On 2015-08-10 at 18:11, while driving on the Beltway near Route 1, received a call from Mike Nikolich. Mike called to inform me that a the alarm in the instrument panel of #262 was beeping and the oil pressure light was illuminated. After discussing the matter, it was decided to turn the battery switch from "Both" to "Off" (did I leave it set to "Both"?) and that I would address the issue the next morning.
2015-08-11 Tuesday:
- Arrived about 08:10
- Verified the problem by setting the battery switch to "Both" and waiting about a minute for the beeping to start.
- Noticed that the DPDT Alarm Test, Off, Illumination switch was set to Illumination.
- Turning the battery switch to Off, silences the beeping.
- Turning the ignition switch to On, markedly increases the intensity of the oil pressure lamp and the beeper.
- Turning the ignition switch to On and then Off, silences the beeping for a while. The beeping restarts faintly and then a bit more strongly after 75, 60, 60, 30, 35, 30, 75 seconds.
- The weather on both Sunday and Monday was damp, humid, with a good bit of rain.
( Engine Instruments Wiring
2015-08-12:
- Reverfied the problem and the wiring of the instrument panel
- Found that the voltage on the buzzer + terminal and other connected items starts at 0.0V when the main battery switch is off and starts rising as soon as the battery switch is turned to any of "1", "2", or "Both". Once the voltage reaches 1.5V, the buzzer begins to sound. Voltage oncontinues to rise, reaching 10V before I had had enough of the buzzing.
- Examined the wiring at the engine. Many disconnected, dead end wires in the harness and several disconnected multi-wire plugs.
- Many disconnected, dead end wires at the bottom of the electrical panel.
- Connected shore power to the Newmar ABC123 15 amp battery charger
and began charging the batteries at 8:25, needle indicating about 8A
2105-08-13:
- Disconnect all wires from the ignition switch IGN terminal. Turned on the main battery switch. Voltage at the IGN terminal with the key in "Off" position immediately rises to full voltage. Repeated operation of the key resulted in a number of different voltages being displayedwhile the key is in the "Off" position after having been turned to the "IGN" position.
- Defective ignition switch is the root cause of the problem.
- Battery charger showing about 3A, needle bouncing, and red light on Newmar flashing. Disconnected the shore power from the Newmar ABC-12-15 charger. Forward battery reading 14.5V. Aft battery reading 13.2V.
2015-08-17:
Contacted the Alberg 30 public list, asking folks which ignition switch they use and if they were to replace the switch, which replacement would they choose. Wes Gardner, Gordon Laco, #426 Surprise, Stephen Gwyn, Quarsar #495, Mike Meinhold, Rinn Duin #272, and Jeffrey Fongemie, Seagrass #116, responded each one saying that they use a push to start button in place of a switch. Several related that ignition switches fail. The switches cannot handle the combination of dirt, salt and water. Mike's failed in activating the starter motor. His daughter noticed the smell and alerted Mike to the problem. Smell was generated by the paint on the starter motor burning. Jeff Fongemie uses a Cole Hersee 2 position single circuit push-pull switch (http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/show_product.do?pid=7844&familyName=2-Position+Single+Circuit+Push-Pull+Switch). These appear to be quite similar to those already installed in #262. Some investigation is in order.