Alternator / Solar Panel Conflict

[lateral]

Originally Posted by ilenart

Thanks everyone for your comments.

lateral where do you find that the voltage set point was 14v? According to this brochure it is 13.5v.

SVHarmonie agree that the main issue is fixing the alarm. Waiting to hear back from my Volvo Penta mechanic on the fault criteria for the alarm, ie what voltage is setting it off. However like lateral is suggesting, I may be able to fix the alarm problem and improve the charging from the alterntor at the same time.

Couple of options I am looking at for an external regulators include:

https://www.mastervolt.com/products/...alpha-pro-iii/

https://www.outbackmarine.com.au/mul...s-harness~2655

Also looks like Balmar has a marine version?

Ilenart

Top row of figures show 14V Vset. But confirm with DMM.
13.5V is the Temp regulated voltage cut back.AFAIK!
Even with the ext regulator as soon as the regulator floats the voltage you are going to have the alarm go off which is particular to your system.
Sort this thru Volvo/victron people.
All sorts of work-arounds as suggested by others.

[lateral]

If I was in situation, for simplicity, I like the suggestion relay the solar off when motor was on. I'm not familiar with volvos alarm system.
And at least up the Vset with another higher rated regulator to battery spec.
Or, convert to ext regulator for more options/configurability , especially if you have a single V belt and want to bring batteries back from 50%, or you are going to
wear belts, Bearing in mind 100A is max for single V belt.
Low on details of your system.
IMO, alternator good to 85% soc at 120A diminishing....short term. (noisey costs)
Solar good for <400/12A Top off 30A diminishing.....longer term (silent, free)
With tail current switch to what suits your battery chemistry.
It would be nice to have them play together and knock the solar contribution
off the alternators. Ultimately that would be my goal.

[Jetx]

Originally Posted by SVHarmonie

This really isn't a problem, except for the alarm with is alerting you to a situation that isn't a really a problem.
...
What you have is not a problem, except for the noise. My alternator system only has a warning light, which comes on all the time on sunny days when the solar system brings the voltage up. It's not a problem, it's not even really a "conflict" everything is working as it should... except for your damn buzzer.

I think SVHarmonie is right. I had the exact same problem with our current boat when we purchased it. In my case, the issue was complicated by an old-tech diode isolator, but the gist is that the alternators were (quite properly) intermittently not charging (because batteries had reached the regulation setpoint), and the charging alarms on the Volvo panels were beeping on/off annoyingly.

I ultimately found the solution in this thread (thank you zeevantijd and Edwin Curacao!)... TLDR; disconnect Volvo brown wire from the alternator, and connect it to a +12v source (e.g., the positive lug on the starter solenoid, which is nearby). The drawback to this is that now the alarms will not sound ever, even if your alternator has failed completely, but that's better than constant/aggravating alarms, and the risk is tolerable since you have multiple charging sources already.

[admiralslater]

We recently upgraded our electrical system with serpentine driven alternators and Balmar external regulators. We also have 960 watts of solar regulated through Victron controlers.
We have 3gms . Every now and then the alternator light comes on but only after a lot of motoring, as soon as the loads change it goes out again . I would Like to stop this from happening as it takes a diagnostic tool away from me . Other than that I dont think it hurts anything. Luckily there is no alarm

[ilenart]

Thanks again for all the comments. I’m going to try the easiest solution first and that is to reset the solar regulator float to 13.5v and see if that fixes the alarm problem. Earliest to try will be the weekend so will advise next week.

Ilenart

[Jetx]

I don’t think simply resetting float will solve your problem. You’ll still get alarms any time the engine is running while the solar controller is in bulk/absorption, which it’s going to do every day for some amount of time.

[ilenart]

Originally Posted by Jetx

I don’t think simply resetting float will solve your problem. You’ll still get alarms any time the engine is running while the solar controller is in bulk/absorption, which it’s going to do every day for some amount of time.

This is only a recent problem since the Alternator was changed. The old alternator and solar panels worked fine together with no alarm, irrespective of the state of the batteries. I suspect the old alternator was running at a higher voltage at float whilst the new alternator float appears to be 13.5v, which maybe conflicting with the solar panel float of 13.8v. Hence why I am planning on lowering the solar float

Ilenart

[Jetx]

Originally Posted by ilenart

I suspect the old alternator was running at a higher voltage at float whilst the new alternator float appears to be 13.5v, which maybe conflicting with the solar panel float of 13.8v. Hence why I am planning on lowering the solar float

That makes sense, and I hope it solves the problem for you. But remember that the solar controller is going to start a new cycle - bulk->absorption->float - every morning. Bulk and absorb may last for a long time, and until finished, battery voltage will still be well above Vset of your alternator. So you’ll probably still get charging alarms if the engine is running before the Victron drops to float each day.

[sliceoflife]

exploring this solution aswell. my engines are volvo penta d2 50F. wires on the mitsubishi alternator are B+(red) B-(black) sense (yellow) and D+ (brown). i assume brown of for the tach ?

can i attach the brown wire to the positive on the starter to silence battery alarm for good ?

Originally Posted by Jetx

I think SVHarmonie is right. I had the exact same problem with our current boat when we purchased it. In my case, the issue was complicated by an old-tech diode isolator, but the gist is that the alternators were (quite properly) intermittently not charging (because batteries had reached the regulation setpoint), and the charging alarms on the Volvo panels were beeping on/off annoyingly.

I ultimately found the solution in this thread (thank you zeevantijd and Edwin Curacao!)... TLDR; disconnect Volvo brown wire from the alternator, and connect it to a +12v source (e.g., the positive lug on the starter solenoid, which is nearby). The drawback to this is that now the alarms will not sound ever, even if your alternator has failed completely, but that's better than constant/aggravating alarms, and the risk is tolerable since you have multiple charging sources already.

[Jetx]

Originally Posted by sliceoflife

exploring this solution aswell. my engines are volvo penta d2 50F. wires on the mitsubishi alternator are B+(red) B-(black) sense (yellow) and D+ (brown). i assume brown of for the tach ?

can i attach the brown wire to the positive on the starter to silence battery alarm for good ?

Hi Sliceoflife. This solution does work for the older Volvo D2's with conventional instruments and a relay box mounted on the side of the engine.

But if you have a D2-50F, I'm guessing you have the newer style instruments and MDI interface box on the engine. In that case, I don't know what will happen if you reconnect the brown lead to battery+. I do know that the charging alarms function differently on the engines with MDI... so I would clarify whether you do/don't have the MDI interface, and if you do, then seek more up-to-date information before trying the previously mentioned fix.

Best of luck.

[sliceoflife]

Originally Posted by Jetx

Hi Sliceoflife. This solution does work for the older Volvo D2's with conventional instruments and a relay box mounted on the side of the engine.

But if you have a D2-50F, I'm guessing you have the newer style instruments and MDI interface box on the engine. In that case, I don't know what will happen if you reconnect the brown lead to battery+. I do know that the charging alarms function differently on the engines with MDI... so I would clarify whether you do/don't have the MDI interface, and if you do, then seek more up-to-date information before trying the previously mentioned fix.

Best of luck.

Appreciate the reply. my engines are 2018. Have the MDI box but just basic volvo tach with analog rpm meter and digital hour meter. would like to hear of someone who has done it with this specific engine. I know the MDI box is tempermental to begin with so dont want to make things worse.