Lectra/San MC

B

Bob J

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Jan 1, 2000
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181
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Vic, this past week the amber light on control board started to blink quickly while going thru treatment cycle. Board states that is sign of low voltage as you know. I hooked up a high quality, digital voltmeter directly to main connections on unit. During entire cycle; voltage never dropped below 12.2 vdc. I would think that w/b ample voltage while treatment cycle is running. Am I wrong re that assumption ?
 
Bob, perhaps at that particular point, the batteries were a trifle low. Then, by the time you got the meter, hooked it up, and checked it out, the charger may have brought the batteries back up to an acceptable level. Keep an eye on it, and if it continues, we'll have to look into it. But if it was just a one-time occurrence, I wouldn't worry about it.
 
Vic, prior to hitting flush button & already having meter hooked up I was reading 13+ VDC. It only drops down to 12.2 as it nears end of cycle. At end of cycle meter again reads over 13VDC. I will monitor this w/e. If it continues to read 12.2VDC during treatment cycle, am I doing any damage ?
 
No, 12.2 volts measured at the unit while it is running, is perfectly OK.
 
I had a similar problem with a slip neighbors boat's LectraSan we ended up replacing his power wires they were in an old Marine Trader and were not up to marine grade standards and had deteriorated. I tried new terminals 1st after that failed I installed a temporary battery at the unit and the problem went away. After that I finally convinced him to replace his wiring and go up one size.
I agree with Vic 12.2VDC should be fine and not show that error. Perhaps the meter is out of calibration?
Bill
 
Can't too high a salt content cause higher current draw and depending wire size a voltage drop at the unit Vic? Just curious, Bill.
 
Bill, yes that can happen, but it is rather unusual. Generally with a Lectra/San MC series, which Bob has, you'll blow a fuse if there is too much salt in the treatment unit. It is fused for 35 amps, so to blow the fuse would require about twice as much salt percentage than there's supposed to be. Normal ampere draw by the electrode pack is in the range of 17 amps. So yes, if it were drawing more than 17 but less than 35, it could conceivably cause a voltage drop. But again, 12.2 volts while the machine is runnning in the treatment cycle, is just fine.
 
Vic, this should raise an eyebrow or two. I've noticed on several occasions that once green light starts to flash the slow amber light may flash 4-5 times, then a slight pause & quick flash will blink 14 times then a few slow blinks & again 14 quick blinks. This will continue until unit completes full cycle. It's always 14 quick blinks. Does the 14 rapid blinks have any significance? Just strange that it's always 14 rapid blinks. Thought that might offer a clue as to what is causing this.
 
Bob, sounds to me like you have a bad or weak cell in one of your batteries that only shows up under load. The fast blinking amber light is indicating low voltage.
 
I hear what you're saying but as previously stated; I had a very expensive (Fluke) digital volt meter connected during treatment cycle & voltage never went below 12.2vdc. When I go down tomorrow I will put a set of heavy duty jumpers between batteries, run unit & monitor results. Will advise.
 
Vic, unit runs off a size 31, 900 MCA battery. But because of what has been happening I ran a set of jumpers between the 2 batteries which are identical (M30HMF). Even with both batteries hooked up I still got the rapid amber flashing light. Hafta figure issue is some where else within the unit itself. With volt meter attached to terminals on unit; it showed 13.42VDC. After I pressed blue flush button, voltage dropped to 12.8VDC. It continued to slowly decrease during cycle to low of 12.35. After completion meter showed 13.04VDC & continued to increase back to original 13.4VDC. Anything I should look for? All connections look clean; no corrosion of any kind.
 
Bob, I'm wondering about the fuse block - that the (3) fuses snap into. I had a situation several years back, where the fuse block turned out to be the culprit.

When the machine is running, touch the (3) fuses. If any of them get too hot to touch, there's some added resistance there, and I'd change the fuse block.

Over time, the black "backer board" for the fuse block tends to shrink a little, loosening the rivets that hold the fuse clips in place. Then you get added resistance in the circuit because of the poor electrical contact between the fuse clip and the wires and copper straps that are connected to the fuse block, causing the voltage drop.

If that's the case, replacing the fuse block should solve your problem.

Raritan part # 31-232, $25.00 (factory price).
 
Vic I had similar thoughts. Perhaps he could put the meter on each fuse and see which one has the voltage drop?
Bill
 
We've had fuse block issues in the past & have replaced as well. I've done this in the past...put a jumper across one fuse at a time & try cycle. If low voltage light does not come on I would hit reset button almost immediately to prevent any elecrical issues causing add'l problem. Does this sound like a good idea ?
 
Vic, are you currently out of touch? Boat will be going on the hard this Thursday. As a result, will not be able to try any suggestions re my LectraSan issue.
 
Jumping the fuses will not tell you if the through the circuit board rivets have corrosion.
Bill
 
BillyIII, replaced fuse block. It stopped red blown fuse lite from coming on but quick flashing (low voltage) lite continues. Vic has not answered my PM for some reason or another.
I don't know what else to try. Gonna be on the hard tomorrow so don't think I'll be able to try any suggestions til next spring when in the water.
 
Hi Bob,

Sorrrrrry, I thought I'd answered your PM, but sure enough, I didn't. When you're pushing 70, your memory isn't always as good as you think it is. It just takes one distraction, and whoops - you're off in a different direction, and forget all about what you'd been doing beforehand. Again, my apologies!

At this point, I honestly don't know what's going on with it. Will you be able to board the boat and crawl around on it, while it's on the hard? If so, it'd probably be best to pull the electronic control unit off the top of it and send or bring it in to us, so that we can test it and try to figure out what ails it.

Otherwise, I'll have to suggest you wait until spring, and soon's they splash it, pull the electronic unit off of it and send it in, or bring it in, to us.

I doubt that there's anything major wrong with it, but those are the types of things that can make you pull your hair out, trying to figure out what's wrong. I feel fairly certain that it's something in that electonic module sitting on top of the treatment unit - possibly one of the solenoids...
 
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