1981Formula
Recruit
- Joined
- May 2, 2012
- Messages
- 3
Hey folks, you have a great site here I just registered and have already learned a bunch.
My friend and I bought an '81 Formula 233SC I believe is the model of it, it's a 23.5' Formula with a 350 Mercruiser I/O. We got it for dirt cheap because it was basically left in a field to rot. Interior was rotten from rain coming in from a hatch that was never repaired, etc....
Anyway, found out the engine was bad with a cracked block and cracked heads, manifolds were shot as well. The engine was redone by a machine shop and the carb was rebuilt, new manifolds, new risers, two new batteries. The previous owner said the alternator was new but knowing this guy, it's an alternator for a chevy truck. Would that still work or no?
The problem we are having is that shorepower doesn't seem to be charging the batteries very well and the alternator is definately not charging them because I got stranded out on the other side of the lake today with two almost dead batteries. For example, when I got back to our slip finally I tested both batteries and both read 11.47 volts, I hooked it up to shore power for an hour and both read 11.89 volts. Then I was using the radio and a couple 12v lights and about an hour later they read 11.4 volts. Now I would imagine shore power would more than keep up with a couple lights and a radio wouldn't it?
Is there a regulator on the alternator and inside the 120V part of the boat or just one somewhere? Is there maybe a common issue that I am just not familiar with because I am pretty new to these types of boats. I know the groud wire coming from inside the control panel of the cabin that goes to the battery is pretty thin, likely done by previous owners because it looks too thin for a good ground.
Sorry for the long post, we have spend 8 months and lots of money bringing this boat back from the dead and are so close to having something we can take out and have fun, these last little problems are confusing me so any help or direction would be great.
My friend and I bought an '81 Formula 233SC I believe is the model of it, it's a 23.5' Formula with a 350 Mercruiser I/O. We got it for dirt cheap because it was basically left in a field to rot. Interior was rotten from rain coming in from a hatch that was never repaired, etc....
Anyway, found out the engine was bad with a cracked block and cracked heads, manifolds were shot as well. The engine was redone by a machine shop and the carb was rebuilt, new manifolds, new risers, two new batteries. The previous owner said the alternator was new but knowing this guy, it's an alternator for a chevy truck. Would that still work or no?
The problem we are having is that shorepower doesn't seem to be charging the batteries very well and the alternator is definately not charging them because I got stranded out on the other side of the lake today with two almost dead batteries. For example, when I got back to our slip finally I tested both batteries and both read 11.47 volts, I hooked it up to shore power for an hour and both read 11.89 volts. Then I was using the radio and a couple 12v lights and about an hour later they read 11.4 volts. Now I would imagine shore power would more than keep up with a couple lights and a radio wouldn't it?
Is there a regulator on the alternator and inside the 120V part of the boat or just one somewhere? Is there maybe a common issue that I am just not familiar with because I am pretty new to these types of boats. I know the groud wire coming from inside the control panel of the cabin that goes to the battery is pretty thin, likely done by previous owners because it looks too thin for a good ground.
Sorry for the long post, we have spend 8 months and lots of money bringing this boat back from the dead and are so close to having something we can take out and have fun, these last little problems are confusing me so any help or direction would be great.
