Alternator Woes

Yesterday, when we realised the batteries were not charging with the engine on, we looked up charging problems in our copy of Nigel Calder's Marine Diesel engines Book. It was quite doom laden. It basically says that if the belt is tight enough, the alternator is probably broken. It goes on to say how fragile alternators are.

I checked the belt. It was loose. Tightening it is quite difficult. Getting a line around and hauling on a winch did the trick. It didn't help.

Once in Campbeltown, ee came up with multiple ideas for how to survive without being able to charge the batteries from the engine but none were good.

There is a Yanmar group on Facebook where I've got good advice there in the past, although members in the US have a very different experience of parts and maintenance than we do in Scotland.

Some people on the group were very dismissive of what I had read in Calder. The consensus is that alternators are very robust and I should check the wiring first. That was very reassuring. Wiring is something I know how to check!

They also said that the charging warning lamp can fail and this stops charging. I read the manual and it says to always check that the light comes on and then goes out. But our light has never come on!

Then we had our next new problem. My DMM was on the blink. The display wasn't showing all segments and I could work out what it was saying. I checked the battery and it was good. Another thing that needed replacing.

We got shore power so at least we could charge our tech. I also got out our mains car battery charger. It's almost never been used. It seemed ok at first but then started giving strange readings and the mode button wouldn't do anything. Our third problem.

First thing this morning I copied out the wiring diagram from the owners handbook, including only the relevant parts. With a new understanding of the wiring, I could come up with some tests. Once I had a new DMM.

We went shopping. There is a big shop near the Co-op which is Campbeltown's emporium for everything farmers might need. They had a DMM, but no battery charger. We got a new one in another shop.

Now I could do some checks. After trying everything on the warning light path and none of my tests passing, I spotted something that wasn't on the diagram. A dull orange plastic box marked "relay".

It was clearly in-line between the alternator and the control panel, and in poor condition. I took the lid off and it was very unlikely to be working.

I took a picture and put it on the FB group and also searched the web for Yanmar and Relay. Yes! There was a YBW forum post from someone with exactly our symptoms. The consensus was that this is fitted to keep the alternator out of circuit during starting to reduce the load on the starter motor. The recommendation was to remove it.

The plug in the Yanmar wiring harness that is meant to go into the alternator was plugged into an inline socket connected to the relay and a plug of the same type went to the relay as well and was plugged into the alternator. So it was easy to take the relay out.

Success! The warning light now comes on and goes off and the engine still starts and the voltage display on the chart plotter show the voltage increases when the engine is on.

 

I cut the relay off and taped up the rest of the extra wiring. If we need to put a new relay in, we can just crimp some new spade terminals on the wires.

I'll get in touch with French Marine, who installed the engine and check this is the right answer permanently but for now it's panic over.

But it looks like we need to sort the stern gland again...

Regatta viewing and battery worries

We left Kip 07:50 and motored down Clyde towards Largs to see the start of that day’s race for the Richard Mille Regatta. This had attracted a selection of smart classic gaff rigged racing yachts of various sizes, and we wanted to see them.

 There was a bit of a breeze coming up the Clyde, so we motored towards Toward as we got the main sail up then turned towards Largs and sailed. When I went below to log the engine going off I noticed that there was more water in the bilges than I expected. I pressed the switch to manually start the bilge pump, and I could hear it working, but Julian could not see any water coming out. The pump was blocked again.

We are so used to this happening now that Julian went below while I took the helm, and after 15 minutes the bilge pump was restored to full function again, after he cleared the non-return valve. We continued sailing until just gone 09:00 when the wind faded away, and the engine went on again.

We got to the north end of Great Cumbrae at 10:20 and could see some smart classic racing yachts coming towards us, so we lowered the engine revs, and hung around waiting for them. Then we turned the engine off and drifted around admiring the yachts. We approached one of the smaller ones and asked what the course would be, and was told they did not know yet!

looking up the Clyde 

Arran in the background

We hung around as long as seemed sensible, trying to stay clear of any where where the start line might be, and after a while we were heading down the Clyde on the outside of Great Cumbrae at about 2 knots, carried by the tide and a little wind to give us steerage way. It did not look like the race was going to start any time soon, so at 11:35 we put the engine on and headed towards the end of Bute.

Our chart-plotter showed that the reported charge on our batteries was only 12V, which was lower than we expected, and it did not increase as we used the engine. We hooked the solar panel back up to charge the battery, but it did not seem to do much despite the sunshine. This was worrying. Julian went below to check the alternator belt. He thought it might be a little loose, so we turned the engine off again so he could tighten it. We sailed along nicely, and I got the jib out which took our speed up to around 3 knots, and I had a lovely sail while Julian sweated over the engine, tightening the alternator belt…

We stayed sailing even after Julian finished below, and only reluctantly turned the engine back as we turned to head north of Arran, which put the wind on the nose. The reported battery voltage stayed at 12V for a while, then dropped to 11.9V.

