Messages

Ken

Nice job.

Where can we find the comments?

[Please see update further down this thread (June 19)]

Yes, Dale, good question, and it's NOT hypothetical.  It's VERY real.

Please see update further down this thread (June 19)

Basic answer: MAYBE [/size]

What do you mean by "engine on switch?"  The 1-2-B or the key switch?  (I guess you mean the 1-2-B by "under the chart table," but most of the C34s have the switch in the panel above the nav station.)

Discussed in many previous posts, but try this one:  Connecting Batteries in Parallel:  http://c34.org/bbs/index.php?topic=2347.0

It's very long, but read the whole thread, please.

The majority of the boats until just recently were factory wired with the alternator output to the "C" post of the switch.  This means that the switch is actually used for two purposes:  which battery bank(s) the alternator charge goes to when the engine is running, and which bank is chosen for use for DC power.

Only YOU know how your boat is wired.  As mentioned in the reference, on our boat I deliberately MOVED the alternator output from the C to the 2 post to charge my house bank THROUGH the switch, which can only be done with a combiner or some serious bypass wiring.

YOU have to understand how this all works on your boat.  DC wiring is red and black, + and -, flows one way, except for my example ( ), which is how they wired the boats.  Learn to follow the wiring and make sketches of your own.  Many more discussions are on the Message Board, try searches on alternator, electrical, regulator, batteries, etc.

Projects has some very good electrical articles, see Jim Moe, John Gardner and Mark Elkin's fine descriptions, print out the wiring diagrams and get to it.

Good question, lotsa ways for YOU to control how it works on each of YOUR own boats.


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IF your alternator is wired through the C post of the 1-2-B switch,  FOGETTABOUT ever turning your switch to OFF if you want to keep your alternator working.  Keep your brother-in-law off the boat.  Don't move the switch, from whatever position it was in when you started, when the engine is running.

IF your alternator is wired directly to your house bank, AND you have a 1-2-B switch for the output only of your banks, it shouldn't be a problem.

If you have two separate switches, one for house and one for start bank, it doesn't matter, because you don't have a 1-2-B switch that cuts over the alternator.  BUT, don't turn off the switch when the engine's running.

You asked: "So, what could happen it someone accidentally turns the engine switch to off when the engine is running? "

DON'T DO IT, IT WILL MOST LIKELY FRY YOUR DIODES, AND WILL IF YOUR ALTERNATOR OUTPUT IS WIRED THROUGH THE C POST OF THE 1-2-B SWITCH

IS THAT CLEAR ENOUGH?   

Also, what could "accidentally turn off" mean?  It's a BIG switch.  DON'T TOUCH would be a good idea to mean not turn off accidentally.  I have a great deal of difficulty understanding how someone could do this without it being deliberate.

However, you could turn off your cockpit key switch.  Depends on what you mean by "engine switch?"  And I DO mean COULD, because it depends on how your boat is wired.

Sorry to be an engineer about this, but English is an imperfect language...

BUT, (OK, here's that damn but), IT'S YOUR BOAT and we can tell you how to wire it to make it work better, but really, it's a matter of safety and it's YOUR choice.

Sorry about the disclaimer, but it's personal here, beyond the C34 IA and website stuff.

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Added June 9th

Re: Key switch.  In most cases, the key switch is the connection to the alternator's regulator.  That means when you turn on the key switch, the ignition wire to the regulator is energized, turning the regulator on.  In the case of OEM regulators, which are internal, it just tells the regulator to work once the engine starts and the alternator is turning.  It does the same for externally regulated alternators, turning the circuit ON to the regulator, essentially waking it up and saying: "Next step the engine's gonna start and you need to start working to regulate the alternator."  It has nothing to do with the alternator electrical output itself, which should go to the batteries, either though the 1-2-B switch or directly to the house bank and combiner or echo or duo chargers.  So, with the caveats still in place mentioned above, turning off the key switch when the engine is running normally shouldn't affect the alternator -- it just won't put any current out, since the regulator is OFF.  The issue with turning the 1-2-B switch off is that you are interrupting the 12V output of the alternator, which would fry the diodes.  The diodes will fry whenever you interrupt the ability of the alternator to send power to the batteries when the alternator is running. I also recommend that you buy and install a ZAP STOP across the + & - terminals of your alternator.  This will save the diodes in case that switch accident actually does happen.  Very cheap insurance.

