It seems like you have a few things going on impacting your alternator. 4awg wire is marginal- I upgraded to 2/0 and saw immediate improvements. Having an external regulator allows you to minimize excessive demands on alternator- your internal regulator is causing problems. Since you have 500 watts of solar, I don't understand why there would be much demand put on your alternator- the solar should be providing 100 to 150 amps per day.
Two Perplexing Engine Issue
- Thread starter JK_Boston_Catalina310
- Start date
Its a 10 foot run one way from the alternator to the batteries, so a total of 20 foot. I have a 55 amp alternator. So according to wire charts that's a 4 AWG wire.
I mentioned above that I think that's the issue and the fix. But I don't want to spend the money on an externally regulated alternator and regulator if there is another problem contributing to the alternator failures.
This is cloudy/rainy season in the NE Caribbean. Plus I am having some problems with one of my controllers. I just posted over on MS' forum about it. We have been down low, 50% SOC several days lately in the morning. We use about 100-150 Ah per day and our solar was doing fine before the clouds started coming and I started having the controller issue.
That alternator looked and probably smelled like my old one. We had to get a new alternator and external regulator, that was last year and its been running fine since. That was also the last time we saw MS. [busy guy]
Looks like you could get brushed by Isaac. Stay safe.
UPS won't ship to St Thomas? Seems odd. do you have the same phone # you did up here?
I had a similar symptom on my C30, same engine, just before my fuel pump died. I'm sure you checked the little filter inside the fuel pump. You may want to carry a spare and maybe try swapping it out.
UPS won't ship to St Thomas? Seems odd. do you have the same phone # you did up here?
I had a similar symptom on my C30, same engine, just before my fuel pump died. I'm sure you checked the little filter inside the fuel pump. You may want to carry a spare and maybe try swapping it out.
Thanks, it's looking to slide south of us so just some rolly days on the boat when we get the southwest swell. I hope!
UPS is crazy expensive to ship here. The only real way to ship here at a decent cost is USPS. And that's the problem. Most Amazon and eBay vendors won't ship USPS because they might have to go to the post office to deal with it. The talk of shipping was related to the tool to reset the RPMs on my tach. I haven't bothered to deal with that yet but might when I get my new alternator and external regulator.
Yes, and I have the same number. I got your text and will reply soon.
Interesting. I assume you are referring to your electric lift pump?
Yes the Facet cylindrical pump which has a basket filter in the base. Could be the filter basket is clogged or your pump could be failing. Either way I would guess it's a fuel problem.
I can offer running to the post office if you want to pick up a digital tach and send it to me I will gladly run it up to the post office for you. That holds true with anything else you might need.
Have a beer at Skinny's for me!
I can offer running to the post office if you want to pick up a digital tach and send it to me I will gladly run it up to the post office for you. That holds true with anything else you might need.
Have a beer at Skinny's for me!