Electrical Issue

[texastom]

I noticed this weekend that my voltage meter and amp meter were doing some strange things. While sitting in the salon watching TV I noticed that the voltage meter jumped to 14 and the amp meter dropped to zero at the same time. After a little time the voltage meter went back to 13 and the amp meter moved up to about 8 amps. I run a battery charger, 2 air conditioners and some outlets on the AC side and a refrigerator, bilge pump and some cabin lights on the DC side when in port. I have not noticed this occurring before and wonder if it is normal. The change did not seem to coincide with any appliance turning on and off unless it was the batery charger. Any ideas?

 

[Brian Young]

Might be your fridge cycling off

What you describe suggests that something simply shut off while you were watching the meter.If your amp meter was at 8 amps the only thing (that you listed) that would draw about that much would be your refrigerator unless your bilge pump happened to kick on. If the fridge cycled off that would cause the amp meter to drop way down (the fridge probably draws 4-8 amps itself and the lights might not even register) and the volt meter would jump up when the load was taken off. Once the fridge came back on the voltage would drop down a bit and the amps would go back up. Try turning your fridge on and off. I suspect it will do exactly what you describe so long as it is actually running when you throw the switch. Your bilge pump would also do this though if it was cycling on and off for some reason.Good luck.Brian

 

[Brian Young]

the charger

The Xantrex Truecharge battery chargers do cycle on and off automatically every 15 minutes or so to check the state of the batteries. Other chargers might do the same. The charger coming on would cause the voltage to INCREASE when it came on, but would not affect the amp meter.Assuming something that draws a decent amount of juice (fridge or small pump) is cycling on and off this is pretty much to be expected. Just try to find what it is that is cycling off.Brian

 

[texastom]

Thanks Brian

See I knew I was an electrical idiot. It's the refrig turning off and on, of course. I have these panick attacks that something major is going to fail with the electrical system. It's the one area of the boat I am least comfortable. Really got to read up on this stuff.

 

[Brian Young]

Glad to help

Glad to help. Most of us have areas we don't know much about! Sailing in general is new to me.Good luck.