Abso charger error 09 problems

[John Cortesy]

So my battery charger has quit charging. It is an AC1220 and after multiple resets just keeps flashing error 09. The book claims that there is high voltage on one of the battery lines, over 17 volts, but all three banks show between 12.5 and 13.3 at the output bolts on the charger. Anyone have any ideas on what might be going on? I am stumped.

 

[Submariner]

So my battery charger has quit charging. It is an AC1220 and after multiple resets just keeps flashing error 09. The book claims that there is high voltage on one of the battery lines, over 17 volts, but all three banks show between 12.5 and 13.3 at the output bolts on the charger. Anyone have any ideas on what might be going on? I am stumped.

What time did you check the battery voltage? Daytime or night time?

Does your boat have the original PWM style solar charger? If yes, it's possible it's failed and is therefore causing voltage to go over 17 volts during sunlight hours, which then would cause the battery charger to error out.

The solar charger on your boat is located in the starboard lazarette, cockpit, aft. Near the engine battery and the ABSO 1220 battery charger. It'll be a beige color if it's the SunSaver Duo PWM controller.

 

[John Cortesy]

What time did you check the battery voltage? Daytime or night time?

Does your boat have the original PWM style solar charger? If yes, it's possible it's failed and is therefore causing voltage to go over 17 volts during sunlight hours, which then would cause the battery charger to error out.

The solar charger on your boat is located in the starboard lazarette, cockpit, aft. Near the engine battery and the ABSO 1220 battery charger. It'll be a beige color if it's the SunSaver Duo PWM controller.

I replaced the original PWM with a Victron MPPT 100/30 when I added another solar panel. This one only charges the house batteries. I thought that the 3 way charger (AC1220) would keep the rest charged.

 

[Submariner]

I replaced the original PWM with a Victron MPPT 100/30 when I added another solar panel. This one only charges the house batteries. I thought that the 3 way charger (AC1220) would keep the rest charged.

Make sure the MPPT controller is configured correctly for output voltage. It's a battery charger sourced from solar. There's only (3) charging sources on board, the battery charger, engine and solar. The battery charger outputs to all three banks, one at a time (it cycles through them).

However, when there's a charging source applied (engine ,solar or battery charger), the ACR's will all close, paralleling all three banks together so they act as one big battery.

 

[John Cortesy]

Make sure the MPPT controller is configured correctly for output voltage. It's a battery charger sourced from solar. There's only (3) charging sources on board, the battery charger, engine and solar. The battery charger outputs to all three banks, one at a time (it cycles through them).

However, when there's a charging source applied (engine ,solar or battery charger), the ACR's will all close, paralleling all three banks together so they act as one big battery.

I think one of the ACRs might have failed as well. The Victron outputs 14.3 for absorption and 13.8 it goes to float.
I was reading 14.2 on the house batteries but only 12.2 on the engine battery. I hooked up my lawn tractor battery charger to the engine battery and BAM! All of a sudden I had 14 volts on all 3 battery banks.
At what current do the ACRs close up and connect the thruster and starting batteries to the house batteries? If the first ACR between the house and engine battery is not opening, then neither will the second ACR between the engine and thruster batteries. Is this correct? In this scenario would you suspect the first ACR is bad?

 

[Submariner]

I think one of the ACRs might have failed as well. The Victron outputs 14.3 for absorption and 13.8 it goes to float.
I was reading 14.2 on the house batteries but only 12.2 on the engine battery. I hooked up my lawn tractor battery charger to the engine battery and BAM! All of a sudden I had 14 volts on all 3 battery banks.
At what current do the ACRs close up and connect the thruster and starting batteries to the house batteries? If the first ACR between the house and engine battery is not opening, then neither will the second ACR between the engine and thruster batteries. Is this correct? In this scenario would you suspect the first ACR is bad?

