electrical problem on Tartan 37

Imagine · **Joined:** 09 Jun 2007 15:42 **Posts:** 8

I have a problem and would appreciate anyone?s input as I am at a loss. I have a 1981 Tartan 37 and my battery switch has four positions---off, battery 1 (the house battery), battery 2 (the cranking battery), and both. When I open up the back of the switch, the converter and the wind generator are tied into the bottom lug. Another lead from the converter appears to go directly to the cranking battery (battery 2). Is this how you tie in additional power sources?

My problem is that all of a sudden when I run my Honda 1000 generator through the shore cord while at anchor, it doesn?t charge in the house battery position (#1). If I switch over to the both battery position, I begin to charge but then blow a fuse at the cranking battery (2).

I have been using my Honda with my wind generator for over a year now with absolutely no problem. This started about two weeks ago and I am thinking it maybe an excess of charging through the wind generator. I am in St. Lucia right now where the winds have been strong and constant.

How do all the incoming power sources get regulated? Do I need a separate regulator to run all these things into?

I had all my electrical done a year and ? ago by a good electrician and everything has worked fine until now.

Down2TheC · **Posted:** 11 Jun 2007 14:27

Can't see why you'd blow a fuse... if the battery is charged it won't draw the current. I'd look around for a stray grounding somewhere in the setup. Something came loose maybe. Excessive amperage going into the battery would indicate either a closed circuit due to a loose cable, accidental grounding, or a bad battery.

I'm no expert on generators and such but that's my two cents of electrician logic.

Good luck and enjoy your latitude. Please post port of call info/reviews in the "Changes in Latitude" section when you get a chance. Places to go... places to avoid.

Tortuga's Lie · **Joined:** 27 Oct 2006 10:32 **Posts:** 827

The question I would have has to do with the cable that connects the battery to the switch. Is this cable a primary cable with an in-line fuse or is it a smaller cable used just for charging with an in-line fuse? Since you are in the Carribean, I would check the connections of the switch, fuse and batteries for corrosion. any corrosion will increase the resistance in your wire and could potentially be your problem. Some of the older boats used non-tinned primary wire and if they were corroded, that could be a problem too, but if you just had all of that re-worked then.................... Shocked

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electrical problem on Tartan 37

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