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 Post subject: Re: New Alternator and Engine Panel Wiring
PostPosted: 02 Feb 2021 21:54 
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Skipper

Joined: 29 Dec 2006 09:38
Posts: 656
By the way, I would certainly buy a serpentine arrangement if I was repowering (I don't think Yanmar will sell you anything else). But I don't think I would spend the money to retrofit- expensive and a lot of work from what I can see.
Ray


 
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 Post subject: Re: New Alternator and Engine Panel Wiring
PostPosted: 03 Feb 2021 22:14 
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Tactictian

Joined: 06 Aug 2020 09:02
Posts: 142
Velera wrote:
So if you do the math on what you are presenting here, You have about 150 ah of usable power between recharge cycles--because you do not want to take them down much more than 50% I would assume. The 100w solar will be very valuable to "top off" your batteries from the deficit your "smart" regulator will leave (because--no matter how you set it--it is going radically reduce the charge rate as it approaches "full" voltage--look at what amps are actually going in after the first hour and what you % of charge is on your monitor--if it does not stop charging altogether from heat sensors on the alternator or battery if you have those options) but the solar will not really provide much of your basic needs. Seems like you are set up with moderation as you say and should get along nicely. I do like most of what Mainesail says, but we disagree on some of his details. He is selling stuff now and I don't blame him but it has sort of gotten him back in the retail business pushing more is better and I will never understand his love of Balmar stuff considering the number of failures he has reported--except that it is very good looking and grossly overpriced. I have met him in a Maine anchorage a couple years ago--his boat looks as nice as you would expect. If you ever want to simplify things, you could lose the starting battery. I assume your bank is divided (? or maybe not with three batteries?) in two banks. You are very unlikely to have a dead cell in both batteries and if you flatten both batteries you can get a small diesel started again by cutting out the bad battery out of your system with the switch and letting the other rest for a few hours. It will start. I have never had a starting battery in my boats in 45 years of cruising (just two banks that I ordinarily run together 99% of the time). I have flattened batteries a couple times accidentally and had a bad cell once, but no real problems.

The big thing you can do to manage power is to deal with your refrigerator demand. Not sure what you have done, but the T37 box is very well insulated except some of the tops are not sealed or properly insulated. Also, the compressor should be in the coolest place possible. In the tropics I used to open the lazarette cover over night so the thing was not fighting engine heat. Also, I put a bigger computer fan on the compressor and put a tiny one (these use much less current than the OEM and move more air)in the box to keep the cool circulating off the bottom (and put a cork in the drain so the cool does not run into the bilge). All this reduced my compressor run time by at least 30%. Froze my beer in Panama. So you can increase your electricity production or manage your energy sometimes. For most of us, refrigeration is more than half of your energy budget.
FWIW
Ray


150ah seems about right for three G31 AGM although the Odyssey Extremes can go down lower than 50%. I think the literature says 30% but I wouldn't do that. My reserve is separate with the ACR between. Not going to use it unless I really need it. My sense of the solar is it will be great for topping off when there are no loads or extending my main bank a bit. I will be adding 2" insulation to the frig top and a small fan. I have the drains plugged. Compressor is under the sink and the fan housing is against the sail locker bulkhead that I cut a hole through for cool air. The compressor is a new Dometic CU100 so pretty efficient.

The fact that I'm limited to a 3/8" belt on the alternator is a bit depressing frankly. Why Tartan chose a 3/8 there and a 1/2" for the water pump is beyond my comprehension. I considered carefully your recommendation of a very simple alternator arrangement but got nervous about cooking batteries.

I have already replaced all interior and running lights with led and will also replace all my mast lights when the rig comes down in March. The masthead light was a major draw (over 2a I think) and I should save several ah at night with led.

I installed a robust electronics package (MFDs, AIS, instruments, etc) so that will be a larger load than I used to have considering old stuff was broken.

Thanks!


 
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 Post subject: Re: New Alternator and Engine Panel Wiring
PostPosted: 05 Feb 2021 10:58 
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Tactictian

Joined: 06 Aug 2020 09:02
Posts: 142
Just sharing the current state of my battery compartment wiring. Took a long time and a lot of education to get to this point. Had to figure out how to cram everything in there and make it all work. A few wires run but not connected because I removed my reserve battery to build a new bracket under the sink. Also haven't connected the starter wire to the common on the switch yet since I'm re-wiring the engine harness and I don't need voltage running through 1/0 wire in the bilge. Still unsure about my fuses. Comments welcome.


