Alternator terminals

[Midnight Drifter]

I have an ADVERC battery management unit and want to check that it is correctly connected to my BETA alternator. The ADVERC wiring diagram shows wires going to D+ and DF terminals on the alternator. However, my alternator does not have D+ or DF: its manual shows the following:
B+
L (Ind light)
IG (Excitation)
W (Tacho)

Which of these is equivalent to D+ and DF?

 

[matthewriches]

Could you provide info on which Adverc you have? DF is found on a lot of modern car alternators and is variable voltage to communicate with ECU. The Merc ambulances I’ve helped fit out often use this to calculate load on the alternator.

D+ you’ll use L.

Have you dealt with all the other connections?

 

[LadyInBed]

Which one?
https://betamarine.co.uk/literature-downloads-seagoing/

 

[Midnight Drifter]

Could you provide info on which Adverc you have? DF is found on a lot of modern car alternators and is variable voltage to communicate with ECU. The Merc ambulances I’ve helped fit out often use this to calculate load on the alternator.

D+ you’ll use L.

Have you dealt with all the other connections?

Thanks
It is a 12V negative Adverc BMS model IVa from about 1999. I am confident that the red, blue and two black wires are correctly connected. The brown wire should go to D+, so I will use L as you say. That leaves the green wire which should go to DF. Is that the same as IG?

 

[Midnight Drifter]

Which one?
https://betamarine.co.uk/literature-downloads-seagoing/

It is a Beta 20

 

[BabaYaga]

I have an ADVERC battery management unit and want to check that it is correctly connected to my BETA alternator. The ADVERC wiring diagram shows wires going to D+ and DF terminals on the alternator. However, my alternator does not have D+ or DF: its manual shows the following:
B+
L (Ind light)
IG (Excitation)
W (Tacho)

Which of these is equivalent to D+ and DF?

L should be the equivalent of D+.
Not sure if IG matches DF, which I think is the field terminal.
When I installed Adverc on my Beta engine 12 years ago, the green wire for the field had to be soldered directly to one of brush holders.
Note that the Adverc comes in positive or negative version, this must be matched to how the voltage regulation is done in the alternator.
I also seem to remember having read that the Adverc cannot be used with the latest generation of Beta engines, because of the alternator type now utilised (Mahle, I think).

 

[Midnight Drifter]

It is the 12v negative Adverc. The brown wire must go to L, which you say is the same as D+. So I just need to know where the green wire goes as I do not have a DF terminal. I am confident the other connections are OK.

 

[BabaYaga]

It is the 12v negative Adverc. The brown wire must go to L, which you say is the same as D+. So I just need to know where the green wire goes as I do not have a DF terminal. I am confident the other connections are OK.

This is how it looks on my Iskra alternator, photo showing the regulator/brush unit:

 

[VicS]

It is the 12v negative Adverc. The brown wire must go to L, which you say is the same as D+. So I just need to know where the green wire goes as I do not have a DF terminal. I am confident the other connections are OK.

You dont say what alternator you have but maybe the diagram below which is for connecting an Adverc to a Hitachi alternator will help.

If. however, you have a modern alternator on a new engine there may be little or no benefit in fitting the Adverc or as mentioned earlier they may not even be compatible

 

[earlybird]

The OP appears to have an alternator similar to that on my newish B25, although I can't offhand quote the manufacturer. It is battery sensed. The IG terminal is fed with 12v. from the engine panel. Without this connection the alternator won't charge, but as I've not fitted a booster I've not gone into its function in any detail. The warning light connection to the panel is, as said, separate.

 

[Midnight Drifter]

Thank you to everyone for your helpful replies. I have realised that the answer to my question is not simple and so it might help to provide some more information.

I bought the boat (a Rival 32) a couple of years ago. It has a Beta 20 engine which was installed in 2012, with the standard 40W alternator. The battery is charged via a multi-battery isolator (split-charging diodes). After a while I realised that the battery was charging slowly, at only 13.6V. I did some tests and found that the alternator is working OK, producing over 14V, and there is no voltage drop in the wiring. The only voltage drop is across the multi-battery isolator. I therefore suspected the Adverc controller, which is supposed to compensate for that voltage drop. I contacted Adverc, who have been very helpful. I sent the device to them and they found that some transistors had burned out, and repaired it. Before I re-fit it, I want to be sure its connections are correct so that I don't burn it out again. This will mean removing the alternator, which I have not yet done. I will do that when I next go to the boat. Adverc have suggested I send them a photo of the alternator so they can advise where the connections should go.

The Adverc has been on the boat since 1999. I suspect that it has not worked since the new engine was installed in 2012 - perhaps it was burned out in the process of installing the engine. I don't think the previous owner was aware of this.

From the responses here, I now know that it may not be simple to connect the Adverc correctly, or that it may not even work with the fairly new Beta engine. In that case I may decide to remove the Adverc and multi-battery isolator altogether and install a voltage-sensitive paralleling relay, or even just revert to using the 1-2-both switch to control charging in the old-fashioned way.

 

[PCUK]

Have you called Adverc?

 

[peteK]

If it was me and I believe in keeping things simple,I would remove the adverc completely and replace the split charge diodes with something with no voltage drop.

 

[earlybird]

From your description, it's possible that the original installation of the split-charge diodes was unsatisfactory. The diodes have a voltage drop which wasn't being compensated, hence the 13.6v. charge, although a functional Adverc might overcome this.
To overcome this, Beta have a circuit drawing, 300-62220, showing installation for a diode split-charge system with a battery-sensed alternator. I found this in the engine manual. It involves installing a small excitation relay to connect the IG terminal to the domestic battery to ensure that the alternator compensates for the diode voltage drop.
Not needed if you go the change-over switch route though AFAIK.

 

[Midnight Drifter]

Thanks

 

[PaulRainbow]

If it was me and I believe in keeping things simple,I would remove the adverc completely and replace the split charge diodes with something with no voltage drop.

I completely agree with you Pete. Bin the Adverc and the diode and fit a Victron Argofet, no need to make any wiring changes. Or, fit a Victron Cyrix 120a VSR, but that will need some minor wiring changes. I'd go for the Argofet.

 

[PCUK]

Adverc is fitted to ambulances, fire engines etc. You won't do better as they are superb performers and will compensate for voltage drop at the diodes. Call them for assistance and get the right advice.