Hi
I just bought a 76' Newport 28 with a "later" model A4. Before the boat went in this summer, I gave both the acc and the cranking battery a good 48hr trickle charge. After being out for a few nights it was apparent that the batteries were not charging/holding a charge. The first things I did were check the battery’s fluid, which was good, and checked the voltage off of the alternator, which read ~15.4vdc, and cleaned the battery terminals, which were filthy. The batteries still didn’t seem like they were holding much of a charge, so I put them back on a charger (two days ago), as I thought perhaps they just needed a little help to get topped up (as I only really motor <45 minutes on any day, so far).
One thing I did notice was that my amp meter was not reading anything, while engine is cranking, nor when running. I downloaded the wiring diagram that D. Moyer posted, and it almost looks to me that since the amp meter is in line between the alternator output and the batteries, if the amp meter was "open" then there would be no power getting to the batteries. Am I correct?
Thanks in advance
Eric Morin
Saint John, NB
I just bought a 76' Newport 28 with a "later" model A4. Before the boat went in this summer, I gave both the acc and the cranking battery a good 48hr trickle charge. After being out for a few nights it was apparent that the batteries were not charging/holding a charge. The first things I did were check the battery’s fluid, which was good, and checked the voltage off of the alternator, which read ~15.4vdc, and cleaned the battery terminals, which were filthy. The batteries still didn’t seem like they were holding much of a charge, so I put them back on a charger (two days ago), as I thought perhaps they just needed a little help to get topped up (as I only really motor <45 minutes on any day, so far).
One thing I did notice was that my amp meter was not reading anything, while engine is cranking, nor when running. I downloaded the wiring diagram that D. Moyer posted, and it almost looks to me that since the amp meter is in line between the alternator output and the batteries, if the amp meter was "open" then there would be no power getting to the batteries. Am I correct?
Thanks in advance
Eric Morin
Saint John, NB
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