Driftgate Xalt and Xsplit Instructions or Drawings

[Dull Spark]

We bought our Konsort over a year ago, with most, but not all operating manuals. I've tried to get them for the alternator charging system, but no luck. The engine is a Beta 30, with a modified alternator. (The ever helpful team at Beta today confirmed that they had modified the alternator for a charge boosting system and even sent me a photo of it with the extra wire added! Superb service.)

The charging system is by the Driftgate Company, of St Neotts, now, I believe, no longer trading. There is an "Xalt Buccaneer" Alternator Boost Controller and an "Xsplit" Electronic Charge Splitter feeding the engine and house batteries. They were not fitted by Beta.

At the weekend, the field wire to the alternator, connection D1 broke and the alarm buzzer and light flashed as would be expected. I repaired it and all seems well, but the LED on the Xalt seems to be misbehaving, flashing amber, then green for a few minutes, then red, then back to amber. To be frank, it might always have done this - it is tucked below the quarterberth next to the batteries and is usually out of sight.

So: can anyone point me at a set of manuals or drawings that would explain what's going on? It's not urgent, but I'd like to be sure I haven't got a problem developing.

 

[pvb]

I don't think the X-ALT manual was ever available online.

 

[earlybird]

I fitted an Xalt, the basic "Buccaneer" IIRC a good while ago.
It was supposed to deliver 5 (?) boost cycles of ~15v. for about 10-15 minutes each, (amber LED ) each separated by a few minutes rest @ ~14.2 v. (green LED). Red indicates some type of fault., can't remember what.
Mine started to boost at well over 15v. then went into almost permanent boost. It was sent back a couple of times, at some cost, but eventually I discarded it.
OTOH, the Xsplit that I fitted works very well.
I've looked for the paper-work, but seem to have lost most of it except for a bit on the Xsplit.
Hope that helps.
Add; Driftgate did have a good web-site, but AFAIK, it's no longer on-line. I think that at best, they were a very small outfit.

 

[Dull Spark]

Many thanks. I did notice there were a few cycles from charging at ~14.7 V with amber to ~13.5 with green. The red was for a few seconds only. I may have seen the five boost cycles without realising what they were - hence my need for a manual of any sort. You have gone some way to sorting this one out for me. I will monitor the charging voltages more carefully over the coming weekend. Thanks again.

 

[earlybird]

Should have added, I think the boost was supposed only to come in if the initial sensed battery voltage was below a certain level.
There was also a "soft start" to the boost.

 

[Cantata]

I think this was the same unit marketed as the 'Merlin AMS' which I installed on my previous boat together with an X-Split, it all worked brilliantly for years and still does as far as I know. When I installed it I wrote a review in ST, this was all a long time ago though.
Dull Spark, if you get in touch by PM and give me your email address, I will dig out the text of the ST article and send it to you, and in the meantime I will contact the chap who bought that boat to get me a photocopy of the manual.
On that unit, the light was labelled RTFM. In the book it said that RTFM stood for 'real time fault management'......
There was a thread about it here http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?119639-Tip-for-fitting-alternator-management-system

Later edit: Mistaken about the review for ST, I didn't do one for them but I wrote an overview for someone else. However it won't help with your problem. But I can certainly get you copies of the AMS and the X-Split instruction books.

 

[Dull Spark]

Many thanks. I will contact you by e-mail. Having spent a few days on board and paying more attention to the charging system, I can see it is complex. The voltage delivered by Xalt seems to be pulsed between 14.8 and 14.0 volts, with the duration of the pulses being of a few minutes or so. So, yes, I'd appreciate it if you could obtain a manual to explain it all. Please don't go to too much trouble though.

 

[earlybird]

Hadn't known of the Merlin AMS before now, but while looking for my old Xalt paperwork, I happened upon a Merlin catalogue, dated 2007, which lists it. It certainly looks outwardly similar to the X-alt that I had, but Merlin describe it as turning an alternator into a 4 stage smart charging system. This wouldn't be how I would describe the Xalt, which provided 2 charging voltage levels on a fixed time basis.
I'd be interested to know if they were the same.
Perhaps the Merlin technical description was written by their sales dept!
Incidentally, I have the X-split wiring diagrams, also showing the extra wiring for a battery sensed alternator, if that is useful.

