Wiring Smoked Once...

[yknotgo]

You have a link to the wire on Amazon?

For the best prices on marine wire, I buy everything here:
http://www.genuinedealz.com/

I listed the links of the items I am considering to by in my previous post I believe. I will check out the website you provided though, thank you for that.

 

[yknotgo]

Been working a little on cutting all the zip ties that's holding wires together to crest room to move things. Trying to figure out the birds nest. Anyways, I also started the boat and noticed that the alternator was putting out approx 14.5 volts according to in dash gauge. However, after running for about 5-10 mins, the alternator was hot to the touch. Is that normal?
Thanks
Grady

 

[alldodge]

Been working a little on cutting all the zip ties that's holding wires together to crest room to move things. Trying to figure out the birds nest. Anyways, I also started the boat and noticed that the alternator was putting out approx 14.5 volts according to in dash gauge. However, after running for about 5-10 mins, the alternator was hot to the touch. Is that normal?
Thanks
Grady

No that's not good, it should not get that hot. Start checking wires and see which ones are also getting hot

 

[yknotgo]

No that's not good, it should not get that hot. Start checking wires and see which ones are also getting hot

Thanks for the reply. I touched the wires coming off of the alternator and none seemed warm, but I'll check again when I'm on the boat. Thanks for the advice

 

[alldodge]

Check other places as well, like battery cables (+/-) and other locations. With it getting hot it is either trying to keep up with something pulling a lot of current or the ALT may starting to have an issue. But 14.5 volts is the correct output, so also check at the ALT with a meter

 

[UncleWillie]

If this is the first time you have started it in a few months; the alternator may just be working hard to recharge the battery.
Is the cable that got hot the last time, getting Hot this time?

 

[yknotgo]

I try to start the boat at least once a month, generally though it's more like twice a month. I haven't had any time do to anything recently. The wire that got hot originally last year has not gotten hot again. I'll try to feel the battery cables and such the next time I start the motor.

Thanks for all the help,

Grady

 

[yknotgo]

So I've been getting some work done. It's not coming out as neat as I was hoping, but what I want to get done is about there. I found out my belt was too loose on my alternator, so I think that is why it was working when I first started the motor, but gradually "died" as the belt got hot. However, the casing for the alternator still feels like it gets hot, I still do not know if that is normal or not. Other than that, things are going. However, I have an issue with my fish finder. Below is what I posted on a fishing forum site about that...
I've been doing some re-wiring on my boat. In the process, I saw that some NEMA wires were connected to my fish finder, the Furuno 667, but from devices that are no longer on the boat, so I removed that wire. I took the boat out for a test run yesterday, and turned on my fish finder, but it would not read bottom. My first question is, does there need to be anything plugged into the NEMA connecter? The transducer is an Airmar thru-hull. I do not know the exact model. Also, the temp was reading 99.9 which is wrong as well. Is it possible that the transducer went bad for sitting for a while? It has been about 8-10 months since the fish finder has been turned on. The boat is kept in a bottom liner in the water, so excess growth shouldn't be the culprit. I'm just wanting to make sure I didn't do something wrong.
Thanks

 

[alldodge]

The ALT will get pretty warm if it is trying to charge something with a loose belt. For now I would say don't bother with the ALT.

Don't know if you need NEMA for your fish finder, there are several different ones. Something is not connected for a temp reading of 99.9 or your transducer has gone bad. My guess is you might have removed some wires that you shouldn't have.