Hi all, I'm a new owner of a 2004 Sovran 4400. It has the C-Charger Alternator Regulator which apparently regulates charging of house and start batteries from the alternator while the engines are turning. One box regulates both the starboard and port alternators. Starboard side regulation is working fine, no errors.
Port side regulation is showing an error (Red light 1 second on and 1 second off). The book says that error translates to "Can't turn field off".
Anyone know what that really means? And what to do to troubleshoot? Is that error pointing me to a specific wire to check for continuity? I read elsewhere that the guy who designed the system has left the company and they don't support they system.
I do not know what the root cause of your error is. With that said, it is implying that it is running the alternator at full field which will drive the charge voltage up very high and damage your batteries. I would not operate the boat with this condition present.
I also will say that Charles is out of the marine electrical market and this regulator was not their best effort to start. I'd pull it out, throw it in the trash, and replace it with two individual alternator regulators. You could yank the alternator and bring it to a shop and have it tested to confirm it is not the alternator that is defective, but I struggle to think of how the alternator could cause this error.
You also could just go to more typical, internally regulated alternators. Depending on how you use your boat (how much you ask of the alternators), this could be the least expensive, best option. You could likely get good money for the alternators that are on there now, making the swap out not very expensive.
02-02-2023, 08:08 PM (This post was last modified: 02-02-2023, 08:37 PM by Feetwet.)
Thanks for the reply. I will stop operating the boat until I get it fixed. I expect to have the boat for a while and I agree with updating with a new unit. If an updated regulator doesn't fix the issue, I will have the alternator checked.
Any recommendations for a new pair of new alternator regulators? Is the Balmar MC-618 with the Balmar SG200 with smart link a good choice? Or are there better options. I would like to fix it once and be good for years.
thanks. Rich
Ok, after more thought, I am going to research going to regulated alternator. I will be hooked up to the dock often, and the batteries should be topped off most of the time. I'll go by the boat in the morning and get the part numbers on the current regulators and call around to get advice / options.
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Vessel Info: 3100 Open, 2002 Model Year, 8.1L Crusaders
Posts: 229
Threads: 45
Likes Given: 0
Likes Received: 17 in 12 posts
Joined: Dec 2016
Home Port: Long Island Sound
Vessel Info: 3100 Open, 2002 Model Year, 8.1L Crusaders
I have gas motors but the same Balmar alternator, Charles regulator setup that you have. I thought I had an alternator problem so I took it a local shop and had it tested. The alternator ended up being fine after bench testing, but the owner of the shop told me that when they do go bad to take them out and but the newer self regulated models in for a fraction of the Balmar cost. You can get the same AMP output and eliminate the sperate voltage regulator.
Thanks, Another confirmation on the best way to proceed. After a night of sleep, the simplicity of just replacing the current alternators and getting rid of the separate voltage regulator seems like a better approach. Rich
The most advanced regulators are made by Wakespeed. The MC 618 are very good as well. That said, I think for 95% of users, the better route is the standard internally regulated alternator. You can get new alternators (w/internal regulators) for not much more than you'd pay for the new regulators.
That said, I'm a glutton for punishment and prefer the flexibility of the external regulators, but if you're not going to use the features, it is just complexity and cost for the sake of it.
Update: Deep dive into charging system showed neither alternator was providing any current, and only one of the two AC chargers were working. And we found some things miswired, like field wire hooked to stator connection on alternator. Things were a mess. A long story, but Tiara wired the AC Chargers in parallel, each AC charger providing charge to both battery banks, so I was getting charge on both batteres with the generator running. This let me bring the boat the 650 miles from Pensacola to North Alabama. I have had the alternators rebuilt (local business said they were in bad shape) and am currently installing two Wakespeed external regulators. Also replacing the AC chargers with Pronautic 1250P chargers. Waiting on some terminals for the 3-0 wire to support an ABYC install to connect to the new shunts to measure temperature and amperage, but looking forward to the boat being correct in about a week. I suspect the batteries are damaged, and those will be checked by a battery company next week. We appear to have a voltage drop issue to the starboard engine starter, and the starter / solenoid wiring is absent from the Tiara wiring diagrams. This has been a great experience to learn the wiring on a new, for me, boat. And a great retirement hobby.