Battery Charger life expectancy

[Surcouf]

So after a nice day of sailing, engine would not start while getting back to the marina... had to display sailor abilities and dock with sails on teh outside dock.

So bottom line:
- battery charger is dead, a nice "bump" on it

http://www.moyermarineforum.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=13556&stc=1&d=1530227490

- the Captain (me) was wrong is his understanding of the 2 batteries switch, always starting on the engine battery and charging the small "house" one.
- the voltmeter on the engine panel was dead, preventing me to check voltage of each battery (now changed)
So all 3 together lead you to a engine-less docking...

So my questions:
- The battery charger was 18 years old. Is that a typical life expectancy for such equipment?
- see below picture of the "engine harness plug" (not sure how to describe that). There is some corrosion getting there. How hard is that to replace it? what are those cables/instruments ? What material is needed?

http://www.moyermarineforum.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=13557&stc=1&d=1530227711

Thank you!!!

[ndutton]

Everything engine related goes through that plug and there's another one at the instrument panel end of the wiring harness. By everything it means all the charging power, ignition and starting circuits too. My point is let's be careful to find the real problem and not jump to conclusions.

The pictured plug is a problem. It and its mate at the panel need to be removed from the wiring harness. That should be done first. The pictured charger may or may not be functional but it is unrelated to charging underway and from your post sortie report, you were not charging underway.

[JOHN COOKSON]

BATTERY->WIRING->STARTER

So after a nice day of sailing, engine would not start while getting back to the marina... had to display sailor abilities and dock with sails on teh outside dock.
!

Question: "The engine would not start". Would the engine turn with the starter?

With the heavy duty corrosion evident maybe the big wires that carry electricity from the battery to the starter are in such poor shape that they cannot carry sufficient electricity to the starter to turn the engine. The takeaway is that the batteries & charging system may not be the problem.

As Neil posted; further facts and analysis's needed before any conclusions are drawn.

TRUE GRIT

[joe_db]

That plug is
As for the battery charger, I have one from the 1970s that still works. It is pretty crude, but it will get a dead car going. The newer ones......not so much. 18 years isn't bad for what you get now.

[Dave Neptune]

Looking at the plug I would be more worried about an electrical fire. Some of those wires got to be getting hot with that connector. The other connector may be just as bad.

Once that was fixed I'd start checking the charging both charger and alt off the motor.

Dave Neptune

[capnward]

If you are getting a new battery charger, I recommend the Newmar PT-7 or PT-14. Commercial fisherman use them. Mine ran flawlessly for over ten years of nearly continuous use until the fan in it started wearing out and making noise, so I replaced the fan. That was 5 years ago. I didn't have much luck with the the chargers encased in black plastic with no fan. The one that I replaced had lasted 2 years. I'm surprised yours lasted 18 years.

[Administrator]

Looking at the plug I would be more worried about an electrical fire. Some of those wires got to be getting hot with that connector. The other connector may be just as bad.

Once that was fixed I'd start checking the charging both charger and alt off the motor.

Dave Neptune

+1! Yikes!

[Hawkeye54]

Battery charger --

Please take a real close look at the red and yellow wires on the left side of that plug - it appears the insulation is split and the wires may have overheated.

[Surcouf]

plug

Thank you all for your comments and help.
I have purchased a new charger (120$ cheap one), but not installed yet (made the mistake to purchase one with a 110V plug, and not the pre-fabricated fittings for the back of the panel... that is what happens when you try to do 25 things at the same time). It is finally (very) warm in New England, and I really do not want to miss a day of sailing. So I use my garage battery charger when docked in the meantime.

I had already 2 years ago disconnected / cleaned / brushed all large section wires to / from batteries / starter and all grounds. But not small section ones.

This is not an excuse of course, but that plug has been like since I have the boat... so in order to change it, the questions:
- where do you find this type of plug, or a replacement one that you would recommend? I could not find it in the electrical section of MM catalog.
- should the one from the panel be replaced with a different one? Or same as this one?

thank you!!!

[ndutton]

The plug should not be replaced, it should be eliminated along with its mate at the panel, the reason you'll never see one in the MMI catalog. The quick solution is to cut the wires close to the plug and reconnect them with butt splices. The Rolls Royce solution is to completely replace the 40 year old wiring harness in its entirety. Here are a few posts you may find helpful:

http://www.moyermarineforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=44429&postcount=1

http://www.moyermarineforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=44508&postcount=10

http://www.moyermarineforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=69785&postcount=16

http://www.moyermarineforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=58524&postcount=1

[Antibes]

I bought the charger with 110 plug and like it. I added a gfi plug next to it off the shore power. When on the hard I can use it to charge the batteries from the boat yards power outlets. Very useful for my climate

[roadnsky]

The plug should not be replaced, it should be eliminated along with its mate at the panel, the reason you'll never see one in the MMI catalog. The quick solution is to cut the wires close to the plug and reconnect them with butt splices. The Rolls Royce solution is to completely replace the 40 year old wiring harness in its entirety.

Just to stay on point here...

Neil's advice is spot on.
Please read the links and follow the pro-offered advice.

[JOHN COOKSON]

One can seal the plug halves to keep moisture out by wrapping them with electricians tape or by using silicone goop.
When I rewired I went for the Marazziti plan. I eliminated the "trailer" plugs completley by running a single wire from A->B with no plug in between. All end connectors are crimped, slodered, and heat shrunk. I've had no wiring probelems since.

TRUE GRIT