High Voltage output 1996 2 stroke Twin 200s

[capnbobo]

I am having a problem with my Yamaha. The votage gauge is flashing after startup with 17 then 18.4 v. I know it should be 14-14.6 nominal. It was fine last time used. I tried running only one engine then the other and the same high voltage reading shows up. This puzzles me as I thought each engine would have its own voltage regulator, so why would one not be bad vs the other? But both? I also get the same reading wether on one, two or both battery settings. Any ideas what is wrong? The voltage will drop if I turn on all accys and cockpit lights, but then only to 15.8.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: High Voltage output 1996 2 stroke Twin 200s

Did you by any chance turn the battery switch off with the engines running? If so, you very likely took out both regulators. That's a no-no! Do you have one battery switch and two batteries serving both engines, or do you have two switches, one for each engine and dual batteries for both. If you have a single switch and dual batteries, you might be bumping against the Yamaha Rigging Guide. Rodbolt is the Yamaha guru and will likely cruise by to shed some light on this.

 

[capnbobo]

Re: High Voltage output 1996 2 stroke Twin 200s

I have a two battery and two battery switch set up. that is only two batteries on the boat. I did not change any switches with the boat running, as I am very aware of that being a serious no no. It would seem to me that given the fact both engines when run alone seem to be spiking 18v that either both regulators are indeed fried, or there is some thing else common between the wiring which is causing it. I tend to think its the latter, but I dont know. I've been boating over 30 years but have limited outboard experience. Im much more familiar with inboard / alternators than these units. As I said earlier the engines ran fine with 14.4 v the last weekend. Appreciate your comments and still hope to see if there is some common element that would indicate a fix. Regards, Capn BOB Racine Wi. Oh one more thing.. would running the battery switches on BOTH for each switch be a problem? Thats what I have been doing for some time now...

 

[jj29063]

Re: High Voltage output 1996 2 stroke Twin 200s

sounds like it could be a battery......i am not sure of your wiring configuration of your batteries but if one battery is common to both switches it could be that.........i chased a high voltage problem for a while on my '88 suzuki. mine started from one day to the next also....after 2 seemingly good (always held charge) batteries and a new advance auto store marine cranking battery, i tried an interstate marine cranking battery and high voltage problem was gone..forgot to mention and a fried voltage regulator in the process.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: High Voltage output 1996 2 stroke Twin 200s

I mentioned the Yamaha rigging guide indicating not to have both engines feeding a common battery(ies) which you would be doing with the switches set to BOTH. What happens is neither regulator knows which is in control. It's fine to do that on a single engine configuration but apparently Yamaha doesn't like that on a dual installationi. Each engine should charge only the battery or batteries dedicated to that engine. Since we have no idea how your switches are configured we can only guess that its the BOTH setting that popped the regulators. Determine which battery switch setting (BAT 1 or BAT 2) is actually connecting that battery to each engine. Then leave the switches in that position. If BAT 1 connects the battery for engine 1 the leave the switch in BAT 1. The only time you would bridge to the battery for engine 2 would be if you had a failure.

 

[capnbobo]

Re: High Voltage output 1996 2 stroke Twin 200s

so that might be the fix.. so it could be silvertip that my regulators are fried?
I just went down and tightened the battery terminals and ran each engine to its own battery and it appears to have solved the problem. THanks.