[C320-list] Basic hot water heater and charging question
Dick Walker
dickwalker at att.net
Sat Sep 15 19:24:24 PDT 2018
I disagree it depends how low the batteries are. ballmar has a smart generator regulator
Cheers
Dick Walker
740 Olive Ave.
Coronado ,CA 92118
619.435.8986
> On Sep 15, 2018, at 18:34, jackbrennan <jackbrennan at bellsouth.net> wrote:
>
>
> Gene:
> Read Nigel Calder for a better explanation, but it's not necessarily a problem.
> A high output alternator does not keep, say, 90 amps for very long. The charge rate drops quickly because batteries accept limited amounts of charge, depending on their type.
> The voltage reading will drop as the charge rate drops.
> Alternators also experience voltage drops when they heat up.
> The big questions: What does "and change" mean? 13.6 sounds normal. 13? Maybe not. Is your battery bank being charged satisfactorily?
> There's your proof.
>
> As others have noted, you can get a new stock alternator for a 3gm30 for about $80 on the Internet.
> Jack BrennanSonas, 1998 Catalina 320, no. 528Tierra Verde, FL.
>
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> Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android
>
> On Sat, Sep 15, 2018 at 8:39 PM, Gene Helfman<genehelfman at gmail.com> wrote: Thanks, guys. We hoped the water heater used engine heat, but I couldn't
> find the plumbing involved so assumed it was independent. Makes sense to
> make use of engine heat (sort of like cooking a chicken under the hood of
> your car on a road trip, or am I showing my age). WRT the
> alternator.voltage regulator issue, obviously it's something we have to
> check when we get home (we're cruising in British Columbia right now, end
> of a 5 week trip). PO put in a different, much bigger alternator, so it's
> going to require some expertise. We put a meter on it and got full (like
> 14.85 V) out of it for a half hour, then dropped down to 13 and change.
>
>> On Sat, Sep 15, 2018 at 5:06 PM Troy Dunn <troutwarrior at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> Gene
>>
>> Sorry, should have added the following. Assuming you are correctly
>> surmising that the alternator output is dropping after 30 minutes, Either
>> your voltage regulator or your alternator is malfunctioning. If you have
>> the stock alternator it is internally regulated. You can get a
>> replacement alternator pretty cheap, assuming you are happy with your
>> current DC power set up.
>>
>> Cheers
>>
>> Troy
>>
>>> On Sat, Sep 15, 2018 at 7:59 PM Troy Dunn <troutwarrior at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> Gene
>>>
>>> The water heater is heated by the engine when motoring, and by shore
>> power
>>> when at the dock. The heater is AC power only. I think those heaters
>>> draw about 1500 Watts...so that's about 125 amps if using a DC
>> source...not
>>> really feasible on our boats.
>>>
>>> Troy Dunn
>>> Wonky Dog
>>> Hull #514
>>>
>>> On Sat, Sep 15, 2018 at 7:52 PM Gene Helfman <genehelfman at gmail.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Very basic: from where does the hot water heater draw electricity? Is
>> it
>>>> off the battery bank? The alternator? The battery when the alternator
>>>> isn't charging?
>>>>
>>>> I ask because we are having alternator problems when motoring. Or
>> maybe
>>>> voltage regulator problems. We get full charging for 30-35 minutes
>>>> regardless of battery state, then it shuts off, meaning we are then
>>>> drawing
>>>> from the house 4Ds. When we shut the engine off (an hour or more later),
>>>> we
>>>> have lots of hot water. We're concerned that once the alternator shuts
>>>> off,
>>>> the water heater is still drawing power until the WH thermostat shuts it
>>>> down.
>>>>
>>>> If so, is there an easy way to turn the hot water heater off. It isn't
>> an
>>>> obvious toggle on the instrument panel.
>>>>
>>>> thanks,
>>>> gene
>>>> Satori, #398, 1997
>>>> --
>>>> Gene Helfman, Professor Emeritus
>>>> Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia
>>>> PERMANENT address:
>>>> 498 Shoreland Dr., Lopez
>>>> <https://maps.google.com/?q=498+Shoreland+Dr
>> .,+Lopez&entry=gmail&source=g>
>>>> Is., WA 98261
>>>> (360) 468-2136
>>>> genehelfman at gmail.com
>>>>
>>>> *Zero tolerance is great for building airplanes but not for running
>>>> countries.*
>>>>
>>>
>>
>
>
> --
> Gene Helfman, Professor Emeritus
> Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia
> PERMANENT address:
> 498 Shoreland Dr., Lopez Is., WA 98261
> (360) 468-2136
> genehelfman at gmail.com
>
> *Zero tolerance is great for building airplanes but not for running
> countries.*
>
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