yamaha 90TLRA charging/running volts output?

[zenoahphobic]

Google "Yamaha outboard 90 overcharging" and there are >3000 hits

some of them postings on this very site, going back months and years

so you are not alone...

I read just enough to recognize complaints identical to yours

(but I didn't see anything that resembled a "good answer")

So the good answer is get a better regulator!
You need to know a bit about electronics and the specifications to determine what is a good regulator (and I haven't given an explanation what that should actually meet).
This regulator can be installed after or in series with the existing(don't take anything off) and make sure your equipment is wired from this output also.

[SeaDawg3]

well you lost me there... It should not be this complicated.

I`m just shaking my head...

install new reg/rec, install new starting battery vs the 5mos old DC that was in there. and bam within 7 miles if idling and running.

all for the sake of Preventative maint and I wind up with 16.4 and the MF gauge flashing... thank you Yamaha!.

I should just strap a zuke on back and be done with it! lol

[zenoahphobic]

well you lost me there... It should not be this complicated.

I`m just shaking my head...

install new reg/rec, install new starting battery vs the 5mos old DC that was in there. and bam within 7 miles if idling and running.

all for the sake of Preventative maint and I wind up with 16.4 and the MF gauge flashing... thank you Yamaha!.

I should just strap a zuke on back and be done with it! lol

I get disappointed when products don't actually get better but continue marketing with "newer and improved, greater output, greater reliability ......." Increasingly spruiking, spin to make you believe.

I think what makes this "consumerism" thrive, is that from time to time a better technology imerges superceding the status quo. And then is demanded, but there is a sustantial delay. I remember ignition points took about 40 years to be made extinct.

Digressing, back to batteries. Atleast lead acid batteries we are referring to I believe are made by poor children in India (far too dirty for western society to manufacture) so I haven't researched what the materials actually being used today. It maybe that different additives are used that alter the fundamental cell voltages in larger capacity batteries.
Boscoe refers to it as 12.7, Australia still uses 12.6 as the attributed base voltage, but of coarse there are 6 cells. If you alter components you alter this voltage (apprx 2V) or your alter a cell completely say to a Lipo this now regarded as 3.7v.

So I am researching this fly up to 16volt phenoamin of large capacity batteries (dam auto speller !)

[SeaDawg3]

I get disappointed when products don't actually get better but continue marketing with "newer and improved, greater output, greater reliability ......." Increasingly spruiking, spin to make you believe.

I think what makes this "consumerism" thrive, is that from time to time a better technology imerges superceding the status quo. And then is demanded, but there is a sustantial delay. I remember ignition points took about 40 years to be made extinct.

Digressing, back to batteries. Atleast lead acid batteries we are referring to I believe are made by poor children in India (far too dirty for western society to manufacture) so I haven't researched what the materials actually being used today. It maybe that different additives are used that alter the fundamental cell voltages in larger capacity batteries.
Boscoe refers to it as 12.7, Australia still uses 12.6 as the attributed base voltage, but of coarse there are 6 cells. If you alter components you alter this voltage (apprx 2V) or your alter a cell completely say to a Lipo this now regarded as 3.7v.

So I am researching this fly up to 16volt phenoamin of large capacity batteries (dam auto speller !)

Thanks Zeno.
I`m going to have the place where I purchased the new battery do a test on it. I was hesitant to buy that size, the Battery advisor (lol) said that`s all they stock... From what I can see it is sealed maint free. this could be the culrpit. But from the thousand threads I read recently many many many yamaha owners have this issue. some reported it was easy as replacing the battery... other changed the reg/rec others had this magical unicorn device from the dealer... ugh...
I have the DC battery in now and idle voltage is 15.2 at the helm and 14.89 at the battery in the bilge...

I suppose I could also reinstall the old reg/rec if need be... the install is a breeze except for one wire (ground) that is a mile long and runs all over the case to a shared ground bolt... good grief man, with all the threaded bosses avail, Yamaha chooses the farthest.

[tmann45]

I have the DC battery in now and idle voltage is 15.2 at the helm and 14.89 at the battery in the bilge...

What are you using to check the battery and charge voltages? If using a handheld volt meter, check the batteries in it.

[SeaDawg3]

What are you using to check the battery and charge voltages? If using a handheld volt meter, check the batteries in it.

1- the slightly higher number is the Yamaha MF gauge in the dash.
2- the voltage at the battery is with a handheld, fairly new. test equip was verified/proved in another vehicle with tuner/display at the vehicle battery and almost dead on.

3- 12v socket battery digital tester just used to verify readings are close and is powered by the vehicle. only difference is it if calibrated for autos/trucks and when reaching a high volt reading, it will flash, which it does on the boat in the 12v power socket.

I`m going to verify the ground lead at the powerhead (starter tab) again.
when cranking and engine starting right up, the volts do not drop very much.
after the initial start cold, the engine fires off instantly.

I will also examine the battery lugs even though they new from May this year and in clean condition.

checking all options why I`m seeing 16+.

[zenoahphobic]

What are you using to check the battery and charge voltages? If using a handheld volt meter, check the batteries in it.

SeaDawg3, I sometimes over critically examine what is said. Tmann45 has picked up the contradiction. 15.2 at helm, 14.89 at batt.! The battery is closer to the charging source it should not go to the helm first producing a voltage drop back to the battery- going on what is meant.
If you said the other way around, it would have not alerted me.
Measure both points with the same meter, and if shows the same then your wiring suspect! Or your aux stuff is making voltage!

