[vtsailguy]

alarm

On reaching shore after a sail, I fired up our volvo md 2030, and as soon as I tried turned the key, an alarm sounded. It was a slightly different pitch to the main three alarms, pressure, temperature and battery, none of which were on.

We had to anchor, so I run the engine with the alarm on for a couple of minutes, then dropped the hook.

I checked the coolant and oil, both of which were a tiny low, which I topped up.

Every time I turn the key, this mystery 4th alarm sounds.

Any ideas?

 

[Markwesti]

Some thoughts here .
Volvo Penta battery charging alarm (MD2030)

 

[vtsailguy]

Some thoughts here .
Volvo Penta battery charging alarm (MD2030)

Thanks!

 

[celenoglu]

Sail drive rubber seal punctured?????

 

[vtsailguy]

Its a standard prop, not a saildrive.....

 

[capta]

I don't know your engine, but Borg Warner has an alarm for low trans pressure??? Missed it once and it cost me a trans rebuild.

 

[Jaramaz]

Sorry to say, the 2030 is known to have issues with its electronics.
Propose you check all electrical terminals.
Check means ... clean connections and so on.

/J

 

[Classic30]

Sorry to say, the 2030 is known to have issues with its electronics.

That's probably a bit of a stretch..

I'd be asking:

1. Which (of 2 keyed type) engine panel are you using?
2. How old are your batteries? What's your battery voltage like?
3. When this alarm sounds, do you get any lights showing - even dimly?
4. Does the alarm go away with above-idle revs?

 

[sony2000]

I think you said there are three sources, that can sound an alarm on your system. This new alarm is unlike any of the others. So it maybe a result of
two of your alarms coming on together, to make a new sound.

 

[vtsailguy]

Having cleaned all the connections and leaving the hatch open to dry, the fault has gone away. I suspect that a connection was shorting......

Thanks for the ideas guys!

 

[Avionoff]

I have a similar issue with my MD 2010. When I turn the key on and after about 3 seconds I get an audible alarm with the battery light blinking. This is usually the time period that the glo plugs are warming up. The engine will start normally but the alarm is the issue.

Normal operation has always been, turn the key to "on" wait for the gloplug light to go out, then start the motor. Motor runs and all lights extinguished. Any help would be great !! I'm new to the Sailnet site so I hope I did this correctly.

 

[celenoglu]

Electronics is most probably responsable.
Not absulutely related:

Our apartment had ring with our names on it and buttons to push in the house to talk and open the door. They replaced it with the fancy electronics. Now the visitor has to dial apartment number and "#" for the bell and I have to press more than one button to open the door which I generally miss and use the elevator to go down and open the door manually. Electronics might seem to help but in reality they might cause more problems.

I want my engine as standard as possible and hate to replace a few transistors on the motor when I am sailing. KISS, KISS, KISS. I do not want an engine that is meant to work in really humid enviroment and fails in the first sign of humidity.

 

[sony2000]

AVIONOFF, I believe the glow plugs are doing their thing, and it draws the voltage down to the alarm level.
Possibly the alternator should charge the battery a little higher, always.
Instead of 13.4 volts, maybe 13.7 volts would be enough.
Measure the level of the battery before a start.
Try another battery that has a higher voltage charge, from the beginning.
Or your battery won't rise to the level of charge given by the alternator.
Clean all battery connections.

 

[Avionoff]

Sony2000,

Thank you for the information. I, within the last 6 weeks have replaced the entire battery systems and all was fine until now. The battery voltages are right up where they should be. I think I might have been confusing.

With the battery switch on, when I turn on the Start Panel key switch to warm the gloplugs: after about three seconds of warming them up the battery light blinks on and the audible alarm goes off. I can still start the motor and when I do the alarm goes off and all is normal. I also noticed that if I push the Alarm Test button the alarm goes off and doesn't come back on. Very weird !! Any help would be great. I have the boat up for sale and don't want this to happen everytime I got to demonstrate the boat.



Kurt

 

[sony2000]

Avionoff,
It sounds as if "glow plugs on" mode, has an electrical short. The juice goes to the glow plugs and to a ground. The excessive draw sets off the alarm.
A different tack!
The alarm sounds during the glow plug cycle. So. That sounds logical enough.
After the start, it turns off. I'm not sure that is a bug in the system.
Glow plugs on = alarm. Yah, I can live with that.
Once I rented an Alberg 30. The master switch for the alternator had to be left on, if engine was running, or bye bye alternator. That's a bug. It should have been a capped red switch.

 

[Avionoff]

Hmmm...............I'll check it out this weekend and also pull the panel and check for shorts or crappy connections. I'll get back to you. Thanks !!!!

 

[Avionoff]

Sony2000

Ok I checked it out. I didn't have it quite right. When begining the start and the switch is turned to the ON position. All the lights come on,

Coolant Temp
Oil Press
Batt Charging
PreHeater

After about three seconds the Batt Charge light starts blinking and the alarm goes off. If I silence it by pushing the Alarm Test button and then start the engine all is well. The engine runs and the light/audible alarm is off.

If I don't silence the audible alarm and just start the engine the alarm continues to sound off and the blinking charging lamp continues to show.

According to my AC/DC panel both battery banks are charging. Not sure where to go with this. I did pull out the start panel and checked everything for moisture, corrosion etc. All is well.

Please help.

Kurt