480 DB Owners Club

Alex F said:
As far as how to address it now, I don't think you have an emergency. If you do what most bigger yachts owners do, which is running generator as soon as you take off the dock, then you're fine. Your genny will keep the batteries charged and healthy. This can buy you some time before season ends. However, if you run your genny only for few hours per day, then it's a different story and your batteries might suffer from loosing the charge and could eventually go bad.
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As a point of clarification, the generator's alternator does not charge the other batteries (other than it's own). Now if you have your converter/charger for the big batts on (which is running off the generator), then it'll charge them. The big "if" there is if the converter/charger (PD1050?) can put enough juice out to run the engine electronic stuff (these engines are electric and not mechanical) and run all the other 12v crap on the boat... I'm thinking it's a close call. The PD1050 can't keep up with swapping out the 10v bulbs with 20v bulbs on the boat.

Also.... I only replaced my port alternator when it went bad. I'm still on the original one on the starboard side and am finishing up my 10th season.
 
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When I said "...Your genny will keep the batteries charged and healthy. This can buy you some time before season ends...." I meant that if he runs the genny all the time, assuming that the battery charger is ON all the time, it's like being plugged in to the shore power. It has nothing to do with the generator's alternator generating the charge. As you know, there are two ways to keep the batteries for the mains, battery charger and alternators. So, having the batt. charger on while underway will compensate for the lack working alternator on that side.

The only reason I mentioned about rebuilding 2nd alt as well is b/c both of mine went bad pretty much at the same time. As you said, it's only couple hundred bucks, so it might be a good idea to be pro-active on the 2nd side.
 
Gentlemen, I tested the output of both alternators at idle, 1000 RPM and 1500 RPM. The port side showed 12.04, 12.00 and 11.99 and the starboard showed 13.00, 13.92 and 13.93 respectively.
All readings were taken with shore power disconnected and the genny off. Both belts seemed tight, although the starboard squeeked. I believe it shows the port alternator is bad. Cummins quoted me $343 for a reman, part #3675225RX coming out of Boston, MA. I'm checking to see if I can get it rebuilt locally. Any thoughts?
 
Hard to get a battery to 13.6 volts with a 12 volt output. Why not take the suspect alternator to the shop and let them bench test?
 
There are plenty of guys around here that rebuild alternators (and starters) for automotive as well as marine. Not sure if a diesel alternator is any different but it's worth calling around.
 
Four Suns said:
As a point of clarification, the generator's alternator does not charge the other batteries (other than it's own). Now if you have your converter/charger for the big batts on (which is running off the generator), then it'll charge them. The big "if" there is if the converter/charger (PD1050?) can put enough juice out to run the engine electronic stuff (these engines are electric and not mechanical) and run all the other 12v crap on the boat... I'm thinking it's a close call. The PD1050 can't keep up with swapping out the 10v bulbs with 20v bulbs on the boat.

Also.... I only replaced my port alternator when it went bad. I'm still on the original one on the starboard side and am finishing up my 10th season.
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Is it considered best practice to run your convertor when underway if your boat does not have a "crossover charge isolator"? I recently had to replace both alternators and was told that doing so could/would accelerate alternator failure.

Art
 
Ok, how do you get access to the top of the tanks & fuel senders on these things? Is there an access cover somewhere in the salon as in under the couch or cabinets? I hope the answer is not pull the carpet up and pull the floor up. I see no physical way possible to get to the outboard side of the motors, midway foreword in order to get to the senders.
 
searay40dad said:
Ok, how do you get access to the top of the tanks & fuel senders on these things? Is there an access cover somewhere in the salon as in under the couch or cabinets? I hope the answer is not pull the carpet up and pull the floor up. I see no physical way possible to get to the outboard side of the motors, midway foreword in order to get to the senders.
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I had the same boat a few years ago. The starboard access is in the bottom of the cabinet. I can't remember exactly but it was one of the cabinets below TV. It is a round plastic access. I had to chisel around the opening as the cabinet base was over part of it. Sorry, never had to do port side.
 
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Does anyone know how to remove this backrest in the starboard side stateroom? My daughter put a necklace up there and it slid behind. Now I can't see it, or feel it.
 
jbruno said:
Gentlemen, I tested the output of both alternators at idle, 1000 RPM and 1500 RPM. The port side showed 12.04, 12.00 and 11.99 and the starboard showed 13.00, 13.92 and 13.93 respectively.
All readings were taken with shore power disconnected and the genny off. Both belts seemed tight, although the starboard squeeked. I believe it shows the port alternator is bad. Cummins quoted me $343 for a reman, part #3675225RX coming out of Boston, MA. I'm checking to see if I can get it rebuilt locally. Any thoughts?
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Any updates? I like our local generator shop. They rebuilt my windlass motor on my 340 for $75. That saved me thousands!
 
As usual, you all were right on. The alternator was dead, I had it rebuilt by a local shop and were up and running. I don't have a final bill yet but the estimate was approx $200.
 
I am looking into purchasing a 1998 480 DB. I notice that V-drives were an option for that year. Is there any advantage to having the v-drives. I would think that the straight drives would be the way to go when possible. More room in engine compartment? Any other reason?
 
Morgan Jane said:
I am looking into purchasing a 1998 480 DB. I notice that V-drives were an option for that year. Is there any advantage to having the v-drives. I would think that the straight drives would be the way to go when possible. More room in engine compartment? Any other reason?
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One advantage that I'm aware of is that with straight drives the engines are moved forward, which translates in better weight distribution. Hens, better ride and overall performance. I'm not an expert on transmissions, but I think the ones that are installed in straight drives application are slightly less complicated, which could mean cheaper to fix.

I didn't look deep enough to learn that 480DBs have both options. It would be interesting to learn the difference in feedback from the owners.
 
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Hard to imagine why Sea Ray would have offered a 480 DB with v-drives. The weight distribution would be all wrong. In addition, v-drives are an invention of the devil and a nightmare to work on.
 
Jacob said:
Hard to imagine why Sea Ray would have offered a 480 DB with v-drives. The weight distribution would be all wrong. In addition, v-drives are an invention of the devil and a nightmare to work on.
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I found it strange also. Couldn't figure out how to post the PDF on here, but if download the spec sheet for a 1998 480 DB from the Sea Ray website, it list Cat C-10 with V-drives as an option. anything special about C-10's?
 
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