We did not get any more usable wind all the way to Campbeltown, and we worried and planned what to do it the alternator needed replacing. The thing to do first was hook up to shore power at the marina, and charge the battery, but would we get a berth? The marina manager said they were pretty busy when I phoned him at 3pm, and we would not be there for another 6 hours…

Campbeltown Marina is pretty small, and I got the bowsprit in as we approached, there were yachts on the outer pontoon we could raft against, but as I called to ask permission the reply I got was that a yacht had just left, and there was a pontoon berth free. He then walked along to it and helped us moor up.

We turned the engine off at 21:10, and headed straight for the Co-Op.

Settling off cruising again

I rowed out to Robinetta by myself at lunch time, with a full Worm load of luggage. We had already taken some provisions and Julian’s new (second hand) Brompton bike aboard on Sunday, but we were going away for a long cruise, so there was a lot to stock up with. I rowed back and went ashore to finish packing while Julian was at his Helensburgh Gaelic class, and as soon as he was back from that we rowed out together with the last of the provisions.

We cast off from the mooring at 16:45 and motored out of the Gareloch. There was hardly any wind in the forecast, but as we passed Rosneath Caravan Park we could feel a sailing breeze, so raised the mainsail.

Heading for Cloche Point

We spent the next 2 hours beating down the Clyde towards Cloche Point. Apart from the fact that the wind was coming from exactly where we wanted to go the conditions were perfect. Blue sky, warm breeze, and flat seas. We dodged a race out of the Royal Gourock Yacht Club, then rounded Cloche Point, expecting to be able to free of the sails and go onto a broad reach. 

round Cloche point

 Instead the wind died down and went astern. Our speed dropped to 2 knots and we tried fishing, but with no birds about we were not expecting any luck, and the line was empty when Julian hauled it in. Shortly after this we lowered the main sail and motored into Kip marina for the night at 20:30.

One of those days

 The Fife Regatta Rothesay Race was due to start at 10:30 at Largs.

Our plan was to meet a friend at Kip and sail up to Cloch Point to meet other local OGA members sailing down from the Gareloch and then head to Toward Point and meet another friend sailing from the Kyles.

But the sea state was much worse than we had hoped. A deep Atlantic low was making its way from Ireland to Wales bringing strong southerly winds.

We motored north, planning to raise sail when we turned round.

Moyra and Lavinia Rose were heading past Kilcreggan to meet us.

We saw them in the distance and decided to go head to wind to raise sail. It was getting very bouncy.

We got the main up with a reef and turned the engine off. We were able to head south but slowly.

We hoped the race would use the long course which would bring it towards us. This was likely as the short course would be a single beam reach.

The wind built and the waves got bigger too. It was really too much for little Robinetta.

Shane messaged us not to wait for him and then that they were turning back.

Michelle, our guest for the day, was unflappable. But we decided that it would be safer to head home.

This would be a dead run in big seas. We haven't yet set Robinetta to be able to set a preventer when reefed. So we dropped the main and motored.

© Michael Deveney

Once past the path of the Western Ferries, the sea state calmed down. We put the main back up with lots more reef in and sailed.

We managed to sail almost to the sugar boat. It was a really nice sail and we caught up Moyra who had also turned back.

The wind was building again, but without the fetch of the Firth. We hit 6 knots and it was getting too much, so we dropped the main for the last time and motored back to the mooring, passing Moyra as she turned towards her own mooring in Castle Bay.

© John Aston

Back on our mooring we had lunch and rowed ashore.

Sometimes it's best to go where the wind wants to take you.

A short trip

I had my monthly Gaelic conversation circle in Sandbank this morning but there was time before that to investigate the accessories problem. They worked last year but they had stopped. I started checking out the connections and found the chocolate block joining two pieces of flex together. Alison said "Why didn't you use gel crimps?". I didn't know. Probably they weren't on board. So I took out the chocolate block and put two gel crimps in. And everything works!

5 minutes well spent.

My Gaelic thing was super fun. We played the Gaelic version of "Scottish Quest". It's a good game.

Then we had lunch in the café at the marina and set off.

Today's wind was on the nose out of Holy Loch, more gentle than yesterday and due to die away.

So we had everything up and Robinetta sailed perfectly and gently straight towards Kip Marina.

