Murphy's Law - Days 11 & 12- Electrical Problems Finally Resolved

The tenets of Murphy's Law, which all of you are familiar, is restated below and the theme for today's article.

1. Everything takes longer than you think.
2. Everything is harder than it looks.
3. Anything that can possibly go wrong, does (Shapiro added) and does with a vengeance

"Everything takes longer than you think" 

Three days ago, when I first described the failure of the house electrical system, I anticipated that I would need about an hour of Bob's (the tech's time) to fix the problem.  Well he's been at it for three days (about 12 hours) and we still do not have water, heads (toilets), showers, 12 volt lights, TV, outdoor stereo, etc. 

"Everything is harder than it looks"

First, I thought it was the water pump.  Then we thought it was the main breaker switch or the solenoid that connects the large 12 volt port battery to the house system.  Then we discovered a dead battery charger and I naively thought and proceeded to report that all would be well when the remanufactured unit arrived at 10:30am the next morning.  Well the unit arrived ON TIME, was the correct model and should have popped right in.  Right?  As of this writing it is on the engine room bulkhead wall showing 120 volts coming in and nothing going out to the batteries.

"Anything that can possibly go wrong, does and does with a vengeance."

Turns out the unit was slightly different and as result, a one hour job took 8 hours with more to come this morning.  The slight difference in the unit's design (despite being the same model) combined with Sea Ray's thoughtless installation of it at time of manufacture and its diabolical location all contributed to a frustrating day.  Turns out Sea Ray left no slack in either the 120 volt inbound cables or 12 volt outbound cables.  This turned out to be the crucial factor requiring Bob to send out for short length's of 12 volt cable.  Once his assistant, Sam, returned with the cable, they proceeded with the splicing exercise but because of the charger's difficult location, they did not complete the job.

So, as we sit this morning, we have two discharging batteries, no current to the house and engines that will not start.  Note: While we are not going anywhere, the engines were used as part of the diagnostic process.  More on the engines in a moment.

Meanwhile, back to the port battery.  Bob left a small capacity charger on the battery Tuesday night and as of yesterday (Wednesday) morning, the battery had recharged to 12.3 volts and appeared to be holding the charge.  In theory that should have supplied enough power to activate the port side main switch and enable it to activate the solenoid and supply house current.  No such luck.  The main switch is dead and the solenoid will not activate.  So three days into the project and we are still dead in the water.

All of this prompted a call to Sea Ray, where I spoke with Steve Jones of customer relations, which we did while Sam was getting the 12 volt cables.  Steve listened to our tale of woe and determined that our plight warranted speaking with one of their electrical engineers.  A good hour on the phone got us essentially nowhere.  They built the boat, knew what we were talking about and were unable to help Bob diagnose the problem.  Now perhaps you understand my adding "and does with a vengeance."

Back to the engines.  Phil, from Skipper Buds, who we have known since May 12, 2006 when he gave us our "Captains Orientation" and who I called initially to help diagnose the problem suggested that we start the starboard engine and then use the emergency start function (essentially a built in jumper cable) to start the port engine.  The starboard engine started but while the port engine cranked, it would not start.  Note: The 48 is equipped with new age diesel engines equipped with an ECM (electronic control module - aka a computer) to manage engine operation such as air, fuel, and who knows what else.  According to Phil, the engine would not start because its brain (ECM) was not getting enough juice.

Yesterday morning, when there was 12.3 volts in the port battery the port engine fired up but not on its own (port) battery.  It required a jump from the starboard battery.  So, was there enough electricity to power up the engine's ECM but not enough to crank the engine or does the port solenoid need to be engaged?  I don't know and this line of reasoning may not be correct.  Last night in a discussion with Soph (who is technically savvy - holding several ASE certifications) we attempted to start the port engine to see if the alternator would charge the battery.  No luck.  Neither the port or starboard engine would crank.  Talk about dead it the water.

Stay tuned.  It not over til the fat lady sings or, in this case, we get that port solenoid to engage.  Did I mention that I do not have high hopes for resolving the problem today?

SIDE STORY

On Tuesday, when this saga began, I placed four screws that secure the cover of the Main Disconnects Enclosure and four screws that Bob removed from the buss bar that secures the solenoid switches.  I then placed the bag in my tool box so they would not get lost.  Later, I pulled them out for a reason I cannot remember and mindlessly misplaced the bag. Bob asked me for the screws yesterday and I went to my tool box where I knew they were.  They were not there.   I then made several fruitless searches in logical and illogical places. Then, today, Soph called and suggested that we again look at the wiring diagram. I pulled out the Owner's Manual and went to the Main Disconnects Enclosure diagram where I found the lost bag.  Early signs of senility I suspect.

POSTSCRIPT

Bob arrived at 11:00am and immediately proceeded to complete the battery charger installation.  Once that was completed, we resumed the trial and error process of tracing current from the batteries to  switches, solenoids and relays in the Main Disconnects Enclosure.

At approximately 2:30pm Bob declared victory.  Bobbie, his assistant, while checking for power in all connections touched a fuse panel in the upper right hand corner of the Main Disconnects Enclosure and noticed that one of the four flat spade connections was loose.  That connection's movement caused the 7.5 amp fuse to blow and that was the fuse to the port solenoid. 

Fuses for the solenoids

Noteworthy is that all four connections were loose.  Literally, they came off with just a touch of your finger.  Bobbie tightened each.

Bob Hodges and his assistant Bobbie

In retrospect, we determined that the problem with the battery charger was not related to the blown fuse.  It had occurred earlier, perhaps at or around the time of our departure from Chicago.  Its impact (discharge of the batteries) was masked by the 4 to 8 hour runs down the Illinois River, which charged the batteries with the alternator.

Perhaps a clue to the battery charger failure was the fact that the port engine volt meter, located in helm's the SmartCraft electronic engine monitor, was indicating 13.6 volts at engine start-up suggesting that it was discharging over-night.  During the day, the voltage would build back to 14.0 volts. 

Note: My slightly obsessive nature causes me to be hyper aware of minor changes in the operation of electronics and machinery although I cannot always understand what the subtle changes mean.

The fuse most likely went to failure while we sitting at the Alton Marina and the first indication was the failure of the water system.

What is particularly sad is that neither Darrin, the ENGINEER at Sea Ray nor Phil the expert at the dealer, Skipper Buds, mentioned the four fuses.  In fact, one suggested that we could hot wire the solenoid by laying hot wire and ground on the same stud.  That's close to the equivalent of putting a penny in a fuse box.  Not good.

The person most helpful in resolving the problem was Soph, who spent hours on the phone helping Bob and myself think through the diagnostic strategy.

So, $1,318 dollars later ($1,125 labor plus $193 for the battery charger) the problems were solved.  There was no charge for the 7.5 amp fuse.  It came from my onboard supplies. 

Blown fuse. It doesn't even photograph well

Did I mention that I added "and does with a vengeance" to Murphy's otherwise perfect Law