[justrollin]

I have a 1998 31ft open with 454xli crusader engines that will not charge battery,s when engines are running all batteries are good load tested fine. There is no current from the regulaters which are external and there is no volts from both alternaters. wire diagrams i have found dont seem to cover this in detail. All my grounds are good with no corrosion. The boat was fine when stored for the winter but on first start up this year the problem started. Any ideas would be helpfull, both motors act identical. :help:

[Uhehner]

It seems strange that both alternators are down.
Did you measure the voltage across the batteries with a digital voltmeter?
You should read about 13.8 volts with the engines running and 12 something when they are stopped.
Somebody on the Tiara site had a Stbd Alt Field and Port Alt Field circuit breaker on their DC panel. I have never seen this but you might check.
Capt. George

[justrollin]

All batteries have been checked and are good as the alternaters have been checked andno charging from either of them.

[Uhehner]

You need to supply battery voltage to the field circuit for the alternator to have an output. Check your DC circuit breaker panel for CB's marked Port ALT or FIELD and Stbd. ALT or FIELD and make sure they are ON. Capt. George

[justrollin]

I have battery volts at both switches 12+ volts , no such thing on my DC circuit breaker panel.I think both external regulaters are bad. Any other ideas on what I can try?

[justrollin]

Had a mechanic check out my boat with no chargeing issue and found both external volt regulaters to be bad. I looks as though both got water in them and then froze over the winter.They dont make those balmar regulaters anymore so updated regulaters with wire harness upgrade for$450.00 each plus labor will be installed.

[Uhehner]

Water in a voltage regulator? Strange. How do you winterize voltage regulators? Capt. George

[justrollin]

capt. George in the mist of cleaning the bilge and bulkhead I had used a spray cleaner that needed fresh water to wash it down a dockside hose was used not knowing these regulaters would let water in them somehow. A poor design for sure you would think with the care I took at the time this would not of happened wont do that again, I may mount them in a clear plastic box.

[justrollin]

The exturnal regulators have been replaced with the Balmar ARS-5 and we are charging again Im not sure water got in the old ones they may have shorted out internally nothing lasts forever.

[momentum]

I switched from the balmar to the 1 wire delco altenators , At idle I get low volt alarms but still charging at the units ? I must not be satisfying the meters ? Old balmar regs are still there maybe I Can feed them to satisfy my gauges ?