Help! ProNautic 1230P won’t charge

SpyderwebSpyderweb Member Posts: 915 ✭✭✭
Installed new pronautic charger beginning of last season and it worked great all year.  As I recall after wiring it in, setup was quite simple. I also added a new isolator at the time.

Got up to boat for the 1st time this season today to begin buffing.  While there, I ran power to the boat, hooked up the house batteries, and port engine battery and turned on the charger breaker to charge them up after sitting in cold storage all winter.  When I went down into the engine room to confirm everything was working, the blue light on the charger was on indicating AC power, and the Volts and Amps display both read 0.  There were no fault lights on.  Turned the breaker off and on a few times but no change.  I left it and checked on it an hour later and blue light was still on, but Volt and Amp readings were both dark.  I suspect they just time out.  The reading at the breaker box for the house bank was 12.2, which from experience tells me about 12.3 at the batteries.  

What am I doing wrong?
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Comments

  • Handymans342Handymans342 Member Posts: 10,375 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Do you have a temp sensor installed? Looks like a telephone cord? If so, unhook it. 
  • GrahamuGrahamu Member Posts: 880 ✭✭✭
    You didn't mention connecting the stbd engine battery. It's important that terminal#1 on the charger is connected to the house bank
  • SpyderwebSpyderweb Member Posts: 915 ✭✭✭
    @Handymans342, yes, that’s a temp sensor.  It was attached all last year.  Are you saying it could be part of the problem, or just isn’t needed.

    @Grahamu correct, I did not connect starboard battery.  Was in hurry to get back to buffing.  Pronautic directions indicate all charger outlets don’t need to sense a battery, those that do will still work.  Not sure which battery terminal #1 goes to.  When switching over from factory charger last year I moved the leads from old to new in same order.  And it then worked fine all season.
  • GrahamuGrahamu Member Posts: 880 ✭✭✭
    In talking to our electrician you need to connect the starboard battery or remove the cable from the charger. Apparently the charger senses an  open circuit and will not charge, probably a safety concern as you would have a loose cable with 12VDC+ on it. He also said that the battery bank with the largest load, which is normally the house bank, should be connected to terminal 1. None of this is in the manual but that's his experience over time and problems he has encountered. When I installed my 1240P I had to open up the loom and change the position of the house cable. I did not connect the temperature sensor.
  • SpyderwebSpyderweb Member Posts: 915 ✭✭✭
    @Grahamu I'll hook up starboard battery next time up and try that.
  • Handymans342Handymans342 Member Posts: 10,375 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Mine went out too. Tech service said unplug the sensor wire
  • SpyderwebSpyderweb Member Posts: 915 ✭✭✭
    @Handymans342 will do that next time up.  Did it fix it for you?

  • Handymans342Handymans342 Member Posts: 10,375 ✭✭✭✭✭
  • SpyderwebSpyderweb Member Posts: 915 ✭✭✭
    edited May 2021
    Got back to boat today.  Had wife turn charger breaker ON down in cabin while I watched what the charger did in the ER. When turned on, all the lights on the charger light up for about 5 seconds, the fan kicks on, then they all go out except the ON light, and the Volts box read "bc".  I've assumed that meant battery check but I really don't know.  "bc" is mentioned in the directions but it not doesn't say what it means.  After another 5-10 seconds, the "bc" disappears and 0 shows up in the Volts and Amps readout box.  

    She then turned the breaker OFF.  I hooked up the 3rd battery bank (Generator and Starboard engine), then we turned on the breaker.  Same result. ending in 0 volts and amps.

    Then with breaker OFF I pushed in the 3 charger fuses in, (hoping to perhaps reset them if tripped), (they felt normal, not tripped), then turned breaker on, with same result, 0 volts and amps.

    Then with breaker OFF, removed the temp sensor, turned breaker on, with same result, 0 volts and amps.

    Now home, in looking through the manual, I do see something about returning the unit to "factory reset".  In this mode I see the default battery type is "Sealed".  My batteries are flooded. While this isn't mentioned in terms of fixing a problem, I can't think of anything else to try.  

    Any ideas?
  • Handymans342Handymans342 Member Posts: 10,375 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Did you call tech service? You should have called them while on the boat. 
  • SpyderwebSpyderweb Member Posts: 915 ✭✭✭
    Did not, never thought of it, but should have. Plan to call them this afternoon.
  • DanD2DanD2 Member Posts: 848 ✭✭✭
    edited May 2021
    Just in case......make sure the temp sensor wire is connected to the ground terminal not the positive.

