Cruisers Forum
 


Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on Cruisers Forums. Advertise Here
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Rate Thread Display Modes
Old 13-07-2009, 13:14   #1
Registered User

Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Seabrook, TX
Boat: Catalina 320 - Reflection
Posts: 27
Electric Gauge at Pedestal

Not sure if I'm in the right area but here goes.

I have 2-4D batteries that always stay charged via a Xantrex on my Catalina 320. At the pedestal there are water temp, fuel, and battery gauges. Is it normal when running the engine that the battery gauge is pegged all the way to the right, way past the 16 amp mark? Is it a good thing, bad thing, or does it matter? The battery monitor down below is usually 13-14amps although when the engine is running and if battery 1 is on, its readout is higher than the one not in use. It has always done this.

Thanks in advance.
tsampsel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13-07-2009, 20:52   #2
Registered User
 
mesquaukee's Avatar

Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Western Caribbean & ocassionaly inCanada
Boat: Mesqua Ukee, Buccaneer 40 (Salar 40)
Posts: 480
Probably just a cheap guage. It is more of a device that's just saying the alternator is working.
I would go with the Xantrex provided that the shunt is correctly wired.
mesquaukee is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13-07-2009, 21:30   #3
Moderator and Certifiable Refitter
 
Wotname's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: South of 43 S, Australia
Boat: C.L.O.D.
Posts: 20,305
I am guessing you mean 16 Volts and 13 - 14 Volts and I would suspect the gauge at the pedestal is faulty (ie cheap).
__________________
All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangereous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible. T.E. Lawrence
Wotname is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14-07-2009, 06:25   #4
Registered User

Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Seabrook, TX
Boat: Catalina 320 - Reflection
Posts: 27
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wotname View Post
I am guessing you mean 16 Volts and 13 - 14 Volts and I would suspect the gauge at the pedestal is faulty (ie cheap).

Yep. I meant volts of course. Thanks
tsampsel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 15-07-2009, 07:39   #5
Registered User

Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Seabrook, TX
Boat: Catalina 320 - Reflection
Posts: 27
And I could have sworn it did the same thing on my old Columbia 30. What should the gauge read at the wheel? The actual voltage of the battery I'm using? If it's there only to indicate that the alternator is working, is pegged to the right an indication of a working alternator? This gauge was stock with the boat (that doesn't mean it's not cheap).
tsampsel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 15-07-2009, 08:23   #6
Registered User
 
mesquaukee's Avatar

Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Western Caribbean & ocassionaly inCanada
Boat: Mesqua Ukee, Buccaneer 40 (Salar 40)
Posts: 480
Those types of guages (on the instrument panel) are not meant to be as precise as a mulitmeter, that is what we mean by "cheap", they are more of an indicator. What you should be intersted in is if there is change in the reading. A change in the reading would indicate a problem. The same goes for the oil pressure. The obseved reading may be high or low, it dosn't matter, if it suddenly goes high or low would signal a problem.

The voltage at the batteries when they are fully charged and the engine is runnng should be around 13.95 to 14.25. It all depends on the regulator you have.
mesquaukee is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Edson Pedestal Yanmar Transmission Chief Engineer Engines and Propulsion Systems 22 16-07-2014 21:29
Throttle Control on Pedestal drh1965 Engines and Propulsion Systems 16 12-07-2009 11:09
Mounting a Pedestal Seat on a Catalac 8m syoung33 Multihull Sailboats 16 19-06-2009 08:01
Broken gauge? sloopdavidb Engines and Propulsion Systems 1 29-08-2008 00:46
Need advice on pedestal wiring Joe500 Marine Electronics 2 22-07-2008 19:31

Advertise Here


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 03:07.


Google+
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Social Knowledge Networks
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.

ShowCase vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.