Balmar and Perkins

[Fletch]

I am in the process of installing a Balmar 6 Series alternator on a
Perkins Prima 50. I have a few questions and hope some wise sailor
might shed some light on the installation.

The Prima engines uses an isolated ground, the Balmar 6 ihas an
isolated ground also.
Balmar suggest the alternator shuld be connected directly to the
largest battery bank, in my case the house. I am wiring an echo
charger to connect the house to the starting battery when charging
from both the new inverter/charger or the alternator.

The original alternator has the power going to the starter which is
connected to the start batter. I plan to disconect the wire between
the alternator and the starter and then route a new larger power wire
to the house battery (switch), will this work ok. This will leave the
starter powered from the start battery.

Has anybody installed a balmar on a Prima engine, if so can you help
me with the correct connection system. Also will the alternator excite
from the exsiting wire?

Thanks

Fletch

[Nick Williams]

Hello all

The boat is a b411 (2000) the exact problem is furling and unfurling the main, i have to help the sail out by hand by pulling on the foot of the sail.  When furling i need the help of a winch, this happens even in a no wind situation.  The sail appears to bunch slightly as it furls and this slight folding of the cloth appears to cause a jam especially when unfurling.  The vertical position of the boom seems very critical in trying to bet a good equal centre of pull on leech and foot.

The gap thru which the sail exits the mast is quite tight approx 1.5 cm ! .  The gear otherwise works ok.  Have tried various tensions on the main halyard with no success.  Have considered that maybe over tightened back stays are putting strain on the main sail furling mandrel, and that, combined with some 'belly' in the sail could be causing the problem??  I guess when all else fails I'll have to get the sail off and have its dimensions checked.  But as i say in my original email I would be surprised if this is the case (may be not!!!)  Conventional main sail systems of course will never get this problem, i.e. a worn sail is not an issue.  Food for thought ??!! 

Thanks to all for any help. and any further suggestions.

-- 

Best regards,

Nick                         

-- 

Best regards,

Nick                         

mailto:n184...@btinternet.com

Monday, April 2, 2007, 3:21:16 AM, you wrote:

F> I am in the process of installing a Balmar 6 Series alternator on a

F> Perkins Prima 50. I have a few questions and hope some wise sailor

F> might shed some light on the installation.

F> The Prima engines uses an isolated ground, the Balmar 6 ihas an

F> isolated ground also.

F> Balmar suggest the alternator shuld be connected directly to the

F> largest battery bank, in my case the house. I am wiring an echo

F> charger to connect the house to the starting battery when charging

F> from both the new inverter/charger or the alternator.

F> The original alternator has the power going to the starter which is

F> connected to the start batter. I plan to disconect the wire between

F> the alternator and the starter and then route a new larger power wire

F> to the house battery (switch), will this work ok. This will leave the

F> starter powered from the start battery.

F> Has anybody installed a balmar on a Prima engine, if so can you help

F> me with the correct connection system. Also will the alternator excite

F> from the exsiting wire?

F> Thanks

F> Fletch

F> 

[bbigd...@aol.com]

Fletch,

I have a Perkins Prima and a Balmar 150 alternator. It was all set up when I bought the boat and I don't know much about it except it works great.

I am going to the boat tomorrow and I can try to check out the installation and give you some feedback on your questions if you want.

Bill

---

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[david fletcher]

Please an all information is appreciated.

 

Fletch

[Dan....@carrier.utc.com]

Fletch,

 

I also have Perkins Prima M50 on my OC440. Funny enough, I'm about to embark on exactly the same project - to replace the OEM alternator with a Balmar 6 series (621-70-SR-IG) 80 A alternator. I'm not going for a larger alternator because I have a single 3/8" belt and am not prepared to go to the trouble of installing bigger or multiple pulleys.

 

Please refer to the attached wiring diagram for the engine, it will tell you heaps (sorry about my scribblings). I'll try to answer your questions:

 

1. The battery shown in the diagram is the starter battery. The diagram also shows the alternator B+ wire connected to the starter and the starter battery, but in your case (and mine), this should go to either the house battery side of the house master switch, or a battery isolator. If it goes to the house battery, then obviously you will provide some means of feeding that to the starter battery. In my case, I'll use the Balmar Digital Duo Charge unit.

