Low Volts followed by Engine Fault

[GhostRiders]

I recently experienced a low volts alarm that was shortly followed by a Engine Fault indication. Does anyone know what will cause this? My best guess is the alternator is shot. Note: the engine did not stall and we were able to come off the water in an orderly fashion. Any suggestions?

GhostRiders
'08 22 SSV

[wotan2525]

With the boat running, use a multi-meter to see if you get 14+ volts at the battery. This will tell you if the alternator is working correctly. If you only get 12-13 volts it's a good indication that the alternator isn't keeping up.

[GhostRiders]

Thanks wotan2525 for the tips, do you know if there is a voltage regulator in the circuit or is would it be built in to the altenator??

[wotan2525]

I don't know with 100% certainty but it would really surprise me if the alternator in 2008s was not self regulated. This is why we test at the battery, though -- if it shows 12v while the engine is running, then we can go test at the alternator to see what it is putting out.