Siting here watching lots of snow come down makes my thoughts turn to boat maintenance and I have been reading the very useful Mainecruising site.
First question- Engine panel, alternator wiring and charge control I have a Universal diesel on my boat and the infamous trailer connectors described here: http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/universal_wiring_harness_upgrade&page=1 <http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/universal_wiring_harness_upgrade&page=1>. I also have the panel pictured in this article with ammeter and tachometer. I have already replaced one of the trailer connectors (partially melted) by directly splicing all the wires to their mates with butt connectors and will do the other in the spring. I have read the article a number of times now and am reasonably sure I should also do the starter circuit upgrade as he recommends, but some of the details are fuzzy to me. I have a hard time understanding the whole thing if I can’t look at a wiring diagram. Has anyone created a wiring diagram for the starter/alternator/switches/glow plugs/panel on these Universals? More specifically- his first recommendation is the quick and dirty fix: Simply jump the alternator output to the starter post and disconnect the orange wire. With this jumper the alternator output bypasses the 20+/- feet of teeny tiny 10GA wire and uses the large gauge starter wire to make its way back to the battery switch and then to the battery banks. I presume this eliminates the ammeter completely (no big loss in my book as I never look at it). I am fuzzy on the reason this is important since the alternator does not drive the starter, so without a circuit diagram I am having trouble seeing what this accomplishes. Also- If I go for more than the quick and dirty- I think I have two options. First would be running the alternator to the house bank and an ACR to the starter battery. Second would be a charge controller (Balmar 614) between the alternator and the battery banks. Am I right that it is one or the other? What I read from the same site makes me think the charge controller is the much better option since I have AGM batteries and he discusses extensively the problems of Motorola alternators, temperature compensation and charge control http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/automotive_alternators_vs_deep_cycle_batteries <http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/automotive_alternators_vs_deep_cycle_batteries>. Also, If I add a glow plug solenoid as he discusses, is this the right solenoid to use: http://www.defender.com/product3.jsp?path=-1%7C2276108%7C2276149%7C2290057&id=2262949 <http://www.defender.com/product3.jsp?path=-1|2276108|2276149|2290057&id=2262949> Second unrelated question: In his section on winterizing water systems he says: Water heaters are always drained and by-passed you do not run pink through them! I have done this both ways, but I can’t see why it is so much better to bypass and drain. I found it a real PITA to bypass the water heater so have been doing it the easy way of emptying the water tanks and then running propylene glycol through until red comes out both hot and cold lines. Maybe if I plumbed it to make bypass easier, I might do it that way, but I can’t see why it matters other than using more antifreeze. Thanks- Dave Aries 1990 C&C 34+ New London, CT
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