'76 115 Charging/Cranking voltage issue

[Tom Scully]

Re: '76 115 Charging/Cranking voltage issue

Radio Shack does not have a regulator that will handle enough current, 6-10 amps. An electric supply house probably wont have a 12v regulator, an electronic supply house would but not in a case which would make installation easy.<br />If you want something quick get one for an older model car that had a regulator that was separate from the alternator. The guys at your local auto parts store probably have one on the shelf.<br />There should be three connections, Ground, In (from the rectifier) and Out (to the harness).<br />just remove the + output from the rectifier and connect it to the In terminal of the rectifier. Connect the + out from the regulator to where the + rectifier wire was removed.

 

[Seasport]

Re: '76 115 Charging/Cranking voltage issue

Back again. For some strange reason I couldn't connect to iboats over the weekend. Was the server down?<br /><br />Cricket, do you still have a cranking problem? Just to clarify what I meant about voltages at the starter motor. If the starter motor is turning the outboard motor over very slowly (or it grinds to a halt when the key is turned) AND you measure 9.5V or more at the starter motor under these conditions, either the powerhead is binding somehow (unlikely) or your starter motor is faulty. The voltage tests I gave above are to verify that the starter motor is getting enough volts to operate properly (> 9.5V) and if not to determine where those volts are being dropped.<br /><br />Remember these tests must be carried out with the starter motor under load, i.e. the spark plugs must be in as it is much easier to spin a motor with the plugs out.<br /><br />If the starter motor spins for a few seconds and then dies, and you measure 10.5V at your starter motor when this happens, then you probably have a bad connection in the starter motor somewhere.<br /><br />The only common point between your charging circuit and starting circuit is your battery. When the solenoid is open the starter motor is not connected to the battery. Two separate issues. As the others have said, an unregulated charging system relies on the battery to provide some sort of regulation. So you need a battery with the right characteristics. I guess the only real problem with a higher voltage is likely to be possible damage to any electronics connected to the circuit.

 

[Cricket Too]

Re: '76 115 Charging/Cranking voltage issue

Hey Seasport, yeah I completely understand what you are saying, it actually occured to me after I had made the post about the 10.5V at the starter and what you meant by seeing that voltage. <br /><br />I borrowed a friends brand new Interstate Deep Cycle 690MCA battery and my cranking problem went away(cranking with the plugs in), but it was still charging at about 16V at idle and higher with higher RPM. I think I may have ran this higher voltage too long on my Power Master and damaged it, since it was putting out about 18V or more at WOT and I probably ran a couple of days like that before I noticed it, and that's where my cranking problem came from, using that battery after the winter. I was always under the impression that these higher charging voltages would damage the stator and kill a battery, which were my main concerns. I don't want to hurt my Depth Finder or GPS either, but mostly didn't want to damage my stator at all.<br /><br />Tom pointed me towards a similar past post on here, which was pretty much the identical problem as mine(charging). And the fix, when nothing else can be found wrong, is to put a voltage regulator on or use a true lead acid Deep Cycle, so now I'm working on getting a regulator and getting that installed. Don't really want to buy a used on, but $120 for a new one is a bit steep for me, might have to suck it up though.<br /><br />Read over Tom's instructions for hooking the regulator in above, but still a little fuzzy on how to do it, but seems like it's just self explanatory once you look at the regulator, let me know if I'm right. Basically put the + out from the rectifier to the IN on the regulator and the + out from the regulator to wherever I took the + output from the rectifier off of, and then a ground of course to the block or somewhere, any tips on how to find the + out from the rectifier, looks like I just have two yellow wires going in/out of mine?. <br /><br />Tom also mentioned that 1980 -1983 115's used separate regulators, this is what I would prefer to use, and I may just buy one new, as Tom gave me the part #'s above. My only question is, I know some engines have reg/rec's that are water cooled, I'm assuming this is not the case with this type, and I can just mount the reg where I can fit it. Is this correct or do I have to mount it a certain way?<br /><br />I really appreciate you guys helping me through this, I know this post is getting long, but I have limited funds for getting back on the water and you guys are really saving me here. Thanks again, Mike.

