Replacing the Battery Meter on ‘Sampaguita’
This month The Resourceful Sailor needs to replace an aged, non-functioning battery meter. What does he do when the original parts are no longer available? Read on to find out …
The analog battery-testing meter in Sampaguita, a 1985 Pacific Seacraft Flicka 20, started acting up a few years ago. It is part of the Marinetics electric panel of the same vintage. Adjusting the fine-tuning dial and tapping on the face used to get it to work. No longer. The needle made a hard stop at about 11 volts, and I knew this was wrong.
My first thought was to open up the meter and see if there was a simple fix. Questioning my expectation of success regarding that approach, I wondered about changing out the meter. Marinetics is long gone, so an OEM was not an option. Hoping to keep modifications to nil, I took measurements of the meter, cutout, and mounting studs. A search of the internet turned up precisely one with the proper dimensions, scale arc, and range. It had the appropriate aesthetic and could ship to me for a total of $14.95. I went for it.
On its arrival, it was very promising at first glance. It seemed to be the same part from a different manufacturer. I disconnected the battery, opened up the panel, made some comparisons, and was satisfied it would fit properly. I disconnected the two terminals and four mounting nuts and removed the old meter. The new one went perfectly into its place. I added the supplied nuts and washers to the studs and connected the wire terminals.
While it appeared simple, I decided to test it before I closed up the panel. I reconnected the battery and toggled the test switch. And the needle pegged downward. Ha! I had just found the dissimilarity of the parts. The new meter had the negative and positive terminals in opposite positions from the old. I did not initially notice this, and once I was installing it, my vantage point had limited visibility.
In classic boat-repair fashion, this is what took the bulk of the time. The positive wires reached their terminal fine. However, the main negative cable from the bus bar was a little short. I inspected the bus bar and realized I could rearrange two wires to get the adequate length. After trial and error, I came up with an acceptable solution. I reconnected the battery, flipped the test toggle switch, and voila! The meter worked, and it looked right too.
The Resourceful Sailor offers examples of simple approaches to boat maintenance and modifications. Remember, keep your solutions safe and prudent, and have a blast.