Aux Voltage alarm?

[deancastor]

Has anyone had Aux Voltage alarm go off and can tell me what it means? Boating today in fairly rough seas but was not anchored or ever not under power. Alarm went off while traveling at 20mph. I turned off but it kept coming back on. Boat seemed to be running fine. Welcome any help as I am still big time novice.! Thanks!

 

[Bill D]

I assume it is an alarm for low aux battery voltage. What is your battery setup like? Do you have two batteries? An ACR?

I'm going to guess since it goes off when traveling that the engines are supplying enough charge to get out of the alarm window.

 

[Julian]

Yup....sounds like you have a low battery....

 

[subysti]

I've had same issue with my boat. Your house battery is low and the engine isn't charging it enough. With my boat it charges the starting battery first then the aux battery. You need to run it for quite a while at rpm over 4k for it to charge the aux battery. On the new conext screen it also gives you false info so you think it's charged when it isn't.

Edit. Also to help things along turn off all non essential electrical items, stereo, lights if not needed, blowers as long as you're moving faster then no wake mode, etc etc.

 

[deancastor]

I have 2 batteries. I had stereo, gps and maybe blower going. Boat had sit for about 2 weeks....with batteries turned off. I don't have a way to keep my charger plugged in at the dry storage I use. I was able to leave it on wash rack tonight and plug the charger in. Learning as I go. Thanks for inputs I far.

 

[Peter Paradis]

I get the Aux Voltage alarm. I have a starter and a house battery and the house battery is brand new. It looks like the voltage is 17v. So maybe the alarm is for two high a voltage and not that the battery is too low. Any ideas?

 

[Coheeba]

Something is wrong if you have 17v on a 12 v battery. It would be around 13-14 when charging but will settle out at 12.7-.8 when you take it off charge.

 

[Peter Paradis]

Yes, so I am trying to figure that out. With the battery disconnected, it is around 13v. With it connected and the boat running, the dash say 17v. So that sounds like a voltage regulator or something to me.

 

[Coheeba]

Is it a gauge that is showing 17v? Can you get to the back of the gauge and actually measure the voltage? Do you have two batteries?

 

[Coheeba]

Did you just get the boat out of winter storage and hook up batteries?

 

[Peter Paradis]

Good idea to verify the gage. I can probably get to the back of the gage, or at least the batteries and check. I can also put a meter into the 12V outlet and see what that voltage is. Yes, I have batteries and the battery voltage themselves is correct when not running the engines. I can check the voltage with the engines running and see what the alternate is producing.