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  #1   IP: 184.70.142.2
Old 06-28-2018, 07:16 PM
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Surcouf Surcouf is offline
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Battery Charger life expectancy

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/foru...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/foru...1&d=1530227711

Thank you!!!
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Old 06-29-2018, 08:38 AM
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ndutton ndutton is offline
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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.
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Dave Neptune (06-29-2018)
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Old 06-29-2018, 10:30 AM
JOHN COOKSON JOHN COOKSON is offline
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BATTERY->WIRING->STARTER

Quote:
Originally Posted by Surcouf View Post
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
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Dave Neptune (06-29-2018)
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Old 06-29-2018, 12:25 PM
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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.
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Old 06-29-2018, 02:02 PM
Dave Neptune Dave Neptune is online now
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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

Last edited by Dave Neptune; 06-29-2018 at 02:03 PM. Reason: grammer
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  #6   IP: 138.207.175.58
Old 06-30-2018, 06:49 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave Neptune View Post
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!
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Old 07-01-2018, 12:47 AM
Hawkeye54 Hawkeye54 is offline
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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.
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Old 06-29-2018, 02:08 PM
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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.
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