What is causing this alarm on my Honda O/B?'

[DaveC426913]

Plan to head down the dock tomorrow. Of course... the day everything's closed. Hope I don;t need a part.

I'll check every connection.
I'll check the battery - see if it's dead. If so, I"ll disconnect it.

Is there anything I can do to root out any alternator problems?

[Be Free]

The alternator on this engine is very simple. What kind of problem do you suspect?

[DaveC426913]

The alternator on this engine is very simple. What kind of problem do you suspect?

Not charging the battery, of course.

[Jimmyt]

What test equipment do you have?

You can use a volt meter to compare the voltage not running to the voltage while running. Preferably do this when you haven't run the boat, or charged the battery on a charger for a day or so - so the battery will need charging after cranking.

If running voltage is higher right after startup than it was before cranking on it, the system is charging.

This test applies to good batteries. A failed or failing battery can behave strangely.

[DaveC426913]

The wire leading to the rectifier is causing the alarm (if I disconnect it, the alarm stops). I assume that's actually the alarm telling me the rectifer's plotzed.

There are 4 other connectors: 3 gray and 1 black/white - and a ground.
Presumably, b/w is power.


I have taken the device off and brought it home.

I read the manual and looked at some videos online.

Got my meter set to diode but I'm not sure exactly how to probe it. I put the red probe on a lead and the black probe ... into the ground socket of an outlet?

[DaveC426913]

OK, here's what I tried:

Red probe to black/white connector, and
Black probe to...
... grey connector 1: metre reads "1" (I assume that means infinity).
... grey connector 2: metre reads "1".
... grey connector 3: metre reads "1".

Black probe to black/white connector, and
Red probe to...
... grey connector 1: metre reads "1".
... grey connector 2: metre reads "1".
... grey connector 3: metre reads "1".

Either probe to black/white connector, and
Other probe to..
... white (alarm?) connector: reads 0.

Either I'm doing this wrong or my rectifier is rect.

[opie]

This thread took a turn towards a rectifier question so I will fuel the thread fire with old links of mine. : - )

http://www.macgregorsailors.com/forum/v ... 52#p186052

http://www.mfgsupply.com/m/c/01-090-1.html

http://sites.google.com/site/universalvoltageregulator/

[DaveC426913]

Awesome. Thanks for that.

I think I will replace the rect rectifier and just avoid turning off the power when motor is on.

Also, I think I will either recharge or replace my dead battery and, in the future, be more mindful of good, solid battery terminal connections.

[DaveC426913]

Incidentally, not really a gear-head, so I am quite pleased with my patience and success in both locating the offending connection and in consulting the manual to find out exactly where it led to.

It's a general purpose manual, so there are no less than 20 electrical diagrams - at least six of which are for this motor in various sub-flavours.

[DaveC426913]

So, the part is gonna take two weeks.

Question: if all it does is recharge the battery, and my motor was running OK, is there any reason why I can't pop the busted rectifier back in* and go sailing while I wait? I recharge my batteries from shore power anyway, so they're fully charged when I go out.

*motor doesn't run at all without it being connected up.

[Divecoz]

Dave if your shore power charger brings you up to full charge, you got an easy 10 starts without recharging , so IMHO bring your cell and a VHF and GO SAILING! I started My Merc 50HP 4Stk BF EFI off my motorcycle battery Just To See If It Would Do IT. Yep.

[DaveC426913]

Thanks.

It's been running all summer with that alarm so it hasn't done any noticeable damage yet.

But my motor won't run without it in-place so it's got to go back in.

I guess I'll just leave the alarm connector off.

[DaveC426913]

Took her out yesterday. Left the dock just fine.

Wouldn't start on way back in. Not a grunt, not a click, not a peep. I might as well have stuck the key in a potato.

I assumed I blew a fuse.

Sailed into to slip (perfect wind for it, almost rode up on boat ahead of me under power)

When I tried it again at dock, it sortta tried to kick over. Checked batteries: 11.9v and 9v.

[DaveC426913]

Good news:

New rectifier installed. New battery (starter) has 12.5v charge. Goes up to 13.5 when I start the motor. Deep cycle battery has 13.2v charge, Does not change when I start the motor.

Bad news:

Did not fix the alarm.

The only thing left, I think, is the low oil pressure sensor.


D.

[Tomfoolery]

The only thing left, I think, is the low oil pressure sensor.

Does the "oil pressure" light come on once it's running, and is it off when not running with ignition on? The oil light should be on when running, but the "temperature" light should be off.