New alternator and inverter/charger

[TCL]

My boat is a 1979 Morgan 461 (46'), 1987 Perkins 4.236 85hp. Purchased January 2017. Everything ran fine during transit from Florida to current home in Mississippi. First week of May, developed rampant electrical problems.

It has a Leece-Neville 14v 100a alternator ("Service Parts Type No." tag reads 250013) that I pulled and had tested. It's shot. The diodes are bad and the bearing sounds like it's about to go.

It also has a Magnum Energy ME2012 inverter/charger that appears to be shot. Neither 120V circuit worked until I took the inverter/charger out of the circuit. There is a definite burnt silicone smell. The battery temp monitor (attaches to neg battery post, plugs into ME2012 port) was partially melted. The serial number indicates that it dates from 2014.

I intended to send the ME inverter/charger to the nearest authorized service center to see if it can be serviced (although the shipping charges are likely going to be huge based on its weight and the fact that the nearest ASC is 400 miles away). In any event, intend to replace with repaired or similar device.

My question is whether there's any reason to buy an alternator with a regulator, like a Balmar, if I'm going to re-install the ME inverter/charger (or a similar inverter/charger), or whether just to get another off-the-shelf high-output alternator. (The local alternator shop is asking $200 for their "100 amp" alternators, which they say "test to more like 150-160 amps," but I'm a little wary of going with something built by the little alternator shop.)

In case the information is helpful, I have house bank of six 6V batteries wired in series/parallel, no separate starting battery. Separate batteries for each of the generator and windlass; generator battery not connected to the inverter/charger. There currently is no solar or wind power, but I plan to add both.

I realize that there are several threads on alternators on the forums. I've read many of them and tried to search for the answer to my question. I don't know whether others share the opinion, but I find the forum's search function to be not particularly robust.

Thanks for any thoughts.

[john61ct]

The Leece Neville can be rebuilt or swapped for a rebuilt, maybe even more amps if you want, be sure it's a drop-in.

The local shops usually do fine work, but best to start with a solid frame, and Balmar, LN and Delco are that.

While you're at it consider going for an external VR like MC-214, get more precise control over charge programming, maybe you go to more demanding bankchemistry in the future.

[TCL]

Thanks for the response, john61ct. I neglected to mention that I have the ME-RC remote control from Magnum, which is one reason why I'm hoping that the ME inverter/charger can be serviced.

[john61ct]

OK, just know the inverter-charger issues are completely separate and independent from the alt/vr.