Electrical Fault

[Pompadi]

Hi all
Went for a sail last night

The first thing I noticed was that my engine battery was down to 11.5 volts, it was ok last week and never has problems keeping a charge
The AGM battery is about 1 year old

Got the engine started and now find a few things not working:
Rev counter
Fuel gauge
Wind instruments
Auto pilot
Nav lights

Had a quick check of fuses and battery terminals but couldn't find a problem

I'm going back tomorrow for a closer inspection, any ideas or experience on this topic

Thanks for any feed back
Steve
Pompadi

 

[Maine Sail]

Hi all
Went for a sail last night

The first thing I noticed was that my engine battery was down to 11.5 volts, it was ok last week and never has problems keeping a charge
The AGM battery is about 1 year old

Got the engine started and now find a few things not working:
Rev counter
Fuel gauge
Wind instruments
Auto pilot
Nav lights

Had a quick check of fuses and battery terminals but couldn't find a problem

I'm going back tomorrow for a closer inspection, any ideas or experience on this topic

Thanks for any feed back
Steve
Pompadi

Those are all rather random unassociated items.....Lightning...? Is the alternator charging with the engine running? Does your shore battery charger work?

 

[Pompadi]

Battery charges again with 2 hours of engine
We're Not connected to shore power

I'm thinking earth fault
Or maybe a short in engine control panel
The nav lights seem unrelated but maybe a common earth for those

Had a storm the other night maybe that's caused the problem

 

[Siamese]

Huh. Peculiar.

The only thing I see in common is all the problems are with things located on the steering pedestal. Including the nav lights, because when you turn on the nav lights, normally the instruments on the engine panel (on pedestal) light up.

 

[jsalley]

Huh. Peculiar.

The only thing I see in common is all the problems are with things located on the steering pedestal. Including the nav lights, because when you turn on the nav lights, normally the instruments on the engine panel (on pedestal) light up.

Mine must be wired differently. My instrument lights are lit any time the engine is running, and are independent of the nav lights. Suspicious for a lightning strike near enough to cause random electrical malfunctions.

 

[Pompadi]

The lights on all the instruments are still working
Tacho and fuel lights come on with ignition key switch

 

[Pompadi]

The latest
Nav lights both blown
Battery service light blown
Engine battery not holding charge
Wind speed not working and auto pilot has seatalk failure message
Rev counter and fuel gauge not working

Apart from that life is good !!

 

[Pompadi]

Good chance we got hit by lightning I think !

 

[pk104]

Ten years ago I had the same thing happen on a 30 Catalina but I knew it was lightening because I was on the boat anchored at night and saw the reflection in the water when it hit the antenna on top the mast. Took out most of the same things including the frig. Interesting enough not one fuse blew.

Have you checked the boat for leaks? I never found an exit point on my boat that went through the haul but when a friends boat got hit it was leaking bad enough we had to get it out of the water the next morning.

 

[Pompadi]

No holes in the boat, hadn't even thought about that !

Marine electrician had a look yesterday and has put it down to lightning

Battery problem was being caused by the stereo which was draining 1.6 amps

Seems that the stereo gets its stand by power from the engine Battery, bit of a strange set up.

Big question now is the insurance, I'm sure they will behave in their typical manner ...!!