 

[Seasport]

Re: '76 115 Charging/Cranking voltage issue

High voltage aint going to damage your stator Cricket. What will damage your stator is excess current draw if say you get a shorted diode in your rectifier and the battery discharges through the stator winding.<br /><br />High voltages can damage your electronics though and this is one reason why people without regulators fit them.<br /><br />Your assumptions are right for the regulator. The IN comes from the rectifier output (should be a red wire) and the OUT goes to where the rectifier was connected (your battery +ve). The two yellow wires on your rectifier should come from the stator coil.<br /><br />The regulator should just bolt on but I'm not familiar with that motor. Tom should be able to advise on that.

 

[Seasport]

Re: '76 115 Charging/Cranking voltage issue

Where in LI are you Cricket? I have a brother who lives in Stony Brook.

 

[Tom Scully]

Re: '76 115 Charging/Cranking voltage issue

The regulator on the 80-83 115's are separate from the rectifier and are not water cooled. They bolted on studs at the rear of the motor above the trim/tilt relays. <br />You can mount it where it will fit, just make sure you have a good ground.

 

[Cricket Too]

Re: '76 115 Charging/Cranking voltage issue

Thanks guys, I will try and find a used one, but will have to go new if I can't find one after too long, already wasted too much time out of the water.<br /><br />Tom...If I don't find a spot to actually "mount" the regulator to the block, can I just wire it in and secure it with zip ties or something where I find a spot, or does it need to be grounded to the block by the mounting bolts/studs?<br /><br />Seasport....Small world, I'm from Stony Brook and do most of my boating there as well. Does your brother boat/fish around there?

 

[Tom Scully]

Re: '76 115 Charging/Cranking voltage issue

The case of the regulator needs to be grounded.<br />If you can't mount it to a stud just attach a wire to it with a nut and bolt thru one of the mounting holes and attach the other end of the wire to a bolt on the block. It's about 3" long x 1.25" wide x 1" thick.<br />I checked and I do have an old one that I think is good in my garage, I can test it to make sure if you're interested.<br /><br />PS I'm originally from Queens, and used to to deliveries on Long Island for an electrical supply house.

 

[Seasport]

Re: '76 115 Charging/Cranking voltage issue

Cricket. My brother is not really into powerboating or fishing but he does a bit of small boat sailing around there. I've been to Stony Brook quite a few times and been out sailing a couple of times with him. Nice area.

 

[Cricket Too]

Re: '76 115 Charging/Cranking voltage issue

Tom...I am definitely interested. Don't want to get in any trouble here on this site, so e-mail me at mmcpeck20@gmail.com, and let me know if it's good when you test it. Don't think the moderators look too highly on guys selling/buying parts from one another on this forum, but I wouldn't mind taking it off your hands.<br /><br />Again small world, I actually live in Astoria right now, grew up in Stony Brook and still have my boat out there, but work in the city, so I live in here now.<br /><br />Seasport...Yeah it is a nice area, not the best spot on the island for fishing, but sometimes there's a decent bite. Good area for sailing though, the Sound is big and gets windy.<br /><br />Again guys thanks for all the help, Mike.

 

[Cricket Too]

Re: '76 115 Charging/Cranking voltage issue

Bump

 

[Cricket Too]

Re: '76 115 Charging/Cranking voltage issue

Bump

 

[Tom Scully]

Re: '76 115 Charging/Cranking voltage issue

Sorry Cricket, I've been swamped at work.<br />Shoot me an e-mail tom@apgelectric.com

 

[Cricket Too]

Re: '76 115 Charging/Cranking voltage issue

Hey guys, just wanted to follow up and post my results so someone else may be able to use this in the future. Had a problem logging on for the past couple of weeks, but got that all straightened out now.

Anyway, Tom Scully was kind enough to send me an old rectifier he had on his shelf from an '83 115, I put it in and had an instant solution to my problem. The engine charges at about 14.2 at WOT and has been running good. The cranking problem seems to have gone away, and I'm still not sure what it was, might be my starter on it's way out, and sitting all winter showed me the first signs of it. But it seems that these un-regulated charging systems need to be regulated with today's batteries.

Hope this, along with the other posts I read, can help someone out.

Thanks again to everyone who helped me out.

Mike