On the way, we saw an unfamiliar red buoy. Possibly the race mark for tomorrow's race in the Fife Regatta.

The wind died as promised, but not until we were within half a mile of Kip. By 4 pm we were nicely moored in the marina.

A lovely little sail. This is feeling like a proper weekend.

Back to Holy Loch

We rowed out to Robinetta at 14:25, 2 hours before high water. Any earlier on the tide means a longer carry to get Worm to the water down the pebbly beach, which I like to avoid if possible. Once aboard it took us half an hour to get Robinetta ready to cast off her mooring. This is only our second trip out this year and we are not in practice yet. The wind was strong enough to feel cold, but we had sunshine, and the cabin felt snug and warm as I stowed our bags.

We bent on the no.1 jib, and once we were through the Rhu narrows Julian raised the main sail. I almost immediately asked for a small reef, which duly went in and we sailed off as close to the wind as we could get. This took us out of the Gareloch towards the Sugar Boat.

We were well heeled over, and I noticed that the diesel tank vent began to leak diesel. Once I shut off the diesel valve the leak stopped. I put the kettle on for a much needed cup of tea, while Julian helmed.

By the time we had drunk our tea we were close to the Sugar Boat, so we tacked and set off down the Clyde. There were dark clouds ahead, so I went below and put on my salopettes and sailing jacket. When I took the helm to let Julian do the same Robinetta’s helm felt heavy, and I asked |Julian for a little more reef. We did not need to tack again before reaching Holy Loch, but we shortened sail a few times, ending up with a fully reefed main and staysail as we passed Kilcreggan. The waves were building, but we were sailing across them, not into them, so Robinetta took them in her stride This sail configuration was giving us a steady 3 knots, with no stress even in the gusts.

By the time we were crossing the entrance to Loch Long Julian wanted the jib out again, and we had an exhilarating sail above 5 knots into Holy Loch, rolling across the short chop.

As we reached the shelter of Holy Loch the waves flattened, and the wind moved round and fell lighter, so we were very broad reaching towards our destination. We shook out all the reef, and sailed on for another ten minutes until it was time to get the sails down and stowed. We were tied up at Holy Loch Marina by 18:20 after a lovely sail.

We had come to Holy Loch to let Julian walk to his Gaelic conversation class tomorrow. Not the fastest way to get there, but definitely the most fun.

Rope round the prop, and a galley "fire".

After spending Saturday socializing with members of the Clyde Cruising Club, the Clyde Corinthian Yacht Club, the Fairlie Yacht Club, and the Holy Loch Sailing Club. It was time to head home.

We had been safely tucked up on the inside of the visitor pontoon, with Worm out of the water beside us. Once Robinetta was prepared to leave, and the engine warmed up, we launched Worm beneath the bowsprit on a long painter. This usually works without any problems, but this time the wind caught Worm, and rather than falling neatly into place behind Robinetta she was blown around her bow, with the line running under Robinetta's keel.

Julian called to me to stop the engine, but I needed to keep the power on to complete the turn, and by the time I could throttle back Worm's painter was well and truly wrapped round the prop. The engine alarm went, and I quickly turned off the engine, and raised the staysail to give me steerage way. This worked a treat, and I could keep in the center of the fairway out of the marina.

Meanwhile Julian was leaning over the stern trying to free Worm's painter. This meant I could not move the tiller easily, which made steering difficult, but luckily I spotted an empty mooring buoy ahead that I could steer towards, and we decided to pick it up, then sort out the problem.

Once we were moored Julian got into Worm, and began working on clearing the prop. It took about half an hour to work the line free, but eventually we could turn the engine on, and begin to head home.

The wind was light but usable in Holy Loch, and we got the main sail up as soon as possible, and spent an enjoyable hour tacking slowly out into the Clyde. This was not entirely without incident. I put the kettle on to make a cup of soup, and after a couple of minutes I smelt burning. Some of Friday night's stew had spilled unnoticed onto the spirit canister, and as we were heeled and I had not deployed the gimbals, the burning spirit had found the debris and set it alight. No harm was done, but it was interesting to use our fire blanket for the first time!

Once in the Clyde the wind fell away to nothing, and we put the engine on. When the wind came back it was on the bow, and we spent a cold hour and a half heading up river under engine in some wind over tide chop. Turning into the Gairloch the sea state smoothed out, the wind was usable, and the engine went off for a lovely half hour's sail up to our mooring. We tried picking this up under sail, but did not quite manage it, so the engine went on again for a few minutes.

It had been a good weekend away for our first trip of the year, and despite the incidents on the return trip we had kept ourselves safe. It felt good to get back to sailing after the winter.