Titusville - Alternator is tested

To someone looking for an alternator expert, this is heaven. Lenz Automotive

In the further adventures of the charging system, I had the alternator tested today at a shop that looked like it came out of the 50's. The walls were lined with alternators of all shapes and sizes. His tester was not computer controlled like the one I tried earlier in the day (they entered the model number but it was not in the computer's database, the technician didn't know what to do next!) After looking at his shop, I was confident he could test any alternator of any model. He took it into the back room and when he returned he pronounced it fine, it passed all tests.

With the alternator passing, that only left the regulator as the remaining culprit. So I started looking for a replacement and found the Balmar model to be identical to the Xantrex model I had originally (in fact, Balmar makes the one Xantrex sells under their name). So I ordered a replacement out of Annapolis and it should arrive by Thursday. Hopefully that will fix the problem. In the course of talking to the saleman at Amptech about a regulator they sell, he confidently predicted that their regulator would last 10 years, as if that was an extraordinary number. Well, the one I have lasted 13 years!

Titusville is full! There are a few docks left but not many

Hopefully, the regulator is the problem. We really need to get this fixed before going north. In the afternoon, we did get our provisioning done so we all set for the rest of the trip north. We may need a few odds and ends but nothing major the rest of the way. Still, we're in no hurry. Our departure date here is not until Saturday with an anchorage in Daytona followed by two days at St Augustine on Sunday and Monday. With all the dredging that's been done, it ought to be a better trip north than in the fall.