 

[pvb]

It certainly looks outwardly similar to the Xalt Buccaneer that I had, but Merlin describe it as turning an alternator into a 4 stage smart charging system.

Sterling make the same claim for their add-on regulators. The truth is that this can only happen if you disable the alternator's internal regulator, which few people do, and which defeats the fail-safe benefit of an add-on.

 

[Dull Spark]

I detected only two charging voltages from the Xalt: 14.8V and 14.0V. This voltage is applied across each battery bank. The period on 14.8 reduces as the batteries are recharged. Many thanks for all assistance.

 

[Dull Spark]

Could I close off this thread by thanking all of those who provided assistance and advice. I think I understand what's been fitted and will now ponder the addition of solar power. But that's a different thread! Many thanks.

 

[Bhopper]

Hadn't known of the Merlin AMS before now, but while looking for my old Xalt paperwork, I happened upon a Merlin catalogue, dated 2007, which lists it. It certainly looks outwardly similar to the X-alt that I had, but Merlin describe it as turning an alternator into a 4 stage smart charging system. This wouldn't be how I would describe the Xalt, which provided 2 charging voltage levels on a fixed time basis.
I'd be interested to know if they were the same.
Perhaps the Merlin technical description was written by their sales dept!
Incidentally, I have the X-split wiring diagrams, also showing the extra wiring for a battery sensed alternator, if that is useful.

I know this is an old post but I’m looking for the x split diagrams if you still have them?

 

[earlybird]

X-split wiring is fairly straightforward. This diagram shows it together with an alternator booster.
Edit, not sure what I've done, but the pdf attachment seems to open.
The small -ve terminal connection is important IIRC.

 

[Oily Rag]

This link may be of use. The Driftgate company that made XSplit seems to exist only on the web archive.

X-ALT - Alternator Charge Controller & Smart Regulator

There are some instructions in amongst the sales blurb. Reasonably useful stuff. Good luck.

 

[David Broad]

Did you guys ever get the Driftgate/X-Alt system working?

I have all the manuals instructions etc after having mine installed and working well for many years but now I have a fault where one alternator keeps overheating and, if left, failing with cooked diodes etc .

Despite engine battery and alternator changes, the fault still prevails.

Any one with experience/knowledge/expertise on these systems as otherwise I will have tp chuck it all out and install another system

David Broad

Lady Martina

Lowestoft

07860 435203

We bought our Konsort over a year ago, with most, but not all operating manuals. I've tried to get them for the alternator charging system, but no luck. The engine is a Beta 30, with a modified alternator. (The ever helpful team at Beta today confirmed that they had modified the alternator for a charge boosting system and even sent me a photo of it with the extra wire added! Superb service.)

The charging system is by the Driftgate Company, of St Neotts, now, I believe, no longer trading. There is an "Xalt Buccaneer" Alternator Boost Controller and an "Xsplit" Electronic Charge Splitter feeding the engine and house batteries. They were not fitted by Beta.

At the weekend, the field wire to the alternator, connection D1 broke and the alarm buzzer and light flashed as would be expected. I repaired it and all seems well, but the LED on the Xalt seems to be misbehaving, flashing amber, then green for a few minutes, then red, then back to amber. To be frank, it might always have done this - it is tucked below the quarterberth next to the batteries and is usually out of sight.

So: can anyone point me at a set of manuals or drawings that would explain what's going on? It's not urgent, but I'd like to be sure I haven't got a problem developing.

 

[Oily Rag]

I've had trouble with my Driftgate X-Alt and been given good advice recently on this forum. Long story made short:
When the ignition circuit is energised, X-Alt decides whether or not to go into boost mode for the next hour and a half to two hours. If so, it still starts up in non-boost mode, but after a few minutes gradually goes over to boost cycles. There are indicator light to show all of this happening, but my unit is out of sight, next to the batteries. If you can see yours, it's worth watching for a few minutes after startup.

My X-Alt has been deciding to go to boost when the batteries don't need it, so both they and the alternator take a bit of a hammering. I think the cause is that it sees 0.35 volts on the alternator B+ line on startup, but that doesn't matter. It boosts when it doesn't have to.

