On Saturday night, well actually at 2:30 am Sunday, a friend/customer was motoring to a local anchorage when he blew the alternator belt to shreds. He noticed it just in-time to not badly over heat the engine but he needed to replace the belt.
He dropped anchor and began to change the belt. In all the excitement, and pitch black overcast night, he did not switch off the battery switch.
Just this past summer I had installed a new dedicated reserve bank and fused his banks. While loosening the pivot bolt on the alternator he accidentally, while working blind, shorted the wrench across the alternator B+ and ground.
At 4:45 am I got a text saying "blew a belt and while changing it had a big poof, then smoke and then no power blew a fuse but used my reserve bank"..
He had a head lamp, finished installing the belt and then switched to his reserve bank to make into the anchorage. That's just why the reserve bank is there and a good time to use it.
Thank god he had that fuse. He blew a 300A rated one!!!!!!!! I hate to imagine what would have happened if he had not had that fuse. His bank can deliver over 2200 short circuit amps which is more than enough to weld.. !
When working on the engine starter or alternator remember to ALWAYS turn off the battery switch....
He dropped anchor and began to change the belt. In all the excitement, and pitch black overcast night, he did not switch off the battery switch.
Just this past summer I had installed a new dedicated reserve bank and fused his banks. While loosening the pivot bolt on the alternator he accidentally, while working blind, shorted the wrench across the alternator B+ and ground.
At 4:45 am I got a text saying "blew a belt and while changing it had a big poof, then smoke and then no power blew a fuse but used my reserve bank"..
He had a head lamp, finished installing the belt and then switched to his reserve bank to make into the anchorage. That's just why the reserve bank is there and a good time to use it.
Thank god he had that fuse. He blew a 300A rated one!!!!!!!! I hate to imagine what would have happened if he had not had that fuse. His bank can deliver over 2200 short circuit amps which is more than enough to weld.. !
When working on the engine starter or alternator remember to ALWAYS turn off the battery switch....