Electrical Systems - Volvo Penta 3.0GS/SX Owner's Manual

Electrical systems

The electrical system has a voltage of 12 V. The generator has a charging regulator to make it more effective.
The engine also has semi-automatic and normal fuses which cut off the current if there is an overload. There
are also fuses for the trim pump and the Power Trim controls.
WARNING! Danger of explosion! Never allow an open flame or sparks near the battery area. Always use
eye protection when working with the batteries. The battery electrolyte contains extremely corrosive sulfu-
ric acid. If electrolyte comes into contact with the skin: Wash it off with soap and plenty of water. If battery
acid comes in contact with the eyes, immediately flush with copious amounts of water. Contact a doctor
immediately.
Electrolytic corrosion
To protect the drive and propeller against galvanic cor-
rosion your boat and its propulsion unit have galvanic
corrosion protection. Leakage current from the electri-
cal system will prevent this protection system from
working and result in major damage. Leakage current
from the electrical system can be caused by faulty
equipment or incorrect installation of electrical equip-
ment.
IMPORTANT Electrolytic corrosion as a conse-
quence of leakage currents may cause serious da-
mage to your boat's equipment within a short
time. Work on the boat's low voltage circuit
should only be carried out by qualified/expe-
rienced personnel. Installation or work on the sho-
re power equipment must only be carried out by
electricians authorized to work with high-voltage
installations.
The following should always be observed: Route
and clamp electric cables so that they will not be expo-
sed to damp or bilge water in the keelson. The main
engine switch must be connected to the positive (+) ter-
minal on the battery, and cuts off all power consu-
56
ming equipment as soon as the engine is stopped. If
an extra battery has been installed then there must
be separate switches for extra equipment. There
should also be a main switch between the auxiliary
battery positive terminal and the electrical equipment
fuse strip. The main switch for the auxiliary battery
must cut off all power consuming equipment connec-
ted to that battery and be turned off when power is
no longer needed. The engine or drive must not be
electrically connected to other equipment such as the
trim plane, bathing steps etc. The engine and trans-
mission must not be used as ground points for radio
or navigation installations or other electrical equip-
ment with separate ground cables. All separate gro-
und cables must have a common ground point,
separated from the engine and transmission. If
shore power is connected a protective ground should
not be connected to the engine or to any other gro-
und terminal on the boat. Transformers connected to
shore power must be installed so that the protective
ground on the input side (120/220 V) and the negati-
ve connection on the output side (12 V) are not con-
nected.