T&T: Alternator-Tachometer Problem

[tbehan6468 at aol.com]

Stephen - Let me relate what happenned to me.



I had the same exact problem with my port Perkins tachs. I also have twin Perkins engines (4-cyl). The wire from the port engine alternator that heads off to the tach sticks out into the area between the port and starboard engines. This arrangement practically guarantees that you will brush up against it periodically. And it has a nice plastic connector going into the alternator. Part of?the internal connection inside the plug-in that goes into the alternator eventually broke. ?Once it was repaired, the tach worked fine.



I realize this may not apply in your case because your tach was woring fine and suddenly stopped, but you might check the conection just in case.



Tim Behan

Monk 36


-----Original Message-----
From: Stephen Offutt <stephen at ourdutchmaster.com>
To: 'trawler world' <trawlers-and-trawlering at lists.samurai.com>
Sent: Mon, Aug 10, 2009 6:47 pm
Subject: T&T: Alternator-Tachometer Problem




I would like a little advice on where to start with this problem.  My port
Perkins 6.354-4 Engine had started fine and I ran the throttle up to about
1300 rpm to kick off the alternator input to the tachometer.  This is normal
behavior for these 65amp alternators; I think they are called 'two wire
alternators'.

The tachometer ran up as normal.  It tracked fine with the throttle run-up
to 2000 rpm.  I then started the starboard engine in same sequence; with the
same normal response.  

After 7-10 minutes, I noticed that the port tachometer had dropped to zero.
The port engine was still running fine.  Running the engine up to about
2000rpm did not restart the tachometer.  I killed the engine and went
through normal start procedures twice with no effect on the tachometer
reading.  It stayed stuck on zero.

Of course the first question would be: did the port battery charging meter
run-up to the normal its normal level.  It did on the first start - I always
check that.  I did not think to check that on the two subsequent re-starts
and run-ups - woops :)- I just thought of that.

That is the problem.  I would greatly appreciate any troubleshooting advice
and guesses at the problem.  The good news is that the port engine
alternator is inboard and easily accessed, unlike the starboard outboard
alternator.

Thanks for any help,

Stephen V. Offutt
stephen at ourdutchmaster.com
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