The Great Mid Ocean Battery Transplant

Remember my last post? About, amongst other things Balmar nobby charge regulators and alternators, and our tials there of.

We had it easy.

Aspen have had no lecy for days. Their genny is out and neither of their nobby. Charge regulators would charge the battery. Jackamy met up with them mid ocean. By this time their engine was on, even when sailing because if it stops then it would never restart. For over 24 hours it was going well then the voltage started to drop on the engine battery. Cars need electricity to run, spark plugs and that. Diesels do not. In theory at any rate. Old school boats you needed electricity to start (starter motor) and you pulled a lever on the injector pump to stop it. No battery required. Island Kea has a n electric button to stop the engine, again, no electricity required. Many boats these days have a solenoid that comes on when you turn on the ignition, so when you turn it off it cuts the fuel off at the injector pump. Great handy convenient. But its uses power....

Next to Aspen's aid was Simanderel. Boxing here in and providing escort and nav. Enchantress and us were just behind her. Me and Steve are now Balmar charge system experts. But given Aspen's power situation and the massive power consumed by SSB sets we were waiting till we got in VHF range.

Despite being in mid ocean its flat as a board out here. OK mid oceans a bit rich, were 80 miles from the Great Barrier Reef. 200 from Mackay. So flat indeed that Enchantress along side and transferred 2 fully charged 110Ah (amp hour) batteries across. Steve on aspen stopped his engine, removed all his flat batteries connected up one of Enchantress and off she when.

Much to everyone's surprise, his charge system woke up and now he's motoring with a fully charged battery and a working alternator.

He did ask us why this could possibly be, we had decided since he'd tried 2 charge regulators.