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Oh Dear 🙁


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I haven't done the thermostat yet, so the new problems I've found today weren't caused by me at least.

1st on tickover for about 10 minutes the oil pressure looks high to me?

2nd the voltage meter said zero while running. I hadn't unplugged shore power but I don't think that makes any difference. The battery charger display usually says "Finished" but this time it was lit up as below.

Is it me or am I looking at some sort of system failure or what do you think?

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10 minutes on tickover the oil will still be fairly cool so pressure will be higher, what's it supposed to run at?

Normally oil pressures will be specified for a running temperature engine and will give a full rpm and idle pressure, when cold it will be higher.

Volts will be a gauge or wiring issue if the engine was running and everything working fine.

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25 minutes ago, ExSurveyor said:

Do you have a battery charger on the shore power, I did the same, run the engine whilst still charging from shore and alternator and melted some wires. I did have a smart change over thing that failed.

 

15 minutes ago, Mouldy said:

I’ve been told not to run the engine whilst on shore power by someone whom I trust.  Sadly, I was told after I’d knackered an alternator, but I don’t know if that was coincidence or the reason.

Well that is exactly what I have done sadly. Run the engine while on shore power with the battery charger on!

So I guess I need to learn how to check the alternator now and is it possible I've done for the battery charger too?

It's beginning to sound like an expensive lesson 🙁

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Got to boat, switched off the battery charger, disconnected shore power and did a visual check for melted wires etc.

Having started her up the voltage meter didn't move for a long few seconds and then came to life with a normal reading!

Phew... I seem to have escaped disaster 👍

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An auto battery charger should only output according to the detected voltage same as an alternator so by rights if anything one or both should output nothing as the volts are at top level, I guess starter cranking amps could overload a charger if the batteries are duff but it should really be fused to protect from this as it's a very likely scenario and probably quite common.

If you have solar panels they would still be hooked up when running.

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20 minutes ago, ranworthbreeze said:

I would always remove the shore power prior to starting the engine.

Yep leaving it conected is a sure fire way of making many of the early sterling (Actually rebadged products) go pop! although alot of up market chargers such as Vitron etc dont seem to suffer this prob

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I had an old fairly cheapo sterling charger on my old boat with it running and it was ok, I know the shore power was plugged in because I was part way to the fuel staging when I realised what people were pointing and shouting at then the lead went twang and overtook me, yep it was definately still plugged in.... :default_blush:

It gave up in the end when I had a water leak and the charger was laying under it while plugged in, that finished it big time.

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4 minutes ago, Smoggy said:

It gave up in the end when I had a water leak and the charger was laying under it while plugged in, that finished it big time.

You mean you found the formulae for magic smoke. I'd patent that. :default_biggrin:

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Have to say Ray, We have a Chinese 'Sterling' Charger on Luna, its been fine for 3 years an still going strong.

If we are plugged in to 240 shore power and start the engine the charger just goes to phase 7 (end) and the alternator takes over.

Had no issues at all with running while on 240v.

Cheers

Selsie

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Thanks Selsie, that sounds pretty much how I would have hoped it worked. Something odd happened with Keleka, the charger showed a fault and the voltage instrument on the dashboard registered nothing.

Turning it all off and back on again seems to have reset everything and at the moment it looks good with no issues.

Maybe something in my setup is sensitive but if it means not starting the engine while on shore power I can live with that 👍

The water temp guage, also not registering confused the issue. A new thermostat going in should hopefully prove that to be a coincidence rather than part of a bigger electrics problem 🤞

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Hi Ray Oil pressure is checked at normal operating temp see manufacturers spec's. obviously a old worn engine may not reach these.  rule of thumb at tick over min of 5lb  to 10 lbs running 35lbs.time to worry is when it suddenly changes, a volt meter wont work if not connected to battery supply, the connections a pron to corrosion and as they need very little currant can stop working correctly if connections corrode. check all connections and remake if necessary and dip bare wire in Vaseline before crimping to stop corrosion and dip spade connection's in Vaseline before reconnecting to switch/gauge/fuse block. John

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