engine starting panel

[Bobb]

Just completed purchase of a Bav 34 out of Vancouver, BC and looking forward to fun this summer. (anyone else in the Seattle area with a Bav?)

question: it's a 2009 and has a set of push buttons on the binnacle to start the engine. Sort of automatic since there's no glow plug button, etc. Anyone else have this? have the manual with details on how to use it?

Thanks!

[Holger]

Congratulations and I wish you a lot of fun. If you have the same panel as we have on our 2006 37 (mainly black and blue with four buttons on it) you shortly press the start button (upper right button) to glow for some seconds. There usually is a short beep and a small picture in the display of the tachometer which indicates that you have activated the glow function. After that you hold the same button to start the engine.

As regards the manual I suggest that you look for the manual of the motor. The panel is typically provided by Volvo Penta together with the motor and the manual on the motor should include some lines on how to use the panel. You may download the operator's manual here: http://www.volvopenta.com/volvopenta/master/en-tr/marine_leisure_engines_2/parts_service/publication_search/Pages/publication_search.aspx

Best regards Holger

[battuta]

Congrats on your new purchase! I suspect I know your boat well (Fryea right?) as it was a slipway down from me at my marina, plus I have a 2009 B31, which has virtually identical systems.

Why don't you mail me outside the forum and then we'll be connected and I can help you with any questions or issues you have (including the Volvo EVC system, which does in fact have glow plugs).

Here is my address:

abulaban@mail.ubc.ca

I think you'll be really happy with your purchase!

Riyad
s/v Battuta
 Vancouver, Canada

[Craig]

I have this starter panel fitted to my 2010 Bav 38. The starting sequence appears different to that explained in the post.

To start:-
1. Press Top Left button briefly then release. You will notice the fuel gauge indicator move up, then back down then back up to the gauge level. There will then be a beep. This takes approx. 5 to 10 sec.
2. Press and hold down the Top - Right button to crank the engine. The engine will then start.

To Stop:
1. Press Bottom - Right Button and hold down until engine stops.
2. Press Top - Left button briefly then release. Fuel gauge will drop to zero indicating that ignition has been turned off.

Craig
"Shirley Valentine"
Gold Coast
Australia

[battuta]

There is one additional thing that my EVC has, I'm pretty certain the B34 has, and Craig yours might have too...

When the engine temp is below a threshold temperature (I can't remember the number but 70F rings a bell) a brief tap on the upper right button elicits a beep and sends power to the glow plugs (and a glow plug icon appears on the tach LCD while this is happening). After a few seconds the icon goes away, and then you can start the engine by holding the upper right button. You can override this by holding down the upper right button, but then you're starting the engine with cold cylinders and it's a longer and harsher turnover.

Craig, you should give this a try. Or does your engine not have glow plugs?

Riyad

[Symphony]

Not sure why you are doing that. The operation of the glow plugs is automatic. when you turn the panel on there is a delay before the beep, which is when the glow plugs have done their job and you can start the engine. no need to activate them manually.

[battuta]

Hmmm...well that's really interesting. But are you sure you're right on that? My understanding is when the panel is first powered up it goes through a self check procedure, but it doesn't engage the glow plugs...

Did you read otherwise somewhere?

Page 13 of the D series manual at the link below shows the glow plug icon, and that only lights up when you briefly tap the start button. But if you hold down the start button right away, the engine simply turns over to start (and my sometime deeply cold Canadian experience when the engine is cold is that starts like that are tougher, as no preheating has been done):

http://liveantares.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/VolvoD2-40FManual-reduced-1.pdf

I'll poke around more when I'm next on my boat to see where I got the idea I did. If I am wrong, I suppose then that only when the power has been left on to the panel, but then engine has been off for a while and is cold again, is when one needs to manually activate the glow plugs?

Riyad

[Holger]

I have the same experience as Riyad. Starting the engine after having pre glowed / pre heated is a lot smoother. The VP manual for D1-30B says on p 29: Start the engine
To start the engine press the start button (1) untill the
engine starts. The pre-heat symbol shortly shows on
the LCD screen. The pre-heat process runs for 20
seconds after the button is pressed.
NOTE! If the preheat button is pressed breifly and not
untill the engine starts the preheat process will be
runing for 20 seconds. The preheat symbol will show
on the LCD screen.
The pre-heat process will only run if the engine
temperature is less than 50°C.
Best regards Holger

[Symphony]

I have never activated anything. Just waited for the beep, pressed the button and it starts. Boat is in the water all year round and this winter often went 2 months without starting and always started first press of the start button.

Manual is on the boat, but to be honest have never looked at the start procedure as the Volvo commissioning engineer went through the operation of the engine on handover.

[Symphony]

Checked the manual and it is ambiguous. First paragraph says operation of glow plugs is automatic - which was my understanding and mine has never failed to start instantly. It then goes on to say the glow plugs can also be activate manually before starting as some of you have described. this presumably is if you need the pre heat in very cold weather - although it does not say that. In both cases the plugs are on for 20 seconds.

[Craig]

I have used the procedure mentioned by Symphony. Wait for the beep then start.

Although my boat is now in Australia and probably would start without glow-plugs anyway due to temperatures here, I was in the Med for 5 1/2 years including their winters. I have easily started the engine even with ice on the deck ( air temp -5C) by merely waiting for the beep.

Craig
"Shirley Valentine"
Gold Coast
AUSTRALIA