- Joined
- May 24, 2006
- RO Number
- 21395
- Messages
- 54
Hey folks-
I've got a 1988 SeaRay 230 Weekender, 5.7L with 1250 hours on it. I took it out this past weekend to just lounge around and enjoy the sun (rare sight in June here in Seattle!). On the way out, I noticed a pretty steady decline on the dash-mounted voltmeter - it looked like it was in the 10-11V range. My depth finder also has a voltage indicator on it that I cross-referenced and it was also reading 11.3 down to 10.5 in a steady decline while cruising out to our favorite bay.
Needless to say, I throttled down quickly! I didn't turn the engine off for fear that if it was in fact a dying alternator or battery, I wouldn't be able to start again. I then checked everything I could think of that was electrical. The only thing I could find was the head's macerator - it's key operated with an off/on/grind setting (similar to a car ignition, not sure exactly how to describe it). The boat is new to me so I was checking out the various systems last week and left the key in the "ignition" and in the on position. I've since removed it after reading about the USCG 10k fine! I thought that may be it, so I switched it off and sure enough the voltage started reading ~14 so problem (apparently) solved and I continued on.
After all day on the hook with the radio on and the batt selector switch on the house bank, I switched back to engine battery, started up and headed home. This time, I saw both voltmeters alternating between 18 and 10 right after I started off for the dock. Remembering my experience on the way out, I thought I would let it go, watch it like a hawk and see what happened. Eventually, it settled back to the 14 range which would indicate normal charging from the alternator.
I know that one shouldn't put much faith in a single, dash-mounted guage, but in my case I had the backup with the depth finder. My question is, would it be normal to have that big of a fluctuation in voltages, even if the battery was charging / discharging? Is that a sign of a failing alternator or something more sinister that I should be looking out for?
Thanks in advance. This is my first post here, be gentle!
Kevin
I've got a 1988 SeaRay 230 Weekender, 5.7L with 1250 hours on it. I took it out this past weekend to just lounge around and enjoy the sun (rare sight in June here in Seattle!). On the way out, I noticed a pretty steady decline on the dash-mounted voltmeter - it looked like it was in the 10-11V range. My depth finder also has a voltage indicator on it that I cross-referenced and it was also reading 11.3 down to 10.5 in a steady decline while cruising out to our favorite bay.
Needless to say, I throttled down quickly! I didn't turn the engine off for fear that if it was in fact a dying alternator or battery, I wouldn't be able to start again. I then checked everything I could think of that was electrical. The only thing I could find was the head's macerator - it's key operated with an off/on/grind setting (similar to a car ignition, not sure exactly how to describe it). The boat is new to me so I was checking out the various systems last week and left the key in the "ignition" and in the on position. I've since removed it after reading about the USCG 10k fine! I thought that may be it, so I switched it off and sure enough the voltage started reading ~14 so problem (apparently) solved and I continued on.
After all day on the hook with the radio on and the batt selector switch on the house bank, I switched back to engine battery, started up and headed home. This time, I saw both voltmeters alternating between 18 and 10 right after I started off for the dock. Remembering my experience on the way out, I thought I would let it go, watch it like a hawk and see what happened. Eventually, it settled back to the 14 range which would indicate normal charging from the alternator.
I know that one shouldn't put much faith in a single, dash-mounted guage, but in my case I had the backup with the depth finder. My question is, would it be normal to have that big of a fluctuation in voltages, even if the battery was charging / discharging? Is that a sign of a failing alternator or something more sinister that I should be looking out for?
Thanks in advance. This is my first post here, be gentle!
Kevin