Alternator maintenance

tudorsailor

tudorsailor

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I was reading The Marine Electrical and Electronics Bible about alternators. It recommends having it over-hauled regularly.

Is this what people do in practise? After how many hours should this be done?

So what do most people do?

Thanks

TudorSailor
 
sailorman said:
when was your car alternator last overhauled :)
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Well exactly. My car engine has done many more hours than my yacht's.

However I do have two alternators, one for the engine 12v start and one for 24v domestic. The 24v alternator failed after 5 years old. The 12v is still ok at 11 years

The "bible" also suggest carrying a spare alternator!

TudorSailor
 
Tudorsailor,

if you should happen to have a charge indicator 'ignition' light as in cars, one can tell if an alternators' brushes ( most likely bit to fail ) are going if the light stays on dimly until more revs are applied.

If you should require a new alternator, car ones are usually an exchange item, ie they take your old unit and give you a new / reconditioned one; as the marine thing is the same I'd hope they do that for boat kit too, though as you say compared to a car the boats' alternators should be relatively little used.
 
sailorman said:
when was your car alternator last overhauled :)
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Unfortunately its been replaced once, the replacement has been overhauled, the brushes also replaced (again?) ... and I am thinking of getting it tested yet again as its not charging properly.

At different times the alternator in the previous car needed new brushes, a new rectifier, new slip rings and a new regulator
 
Just replaced the alternator on my mercedes OM636 with a lucas A127 model £60 from ebay for a 70A model, bought a spare 50A model from local auto factor for £64, regulators are readily avaialbe for £10. No idea why the previous unit died but stopped putting out a charge, disconnected wire on the switch panel? So no idea about servicing but would carry spare or regulator plus brushes and don't over tighten the vee belt.
 
VicS said:
Unfortunately its been replaced once, the replacement has been overhauled, the brushes also replaced (again?) ... and I am thinking of getting it tested yet again as its not charging properly.

At different times the alternator in the previous car needed new brushes, a new rectifier, new slip rings and a new regulator
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& the mileage was :confused:
 
sailorman said:
& the mileage was :confused:
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The present car has done approx 110K over 31 years. Problems with the alternator have been spaced out over a good bit of that time

The previous car had done about 120K when I got rid of it. I think the alternator problems were spaced out through the later half of the time I owned it.
 
hijack.gif

watermint said:
has eney one fited a STERLING 12V UNIVERSAL ALTERNATOR REGULATOR

http://www.marinescene.co.uk/produc...oogle&utm_content=AR12VD&utm_campaign=Froogle

i am thinking a bout fiting one to my 24ft saling ship
i have just fited a new 43amp alternator but it will not charg my 2 big 170 amph Batteries up propley and im thinking a bout geting a

STERLING 12V UNIVERSAL ALTERNATOR REGULATOR ?/?/
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See Sterlings website also
http://www.sterling-power.com/products-altreg.htm

Your alternator may be faulty. It should charge the batteries but take a little while to do it.
You are not using a diode splitter without battery sensing are you
 
i do not ues diode splitter thay ar a bit of a wast of time i wood rather ues battery ioslation switch and do it manley other wise the diode splitter can brake down

i have had the new alternator tested to make shor its not faulty
but the alternator is good and reeds 14.00 volts
 
VicS said:
Unfortunately its been replaced once, the replacement has been overhauled, the brushes also replaced (again?) ... and I am thinking of getting it tested yet again as its not charging properly.

At different times the alternator in the previous car needed new brushes, a new rectifier, new slip rings and a new regulator
Click to expand...

Hi Vic
I would say you have been unlucky. For my last 4 cars over 30 odd years no alternator problems except the one new car that had brush trouble (obviously sticking ) just a few weeks from new.
Son did have a regulator drop dead going to full charge, cooking a lot of electrics. I would imagine corrosion is main problem for boat alternators. olewill
 
Mine stopped working last year. Brush connection was spot welded on and had fell off. Cleaned connection and soldered,did other one also.Now working OK.
 
I though of starting a new thread but it's directly related to alternator...
How about any maintenance of the starter? Is anything required? It's one item that fails more often than alternators in a car but again we don't do any maintenance with cars.
 
It's one item that fails more often than alternators in a car
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Does it?

I had an inertia type jam a few times until I sorted it.

I've had the big spring on the end of a pre-engage type break. It did not stop it working though.
 
cmedsailor said:
I though of starting a new thread but it's directly related to alternator...
How about any maintenance of the starter? Is anything required? It's one item that fails more often than alternators in a car but again we don't do any maintenance with cars.
Click to expand...

I've just had mine serviced, original on a 1987 Volvo 2002. Symptoms were laboured slow turning of the engine. I thought it was the battery at first but had a new solenoid, brushes, and a general clean up of the partially seized gear and it's now working better than I can remember. Cost £80 inc. at my local garage. A new one was advertised at about £240 so worth doing.
 
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