VSR trouble

[Rhys Rowlo]

Has anyone had issues with there VSR not charging both battery’s ? 
I have wired/installed the blue sea add a battery kit correctly, but over the weekend my raymarine sound stopped working mid fish due to not enough voltage. 
when I tested the battery at home is was only getting 10V 

any info would be great. 
cheers. 

[kingie chaser]

So what Volts is your main starter battery getting? 

Should be around 14 volts.

How far away are the batteries from one another?

If they are some distance apart then there will be a voltage loss, in 4x4 terms this is one reason why people use DC-DC chargers over VSR's.

 

[Rhys Rowlo]

There nxt to each other and they are new battery’s. I was only getting 12 volts on the start battery as well ? 

Edited January 19, 2020 by Rhys Rowlo

[dmck]

Disconnect the VSR and check what charge voltage you are getting to the start battery.

If still only getting 12 volts you have a problem with your charging and MUST fix this first.

[Rhys Rowlo]

Ok. 
what voltage should I be getting from a 60hp 4stroke Yamaha alternator? 
thanks for the reply ! 

[Rhys Rowlo]

I made new leads from the outboard alternate to the battery’s because the originals leads were to short. 
I made the new leads out of 6 gauge marine cable (16mm)  the runs is about 4mts max. There shouldn’t be to much voltage drop with that gauge I would of thought ? 
 

[Renegade460]

You should be getting around 14 volts.

[dmck]

4 hours ago, Rhys Rowlo said:

Ok. 
what voltage should I be getting from a 60hp 4stroke Yamaha alternator? 
thanks for the reply ! 

Somewhere between 13 and 14.5 volts.

 

Have you checked with your dealer that the Yam is suitable to use a VSR ?  THe electronics in most of the new cars and I'm guessing the new outboards are smart enough to recognise when the battery (they assume only 1) is charged the actually drop the alternator voltage so that the battery doesnt overcharge.  THis new voltage is often below the threshold voltage needed to operate the VSR.

 

THis is why most new 4WD's use DC-DC chargers.

[antonywardle]

I don't think that the VSR charges both batterys. The engine charges the first one, and the VSR allows charge through for the second one.

My VSR is connected to my starter battery, and when it is charged a little red light comes on and it charges the secondary battery. I leave my 1-2-both switch on 1 which is where the starter battery is. I also have a volt meter on my instrument panel and it changes when this is happening.

Do you have a battery charger? If so, connect it to the main battery and then let it run. Once this battery is full, it should then charge your second battery and the VSR charging light comes on. That might help you decide where a potential issue is.

The cable that the VSR (maybe 2mm or 4mm) uses is very small, so I don't think you'd have to worry about voltage loss with that.  Voltage loss from the battery to the instruments up the front, or if your wires to the engine are long can cause an issue. How old is the outboard? Maybe your alternator is getting a bid sad.

 

Good luck!

[kingie chaser]

@zmk1962 has a lot of 12V experience so hopefully he will see this thread & comment shortly.

My limited experience is more with 4x4 vehicle set ups but still its very similar.

What @dmck has mentioned is about smart alternators which is a definite thing in newer 4x4 vehicles, not sure if that is the case with boat motors??

I am not up to speed on what charge an outboard would/should produce but if its not putting out more that 12V then you wont even fully charge the main battery as it needs around 14V to charge, if only 12V is going into the AUX battery then it wont fully charge either & continue to draw more with anything else that is added to the system.

 

 

 

Edited January 20, 2020 by kingie chaser

[Fishop]

On 1/20/2020 at 2:35 PM, antonywardle said:

I don't think that the VSR charges both batterys. The engine charges the first one, and the VSR allows charge through for the second one.

My VSR is connected to my starter battery, and when it is charged a little red light comes on and it charges the secondary battery. I leave my 1-2-both switch on 1 which is where the starter battery is. I also have a volt meter on my instrument panel and it changes when this is happening.

Do you have a battery charger? If so, connect it to the main battery and then let it run. Once this battery is full, it should then charge your second battery and the VSR charging light comes on. That might help you decide where a potential issue is.

The cable that the VSR (maybe 2mm or 4mm) uses is very small, so I don't think you'd have to worry about voltage loss with that.  Voltage loss from the battery to the instruments up the front, or if your wires to the engine are long can cause an issue. How old is the outboard? Maybe your alternator is getting a bid sad.

 

Good luck!

Mine is setup very similar to this.  My batteries are 3+ years old and I have a 90hp 4stroke.  The motor only runs for maybe 15-30 seconds before it has fully charged the crank battery even if it has sat for a week or two.  As mentioned a little red light comes on the VSR to say it has switched over to the house battery.  Maybe grab a multimeter and measure the voltage of your batteries while running.  I have also installed a voltmeter for each battery so I can keep an eye on things.  Both batteries are up over 14 volts when engine is running and VSR light is on charging both.  I would have thought a 12 volt battery reading 10 volts would mean that its lost a cell and/or dead. (I know you said it was new)