I thought it should be more striking to post here than in the diesel thread as I started yesterday.
Here it is as lifted from my other thread.
"Hi all,
New to the forum, first post, first thread, so apologize if it's been covered.
I have a single KAD300-A hooked to DP-G drive in my 2005 express type cruiser.
My voltmeter is showing less than actual volt and no problem with the other engine gauges and engine hourmeter(unless running navigation lights).
Batteries are wet type and bought in 7/2012 2X105A and 1x200A, 45A battery charger bought in 10/2012. I'm boating year round and always connected to shore power, staying fully charged and always check the electrolyte level of batteries and top off when needed.
When I put the probes of multimeter to the battery posts I see 14.28 volts when battery charger is on and charging finished, when charger is off at least 5 hours and battery swicth is off I see 13.6 volts on the multimeter display, when the engine is running I see 14.1 volts again on the multimeter display.
BUT the engine voltmeter shows 1-2 volts less than the multimeter in all three scenarios.
I know that when cold start kompressor kicks in until shifting the lever to forward and it lowers the volt. But when on plane at 3000rpm engine voltmeter shows 13 or 13.5 volts and the needle never comes to 14 volts while multimeter shows 14+ volts.
I have an autopilot, bow thruster, 1500 watt sine wave inverter and a few toys which highly use battery power. When I use the inverter while running the engine to boil water in a 1500 watt kettle, at peak of boiling "low battery" warning displays on the autopilot screen a few seconds then gone and no engine alarm of low battery and red light blinks on the alarm panel of the engine. When I use the bow thruster while departing and using it 10-15 seconds voltmeter decreases to 11,5 even 11 and 10,5 volts and NO "low battery" message on autopilot display neither engine alarm and red light.
While on plane at 3000 rpm or higher when I turn on and immediately turn off the navigation lights voltmeter needle goes to 14. but when I leave on the navigation lights voltmeter shows 12 12,5 volts. When I lower the dimmer voltmeter shows 14 but decreases the rpm to 2800 from 3000 while there isn't actually rpm drop of engine and speed lose.
Long story short I minimized my problem to bad ground cable/corroded/loose connection of voltmeter/navigation lights since my batteries are healthy and charging via both shore power and engine which multimeter showed and never changed a bulb of navigation lights.
How would I test that if there is bad ground cable/corroded/loose connection of voltmeter/navigation lights ?
Thanks in advance.
Best regards.
PS. I have no problem with the starter and starting the engine at the first attempt."
Here it is as lifted from my other thread.
"Hi all,
New to the forum, first post, first thread, so apologize if it's been covered.
I have a single KAD300-A hooked to DP-G drive in my 2005 express type cruiser.
My voltmeter is showing less than actual volt and no problem with the other engine gauges and engine hourmeter(unless running navigation lights).
Batteries are wet type and bought in 7/2012 2X105A and 1x200A, 45A battery charger bought in 10/2012. I'm boating year round and always connected to shore power, staying fully charged and always check the electrolyte level of batteries and top off when needed.
When I put the probes of multimeter to the battery posts I see 14.28 volts when battery charger is on and charging finished, when charger is off at least 5 hours and battery swicth is off I see 13.6 volts on the multimeter display, when the engine is running I see 14.1 volts again on the multimeter display.
BUT the engine voltmeter shows 1-2 volts less than the multimeter in all three scenarios.
I know that when cold start kompressor kicks in until shifting the lever to forward and it lowers the volt. But when on plane at 3000rpm engine voltmeter shows 13 or 13.5 volts and the needle never comes to 14 volts while multimeter shows 14+ volts.
I have an autopilot, bow thruster, 1500 watt sine wave inverter and a few toys which highly use battery power. When I use the inverter while running the engine to boil water in a 1500 watt kettle, at peak of boiling "low battery" warning displays on the autopilot screen a few seconds then gone and no engine alarm of low battery and red light blinks on the alarm panel of the engine. When I use the bow thruster while departing and using it 10-15 seconds voltmeter decreases to 11,5 even 11 and 10,5 volts and NO "low battery" message on autopilot display neither engine alarm and red light.
While on plane at 3000 rpm or higher when I turn on and immediately turn off the navigation lights voltmeter needle goes to 14. but when I leave on the navigation lights voltmeter shows 12 12,5 volts. When I lower the dimmer voltmeter shows 14 but decreases the rpm to 2800 from 3000 while there isn't actually rpm drop of engine and speed lose.
Long story short I minimized my problem to bad ground cable/corroded/loose connection of voltmeter/navigation lights since my batteries are healthy and charging via both shore power and engine which multimeter showed and never changed a bulb of navigation lights.
How would I test that if there is bad ground cable/corroded/loose connection of voltmeter/navigation lights ?
Thanks in advance.
Best regards.
PS. I have no problem with the starter and starting the engine at the first attempt."
