Electrical Help Needed

LHFixer · Post by **LHFixer** » Sun Jul 06, 2008 12:05 pm

Howdy Folks,

I have a bit of a noob question for everyone. I have a 1983 Trojan Tri-Cabin. I have no functioning D/C equipment beyond the power standbys. (which I am assuming run directly to the batteries) Yesterday everything worked great. The problem is, is that I cannot find anywhere to replace fuses. I have look in every hatch cabinet and horizontal surface I can think of.

It is seeming increasingly unlikely that I blew all the fuses at once anyway. None of the five push button breakers that I have are tripped. Perhaps the D/C inverter? A/C power is working perfectly. Any thoughts?

Eric

Here is my panel (Hopefully)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/edoudrick/2642708200

http://www.flickr.com/photos/edoudrick/2642708220/

Wes · Post by **Wes** » Sun Jul 06, 2008 5:12 pm

Are you sure you have DC power to the power standbys? Usually the DC power comes from the batteries and the batteries are recharged by the AC powered charger or the alternators on the engines. If you've been at the dock for a long time with the charger turned off your batteries could be near dead. Did you try turning on the manual override to the bilge pumps to see if there was power there? Is there a battery switch between your batteries and the panel? Mine is a direct hook up, but ours is a 1983 Internation with the same panel.
Wes

Safari · Post by **Safari** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 8:21 am

Next to the batteries is a box with a push button breaker on either side. These have been known to go bad......

LHFixer · Post by **LHFixer** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 10:08 am

Ok. I'm sorry to say that this was a case of operator error. Whist lowering myself into the the engine room I inadvertantly stepped down between the knobs for the batteries. I turned the GenSet one to 1 and the other battery off I think. At any rate, and easy fix for the trouble. I still havent found a single D/C fuse though.

By morning today, my battery was dead. I didnt have anything running so, I think I might have a short. Yesterday, after discovering my blunder, the output read at 13V or there abouts.

On the same note, I expected to see a D/C power supply, I did not. I am under the assumption now that as a liveaboard I will be in a constant state of charge on the batteries. Do you think a 3A trickle charge will suffice? Can I put a charger on the on any one battery and charge them all provided they are all set on "both"? (I am assuming that they would all be in a series)

Thanks in advance for your time.

Eric

Wes · Post by **Wes** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 11:06 am

Hi Eric,
There should be a battery charger already in the system that should run as long as you're connected to shore power. There should be a breaker switch on your power panel, under the AC meters, and that should be "ON". That will keep your batteries up to power. If you didn't have an installed battery charger, I would recommend you're installing one that will charge both batteries as needed while at the dock. The generator battery should not need to be connected to the charger since all it is used for is starting.
Wes

rossjo · Post by **rossjo** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 9:13 pm

Putting a trickle charger (3A should be good) on one battery, and setting th switch to "Both" or "ALL" (this is called Parallel, not Series) will not work. Old Batteries build up resistance, and only the "better" battery will get charged.

You must charge them separately, with separate chargers for each battery, or a special charging system that effectively charges each battery individually.

LHFixer · Post by **LHFixer** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 12:50 pm

Thank you. I do have a breaker on the A/C box labeled "Battery Charger" but I am unable to locate it. Could you describe yours? If there is a hard wired breaker for it I would imagine that I would trace one of the many red wires that are clamped to the terminal.

Thanks again.

Eric

rickalan35 · Post by **rickalan35** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 2:34 pm

LH

My DC fuses are up in the cockpit in a cabinet in front of the steerig wheel - nowhere near the AC panel on my '74 Tri

Rick