done after the alarm has gone off are pointless ) , the voltage at the domestic battery and the voltage at the engine battery . if you get results on a split diode system like, alt volts 16 volts, eng batt 15 volts , domestic battery 12 volts, then the domestic battery is not connected to the alternator, the most likley cause of this is failure of the split charger diode, or failure of the split charger relay. check the relay or diode .
For a split charger relay, go to the 2 x main connectors on the relay, and ensure that the voltage into the relay is the same as the voltage coming out, if there is a difference of more that 0.2 volts then the relay is not working. Solution replace the relay .
With a split charger diode, check the input voltage of the diode and the out put voltage to the domestic battery, there should be a voltage drop of between 0.6 and 1.2 volts, if however there is more than this the diode has failed, Solution :replace the diode.
Fault on panel: Red high battery voltage trip light on
This trip has been activated because the battery voltage ( at the end of the red sense wire ) has exceeded 15.5 volts ( x 2 for 24 volts ). the max charge voltage from the advanced reg is 14.8 volts, therefore it is not possible for this trip to be activated under normal circumstances.
There are only 3 possibilities for this trip to come on :
1)the sterling advanced regulator has failed closed and has started to over charger the batteries
2)the standard alternator regulator has failed closed and gone to over charger the batteries
3)the red sense wire has been disconnected
How to determine which, and what to do about it
Put a volt meter on the domestic battery, ( or where ever the red sterling sense wire goes to ), start the engin up, watch the battery voltage climb up and up, once it gets to 15.5 volts and the unit trips, if the voltage continues to climb then the standard alternator regulator has failed and there is nothing we can do about this except warn you. This is the worst and most dangerous fault you can get on a alternator system, and the alternator must be fixed as soon as possible, if a long journey must be undertaken then remove the b+ ( positive cable ) from the back of the alternator, and get to port and repair the problem . Failure to fix this problem will result in the total loss of the batteries and other equipment on the boat and a possible fire as well.
If however after the voltage reaches 15.5 volts and the advanced reg warning light comes on and the voltage drops away down to
Fault on panel: Red High battery voltage light flashing
High battery temp trip
This has been activated because the thermal sensor provided with the advanced regulator has picked up a temperature in excess of 50 degc. There are a few very obviouse reasons fr this and a few subtle. The important thing to find out is where the temperature sensor is, and to expose where it is.
1)the most obvious fault is the fact that the batteries are actually very hot, ie 50 def c is just about to hot to touch, if this is the case the batteries will be on there way to boiling and are certainly in a major failure event . if this is the case then switch off the engine and find out why.
If all the batteries are presenting the same heat then you are overcharging the batteries, or are simply in a very hot environment where the batteries should not be. If however only 1 battery is hot and the rest are cooler then it is simply a scrap battery, take it out of circuit and replace it.
2)the temperature sensor should be connected to the lead post at the top of a battery, in the event of the terminals becoming lose, or a high current is being passed then it is possible for the battery terminal to over heat and set of the alarm, when in fact the batteries are o.k. . this should be very obvious, feel the temp of the post where the thermal sensor is, and feel the batteries, if the post is hot and the battery is cold the fix the bad connections in your battery terminal.