[SeaDawg3]

SeaDawg3, I sometimes over critically examine what is said. Tmann45 has picked up the contradiction. 15.2 at helm, 14.89 at batt.! The battery is closer to the charging source it should not go to the helm first producing a voltage drop back to the battery- going on what is meant.
If you said the other way around, it would have not alerted me.
Measure both points with the same meter, and if shows the same then your wiring suspect! Or your aux stuff is making voltage!

ok, allow me to clarify.
The 15.2 is the read out in the yamaha MF gauge, not me probing with the DMM.

the battery terminal post are with the DMM.

I suspect the MF gauge is a few 10ths off, and what I mean by that is my DMM shows consistency, or the DMM is consistently off by a few tenths.

either way I wasn`t to concern with the few 1/10ths variation bc they were close.

I could use 2 testers each showing within a few hundreths between the 12V socket on the dash and at the Battery posts.

The MF reads in 1/10ths.

my evaluation just confirms that the MF gauges just reads slightly higher, and that is wired into the 10 pin harness through a sub harness.

The 12v socket is on the accessory fuse buss under the console, which powers all my electronics at this time, with exception to the auto bilge has it`s own power supply and fuse directly off the battery as standard.

the battery leads come from power head through rigging and under the splash well into bilge where the battery is. so the battery is closer to the engine than helm. the 10 pin harness runs through the rigging and comes up through the deck under the console.
connections have been inspected and cleaned...

there is def more wires now with the new sub harness splitting to the 2 MF gauges then the simplified wire hook up for the old analog gauges set.


The bilge also has a manual switch, but you get the idea.

I guess I could probe the power supply to the MF gauge @ the sub harness to compare to the MF gauge read out. I just was not concerned with a few 1/10ths variation between the gauges and DMM, Innova digital tester.


>>> keep in mind that with the (brand new) Faria analog volt gauge with the old set up prior to the MF gauges revealed a few tenths less than the new MF set up immediately after initializing.

[zenoahphobic]

Use same and verified accurate DMM.
A very good point you made, measure battery voltage isolated with the probes only touching firmly the lead terminal posts. Not Neg elsewhere or "earth"

[SeaDawg3]

Use same and verified accurate DMM.
A very good point you made measure battery voltage with the probe only touching firmly the lead terminal post.

yes, that`s what I am trying to say.

either tester in either location between the 12V socket or direct battery is the same. The variation is within each tester by 1/100`s.

The MF gauge showed more volts by a few 1/10`s right off the bat...

ok, I don`t want to lose sight of the issue though.
for conversation sake, we agree that the MF gauge is slightly higher.

and the other 2 contact points are close.

IF there was a large variation I would be investigating that as well.

I have several test leads, clamp on and probe all show the same results. when I`m watching voltage I`ll clamp on the leads and the Pins/points when probing... it`s all good.

[boscoe99]

Dawg, how about trying some stuff.

Does your DMM have an amp function? I would guess so. Hopefully it is 10 amps or better. Why not use the amp function to measure the amount of current that flows to the battery when the voltage is as high as it gets? Would be interesting to see what the current amount is.

Is the ground connection point to the block clean? If not, this might cause the R/R to output a higher voltage than it otherwise might.

If you want the gauge to stop flashing high voltage you can always install a resistor in the wire that goes to the gauge, which will drop the voltage somewhat. The resistor value will effect what the voltage drop will be.

[SeaDawg3]

Dawg, how about trying some stuff.

Does your DMM have an amp function? I would guess so. Hopefully it is 10 amps or better. Why not use the amp function to measure the amount of current that flows to the battery when the voltage is as high as it gets? Would be interesting to see what the current amount is.

Is the ground connection point to the block clean? If not, this might cause the R/R to output a higher voltage than it otherwise might.

If you want the gauge to stop flashing high voltage you can always install a resistor in the wire that goes to the gauge, which will drop the voltage somewhat. The resistor value will effect what the voltage drop will be.

Thanks Bos, I will check, I will also recheck the ground to starter tab/block, I will also recheck the terminal ends. there is the possibility that the wire inside could be fubared several inches or feet from the lug.

and it may just be a coincidence with the new components, but doubtful...

so I`ve raised the white flag, starting battery is gone, I`ll use another new DC24 battery and go forward from there.

The trim and starter does not bring down the voltage/current enough to come to a conclusion that there is indeed an issue with the cables.
I`ve monitored the meter when cranking and when operating the trim as that draws a crap load of amps.

it is just to weird with new reg/rec and bat and bam 16+

Starting battery tested with Digital/computerized tester and passed 100%

[boscoe99]

Another check for you. After the motor has been running for a period of time and you are seeing maximum voltage on the gauge turn the motor off. Quickly measure the battery voltage at the terminals. What voltage do you see?

[SeaDawg3]

ok, something different and good so far... but yet to be determined.

new DC battery in. 500CCA/615MCA 75ah. I think I saw 150 RM.

cleaned all terminals, and removed the ground from the starter bracket, cleaned, reinstalled and torqued 14ftlbs.

fire up engine, see 12.8 and climbing slowly to 13.0 thru 14.6

idled the engine for approx 20+ minutes, stayed at 14.6

BEFORE: the volts would rise quickly to 15.2 right off the bat and up to 15.6-8 at idle/slow cruise...

I have not run out on the open water yet to confirm...

[zenoahphobic]

ok, something different and good so far... but yet to be determined.

new DC battery in. 500CCA/615MCA 75ah. I think I saw 150 RM.

cleaned all terminals, and removed the ground from the starter bracket, cleaned, reinstalled and torqued 14ftlbs.

fire up engine, see 12.8 and climbing slowly to 13.0 thru 14.6

idled the engine for approx 20+ minutes, stayed at 14.6

BEFORE: the volts would rise quickly to 15.2 right off the bat and up to 15.6-8 at idle/slow cruise...

I have not run out on the open water yet to confirm...

Seadawg this more like it.
As per previous posts the 15.6v thingy did not sit right with me all along, I was not happy accepting your previous situation as normal!