"Y" Electrical Connectors

Stu Jackson

Stu Jackson

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Feb 26, 2004
23,047
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
What's been your experience with these connectors? I paralleled the power wires to our refrigeration unit and still have experienced low voltage at the compressor/electronic module when on battery only power (works fine when plugged in or the alternator running).
 
B

Benny17441

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May 24, 2004
7,173
CC 30 South Florida
How new or old is the refrigeration unit? With a multimeter check the voltage reaching the unit. If it is within the input range indicated by the manufacturer specs then it could likely be a tired compressor that seems to work well when it gets the extra voltage kick from the charger or alternator. If the voltage reaching the unit is low then the problem will be in the wiring either from excesive resistance or a small power drain. Don't forget the wiring to "ground". If it is a case of power drop in the wiring I would suggest re-wiring the circuit as opposed to try and enhance the existing.
 
Maine Sail

Maine Sail

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Feb 6, 1998
11,709
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
#1 I really dislike the three-way connectors as the grommet or rivet used often tends to get loose over time.

#2 I dislike running additional parallel wires even more. They do not always work the way you would expect them to. Both wires will have different resistances due to corrosion, terminations etc.. Any wire that deserves being bigger to correct for voltage drop also deserve a new run with the proper sized wire and properly installed terminals.

#3 Check the running voltage at the compressor end then check the battery voltage at the battery terminals. Are they the same? How much difference?

#4 Under load put the + of the meter at one end of the wire and the - at the other end. Do you see a reading? How much?

#5 Does this compressor go straight to the battery or through a DC panel relying on all those additional connections?

#6 How old are the batteries? What is the voltage under a 10A +/- load for 2-3 hours, the next morning etc. etc.. Has the voltage always been this low or are the batteries aging?
 
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