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Volt meter readings at idle.

N

nightstalker

Regular Contributor
I'm not sure what this means. My 1990, 454 Crusaders idle at 600 RPM'S. At idle, both volt meters at the helm show a voltage of about 10.5 volts. Below, at the panal, where I can check each battery using the switch, the voltage shows over 13 volts for each battery. Both batteries spin the engines easily. I thought that the voltage at the helm gauges should be higher, No?
Thanks (electricity ain't my thing)
Nightstalker
 
Sounds like an excessive voltage drop in the harness up to the panel. Best place to start is with a good digital meter. measure the volatge at the battery with the engines warmed up, at idle. record the readings. now measure, with the same meter, the voltage at the meters at the helm. if the digital meter confirms what the gauge shows, you need to find the voltage drop in the harness...not a hard task but one that is usually quite time consuming.
 
Agree with Mark.
Plus, helm located volt meters are generally not extremely accurate to begin with.
The important reading will be directly at the battery bank, and being taken with a good quality VOM.
 
RicardoMarine said:
Agree with Mark.
Plus, helm located volt meters are generally not extremely accurate to begin with.
The important reading will be directly at the battery bank, and being taken with a good quality VOM.
Click to expand...

Guy at the marina with a good gauge checked my batteries this morning and they were fine. Didn't have time to trace anything with Irene boring down on us. We will check everything out next week provided my Luhr's weathers this hurricaine. Everything is battened down, batteries fully charged, bilge pumps ready to go, doubled lines, trippled buoys, etc. Now, all we can do is wait and hope.
Nightstalker
 
Agree, until they become excited.
I'm using the 10si's in the single wire version......, and each requires a bump in RPM before they excite themselves.
Once exited, they should each remain charging even while at lower RPM.

.
 
I'm having similar problem with my 2003 8.1 MPI crusaders. Volt meters at helm reading less than 10 volts, while meter on cabin DC panel reading slightly over 12. Now having additional problem where port engine keeps blowing one of the fuses on engine. Trying to find a wiring diagram for the engine online so i can figure out what that fuse is for. Can anyone point me to a site where i can find the wiring diagrams?
 
welcome to the Forum.

Try crusader's www site - the owner's tab has links to the "recent" manuals. many of the newer engine Owner's Manuals no longer have a wiring diagram so don't set your bar too high.
 
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