Voltmeters show high voltage

[Bloodreddeuce]

I have a 2001 SeaFox with twin 115 Johnson's. Last week one of my Voltmeters jumps off the scale when I start the engine. I removed the meter and gently tapped it back down to zero and it worked temporarily. Yesterday the other voltmeter did the exact same thing. Is this a sign that my meters are bad or something more extreme? They act as if they are off calibration showing 18 volts when running but when the engines are turned off they stay in the middle of the gauge. Thanks

 

[JB]

Re: Voltmeters show high voltage

You may have regulator problems on one or both engines, BRD.<br /><br />Correct output from the charging circuit(s) should be 14.6 to 16 volts when the engines are running.<br /><br />Good luck.

 

[Bloodreddeuce]

Re: Voltmeters show high voltage

thanks for the reply but I forgot to mention that both happened right after I connected a battery charger to the batteries. Does this add any insight?<br /><br />Thanks Again

 

[Kesh]

Re: Voltmeters show high voltage

The other day happened to my Tai-Tai that the voltage regulator was damaged (at least that is what I remember, but not sure, because we were also having firing problems, so we replaced the coils under the flywheel and the powerpack).<br /><br />The fact is that one morning, when testing the boat outside the marina I noticed the voltmeter jumping high, proportionally to the RPMs. What I did at the moment was to put my fishfinder in voltmeter mode (its a Humminbird that has this feature) and verified that the voltage was going too high. In fact, the fishfinder turns itself off when it detects a voltage higher than 18 volts. Lol, prior to discover the problem with the voltage I had noticed a strange behavior of the fishfinder, it turned itself off twice without explanation. Then I noticed the voltmeter abnormal reading.<br /><br />What I recommend is to check with another voltmeter just to have a second reading, and then try to troubleshoot the charging/regulating system.

 

[JB]

Re: Voltmeters show high voltage

Hmmm. With the charger connected and the engines off?<br /><br />Could be the regulator in the charger.

 

[Boatist]

Re: Voltmeters show high voltage

I would check with a good voltmeter. If actually over 16 volts then I would disconnect your new charger and check again. If it returns to normal then make sure you had it connected correctly, then call for help. Many electronics today will run ok up to 20 volts but some will burn up. Even simple things like navigation lights will have shortened life and and generate much more heat. Not worth blowing up a ingnition module, voltage meter, Radio, Depth Finder, or GPS from too high a voltage.

 

[braindead0]

Re: Voltmeters show high voltage

You'll eventually cook your battery charging it at too high a voltage, that's for sure.

 

[Bloodreddeuce]

Re: Voltmeters show high voltage

Thanks all for your replies. I have a Si-Tex Pro Fish II and I can also check the voltage with that and it reads 13 volts when running. I do not believe that its pushing excess volts. Its like I said earlier..its like it off calibration but its just seems strange that both meters now are going off the screen and that both engines would both do this within a week of each other reading 18+ volts. I may just go and replace them both and any future charging of batteries I will make sure the batteries are disconnected.