 

2. To excite the new alternator (brown "ignition" alternator wire), I plan to use the 'X' connector in the harness (see diagram), which is unused on my engine. It gets energised from the starter battery when you turn the ignition key. If you study the wiring diagram, you will see that you must also connect the D+ wire (brown/yellow) to the new alternator to maintain the overall functionality. The black/brown wire going to the alternator (marked W) on the diagram is for the tacho. This will go to the Balmar MaxCharge regulator connector #10. My plan is to maintain the alternator pulley size to maintain the same tacho readings.

 

Best regards from sunny Australia,

Dan

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From: Benetea...@googlegroups.com [mailto:Benetea...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of david fletcher
Sent: Tuesday, 3 April 2007 7:17
To: Benetea...@googlegroups.com

[Fletch]

Thanks a Million thisis a great help, two quick questions:

Where did you get this diagram, is it part of a manual which could be
bought?

The wire D+ or IND on the back of the alternator (color NY brown
yellow) is that the 12 volt exciter wire to power up the alternator?
You mention it should go to the Balmar what would one connect it
too ?

Many thanks if is a great resource for the future!!

Fletch

PS Perhaps this diagram should be added to the archives

> From: Benetea...@googlegroups.com
> [mailto:Benetea...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of david fletcher
> Sent: Tuesday, 3 April 2007 7:17
> To: Benetea...@googlegroups.com
> Subject: {Beneteau Owners} Re: Balmar and Perkins
>
> Please an all information is appreciated.
>
> Fletch
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----

> From: bbigduke...@aol.com <mailto:bbigduke...@aol.com>
> To: Benetea...@googlegroups.com
>
> <mailto:Benetea...@googlegroups.com>

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> PerkinsPrimaWiring.PDF
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[bbigd...@aol.com]

Fletch,

I think Dan gave you all the info you need.  I checked my installation and the alternator is attached to the house bank and the starter directly to the starter battery.

Bill

 

 
-----Original Message-----
From: davidf...@sympatico.ca
To: Beneteau-Own...@googlegroups.com

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[Dan....@carrier.utc.com]

Fletch,

This diagram is from the Workshop Manual for Perkins Prima series engines.
It covers the M50, M60 and M80T models. It can be bought from an authorised
Perkins dealer, that's where I got it. There is also the User Manual for the
same engine series, which is also very useful for most common, simple
maintenance tasks.

This Workshop Manual has just recently saved my bacon when I had a fuel leak
from the engine fuel injection pump. The mechanic (unfamiliar with this
engine type) had to take the pump off (a major task), had it rebuilt at a
specialist's shop, then put it all back together. The information in the WM
was invaluable in providing the info on adjusting the engine timing, as well
as describing every step of process.

The brown/yellow wire connected to the D+ (or IND, the same thing) on the
old alternator gets connected to the same D+ terminal on the new Balmar
unit. It is NOT the exciter wire. It is also important NOT to connect any
ground wires to the D+ terminal of the alternator. If you follow the wiring
diagram, you'll see that the brown/yellow wire has the following functions:
a) when there is voltage on it, the starter solenoid won't work, so you
can't engage the starter motor with the engine running and b) if there is no
voltage on it, the alternator warning light and the engine start push button
on the console will be lit, both of these lights will go off when the engine
starts and there is voltage on the D+ of the alternator.

The exciter brown wire on the Balmar alternator only needs to be connected
to switched 12V if you will be using the internal regulator. If your plan is
to use an external regulator (like Balmar's Max Charge), then this ignition
key switched 12V source needs to be connected to the said external
regulator. Balmar is recommending the use of a double throw switch here, so
you can have the internal regulator as a ready to go spare. There's more
info on this on their web site.

What I tried to describe in my previous message was where to find a handy
source of 12V from the starter battery, which gets energised when you turn
the ignition key. I am planning to use the free wire in the engine harness
labelled 'X' on the diagram. On my engine there are three unused wires just
hanging out of the harness, labelled 'X', 'Y' and 'Z' (see the wiring
diagram). Normally these would go to the water detection device on the
primary fuel filter, but I see no reason why I couldn't use the 'X' wire for
energising the regulator, either internal or external.

Hope this helps.
Regards,
Dan

[david fletcher]

It all makes sense, simple if you think about it.

thanks a million, now I now what to do and just have to do it.