The solution is to switch off X-Alt until the engine is running and the alternator is delivering normal voltage. Then switch on X-Alt. That way, it senses a higher voltage and doesn't bother with boost mode. Of course if your batteries are low, don't switch it off and just let it get on with a boost.

A bit of a bodge, but it works for me. If I remember, it's the pink wire on the unit that needs the switch.

 

[earlybird]

Check the voltage of the alternator when on boost. My X-Alt Skipper drifted upwards to well over 15 volts. Also the boost cycle times became very extended so I as worried about the batteries.
I sent it back at one point. IIRC during a 'phone call the Driftgate techie implied that there was an adjusment component inside the case, but I never opened it up myself. Might be worth a look if your voltage is high.

 

[David Broad]

Hi,

I think that my problem goes deeper than that as two alternators have been wrecked and the third was still getting hot. This despite my having replaced my engine batteries. Its not just working alternators hard but killing them! My system comprises an X-Alt and two X-splits that has worked well for many years until it was left on background charge during lockdown and dried out the batteries. The X-Alt is connected via two plugs/sockets to wire looms ending up with each alternator. I have tracked down 'Ray' the former Driftgate2000 TechDir who, working from memory and without schematics etc. whilst on holiday on Cornwall , has initially suggested I isolate the X-Alt from the alternators thus allowing them to use their own regulation, which would potentially protect them. I am considering just unplugging the X-Alt from these sockets would achieve this, though wonder what else they connect! He suggests then measuring the voltage drop across the X-Splits to see if they are still functioning properly. I have scheduled an ex-Broom electrician on Monday (Broom installed the system years ago) when I will raise that suggestion and try to see what aspect of the system is faulty. I have postulated that (depending upon whether or not any other vital connections are in those looms) I could just continue without using the X=Alt or find a replacement technology to boost the alternators at low revs. Any comments or suggestions would be welcome.

I've had trouble with my Driftgate X-Alt and been given good advice recently on this forum. Long story made short:
When the ignition circuit is energised, X-Alt decides whether or not to go into boost mode for the next hour and a half to two hours. If so, it still starts up in non-boost mode, but after a few minutes gradually goes over to boost cycles. There are indicator light to show all of this happening, but my unit is out of sight, next to the batteries. If you can see yours, it's worth watching for a few minutes after startup.

My X-Alt has been deciding to go to boost when the batteries don't need it, so both they and the alternator take a bit of a hammering. I think the cause is that it sees 0.35 volts on the alternator B+ line on startup, but that doesn't matter. It boosts when it doesn't have to.

The solution is to switch off X-Alt until the engine is running and the alternator is delivering normal voltage. Then switch on X-Alt. That way, it senses a higher voltage and doesn't bother with boost mode. Of course if your batteries are low, don't switch it off and just let it get on with a boost.

A bit of a bodge, but it works for me. If I remember, it's the pink wire on the unit that needs the switch.

 

[Oily Rag]

A previous owner installed XAlt, Xsplit and a 14 volt 100 amp alternator on my 30hp Beta. Complete overkill, but very generous.

In my opinion, the booster (Xalt) is not needed at all, given the large alternator and the low lossXsplit splitter.

But if I simply disconnect XAlt, my alarm buzzer sounds continuously. The installer has done a good job and, I suspect has put a relay somewhere to warn me of loss of power or field current to It, but I can't find it.

That's why I suggest just switching it off. In my case, I get that buzzer alarm, so to prevent it boosting the batteries at 14.8 volts, I switch it off after it sees the 14volts from the alternator. That way it doesn't decide to go into boost mode.

But for the buzzer, I would simply switch it off (pink wire) and leave it off for good. The big alternator and Xsplit would cope quite nicely. That's effectively what I've done this summer. Only if I managed to drop the battery voltage really low would I bother leaving XAlt connected after starting the engine. Remember that once started, the boost cycles go on for about 100 minutes, whether your batteries need it or not!

Also, watch over the few minutes after startup. It has a soft start to the boost that can fool you after a few minutes of thinking you're on a normal charge.

And well done tracking down Ray!