--- In [email protected], Brian on Harnser <br...@...> wrote:
>
> Bruce Napier laid this down on his screen :
> > Chas says on his Moore 2 Life blog that he has just had his third
> > alternator fail in five years and has been told "an average of between
> > 1 and 2 years is about right for an alternator being used every day
> > charging five domestic batteries". We're still on our first one after
> > nearly six years of charging four batteries.
> >
> > I've never heard that alternators should have such a short life - am I
> > just lucky?
> >
> > â"â"
> > All the best
> >
> > Bruce
> >
> I take it you are moored up now?
> I think the answer to your question is how hard you work it
>
> --
> Brian traveling on Harnser
> http://nbharnser.blogspot.com/
######
Unfortunately you are not the only one who has alternator troubles. I hope I
have just solved mine., (A lumpy 24-v x 100-amp alternator).
I bought a second one less than a year ago, for about £334.00. (The First one
lasted 4-years and ended up with a burnt out stator). Now the second one looked
as though it had failed.
Fortunately, I had the original stator rewound and it was kept as a spare.
I have just replaced my 6 x 110amp/h batteries.
My burnt out stator seemed to be the result of my "Stirling PDAR battery
management system" coupled with failing batteries, thus over-driving my
alternator, which already works in a hot environment and suffers from lack of
cooling. This extra work caused the "burn-out".
Now, as far as I can determine, the "Stirling" is OK as long as the batteries
are in tip-top condition. BUT.....
As soon as the batteries get weak and towards the end of their life, the
alternator has to work harder, as the batteries do not hold their charge
properly. The "Stirling" tries to compensate for this and the alternator gets
hotter and hotter because it is over driven by the "Stirling" which tries to
compensate. This is what probably caused my "burn-out".
I have taken my "Stirling" out of service, so that the alternators own
controller works normally.
My American alternator is a HD one and develops a high rate of charge at low
revs. IT will charge at 60amps (Aprox) at just over engine tick-over (1000
revs). At 1200 revs of the engine, it will charge at almost full capacity, just
short of 100amps when high demands on my 3000watt inverter is called for.
I wonder if one or more of the following faults are present on your domestic
side>>>
(A) A high resistance between your alternator and battery terminals
(B) Are your batteries in good condition and holding their charge
(C) Have you a faulty isolating switch which needs replacing (See A)
(D) Is the alternator running at the right revs and within spec.
(E) Has your alternator enough cooling or is it overheating
I am sure that Tony Brookes will probably have the answer to your problem but
in the meantime, my personal experiences may give you an idea or two and maybe
will give you some things to think about.
I hope you get everything sorted out before Christmas. ~Allan~
