DBG8492
Senior Member
- Joined
- Jan 16, 2023
- Messages
- 289
- Vessel Name
- Sovereignty
- Vessel Make
- 1986 Marine Trader 36 Sundeck
I have an alternator that tested good this morning. It's an old Delco modded probably a decade ago by an alternator shop in Fort Lauderdale that no longer exists. No idea how many amps it pushes, but it has an external regulator. In fact, there are two of them on the bulkhead in the engine room - assuming one of them was a "hot spare" put there by the PO just in case.
This one:
Transpo V1200...
The engine starts and runs well, but the alternator doesn't seem to be charging. Test start battery voltage before starting the engine and it's 12.5 volts. Test it after starting, no change. And the tach doesn't work either - upstairs or down. They will *sometimes* jump up like they're going to work, but then they fall back to zero - especially at idle.
This doesn't change no matter which regulator I use. Oh - and the only light that comes on on the regulator is the green one.
I just splashed so I haven't touched anything in there - not the batteries, not the wiring - nothing.
Is it a bad regulator and if so, what kind of "off the shelf" model can I buy quickly so I can get underway? Even if I have to (cringe) go to Worst Marine over in Fort Myers - I don't care...
This one:
Transpo V1200...
The engine starts and runs well, but the alternator doesn't seem to be charging. Test start battery voltage before starting the engine and it's 12.5 volts. Test it after starting, no change. And the tach doesn't work either - upstairs or down. They will *sometimes* jump up like they're going to work, but then they fall back to zero - especially at idle.
This doesn't change no matter which regulator I use. Oh - and the only light that comes on on the regulator is the green one.
I just splashed so I haven't touched anything in there - not the batteries, not the wiring - nothing.
Is it a bad regulator and if so, what kind of "off the shelf" model can I buy quickly so I can get underway? Even if I have to (cringe) go to Worst Marine over in Fort Myers - I don't care...