Recent Posts

Pages: [1] 2 3 ... 10
1
Bavaria Yacht Help! / Re: Engine room/Bilge blower running on.
« Last post by tiger79 on November 19 2024, 13:45 »
Quote from: Impavidus on November 19 2024, 12:39

I found the fault and probably what caused it! Well defiantly what caused it. The ECS 163 splitter is based on Mosfet's not Diodes. When the unit fails it will not/may not  fail safe. IE When/if the unit fails it will allow current to flow from the battery connection posts to each other and not from the alternator connection post to the others. The engine fan can then pick up a + supply from the battery(s) direct and not from the alternator as the circuit designed to do.
Removing the unit and taking it apart reviled that 3 of the mosfet's have failed, burnt out, poohed themselves.  😀 
I was in the bow locker the other day cleaning it out, moving some tools about and tidying up before we fly back to the UK for a few months. Years ago I installed an isolator switch on the Bowthuster + feed so I could isolate it when the boat is out the water and I am cleaning the prop or replacing the anode. Due diligence I turned the isolator off while working in there...... Then forgot I had. It appears that when you then try to operate the bowthruster when re-securing your lines a few days later the splitter tries to pull 60-70 Amps from the other batteries via the mosfet's. Which then get very hot!!!! Normal diodes wont do this. Perhaps thats why they have discontinued the Quick ECS 163  and you cant get one from SVB! Self Inflicted wound it would appear! Ant.

You obviously installed the thruster isolator incorrectly - if it was turned off there should have been no way the thruster could draw current!

Incidentally, my Cruiser 37 has the factory-fitted thruster which came with an isolator switch fitted just under the aft edge of the V-berth.

There's nothing fundamentally wrong with mosfets, they're widely used by Victron and Mastervolt in lossless isolators.
2
Bavaria Yacht Help! / Re: Engine room/Bilge blower running on.
« Last post by Impavidus on November 19 2024, 12:39 »
Quote from: tiger79 on November 18 2024, 18:35
Sounds strange, because as you say diode usually fail open circuit.  It would be easy for you to check continuity through the splitter, and I'd suggest this as the first step.  I can't see that it would be a negative fault.
I found the fault and probably what caused it! Well defiantly what caused it. The ECS 163 splitter is based on Mosfet's not Diodes. When the unit fails it will not/may not  fail safe. IE When/if the unit fails it will allow current to flow from the battery connection posts to each other and not from the alternator connection post to the others. The engine fan can then pick up a + supply from the battery(s) direct and not from the alternator as the circuit designed to do.
Removing the unit and taking it apart reviled that 3 of the mosfet's have failed, burnt out, poohed themselves.  😀 
I was in the bow locker the other day cleaning it out, moving some tools about and tidying up before we fly back to the UK for a few months. Years ago I installed an isolator switch on the Bowthuster + feed so I could isolate it when the boat is out the water and I am cleaning the prop or replacing the anode. Due diligence I turned the isolator off while working in there...... Then forgot I had. It appears that when you then try to operate the bowthruster when re-securing your lines a few days later the splitter tries to pull 60-70 Amps from the other batteries via the mosfet's. Which then get very hot!!!! Normal diodes wont do this. Perhaps thats why they have discontinued the Quick ECS 163  and you cant get one from SVB! Self Inflicted wound it would appear! Ant.
3
Bavaria Yacht Help! / Re: Engine room/Bilge blower running on.
« Last post by Impavidus on November 18 2024, 20:24 »
I will run more checks in the morning it was too late to start digging around tonight. But, I am getting 14+ volts at the alternator post on the unit but only 13v to the other 3 posts which suggests that the alternator is working ok but one or more diodes has failed open circuit which is very strange....
4
Bavaria Yacht Help! / Re: Engine room/Bilge blower running on.
« Last post by tiger79 on November 18 2024, 18:35 »
Sounds strange, because as you say diode usually fail open circuit.  It would be easy for you to check continuity through the splitter, and I'd suggest this as the first step.  I can't see that it would be a negative fault.
5
Bavaria Yacht Help! / Engine room/Bilge blower running on.
« Last post by Impavidus on November 18 2024, 18:18 »
D1-30F. Our Engine room/Bilge blower has decided it does not like being off. We started the engine today as we do once a week in gear to keep things moving. The bow thruster appears to be barnacled up as it would not turn. When I went to turn the engine off the fan kept running.
The fan is a 24 volt inline fan with the + feed connected to the alternator + feed at the splitter. I have the wiring diagram which is pretty easy to follow but before I go probing around, banging my head, skinning my knuckles and cramping my knees has anyone else had this issue?
I suspect it is a - fault as the + feed is straight from the alternator + terminal unless, the splitter has blown a diode allowing current from the engine battery, bow-thruster battery or domestic battery to back flow to the alternator terminal. This would be unusual as these diodes normally fail open circuit.     
6
Bavaria Yacht Help! / Re: securing helmsperson's seat
« Last post by Impavidus on November 18 2024, 17:36 »
Fill the underside with expanding foam and trim it level with a bread knife. The seat will then float when the line breaks. 😉
7
Bavaria Yacht Help! / Re: Wiring a lifepo4 battery bank
« Last post by Impavidus on November 18 2024, 17:33 »
See the extract from the Victron wiring guide. Bus Bars are best but cables of equal length are required to ensure that the charge and discharge is equal across all the batteries. See the attached diagram. Your BMS should contain and active battery cell balancer. When the individual cells reach around 3.55v the balancer will level the charge state of each cell. This can be above the 3.7v nominal charge up to 4.2v The rate (in amps) at which this happens differs with the BMS.
Hope this helps     
8
For Sale & Wanted / Bavaria 34 CR for sale
« Last post by artemis on November 18 2024, 12:18 »
I'm selling my lovely Bavaria 34 I just don't have the time to sail her nowadays, This girl is loaded with everything you require for local cursing or far distant shores. I've owned her since 2007 with many many upgrades and stuff added at no expense spared.

All the photos and specs are on apploduck see attached link

https://www.apolloduck.co.uk/boat.phtml?id=764274.

You can email me on mikewood1163@aol.com if you have any questions

Rgds
Mike
9
Bavaria Yacht Help! / Linear drive at rudder shaft installation photos.
« Last post by blue-max on November 18 2024, 06:51 »
This is still on my jobs list. If anyone has photos of the bracketry etc of their drive installation which they could send, that would be much appreciated.⁸
10
Bavaria Yacht Help! / Re: Sail drive height
« Last post by Yngmar on November 17 2024, 17:07 »
No, nothing would get in, the saildrive is a sealed unit from the top, no breather. You can hear it (de)pressurizing when you open the dipstick. You would have to have a failed third seal somewhere, (bell housing or clutch arm) in addition to both bottom seals having failed, and even then the leak would be tiny. And with the oil sitting on top of the water, it would leak oil first. Your automatic bilge pump would make a nice oil sheen in the marina and you'd get informed and fined :)
Pages: [1] 2 3 ... 10