Please see update further down this thread (June 19)

Ya know, we could argue this one until the cows come home, or the ambient air gets into the filter.

Make your choice and go with it, may be that there is more than one way, and not necessarily only one "right" way to do it.

Your boat, your choice, I sometimes say...

Jerry

I'm sure you've spent the valuable time reading the original posts on your (and our) vintage yacht.

You might have seen this REPLACING BEKSON PORTLIGHTS in the FAQ section:  http://www.c34.org/faq-pages/faq-leakyports.html

I made that tool and it worked.  No leaky Beckson ports on Aquavite.  We have a good supply of the rubber seals on board.  The screens are still fine after 20 years.

Try replicating what hull #223, Chuck Hughes, did with his Becksons.  I saw Chuck's boat seven years ago, and his ports were 13 years old at the time -- he made them look brand new.

Beckson is still in business.  They make good quality products and stand by them.  Our Beckson ports, with their help and materials, have been flawless.

Instead of moving to a different hole in your hull, I recommend that stay with what you have. 

Also in the FAQs:  http://www.c34.org/faq-pages/faq-beckson.html

Also, see this for a picture of what the sketch shows:  http://c34.org/bbs/index.php?topic=3241.0

I think you're asking for lotsa leaks if you make the change.

Plus, the Lewmars also have their own problems, which you can understand by doing a search on Lewmar on this board.  I believe, from what I've read, that the basic Beckson may well exceed the basic Lewmar, perhaps not in looks, but in function.  Aw shucks, just call it pride of ownership, we have eight of 'em,

Thanks, Tom, for providing us with the manuals   Much appreciated.

Roc, cam cleats for traveler lineL http://c34.org/bbs/index.php?topic=2417.msg13624#msg13624

August 1990 Tech Notes, either online or on your CD-Rom

BTW, "isabel98" what's your name and hull # and year?

Tom

Not a direct answer to your question, but references for all

1.  Teleflex troubleshooting guide - I found at: http://www.teleflexmarine.com/cgi-bin/frameset2.cgi?site=gauges&type=us&link2=1047     Click on Troubleshooting on the left pane.  Under Installation Instructions, right side, scroll down to Tachs, Diesel Alternator, there is an instruction manual, the third page shows the voltages you should expect across the lines.   Don't know if you've seen this. 

2.  Like anything electrical, check the connections, especially the ground.

3.  As previously and frequently noted, tachs don't work when the batteries are fully charged.  We discussed that earlier this week, at:  http://c34.org/bbs/index.php?topic=2953.0      I didn't know from your post whether that was a contributing issue for you, or if you were just questioning the the measurements you had made at your tach connections.

Cliff

Just to clarify some terms and definitions:

The old fashioned faucet type valves ARE actually called gate valves.

The new ones, shown in the photos above, are BALL valves.

Steve

Recommended fuse/breaker sizes are shown in Jim Moe's excellent electrical article in Projects:  http://www.c34.org/projects/projects-electrical-system-upgrade-2.html

You don't need to spend a single cent more for the stainless, the galvanized is just fine.  If it's the same $$, then it's your choice.

Cliff

Our 20 year old plastic gate valves still work.  I suggest not going any further than you may need to.  Identify what the issue is before you think you need to go ripping things apart.  Mike's project is very valuable, but may not necessarily be the short term fix you may need.

Heck, I can get IN there, but getting OUT is omething else again.

I think his evaluation is whacko to say the least.  They've been working on our boats for 20 years now, so what's his beef?

Hope you can get this identified and repaired, but, so far, the price is right.   

Cliff

And so you should.  With your hull number, you'll find that reading the FAQs and Projects at www.c34.org will go a LONG way to answering most of your questions.  Please feel free to avail yourself of those resources.

Some of the newer regulators have a feature called "tach creep" which will place a load on your alternator if the regulator senses that the batteries are completely charged.  The purpose is to provide a small alternator output to keep the tach working.  Others, as Ron said, will just bounce the tach around.

And if you install the solenoid, it'll click on and off so you know for sure.

Terry, there's an incredible amount of information on your vintage C34 on this website.  I know you've started to read it, and there's a lot to go, but stay with us and keep asking questions.

As the Guide (http://c34.org/bbs/index.php?topic=150.0) suggests, there is a lot of information on the website that applies specifically to your boat.