Alternator charging batteries at too high voltage

[sailboatliving]

My Balmar 60-120 amp K6 alternator is now charging the batteries again but voltage goes up with higher RPM. If I go over 1700 rpm it will charge batteries at 15+V and even more with higher RPM. My balmar regulator 612 is defect, it only shows 3 red lines.

It seems like I can go a little higher RPM before the voltage is too much for the batteries if I turn on power hungry electronics like the refrigerator

I think the regulator broke when I installed my 400W solar in parallel, at least the problem startet after that change

Is there a way to fix this? I read that most alternators have a 14.x volt battery charging profile. I'm in Mexico and far from towns or mechanics.

I have tried calling balmar 17 times but I got voicemail 16 times. And they don't respond to emails or voicemails

 

[PabloPicasso]

Some (i believe mainly older type) alternators have a seperate regulator which can be changed

Most modern alternaters have internal regulators. Likely easier and cheaper to fit a new one.

They are not the expensive items they once were.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Some (i believe mainly older type) alternators have a seperate regulator which can be changed

Most modern alternaters have internal regulators. Likely easier and cheaper to fit a new one.

They are not the expensive items they once were.

The OP states he has a Balmar 612 regulator, this is an external regulator that costs in excess of £400 !

 

[PaulRainbow]

My Balmar 60-120 amp K6 alternator is now charging the batteries again but voltage goes up with higher RPM. If I go over 1700 rpm it will charge batteries at 15+V and even more with higher RPM. My balmar regulator 612 is defect, it only shows 3 red lines.

It seems like I can go a little higher RPM before the voltage is too much for the batteries if I turn on power hungry electronics like the refrigerator

I think the regulator broke when I installed my 400W solar in parallel, at least the problem startet after that change

Is there a way to fix this? I read that most alternators have a 14.x volt battery charging profile. I'm in Mexico and far from towns or mechanics.

I have tried calling balmar 17 times but I got voicemail 16 times. And they don't respond to emails or voicemails

Three dashes usually indicates programming mode on the Balmar MC-612, accessed by using a magnet. Check the manual for your exact model of regulator for details.

 

[PabloPicasso]

The OP states he has a Balmar 612 regulator, this is an external regulator that costs in excess of £400 !

I guess they are exoensive high output alternators

Good argument for two of lower cost. Has some backup if one goes on the blink.

Doesnt help the OP much. He could buy a cheaper alternator locally as a stop gap for way less than £400

 

[sailboatliving]

Three dashes usually indicates programming mode on the Balmar MC-612, accessed by using a magnet. Check the manual for your exact model of regulator for details.

I don't have the Balmar magnet screwdriver, but I tried to touch the area with a big magnet but nothing happened.

 

[sailboatliving]

Could you guys recommend an alternator with internal regulator? The engine is beta marine 38.

 

[sailboatliving]

The three display symbols are vertical like half number 1s, programming mode is horizontal

 

[Snowgoose-1]

Deleted. Wrong thread.

 

[PaulRainbow]

The three display symbols are vertical like half number 1s, programming mode is horizontal

You didn't mention that earlier.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Could you guys recommend an alternator with internal regulator? The engine is beta marine 38.

Fit the standard alternator, as fitted by Beta.

But, check the belts and pulleys on your engine are standard, they may have been changed for multi-vee pulleys. Might be worth calling Beta for advice.

 

[Alex_Blackwood]

My Balmar 60-120 amp K6 alternator is now charging the batteries again but voltage goes up with higher RPM. If I go over 1700 rpm it will charge batteries at 15+V and even more with higher RPM. My balmar regulator 612 is defect, it only shows 3 red lines.

It seems like I can go a little higher RPM before the voltage is too much for the batteries if I turn on power hungry electronics like the refrigerator

I think the regulator broke when I installed my 400W solar in parallel, at least the problem startet after that change

Is there a way to fix this? I read that most alternators have a 14.x volt battery charging profile. I'm in Mexico and far from towns or mechanics.

I have tried calling balmar 17 times but I got voicemail 16 times. And they don't respond to emails or voicemails

I am a bit late on this one, but, have you tried disconnecting your Solar? What is it in parallel with? Otherwise Follow Paul R's advice.

 

[PaulRainbow]

I am a bit late on this one, but, have you tried disconnecting your Solar? What is it in parallel with? Otherwise Follow Paul R's advice.

Good point ref the solar, i should have picked up on that earlier.

@sailboatliving How exactly did you wire the solar up ? What controller ?

 

[sailboatliving]

It is four 100 watt renogy solar in parallel, they are connected to an old Xantrax C40 PWM charge controller. With PWM you are supposed to use parallel. I have tried to disconnect it and It shows 0 watt when the alternator is overcharging the batteries when not disconnected. The regulator seem to have died about the same time as I changed to parallel but the alternator was doing the same thing a few weeks ago when a fuse in the regulator was blown, then the solar were connected in series.

Parallel with a 1 to 4 connector.

 

[PaulRainbow]

It is four 100 watt renogy solar in parallel, they are connected to an old Xantrax C40 PWM charge controller. With PWM you are supposed to use parallel. I have tried to disconnect it and It shows 0 watt when the alternator is overcharging the batteries when not disconnected. The regulator seem to have died about the same time as I changed to parallel but the alternator was doing the same thing a few weeks ago when a fuse in the regulator was blown, then the solar were connected in series.

Parallel with a 1 to 4 connector.

Doesn't sound like anything there should cause the regulator to fail.

 

[Alex_Blackwood]

Doesn't sound like anything there should cause the regulator to fail.

Why do I have the feeling that there is something missing, that little bit of information? The OP has said that the panels are in ||el but not how he has connected to the controller, I know he has said that he has tried with the panels disconnected from the controller and that the alt. did similar previously when he had connected the panels in series. Did the alt. work correctly after replacing the fuse and before changing the connection to ||el. What was the exact sequence of events from initially installing the panels up to the present situation? Has he had another look inside the controller (fuses etc.?) Just feel something is missing

 

[PaulRainbow]

It is four 100 watt renogy solar in parallel, they are connected to an old Xantrax C40 PWM charge controller. With PWM you are supposed to use parallel. I have tried to disconnect it and It shows 0 watt when the alternator is overcharging the batteries when not disconnected. The regulator seem to have died about the same time as I changed to parallel but the alternator was doing the same thing a few weeks ago when a fuse in the regulator was blown, then the solar were connected in series.

Parallel with a 1 to 4 connector.

How were the panels connected in series, what were they connected to ?

 

[Porthandbuoy]

My MC-612 Balmar regulator failed in a slightly different manner; no output from the alternator. My 'get me home fix', as suggested by @rotrax here was to get an automotive bulb holder (lamp holder for the purists) and connect it from my leisure batteries to the sense connector on the Balmar alternator. By swapping lamps I could charge the batteries at idle or at cruising rpm without frying them.
Once I got home I replaced the Balmar alternator with the original 80A Hitachi.