks he did get hold of me - but we had already sorted the problem - or appear to have. It wasn't what he thought it might be anyway. But he did remind me to check!!! I will keep his details and contact him again if I need to. I hope you had / are having a good time in Weymouth. Neal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duncan Posted June 9, 2008 Report Share Posted June 9, 2008 and the issue was..............? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neal Posted June 10, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2008 Can't really be certain.... but we had no problem on Saturday. John undid all the terminals cleaned them up replaced them and tightened them. One terminal was "slightly loose" - but I wouldn't have thought that made the difference. Plus I don't know which battery it lead to. I haven't used the windlass yet (coz I broke a bit of it off! and am awaiting a replacement bit) - which was the one thing that drained the battery very, very quickly. So this weekend will be the test. So if it is a problem again I now have a variety of "professional" people to contact to sort it out. Thanks one and all for the help and suggestions - I think that it will happen again, so I now need to invest in a volt meter. Neal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duncan Posted June 10, 2008 Report Share Posted June 10, 2008 1. I would be surprised if none of your electronics had a readout available somewhere in windows/overlays/menus 2. When starting up the engine prior to using the windlass you do need to give it a quick kick up to 1200 revs or so on mine to bring the alternator online - if I throttle back to neutral it remains kicking out 14.4v but if I simple start it and don't touch the throttle it will not be feeding the battery etc at all so the windlass would be running on stored battery power alone. you definitely need to find a problem rather than have it just go away (in my experience) - 'cos they come back! finally you always need to know how to bypass all the posssible bits that prevent the starting and running of an engine - without having to go back to first principles at the time. Over the years these have included the following for Phaeton and are now pretty much ingrained when faced with a problem in the won't start / won't run department. They are all obvious - except when it's getting dark and you want to go home, the winds going agains the tide and that added urgency of knowing you said you would be home 4 hours ago......... Fuel - 1. debris in the fuel pick up pipe at the bottom of the tank - disconect fuel pipe from tank and blow hard back down it! 2. electro magnetic fuel solenoid blocked with some accumulater debris - know you have one, realise the possibility and simply bypass it if experiencing problems (thanks to Shelia Marie for the assistance back in when this struck and we didn't think of it) 3. fuel filters - enough said and shoud be a 1 minute job on the primary.... 4. secondary fuel filter should never be a problem 'cos you have a primary and it's much better treated as a preventative maintenance item and a right pain sometimes. Electricity - 5. battery isolator switches - bypassed very easily by connecting the cable ends to the same lug. This also covers connceting all you batteries to the starter motor if you don't have a 1/2/both isolator system. 6. starter motor - they don't like hammers but it you feel the need use the handle end. 7. starter motor solenoid / ignition circuit problems - have a large well insulated screwdriver to short across the terminals but keep clear of the pulleys. 8. 'start in gear protection' does too good a job - cut the purple wire and leave it cut (in my case). Not permitted in the US or recommended on someone elses's ski boat. Some Volvo OD units can have a similar issue if they have been 'lightly grounded' in gear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul D Posted June 10, 2008 Report Share Posted June 10, 2008 Neal, I think you may have a problem with your battery isolator. If one or more of the diodes break down then you will fail to get charging current to the affected battery. The symptoms we had in Alderney were as you would expect from this fault I think. As Duncan surmises, a reading of voltage at the affected battery ( as opposed to the alternator side of the isolator ) will show that the voltage is not rising sufficiently when the engine is running. So I would get a voltmeter and look at the voltage at the battery terminals. - I think your GPS can effectively do this for you though ). With engine running I suspect it will not change / barely change regards Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neal Posted June 10, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2008 It must be ok - I've just passed it on to Martin instead............. Neal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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