Low system voltage alarm, stbd engine


GandDFreehold

GandDFreehold

Member
Hoping to get pointed in the right direction here. 2015 8.2 Liter mag ho with 157 hrs. We were out on the hook today, finished up and hauled anchor, just as the anchor settled in I get an alarm for low system voltage on the stbd engine. Vessel View and both Raymarine units show 14.1 vdc. Fluke shows 14.1 at battery, terminals clean and tight. Port Engine battery feeds my windlass, as that voltage tends to drop to 13.6 during operation, so I ruled that out. I also noticed that my Stdb drive trim indicator is not functioning, both analog gauge and digital indicator on vessel view. I'm thinking that maybe a trim sensor failure could cause this alarm. So, my question here is, can I disconnect the sensor to clear the alarm? I never had trim indicators on my other boats, I can operate without it, but not sure what is going on, and don't really want to have the boat hauled, again, if I don't have to. If it's possible to disconnect or disable, how can I find the right connector, or termination point?
Thanks in advance for your input.
 
I cannot comment on if you can clear the alarm----but I was having intermittent issues with my trim sensor on my starboard engine after 4 1/2 years of ownership. I would get error messages and warning on my Vessel View. My dealer's comment was that when one of the sending units' wire completely fail, the boat will go into the limp home mode and limit the engine RPM. I also believe the starboard engine controls steering on my boat so I don't want to lose that. Unfortunately, you have to pull the boat to replace the trim sensors. I am told Mercruiser knows they fail and thus don't cover them under warranty---it's a "wear part." Okay--whatever---just telling you my experience. I guess the marine saltwater environment is pretty tough.
 
I had this happen to me the first year I owned the boat. You will need to pull the boat to replace it. Formula sent me a sensor to have my marina replace it. To get through the weekend without the alarm, I simply disconnected the sensor that was malfunctioning and plugged in the replacement and zip tied it out of the way. It cleared the fault. The drive trim indicator for that engine didn't function but the drive trim still did. The starboard engine sensor was still good so I used that. It worked until my marina was able to pull the boat to replace it.
 
That's what I was afraid of. I wasn't aware that the boat went into limp home mode, that's not so good. I like Jshell idea, just plug in a new sensor in the bilge, until I can pull the boat. My boat just went back in, had a leak on the port drive. I really don't want to fork over another couple of hundred bucks for another haul.
 
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