It's unlikely an ACR has failed. There is a yellow wire (like, 12 or 16 awg), that connects to each ACR (located in your cockpit, port lazarette, aft). There's two of them side by side in the aft port corner. Each one needs a yellow wire (ground). Else, the ACR can't get a voltage reading and thus won't ever close. Those yellow ground wires are easy to knock off storing gear in the port laz (I've done it many times).

Combine: 30secs at 13.6 volts. or 2minutes at 13.0 volts.
Isolate: 10 seconds at 12.35volts or 30 seconds at 12.75 volts.
If a side goes over 16.0 volts it will lockout.
If a side goes under 9.5 volts it will lock out. (and must be brought up to 10.0 volts to reset).

Blue Sea SI ACR documentation

https://d2pyqm2yd3fw2i.cloudfront.net/files/resources/instructions/990170140.pdf

 

[John Cortesy]

It's unlikely an ACR has failed. There is a yellow wire (like, 12 or 16 awg), that connects to each ACR (located in your cockpit, port lazarette, aft). There's two of them side by side in the aft port corner. Each one needs a yellow wire (ground). Else, the ACR can't get a voltage reading and thus won't ever close. Those yellow ground wires are easy to knock off storing gear in the port laz (I've done it many times).

Combine: 30secs at 13.6 volts. or 2minutes at 13.0 volts.
Isolate: 10 seconds at 12.35volts or 30 seconds at 12.75 volts.
If a side goes over 16.0 volts it will lockout.
If a side goes under 9.5 volts it will lock out. (and must be brought up to 10.0 volts to reset).

Blue Sea SI ACR documentation

https://d2pyqm2yd3fw2i.cloudfront.net/files/resources/instructions/990170140.pdf

Thanks for the lead to check the grounds. And thanks for the file. I have already ordered another AC1220 battery charger. All battery banks were brought up to 12.7 resting voltage, tested at the charger's output lugs, and the charger starts up and immediately goes into Error 09.

 

[Submariner]

Thanks for the lead to check the grounds. And thanks for the file. I have already ordered another AC1220 battery charger. All battery banks were brought up to 12.7 resting voltage, tested at the charger's output lugs, and the charger starts up and immediately goes into Error 09.

Some additional helpful info... Some boats were configured from the factory as follows:

Engine bank to ACR to House bank.
Engine bank to ACR to Thruster bank.

Others were done as follows:
Engine bank to ACR to House bank.
House bank to ACR to Thruster bank.

This is helpful to know when troubleshooting.

Start at timestamp 21:16 for an illustration.
Electrical Overview of an Ranger Tug R27-OB (NW Edition)

 

[John Cortesy]

Here are two photos that show the wiring diagram out of the book, and the actual install. I cannot see where the engine battery is hooked up to the ACRs. There is an empty lug where I think it should be. I am guessing that the only way the engine battery gets charged is through the engine alternator and one of the circuits from the 3 way battery charger.

 

[Submariner]

What's the grey box to the left?

 

[John Cortesy]

What's the grey box to the left?

A Hull Shield HD1

 

[John Cortesy]

What's the grey box to the left?

A Hull Shield 1

 

[Submariner]

I don't see enough in the photo to know what's going on so I'll speculate.

There could be a #1AWG wire lying somewhere in your port lazarette labeled "engine" which is supposed to connect to your ACR on that empty lug.
Here's the electrical drawing for a NW edition.

https://5d36d483-fef8-437f-aa67-6cdedd539ca3.usrfiles.com/ugd/b6c9c0_edcf57d214cb4302b850d73235406ebd.pdf

Alternatively, there could be an auxiliary charging cable installed. You'd see a black box with a 100amp (or similar in size) breaker on it somewhere in your port lazaratte. This allows the engine to charge the engine and house battery (two separate outputs from the same outboard alternator). In which case, you technically only need the house to thruster ACR. I suspect this is what's going on in your boat. Else you'd never get any house or thruster bank charging from the engine.