Like a new boat

[Kelley Dean]

The only disappointment I have had with my 1988 MKI boat is the lack of auxiliary power, especially when needed. I have had Andiamo for over ten years. Over those years, I have done multiple upgrades, from wiring harness, new instrument panel, and the Jim Moe electrical setup to name a few. This year I installed a new Blue Circle high output alternator and Xantrex external regulator. (had a Proline alternator with an external Proline regulator installed by a previous owner) I also installed a new #2 wire from the alternator to the main battery bank. This is where it gets good. After starting the engine, I noticed the tach was idling close to 2000 rpm's. I went and downloaded the dip switch setting for teleflex and purchased a handheld digital tachometer. Next I pulled the tach and found I did not have dip switches but a dial switch (A thru E) set at C. It had a sticker stating the tach was set for a Catalina XP25. I changed the switch to  D and checked the tach using the handheld tach. They both matched. Idle at 900 rpm's and checked again at 1500 rpm's. Went out with the boat, not looking at the tach, just going by sound and speed, noticed I was doing my normal 5 to 5.5 knot speed. Then I noticed the tach was only at 2000 rpm's. Went below and rechecked engine with handheld. Still matching. Checked manual for cruising rpm's, 2100 - 2600 with max of 3200. Bumped up throttle to 2600. Rechecked with handheld. Still matching but the engine never reved so high (sound wise). Now doing 6.5 knots. I have never had the boat go so fast under power. My wife thought she was in a power boat instead of the usual dingy. All of these years I have been running underpowered without knowing. So, I highly recommend checking your tachometer with a handheld.
Now for a question I would like to throw out there. With this new setup, I noticed the voltmeter always reading at ~12.5V. Checked alternator output, ~14.2V. Looking at Jim's diagram, the starter and house batteries are isolated except for the echo charger. The voltmeter seems to be reading only the starter side. How can this be changed to read the alternator output? Is it a wiring issue to the new regulator I missed? Any thoughts?
Also, if I remove the charger from the starter battery, as recommended, can that line be connected to the house side doubling the charge? I have the 20 amp Xantrex charger. Is the 20 amp split between the two lines or are they both 20 amp?

[gwp]

Kelly...I have 88 model as well. Are you saying there is a dial switch on the back of the tach? My tach has never been accurate and I have never investigated. It indicates Max rpms of about 1600 but under Max throttle can go +6 kts.

[Kelley Dean]

I replaced my instrument panel about 3 years ago due to moisture behind the temperature gauge and the fuel gauge was dead. The new one looks great. At that time I never thought of checking the tach settings because a sticker said it was preset, the idle was the same and cruising at 2800 rpm at 5.5 knots was the same. However, after installing the new high output alternator and checking the accuracy with the handheld tachometer, the outcome is completely different. Now I cruise at 2600 rpm doing 6.5 knots.
The new tachometer has a dial switch but the old original one had the dip switches. Go to this:  http://c34.org/manuals/  and get the Teleflex manuals along with a handheld tachometer to confirm. Also do a search on this form for Teleflex for much more information.

[Stu Jackson]

1.  Now for a question I would like to throw out there. With this new setup, I noticed the voltmeter always reading at ~12.5V. Checked alternator output, ~14.2V. Looking at Jim's diagram, the starter and house batteries are isolated except for the echo charger. The voltmeter seems to be reading only the starter side. How can this be changed to read the alternator output? Is it a wiring issue to the new regulator I missed? Any thoughts?
2.   Also, if I remove the charger from the starter battery, as recommended, can that line be connected to the house side doubling the charge? I have the 20 amp Xantrex charger. Is the 20 amp split between the two lines or are they both 20 amp?

Kelly, there was a very important modification made to Jim's original wiring diagram by Walt a few months ago.  Essentially, he corrected the connections of the echo charger, which Jim had mentioned to me many years ago before he sold his boat last year.  See it here: http://www.c34.org/wiki/index.php?title=Catalina_34_Electrical_System_Upgrade.

1.  Voltmeter readings - you need to find out where the voltmeter is connected.  Trace the wiring and assure yourself that it is wired properly. Only thing I can think of to suggest to you.  You really don't want to "read the alternator output," what you want to read is the house bank voltage, which is essentially the other end of the same wire!

2.  Charger operation - suggest you check your Xantrex manual.  The few Xantrex manuals I've seen will advise if the charge is split and if when using only one output whether or not it halves the charge or provides a full charge.  If you have a battery monitor, you could check it easily, but would need a depleted house bank to confirm, since with a mostly full bank the battery acceptance will limit the current able to flow to the house bank.  The best way to do it is to connect to only one bank and let the echo charger do its thing for the start bank for both sources of charging.  I remember Maine Sail noting somewhere (perhaps on another board) that charging both with a shorepower charger could "hurt" the echo charger.

[Ron Hill]

Kelley : Neither the Vmeter in the engine instrument pane or the Vmeter on the main electrical panel are what I'd call "precision" instruments. 
If you really want to get an accurate Volt reading here's what I'd suggest --
I installed  + & - female "banana" plugs on the main electrical panel (taken off of the back of the Catalina panel Vmeter.  Then I plugged in (with banana plugs) a hand held (accurate) multi meter and got an accurate Voltage readings !!

Better yet why don't you install a battery monitor so you can read accurate Volts, Amps, and cumlitave Amp hours (used or recharged)

Your Zantrex 20 amp charger is a total capability.  ie. 7 amps to one bank and 13 amps to the other.  The charger senses what each bank need and sends that charge accordinly. 
As Stu mentioned -- read your manual.   

[Stu Jackson]

Another "aha!" moment for me.  By voltmeter you could mean the one in the cockpit panel.  My confusion stems from the fact that on our old [current C34] boat our PO had installed a two bank meter right in the nav station, and we also have a Link 2000 that I put in a few years ago.  Newer boats, IIRC, have a voltmeter on the Seaward electrical panel at the nav station.  

Accordingly, I rarely bother with the cockpit panel voltmeter.  The only use I've found for it is when starting the engine I check it to see if it's come back up after the glow plugs and start button have been used to assure the starter isn't sticking.

I have also noted that the cockpit voltmeter has a large amount of voltage loss compared to the nav station & Link 2000 voltmeters, something like 13%!!!

Think about it:  Since it's a voltmeter, I'll bet it is simply reading the voltage at the panel 'cuz voltmeter can be placed anywhere in parallel with a circuit.  Since the wiring going there is so small, the voltage drop is high.  Also, it'll be measuring the voltage from whatever bank you have set on the main switch, at least the voltage that's making it there.

You can do the banana plug thing, or pick up the cover to your batteries and check them, or - even best - get a battery monitor that'll tell you everything you need to know.

As I've noted many, many times earlier:  everyone said I should get a battery monitor, but it was the last thing I did - boy did I get that wrong!

I know, easy for us to spend your $$, but the ROI in keeping your batteries healthy is really worth it.

[Kelley Dean]

Stu and Ron-
Thanks for the responses. I just ordered a LinkLite battery monitor. I've been meaning to do this for awhile. You sold me. I do plan on making the change for the echo charger wiring. (makes sense)
The voltmeter on the engine instrument panel is powered only by the starter battery. It always reads a steady ~12.5V except when starting with the glow plugs. (have solenoid setup) With the old alternator and regulator, I could see the voltmeter jump up to ~14V when charging. Since the tachometer is working, I probably don't need to worry about the voltmeter as the alternator is working.
My battery charger is a Xantrex 20A, which shares the total amperage output. I will disconnect the output to the starter battery giving me the 20A to the house batteries. The echo charger will take care of the charge to the starter battery.