    Also, you don't have an open (un hooked ) battery connection do you?
    No longer a boat owner.....previous boat - 2005 Rinker Fiesta Vee 342
  • SpyderwebSpyderweb Member Posts: 915 ✭✭✭
    @DanD2 sensor wire was connected to ground.  tired it both connected (as it was all last year) and disconnected.  Same results.  All batteries appear to be connected correctly.
  • SpyderwebSpyderweb Member Posts: 915 ✭✭✭
    Just got off phone with ProMariner Tech.  He said the 1st step, with charger off, is to check voltage at each of the 3 charger output studs.  This should give a reading similar to each battery. If it's significantly lower, the charger won't charge, and indicates there's a wiring problem between the charger and the battery.  If they all read the same as the batteries, it's likely a charger problem.
  • YYZRCYYZRC Member Posts: 5,114 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Does the isolator come into play here?
    2008 350 EC on Georgian Bay
  • Cableguy GregCableguy Greg Member Posts: 5,026 ✭✭✭✭✭
    YYZRC said:
    Does the isolator come into play here?
    No, it should not. The charger are on the output side of the isolator. 
    2008 280 Express Cruiser, 6.2MPI, B3, Pittsburgh, PA "Blue Ayes"
    Go Steelers!!!
  • SeaHareSeaHare Member Posts: 192 ✭✭✭
    Check the 2 fuses inside the housing.  Both of mine were popped on my 1240P.  Replaced, all good
    01 FV 310, 5.7s carbed, B3s
  • Handymans342Handymans342 Member Posts: 10,375 ✭✭✭✭✭
    If one of the batteries is discharged, it wont work. 
  • SpyderwebSpyderweb Member Posts: 915 ✭✭✭
    @SeaHare, manual states “no user serviceable parts” inside.  Where would I find those fuses, what type are they, and are they easy to get to?
  • GrahamuGrahamu Member Posts: 880 ✭✭✭
    I have a 1240P and no user serviceable parts inside.
     The AC supply is protected by the breaker at the panel. The DC charge wires are protected by 70 amp fuses between the isolator and the battery. 
  • DanD2DanD2 Member Posts: 848 ✭✭✭
    I've got a 1230 that I installed myself and don't recall seeing any fuses anywhere. 
    No longer a boat owner.....previous boat - 2005 Rinker Fiesta Vee 342
  • SpyderwebSpyderweb Member Posts: 915 ✭✭✭
    Darn, that's what I thought.  @Grahamu, are these the 70 amp fuses in the lower left corner you refer to protecting the DC wires?  if so, that means the charger wires go to the isolator, which go to the fuses, which go to the 3 (in my case) battery banks?  I've never been sure because everything is buried.


  • Cableguy GregCableguy Greg Member Posts: 5,026 ✭✭✭✭✭
    If you look at how my 280EC is wired, it is probably close to being the same.


    2008 280 Express Cruiser, 6.2MPI, B3, Pittsburgh, PA "Blue Ayes"
    Go Steelers!!!
  • GrahamuGrahamu Member Posts: 880 ✭✭✭
    @Spyderweb, yes those are the fuses, try resetting them. Did you test the voltage as per the advice from Pronautic.
  • SpyderwebSpyderweb Member Posts: 915 ✭✭✭
    I did try and set those 3 fuses, pushed the button in.  Did not seemed tripped and did nothing. Going to boat tomorrow, will test voltage per advice.
  • SeaHareSeaHare Member Posts: 192 ✭✭✭
    edited May 2021
    @Spyderweb - There are 2 green 30 amp fuses in the charger. If you take the lower plate off where you hook up the wires they are on the right side of the wiring. 
    If you look at the pic on pg 10 of the manual you can see the fuses on the right side

    https://www.promariner.com/en/~/media/inriver/365008-38505.pdf
     
    01 FV 310, 5.7s carbed, B3s
  • SpyderwebSpyderweb Member Posts: 915 ✭✭✭
    We have resolution!  Got to boat yesterday and checked for voltage at the charger outputs for all 3 banks.  Got 0 volts on all 3.  Aha! it's a problem between the charger and the batteries, not the charger.  I check the 3 fuses (shown in photo), which up to a couple of days ago, I had no idea how they worked.  Had no idea what they look like when popped, or how to reset, although I figured you push the red button to reset.  Then the other day I saw a post where someone showed a picture of this style fuse with a little yellow flag showing, indicating it had popped.  Never knew there was moving parts on them other than the red button.

    Mine didn't have yellow flags but they did have these black flags showing.  I discovered that they swiveled.  I played with them, hit the red buttons and checked voltage.  Now I had one bank showing voltage.   Aha!.  Went back to fuses and learned pushing the red button pops the fuse, doesn't reset it.  Once I pushed all 3 back up and did NOT touch the red button, I had voltage on all 3 banks, and the charger works fine.

    I sensed all along it should be a simple fix, I was just too simple minded to figure it out on my own.  This site is great.  Thanks for all you help. 




  • Handymans342Handymans342 Member Posts: 10,375 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Good find. Spyder, learn every switch on your boat. 
  • Cableguy GregCableguy Greg Member Posts: 5,026 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Just a little advice from my experience, my charging system was acting up a few years ago. One of the issues was the breakers had given out. I replaced the breakers and the charging wasn’t completely fixed, but the breakers were definitely an issue. I would replace them when you get a chance. My issue was the breakers and the charger. Both have been replaced and I have a much better system. 
    2008 280 Express Cruiser, 6.2MPI, B3, Pittsburgh, PA "Blue Ayes"
    Go Steelers!!!
  • SpyderwebSpyderweb Member Posts: 915 ✭✭✭
    @Cableguy Greg, with “given out” breakers, does that mean they start tripping real often?
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