Voltage Regulator 302 Ford |
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Bhedbloom
Senior Member Joined: December-01-2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 116 |
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Posted: July-09-2005 at 3:21pm |
Hi Guys,
The black wire that connects my starter solenoid to the battery, and the red wire that connects the solenoid to starter got very hot (Blistered my skin hot)when I tried to start my boat this time. There was some white smoke coming from around the starter solenoid, and the starter. I think it may be the voltage regulator needs replacing. Do you all know what the problem might be? The starter will not even turn over and I just put in a new battery this season. Thanks for any and all help! |
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Barry, South Carolina
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AWhite70
Senior Member Joined: March-05-2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 242 |
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A bad voltage regulator wouldn't cause a problem like this. It sounds like your starter might be bad and drawing too much current. Too much current through the wires causes them to heat up. You should check out your starter and solenoid.
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GottaSki
Grand Poobah Joined: April-21-2005 Location: NE CT Status: Offline Points: 3363 |
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Could be the starter...
BUT New battery, then problems...Let me guess, you just put in a marine deep cycle battery; thats no fish motor. DC motors pull more current the slower they go..Full current but low voltage equals low power. Slow cranking rpms means too much current for too long that fries the starter, wires and other components. |
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"There is nothing, absolutely nothing, half so much worthwhile as messing around with boats...simply messing."
River Rat to Mole |
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Siveck
Senior Member Joined: March-14-2005 Location: Birmingham, AL Status: Offline Points: 100 |
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GottaSki is exactly correct. I encountered the same issues with a deep cycle battery. An automotive battery solved my problems.
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1975 Ski Nautique
"Small Letter Boat" |
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JEFF KOSTIS
Gold Member Joined: April-19-2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 817 |
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Deep cycle marine batteries just dont deliver the CCA that automotive batteries do, but can be discharged and recharged without damaging the battery unlike an automotive one. It sounds like something is wrong - either the starter is gone and drawing excessive current, or the connections are bad usually resulting in the wire getting very hot at the lugs. DC (starter) motors draw less current as the voltage is reduced, and more as the voltage increases. Everyone gets confused betwwen AC motors and DC motors. AC motors have a thing called inductance which causes a lower voltage to draw more current. Think of the heater motor in a car. Having the switch on low puts a huge resistor in series, effectively lowering the voltage to the motor making it spin slower. The motor draws a lot less than on high.
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GottaSki
Grand Poobah Joined: April-21-2005 Location: NE CT Status: Offline Points: 3363 |
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Jeff you speak as if ignorance were a virtue. The deep cycle battery problem is very repeatable. The Deep cycle bats higher internal resistance lowers delivered voltage under high draw. The motor sees high current but not the voltage, rpms are low so the motor looks like a dead short; everything gets hot.
I didn't stay at a holiday inn last night, but I am an electrical engineer. |
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"There is nothing, absolutely nothing, half so much worthwhile as messing around with boats...simply messing."
River Rat to Mole |
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surroundsound64
Senior Member Joined: June-22-2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 151 |
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Bad starter. Get that sucker rebuilt.
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1981 Ski Nautique
2000 SAN Looking for a 2000-2006 SAN |
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Bhedbloom
Senior Member Joined: December-01-2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 116 |
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Thanks for all the help guys.
I don't use deep cycle batteries for starting. I only use marine starting batteries. I think Jeff hit it right and my starter is shot causing it to draw to much current. I have it in the shop being tested and rebuilt today. I'll post again to let you all know how it turns out. Also, I did replace my voltage regulator (even though it was not the problem) because the old style has exposed heat resistor coils on the back and they get hot right after starting the engine causing any engine comartment residue or oil around them to burn off (any smoke in the engine compartment is not a good thing). |
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Barry, South Carolina
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GottaSki
Grand Poobah Joined: April-21-2005 Location: NE CT Status: Offline Points: 3363 |
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Good call, guys!
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"There is nothing, absolutely nothing, half so much worthwhile as messing around with boats...simply messing."
River Rat to Mole |
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Bhedbloom
Senior Member Joined: December-01-2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 116 |
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Thanks everyone for the help!!!
It was the starter. I had a local shop rebuild it at a fraction of the cost of a new one ($60.00), Painted it Old Ford Blue, Installed it, and she fired right up just like before. Can't beat that with a stick. Happy Boating, Barry |
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Barry, South Carolina
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