Ian, I'm perplexed. Can't offer any solution, just a story. I was driving my 1993 Nissan Pathfinder on the Interstate when the entire truck shut down and the cabin filled with smoke. I mean the entire electrical system died. No electrical of any kind.
Managed to get to the side of the road and have it towed to a garage. Had to replace a whole bunch of electrical components to the tune of $6000. The garage said the alternator caused a voltage spike. I filed with my insurance company and they paid all but deductible and the cost of the new alternator. Dennis C. Touche' 35-1 #83 Mandeville, LA On Thu, Sep 26, 2019 at 2:26 PM Ian Matthew via CnC-List < cnc-list@cnc-list.com> wrote: > I have been following the list for many years and I enjoy reading the > wisdom of this group. I have an interesting problem and seek your advice. > > I have an very intermittent electrical problem (in fact it has only > happened twice in the last 7 years. In both cases it has resulted in > electrical / electronic components becoming 'blown out' with all fuses > inline remaining good. > > The first time I suddenly lost my AM/FM radio and ALL my navigation > lights. The engine also stopped as I had no power to drive the electric > fuel pump. This happened when motoring back home at night after a long > race. Fortunately there was wind and a hand-held VHF and a powerful > spotlight on the sails allowed us to be seen by commercial traffic. > Afterwards, I checked - ALL the incandescent bulbs that were on had blown, > but the fuses were OK. The radio had internal circuit board components > blown but again the inline fuses (there are 2) were OK. In the case of the > fuel pump, this had to be replaced. > Thinking this may have been a spike from the alternator, I replaced the > alternator. > > Last week (3 years later), motoring back in the dark I had a similar > problem, but this time only my VHF radio 'blew'. Again the inline fuse was > good. The navigation lights have been replaced with LED lights and the > AM/FM radio was off. > > I often motor after long races and this has only happened twice! > > Does anyone have any ideas as to what may have caused this. I am an > engineer so can diagnose most things but this has baffled me. > > I am about to upgrade my VHF radio for one with DSC and internal GPS and > to add some wind instruments. (I have a Raymarine knotmeter/depth meter > combined, and a EV-100 autopilot.) I want to separate my electronics > electrical input and have considered putting them on an isolated battery, > but charging is a problem. Is there some circuit protector I can put in > place to stop this happening again? > > All suggestions welcomed. > > BTW - for those of you with 29 mk 1's - you can race them competitively in > strong winds (as is usual on San Francisco Bay) - keep the boat flat and > have a really good crew! > > > -- > Ian Matthew > "Siento el Viento" C&C 29-1 > San Francisco Bay > _______________________________________________ > > Thanks everyone for supporting this list with your contributions. Each > and every one is greatly appreciated. If you want to support the list - > use PayPal to send contribution -- https://www.paypal.me/stumurray > >
_______________________________________________ Thanks everyone for supporting this list with your contributions. Each and every one is greatly appreciated. If you want to support the list - use PayPal to send contribution -- https://www.paypal.me/stumurray
