Originally Posted by simplicity http://forums.oday.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?p=864342#post864342
I went out yesterday and noticed the amp output was at zero after I started the engine. I was expecting some reading as the batteries had been slightly discharged. So I checked the battery voltage and it was reading a standard battery voltage of 12.4. So at that time I thought the alternator was definitely bad.The next day I started the diesel and noiticed voltage was reading the 14.3 that I mentioned , so I am confused as to what would cause this.
#2 You really need to address the alternator wiring circuit and remove that ammeter. These circuits are very, very problematic and can actually be very dangerous if left as is. Your entire alternator output runs through multiple feet of 10GA wire to get to the ammeter than through many more feet of 10GA wire to get to the battery bank. Not good! I just did this conversion on an Oday 30 and have done it on MANY Universal M series and 54 series engines.. Simply jump the alt to the starter stud with about 6GA wire and replace the ammeter with a volt meter.
Main Sail,
So as not to hijack another thread I thought I’d see if you could flesh out a response you made to the above poster regarding rewiring alternator output to the starter. I am woefully uneducated about wiring and am sometimes nervous about working on electrical systems since I know that once you let the smoke out it is expensive to get it back in. Replacing the wire from the starter button to the starter solenoid is about as much as I have done.
I have a 1985 Universal M-18 with the stock setup in an O’Day 31. Motorola 55 amp alternator I believe it is. Currently there is a #10 wire (orange) from the alternator to the ammeter and a #10 wire (red) from the ammeter to the starter. For your response #2 is the rework as straightforward as it sounds? Just unhook the orange wire at the alternator, unhook the red wire at the starter and put in a new (much shorter) #6 wire between those terminals?
The existing circuit calls for a 30 amp fuse. I assume the new #6 wire should be fused. Is 30 amps still appropriate?
Here is a question that will really shows my ignorance: If it is a 55 amp alternator I assume there would be up to 55 amps going through that wire. How does a 30 amp fuse not blow in that situation? (This questions is a bit of a digression I know but I always wondered about that).
Do I just put some shrink tubing on the ends of the old wire to seal them up or should I remove those wires? Or can I use those for the volt meter that you suggest to replace the ammeter? Or, how do I run the wire for the volt meter? Can I take that off the key switch?
Thanks for your time and all of the effort you put into everything you have added to this website.
Richard
I went out yesterday and noticed the amp output was at zero after I started the engine. I was expecting some reading as the batteries had been slightly discharged. So I checked the battery voltage and it was reading a standard battery voltage of 12.4. So at that time I thought the alternator was definitely bad.The next day I started the diesel and noiticed voltage was reading the 14.3 that I mentioned , so I am confused as to what would cause this.
#2 You really need to address the alternator wiring circuit and remove that ammeter. These circuits are very, very problematic and can actually be very dangerous if left as is. Your entire alternator output runs through multiple feet of 10GA wire to get to the ammeter than through many more feet of 10GA wire to get to the battery bank. Not good! I just did this conversion on an Oday 30 and have done it on MANY Universal M series and 54 series engines.. Simply jump the alt to the starter stud with about 6GA wire and replace the ammeter with a volt meter.
Main Sail,
So as not to hijack another thread I thought I’d see if you could flesh out a response you made to the above poster regarding rewiring alternator output to the starter. I am woefully uneducated about wiring and am sometimes nervous about working on electrical systems since I know that once you let the smoke out it is expensive to get it back in. Replacing the wire from the starter button to the starter solenoid is about as much as I have done.
I have a 1985 Universal M-18 with the stock setup in an O’Day 31. Motorola 55 amp alternator I believe it is. Currently there is a #10 wire (orange) from the alternator to the ammeter and a #10 wire (red) from the ammeter to the starter. For your response #2 is the rework as straightforward as it sounds? Just unhook the orange wire at the alternator, unhook the red wire at the starter and put in a new (much shorter) #6 wire between those terminals?
The existing circuit calls for a 30 amp fuse. I assume the new #6 wire should be fused. Is 30 amps still appropriate?
Here is a question that will really shows my ignorance: If it is a 55 amp alternator I assume there would be up to 55 amps going through that wire. How does a 30 amp fuse not blow in that situation? (This questions is a bit of a digression I know but I always wondered about that).
Do I just put some shrink tubing on the ends of the old wire to seal them up or should I remove those wires? Or can I use those for the volt meter that you suggest to replace the ammeter? Or, how do I run the wire for the volt meter? Can I take that off the key switch?
Thanks for your time and all of the effort you put into everything you have added to this website.
Richard
