General Info: Volvo Penta MDI Black Box RECALL

[Cotemar]

Volvo Penta MDI BLACK BOX RECALL

Quality Campaign. D1,D2. MDI, replacement
For Engines D1-13F, D1-20F, D1-30F, D2-40F, D2-50F, D2-55F, D2-60F, D2-75F

See PDF file below for full details.
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[Helia 44]

Thank you Cotemar

I have printed off a few copies for Friends and new Buyer of my Helia 44, and I will check my own on my 2015 Saba....

If they are going to give out new ones, why not?? I have not had a failure, but I hear that there is a potential for it and it would be inconvenient not to have the instrument interface.

From what I hear the failure rate has been something like 10% or maybe as high as 20%, but my frame of reference is not very large..


Thanks again.. I am anchored in front of Airlie Beach in the middle of the Whitsundays inside the Great Barrier Reef. I will be here for a few months in the surrounding islands beach combing and snorkeling:

Come on over, I will buy you a beer or three!!

[Dsanduril]

There's another thread on the MDI failures where I also posted this, but given that it seems of interest:

We just had two new D2-40s installed as part of Volvo's recall campaign on the engines. We have also had a couple of MDI failures on the old engines.

As the tech was hooking up the new engines part of his Volvo required diagnostics was a voltage check. He was shocked (not literally)/surprised/alarmed to find that our start batteries were sitting at 13.8V when he checked. He reported that Volvo has supposedly identified a root cause of MDI failures - voltage above 13.8V. He says Volvo has found that the bulk of failures seems to occur where solar or other charging sources keep the start batteries at 14.2/14.4 (pick your number). Volvo is now requiring technicians to check voltage during install and advise customers (me) that anything above 13.8V could damage the MDI. Volvo sets their alternators at 13.8 and recommends that they be the only charging source for start batteries and that systems not be connected that can raise the engine electronics voltage above 13.8V.

Do not know the veracity of any of that, one tech's report (he is a Volvo certified tech) to me. Seems a very poor design if there is no over-range capability (even 10% over 13.8 would get you to 15.2) in some electronics, but I've seen sillier design decisions. If true, could be a problem for a lot of us that use automatic combiners, echo chargers, etc. that keep the start batteries up from other sources when not using the engines.

[Kasanti]

I don't care if anyone I'm resurrecting an old thread or repeating what has already been said:

Thank you Cotemar!

2019 d1-30's with the same issue many have had.

[epletan]

Originally Posted by Dsanduril

There's another thread on the MDI failures where I also posted this, but given that it seems of interest:

Following Dsanduril's post, I bring you my feedback.
1) My neighbor has the same sailboat as me (Dufour 460GL) with a Volvo D2-55F.
The 2 boats were delivered in June 2016 (serial number n and n + 1).
My neighbor has standard Volvo equipment without any modification (Mitsubishi alternator 12V / 110A, classic lead batteries 2x 12V / 140Ah). He changed his MDI box during the Volvo recall campaign. He never had any problems with either the 1st or the second MDI box.
2) For my part, I have outsourced the regulator of the Mitsubishi alternator to use an electronic regulator (Mastervolt AlphaProII) to charge my Mastervolt gel batteries (3x 12V / 200Ah).
Since 2017, I have had to deal with many engine problems. The engine no longer started or stopped (except through the stop lever in the engine).
The MDI box was changed in 2017 and 2018 (2018 > Volvo recall campaign) without success. All Volvo equipment has been changed without success. Ultimately, the problem was solved by changing the Volvo electric wiring harness.
Once the electrical harness was changed, the engine was running but I had numerous charge fault alarms (visual and audible) even though the alternator was correctly delivering over 70A.
3) By reading the post of Dsanduril, I noticed that my 3-step charging voltages of my AlphaProII to charge my gel batteries applied voltages of 14.7V on the + terminal of the MDI box. Following this post, I tried to limit the voltage to 13.8V on the MDI box using a voltage stabilizer (Mastervolt Magic12V / 12V 20A) without success. I'm guessing there must be some voltage / current / power spikes that don't go through with the converter. The Magic behaves like a perfect (OFF) switch (no display on the tachometer) and nothing on the START button.
4) On the strength of this disappointing experience, I was content to simply add a power diode in series before the + terminal of the MDI box in order to introduce a voltage drop of 0.7V and thus get closer to the 13.8V recommended by Volvo ( 14.7 - 0.7 = 14.0 ≈ 13.8V). Unlike the converter, the diode does not cut any peak.
In fact, I used a KBPC3506 (35A / 600V) power diode bridge by putting 2 diodes of the bridge in parallel (for safety) the whole mounted on a homemade dissipator to evacuate heat and preserve the integrity of the diode bridge (see photo).
Also note that I separated the MDI box from the engine (fixed to the bulkhead of the engine block) to reduce the vibration and heat problems applied to the MDI box when it is originally screwed onto the engine block.
4) Since the installation of the diode bridge at the input of the MDI box, no more engine alarm problems after one complete season onboard. ☺
To date, I am in the following configuration:
- D2-55F + MDI (n ° 23195776)
- KBPC3506 diode bridge on dissipator wired in series before the + terminal of the MDI box
- Mastervolt AlphaCompact 12V/120A alternator + alternator/AlphaProII temperature sensor
- Mastervolt AlphaProII 12V electronic controller
- Mastervolt gel 3x 12V/200Ah service batteries (MVG12200)
- Mastervolt AGM 12V/70Ah engine battery

To be complete, even if this equipment does not come into the discussion, I also have:
- Mastervolt alternator 24V/75A

