David,
Your glow plugs probably draw something like 15-20 amps. On my M35B (which is basically a newer version of your M4-30) my glow plug relay is wired through a 25 amp breaker. Download the Installation Manual for your engine from the Westerbeke site. It will tell you the anticipated current draw of the starter in the section where it talks about sizing the battery cables. The starter on my 36hp M35B is designed to draw 175 amps. Glow plugs plus cranking will draw the battery voltage down by almost 2 volts, to something like 10.2 or 10.4. Bill is correct in telling you the problem is more likely corrosion/loose connections in the starter cable or an developing problem in an older starter. BTW, I have noticed the same thing you have with the new Garmin 541 plotter/sounder at the helm - it shuts off when the engine is started. It is wired to the "Compass" light switch in the engine panel and gets power through the panel 12v lead, which goes back to that 25 amp breaker on the engine and from there to a connection on the starter solenoid. The plotter at the nav station and all of the other instruments get power from a separate cable that connects from the battery selector switch to the back of the breaker panel, and none of them shut down when starting. Running a power wire from the breaker panel to the helm GPS is one of my future projects. I hope it cures the situation with the Garmin 541 shutting off. Rick Brass Washington, NC From: CnC-List [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of [email protected] Sent: Sunday, May 19, 2013 6:17 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: Stus-List Starting a Universal Another possibility...the starter itself may be drawing way to much power. This can be due to a variety of factors including badly worn brushes, internal corrosion, bad solenoid.... Another possibility that occurred on my C&C was bad internal corrosion where the battery connectors attach to the battery cables. The corrosion was hard to spot, but evident when we cut away the vinyl connector cover. I have glow plug systems on a tractor and my car, and don't believe that they draw enough power to prevent the starter from working, unless the batteries are VERY weak. Bill MYSTY Landfall 39 The glow plugs draw a lot of power, and that may be slowing down your engine cranking speed somewhat. It is not unusual for system voltage to drop below the minimum required by electronic devices while cranking. One thing to watch out for is exhaust water getting back into the engine during extended cranking. I have a leak at the exhaust elbow which is hard to pin down for the above reason. Can't just hook up a garden hose to the water injector. Oh joy, oh joy. Steve Thomas C&C27 MKIII David Knecht Aries 1990 C&C 34+ New London, CT = _______________________________________________ This List is provided by the C&C Photo Album http://www.cncphotoalbum.com [email protected]
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