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10 October 2017, 20:34
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#1
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Member
Country: UK - England
Town: london
Make: Avon Searider 5.4
Length: 5m +
Engine: 80 hp Yamaha
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 14
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Battery voltage too high
Hi,
When running my boat for a long time at a fair speed I sometimes get a "battery voltage too high" alarm on my plotter, which then shuts itself down.
Now I did ignore this but it finally blew my trusty icom up the other day so I need to do something to prevent this.
My thinking is to put a 12v surge protector on the +ve line into the radio/plotter but I was wondering if anyone had any experience and/or better ideas; and I'm sure you do.
Thanks,
Ali
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10 October 2017, 23:34
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#2
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RIBnet admin team
Country: UK - Scotland
Boat name: imposter
Make: FunYak
Length: 3m +
Engine: Tohatsu 30HP
MMSI: 235089819
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 11,626
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Have you measured the voltage? The regulator on the battery should be keeping the voltage in the right range. Too high a voltage is bad for the battery too. If the battery terminals are loose it can mean there is nowhere to "put the power" and you can get erratic voltages.
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11 October 2017, 06:51
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#3
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Member
Country: UK - Scotland
Town: north ayrshire
Boat name: charlie girl
Make: S/R5.4/regal3760
Length: 10m +
Engine: Suzukidf70 2x6lp 315
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 3,947
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Assuming the battery is connected to an engine that is charging it then the problem is likely with the engines charging system
Which has already been said will damage the battery in time, you will likely find the battery getting hot check the voltage with the engine running should be around 14v
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11 October 2017, 08:02
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#4
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Member
Country: UK - England
Town: london
Make: Avon Searider 5.4
Length: 5m +
Engine: 80 hp Yamaha
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 14
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Thanks, when static the battery voltage is 14v, I'm sure you are right that too high a voltage is coming back from the engine. I will try to clamp my meter on and look at it when I am running the engine. The battery clamps seem secure.
Perhaps I need a larger battery if it is going into overcharge?
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11 October 2017, 09:10
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#5
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Member
Country: UK - England
Town: Wirral & Caernarfon
Boat name: That's Enuff
Make: Revenger & Avon SR4
Length: 7m +
Engine: Honda 150HP & 50HP
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 4,421
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if you connect your multimeter to your battery you should get just over 12v without the engine running, with the engine running it should be around 14v, if you're getting over 14v with the engine running it's the voltage regulator on the engine charging that's causing the problem. it's worth checking you've got the right size battery for the engine, but if its overcharging fitting a bigger battery won't help
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Member of S.A.B.S. (Wirral Division)
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11 October 2017, 11:25
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#6
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Member
Country: UK - England
Town: london
Make: Avon Searider 5.4
Length: 5m +
Engine: 80 hp Yamaha
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 14
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Thank you I will check it.
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11 October 2017, 11:56
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#7
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Member
Country: UK - Scotland
Town: Denny
Boat name: Highland Bluewater
Length: 6m +
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,647
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How old is your engine?
Older outboards only had rectifiers and not regulators. They relied on the battery to regulate the voltage which worked ok with "wet" batteries as they simply sat there boiling off fluid that could be topped up from time to time. Doesn't work with gel cell leisure batteries though.
Probably too new to fall into that category so, as has been said, ideally should reach 14.6-14.7V but you won't need max revs to get there. Fast idle to 2000rpm should give you that and within reason the size of the battery shouldn't make any difference either as even small gel cell batteries eg 7Ah still use the same charge voltage. (The charge is voltage, not current regulated.)
A knackered battery can cause problems, if it's an old style wet battery check the fluid level but I'd expect if that was the problem you'd have starting issues.
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11 October 2017, 14:23
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#8
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Member
Country: UK - England
Town: london
Make: Avon Searider 5.4
Length: 5m +
Engine: 80 hp Yamaha
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 14
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It's a late 80s Yamaha 80hp. No starting issues and a relatively new battery. I expect you are right and the engine is sending back too high a voltage when running for a long time. I should be able to check it next week.
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15 October 2017, 18:52
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#9
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Member
Country: UK - Scotland
Boat name: Wildheart
Make: Humber/Delta Seasafe
Length: 5m +
Engine: Merc 60 Clamshell
MMSI: 235068449
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 4,671
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I had that with my mid 80s Merc. Killed 2 batteries in blissfully ignorance then got my plotter and programmed it to show battery voltage..... O....M.....G.
Battery toast!
The engine now has a Suzie reg / rectifier as it was one that fitted the ridiculously tight package space in a clamshell....
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15 October 2017, 18:56
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#10
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Member
Country: UK - Scotland
Boat name: Wildheart
Make: Humber/Delta Seasafe
Length: 5m +
Engine: Merc 60 Clamshell
MMSI: 235068449
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 4,671
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Phone not playin edit....
Engine was chucking out 14.7v at 1300 rpm! No wonder my battery wasn't lasting!
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15 October 2017, 20:29
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#11
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Member
Country: UK - Scotland
Town: Denny
Boat name: Highland Bluewater
Length: 6m +
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,647
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 9D280
Phone not playin edit....
Engine was chucking out 14.7v at 1300 rpm! No wonder my battery wasn't lasting!
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Providing it doesn't go over that as the revs go up, that figure is exactly what it should be.
My home step charger (£175 worth) puts out exactly 14.7 volts on a flat battery.
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15 October 2017, 22:28
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#12
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Member
Country: UK - Scotland
Boat name: Wildheart
Make: Humber/Delta Seasafe
Length: 5m +
Engine: Merc 60 Clamshell
MMSI: 235068449
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 4,671
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It did.... linearly
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