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T37 Battery Compartment 1.jpg
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 Post subject: Re: New Alternator and Engine Panel Wiring
PostPosted: 05 Feb 2021 12:35 
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Skipper

Joined: 09 Aug 2017 15:35
Posts: 725
Location: Maine/USVI
I've got so many projects I can't remember what I've forgotten about rewiring an entire boat. But thank you for posting. Every little bit helps!


 
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 Post subject: Re: New Alternator and Engine Panel Wiring
PostPosted: 24 Feb 2021 09:00 
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Tactictian

Joined: 06 Aug 2020 09:02
Posts: 142
Some updates on my engine panel wiring. Slowly getting it done. Added a 2-way key switch which activated power to the glow plug button (will activate solenoid) which in turn activates power to the starter button. Replaced the ammeter with a new voltmeter. Replaced the old tach. Kept the remaining wire colors the same as stock T37 to remain consistent with drawings. Still need to wire the alarm and the fuel gauge (which wasn't working but I think it's the sender). Also need to figure a way to seal the whole panel up without resorting to silicone (any ideas?). The wires on the right are for a toggle switch for the cockpit lights. Original boat had push buttons for very loud horns. Wires will be run to a second terminal block near engine. The small rectangular box is an engine hours meter.


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Engine Panel Re-wire.jpg
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 Post subject: Re: New Alternator and Engine Panel Wiring
PostPosted: 24 Feb 2021 09:22 
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Tactictian

Joined: 06 Aug 2020 09:02
Posts: 142
One additional question for the electrically inclined - The smaller gauge red wire on my terminal block is the power wire for the gauges. It is the stock configuration and goes to the fuel pressure sensor. I'm now wondering if I should be drawing this power from the two-way switch instead (turn the switch and panel gets power)? This would save me having to run the power wire back to the engine. Is there any downside to wiring this way?


 
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 Post subject: Re: New Alternator and Engine Panel Wiring
PostPosted: 24 Feb 2021 14:42 
Offline
Skipper

Joined: 09 Aug 2017 15:35
Posts: 725
Location: Maine/USVI
jfalsone wrote:
One additional question for the electrically inclined - The smaller gauge red wire on my terminal block is the power wire for the gauges. It is the stock configuration and goes to the fuel pressure sensor. I'm now wondering if I should be drawing this power from the two-way switch instead (turn the switch and panel gets power)? This would save me having to run the power wire back to the engine. Is there any downside to wiring this way?


God, I started tracking your wiring and couldn't . . . figure . . . out . . . why. But then zoomed in and see your hour meter goes to the oil pressure gauge. I was looking at things upside down. Zooming is good. Not sure about fuel pressure sensor. I need to do all this in April.


 
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 Post subject: Re: New Alternator and Engine Panel Wiring
PostPosted: 24 Feb 2021 15:22 
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Tactictian

Joined: 06 Aug 2020 09:02
Posts: 142
Maineiac wrote:
God, I started tracking your wiring and couldn't . . . figure . . . out . . . why. But then zoomed in and see your hour meter goes to the oil pressure gauge. I was looking at things upside down. Zooming is good. Not sure about fuel pressure sensor. I need to do all this in April.


Well, that makes two of us! LOL. I have some issues to resolve here still. The black wire on the hour meter is just a ground. I picked it up at a convenient location on another gauge.

If you have the factory wiring diagram you will see how the wire colors match up. The wires going to the push buttons do not carry high current now and removing the ammeter takes those 8 AWG wires out of the system. Basically, I followed Mainesail's instructions here: https://marinehowto.com/universal-diese ... s-upgrade/

Take what I've done with a grain of salt until I get the wiring thoroughly QA'd. Once I have it straight I will try to publish a wiring diagram. I've already been berated by a local marine electrician for asking a question so now I'm paranoid enough to get all this right.


 
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 Post subject: Re: New Alternator and Engine Panel Wiring
PostPosted: 01 Mar 2021 12:16 
Offline
Tactictian

Joined: 06 Aug 2020 09:02
Posts: 142
Some additional photos. I cleaned up my panel wiring a bit more. Still need to add wire loom to service loop and install new alarm. Also, wiring on my starter redone along with addition of glow plug solenoid. There are two in-line fuses - one for the panel power and another for the solenoid. The 1/0 cable is from the battery switch. The 8 AWG cable goes to another push button 40A breaker like the original equipment spec. This powers the glow plug and start buttons. In retrospect, I probably didn't need the 8 AWG wire or the 40A fuse because I'm not running high amperage to the panel and back now. Oh well, at least I'll have very little voltage drop. I also took the opportunity to replace all the short glow plug jumper wires on the engine.


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