- Electronic regulator Mastervolt AlphaProII 24V
- AGM Optima 4x 12V/75Ah for thruster batteries (24V/150Ah)

5) I continue to monitor the measurements on my laptop (via MasterAdjust) and everything is working fine.
My recharging times are much better than before (2 hours to recharge 20% of my 600Ah park).
The 3-step system works very well. During the Bulk phase, the alternator delivers 114A at 2000rpm.
The alternator/AlphaProII temperature sensor works very well, the alternator, under heavy demand, heats up but, as soon as the temperature reaches 100°, the regulator decreases the field current, the load decreases and the temperature drops. At 98° C, the field current increases, the alternator delivers again to the maximum and so on until entering phase 2. The charging current and the charging flow then gradually decrease as well as the temperature.
In 2 hours, the Floatting phase is reached and the batteries recharged to 100% (monitoring provided by MasterShunt and MasterAdjust on my laptop).


For my point of view, the issues encountered with the MDI box is definitively solved with a power diode installed in series before the + terminal of the MDI box in order to drop the voltage of the alternator and tend towards 13.8V on the + terminal of the MDI box.

[Dsanduril]

Originally Posted by epletan

Following....
In fact, I used a KBPC3506 (35A / 600V) power diode bridge by putting 2 diodes of the bridge in parallel (for safety) the whole mounted on a homemade dissipator to evacuate heat and preserve the integrity of the diode bridge (see photo).
...
with a power diode installed in series before the + terminal of the MDI box in order to drop the voltage of the alternator and tend towards 13.8V on the + terminal of the MDI box.

Thanks, epletan, for that detailed post. We still have the stock alternators with a diode in the sense line to increase the output voltage from ~13.8V to ~14.4/14.5V. This works perfectly for the batteries but not so for the MDI (and its alarms).

If I use your solution I can connect the alternator sense to the MDI input, get the 14.4V from the alternator and limit voltage at the MDI. I'll have to put in a relay for the sense line to drop back to 13.8V if I motor for a long time, but that is very rare.

Thanks again, very clever.

[epletan]

Hello, A long time passed (because of COVID-19) before I could return to my boat to detail the solution implemented concerning the problems of nuisance alarms on the MDI box. Details are given in the attached file.
Best regards

[bgs]

Hi epletan, thanks a lot for the detail solution, however, I have the following questions. What happens if, for example, the solar panel is not active and the starter battery periodically delivers less than 13.8V. Will you continue to lose 0.7V across the diode and will the MDI box then work?

Best Regards
BGS

[redneckrob]

Originally Posted by bgs

Hi epletan, thanks a lot for the detail solution, however, I have the following questions. What happens if, for example, the solar panel is not active and the starter battery periodically delivers less than 13.8V. Will you continue to lose 0.7V across the diode and will the MDI box then work?

Best Regards
BGS

I implemented @epletan's solution (big thank you btw!) a year ago and have had no issues with low voltage impacting the MDI. And knock on wood I've gone completely without failures since then, a record time period since I got these new engines with the "improved" MDI boxes.

[ClaudiaDOnofrio]

Originally Posted by epletan

Hello, A long time passed (because of COVID-19) before I could return to my boat to detail the solution implemented concerning the problems of nuisance alarms on the MDI box. Details are given in the attached file.
Best regards

Can you give me details on what diodes you used how many volts.? Do you have a photo of them?

[redneckrob]

Originally Posted by ClaudiaDOnofrio

Can you give me details on what diodes you used how many volts.? Do you have a photo of them?

So I don’t mean to be a jerk but everything you're asking for is literally in the attachment to post 7 of this thread.

[ClaudiaDOnofrio]

Originally Posted by redneckrob

So I don’t mean to be a jerk but everything you're asking for is literally in the attachment to post 7 of this thread.

Thanks, actually I never saw that attachment. Wasn’t Able to open it with my phone. I was able to open your link though, so thanks, I now have the information I need!

[epletan]

Originally Posted by bgs

Hi epletan, thanks a lot for the detail solution, however, I have the following questions. What happens if, for example, the solar panel is not active and the starter battery periodically delivers less than 13.8V. Will you continue to lose 0.7V across the diode and will the MDI box then work?

Best Regards
BGS

Yes, I think if your engine battery has a level too less, the drop voltage of the diode can prevent the engine to start.
But, it's very important to have an engine baterry with a very good voltage (if not, I advise you to replace your battery).
If you are blocked with a battery too less, you can shunt the diode and so you suppress the drop voltage of 0,7V (very easy to do).
Personaly, I check reguraly my engine battery (I have an engine battery in spare) and in normal case, the use of diode id very simple to put in place and very efficient.
Best regards,
epletan

[Kasanti]

Originally Posted by epletan

Yes, I think if your engine battery has a level too less, the drop voltage of the diode can prevent the engine to start.
But, it's very important to have an engine baterry with a very good voltage (if not, I advise you to replace your battery).
If you are blocked with a battery too less, you can shunt the diode and so you suppress the drop voltage of 0,7V (very easy to do).
Personaly, I check reguraly my engine battery (I have an engine battery in spare) and in normal case, the use of diode id very simple to put in place and very efficient.
Best regards,
epletan

Why didn't you select a voltage regulator for the input to the "black box" of appropriate specificatations? Just asking, no criticism.

[redneckrob]

Originally Posted by Kasanti

Why didn't you select a voltage regulator for the input to the "black box" of appropriate specificatations? Just asking, no criticism.

That works as well, just a little more expensive for the amps that it would need to handle and a little more fragile in the environmental conditions of the engine room which is the issue with the original MDI.