New WakeSpeed and Balmar Alt, Lost my dash Tach??

[Makr0]

Hey Folks

I'm just finish up an install of a balmar xt alternator and a WS500 regulator on my beta 43.

Everything is working well except I've lost my dash Tacho, I have a left over wire that I think is Blue(it was painted beta red) from the engine that was plugged into a terminal labelled "W" on my old Alternator, my hunch is that it is the rpm sensing wire.

After a few hours of interneting, and reading manual. I'm stumped as to how to fix this.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

[markcouz]

I don't have Balmar alternator, but wiring diagram i googled shows a terminal labeled "as tap" which it the tachometer terminal.

[markcouz]

...AC tap, not as tap.

[wholybee]

The "W" terminal is for RPM/Tach. Page 10/11 of the Balmar manual shows where it is on the XT alternator. It is a White wire on one of the plugs.

https://balmar.net/wp-content/upload...0207-REV-F.pdf

[Makr0]

Got it thanks…

I connected it. The tach is way off now, and it weirdly threw the wake speed off too. Oh well more research ahead

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by wholybee

The "W" terminal is for RPM/Tach. Page 10/11 of the Balmar manual shows where it is on the XT alternator. It is a White wire on one of the plugs.
https://balmar.net/wp-content/upload...0207-REV-F.pdf

And note item 8, in the safety instructions:
"8. DO NOT attempt installation while using alcohol or medications which could impair your judgement or reaction time."

[hjohnson]

Originally Posted by Makr0

Got it thanks…

I connected it. The tach is way off now, and it weirdly threw the wake speed off too. Oh well more research ahead

The tach inputs to both your tach and the wakespeed should be high impedance inputs, so it shouldn’t matter if both are connected in parallel (famous last words) but if your pulley ratio changed between your old alternator and new alternator, that would explain why your tach is way out. The tach output is just a tap to one of the stator windings on the alternator, so actually is related to teh speed of the alternator, which has a fixed ratio to the speed of the engine. (that ratio is in turn the same as the diameter ratio on the two pulleys).

Anyhow, on my boat, my tach was already kaput (it was a tooth counting one off my engine flywheel on my yanmar), so since my Wakespeed is connected to my N2K bus, I just have the tach output displaying on one of my instrument heads in the cockpit. Works well enough.

[Makr0]

Thanks for the tip on N2K, I’ve got the info showing on the chart plotter. Oddly when I try to connect the analog vdo tach the alternator acts all kinds of weird, constantly changing the field. It’s a bit annoying, the Tach also runs my Engine hour meter so that’s out too…

At this point I may just redo my cockpit engine console….

[FPNC]

The tach signal comes off the Balmar alternator. The regulator controls the alternator and is capable of turning off the alternator output and subsequently also the tach signal. Do yourself a favor and install a Mag pickup on the bellhousing to read the flywheel teeth. Then you will always have a steady accurate tach reading. Modestly priced mag pickup retrofit kits are available.

[toi]

I believe you need a Balmar signal stabilizer to get the XT and the tach to get along.