Marine electrical · Engines, batteries & charging · Melbourne
Electrical faults, found and fixed properly.
Flat batteries, charging problems, alarms that come and go, gauges that can’t be trusted. We trace the fault to its cause and fix it, from the engine’s starting and charging system to the panel at the helm.
- Engine electrics and 12/24 V systems
- Fault-finding at your berth
- Volvo Penta EVC and engine panels
- Authorised Volvo Penta & Yanmar dealer
The system
Where’s the problem?
The faults we chase sit in one of three places. Pick the closest.
Slow cranking, a charging light, batteries that won’t hold. We test the batteries, alternator, starter motor and the cabling between them, and find which one is letting the others down.
- Battery load testing
- Alternator output and regulation
- Starter motor and solenoid
- Battery cables and isolator switches
- Earth (ground) connections
Something not right?
Electrical signs worth chasing.
Electrical faults tend to start small. If you’ve noticed one of these, it’s worth a look before it leaves you stranded.
Batteries flat after a few days
Often a small constant drain, a charging fault or a tired battery. We find which, and where.
Slow cranking, or just a click
A low battery, a tired starter motor, or a poor connection somewhere between them.
A charging light, or low voltage
The alternator, its belt, or the wiring and regulation around it.
Gauges reading wrong or flickering
Often a sender or a corroded connection rather than the gauge itself.
Alarms that come and go
Intermittent faults often trace back to corroded or loose connectors and terminals.
A hot or burning smell
Isolate the batteries and don’t run anything until it’s been checked. If there’s smoke or flame, call Triple Zero (000).
What you get
The cause, not just the symptom.
Every electrical job ends with a note of what we tested, what we found and what we fixed, so you can see exactly what was done.
- Tested, not guessed
- Faults traced back to the cause
- Anything extra quoted before we start
Electrical check
Motor cruiser · Single Volvo Penta D4 · Batteries going flat
- Done
Start battery
Load tested. Healthy.
- Keep an eye on
House battery
Weak under load, and five years old.
- Done
Alternator output
Charging correctly at idle and at cruise.
- Fixed
Constant drain
Found a stereo amplifier wired ahead of the isolator, live with everything switched off. Rewired through the isolator.
- Fixed
Main earth terminal
Corroded. Cleaned, re-terminated and protected.
- Needs attention
Bilge pump float switch
Sticking. Quoted to replace.
Who you're dealing with
Electrical work from the engine people.
A lot of a boat’s electrical faults end at the engine: starting, charging, sensors, panels and controls. That’s where our technicians spend their days, at your berth or in our Spotswood workshop.
- Authorised Volvo Penta & Yanmar dealer
- Volvo Penta VODIA diagnostics
- Fault-finding at your berth
- Servicing Melbourne boats since 1995
Questions
Electrical questions we’re asked
Do you come to the boat?
Yes. Most electrical fault-finding is done at the berth or on the hardstand around Port Phillip Bay. Bigger jobs can come into our Spotswood workshop.
My batteries keep going flat. Do I need new ones?
Not always. A battery that keeps going flat is often the result of a charging fault or a small constant drain, and a new battery will go flat too. We test the batteries, the charging and the drain before recommending anything.
Can you work on Volvo Penta EVC systems?
Yes. As an authorised Volvo Penta dealer we work on EVC systems and read the fault logs with VODIA, Volvo Penta’s dealer diagnostic tool.
Do you do 240 V or shore power work?
Work on 230/240 V systems is licensed electrical work, and we’re not licensed electricians. We work closely with a licensed electrician and bring them in when a job needs it.
Do you quote before starting?
Yes. Fault-finding comes first, and anything beyond that is quoted before we do it.
How quickly can you help?
We aim to reply within 1 business day. If there’s a burning smell or a hot wire, isolate the batteries and don’t run anything until it’s checked. If there’s smoke or flame, call Triple Zero (000).
Electrical gremlins?
Tell us what’s happening and where the boat is. We’ll find the cause.