More help please Volvo AQAD41's

ChrisKaye

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More help please Volvo AQAD41\'s

I have 2 x Volvo AQAD41s which all worked fine last time I used the boat which was just before crimbo. I have now had the engines serviced with new oil/antifreeze/filters/anodes and upon starting, the port side engine alternator wasnt charging and wasnt running the rev counter (This may have been because of all the cooling water that was spilt on it when I took the heat exchangers off) so has been replaced with another valeo unit as it was still under warranty .

Now I have a problem with the warning lights on the port side. When you switch the ignition on initially the oil pressure / water temp and charging warning lights should come on before starting the engine. All I get is only the oil presure light coming on and the rev counter still not working. However if I short across two of the terminals of the split charge diode (whilst ignition on) and before firing the engine up, the remaining 2 lights come on and after starting the tacho works fine.

Can anyone offer any solution to this problem, my sparky is scratching his head and I know I cant be the only one with this problem as another boat in the same marina with the same engines has exactly the same problem and he doesnt know either .

Anyone know of a good and reasonably priced source for marine batteries
 

Tim777

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14 Mar 2004
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Re: More help please Volvo AQAD41\'s

Hi I have the same engines and the yellow warning lights do seem to be intermittent on the port side occaisionaly. Doesn't seem to affect the running of the engines once fired up and I dont have the problem of the tacho not working although the starboard one sometimes reads max revs (although idling) for a minute after which it calms down all is fine. (earthing problem?)

I would be fascinated if you can find whats wrong. I suspect the X over solenoid for some of my troubles as they followed trying to get the port side started on poor batteries and I think it now shorts when operated.

Batteries seem alot cheaper recently. My chandlers in Fareham (Trafalgar)sold me some 110amp ones for about £80 each. That along with a powerful 45amp charger connected to shore power got rid of alot of my electrical problems. At that sort of price it is better to start with a good bank of batteries than put up with old units.
 

rlw

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Re: More help please Volvo AQAD41\'s

Hi I have had the same engines in a Portofino and now a Martinique.
I would start with checking the ground connection located behind the alternator all the way up to the different dash components. Corrosion Problems here give light i instrument issues. Also the light block contains only diodes to split the ground connection so one alarm does not activate the other alarm lights. On the back of this block there are 2 ground connections that you can combine if one is faulty. (my volvo tech did this)

Another cause for the alternator problem is the circuit board braking up due to wave pounding. Had mine completely resoldered on the last boat but have now replaced with new standard VDO tach's (truck version) at less then half price of the volvo ones.

Warning lights are just +12V connections up to the light module. Nothing special.
Just a pain as there are so many connections to suffer corrosion/bad contacts.

Good luck

Rob
 

ChrisKaye

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Re: More help please Volvo AQAD41\'s

Hi Tim and Rob
Thanks for that, I will check when I am down on the boat next week
Yep agree about the batteries, Adverc have Varta 110Amp for £70 delivered
 
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