Hi Chris;
I installed mine, (MKII), just above the removable engine cover in the aft cabin. I cut a clearance slot in the cover for the wires and mounted the reg on the backside, (aft cabin), of the bulkhead that is behind the steps. It basically faces aft, just above the "box" above the engine in the aft cabin.

I hope I've explained it so you can picture it!

Mine Ample Power regulator is behind the electrical panel on the hull. Seems to like it there after 11 years.

Chris, what regulator did you get? Please install it outside the engine room. Not only for the heat, but the ability to get to it if you need to. Find a place where you can read it and adjust it. This is way important, especially when it is new to you.

You may also be interested in this link to Small Engine Mode: [url]http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,4669.0.html[/url] and the associated link in that topic

You might be looking at my regulator that was installed on our old C-36. It was installed before Balmar began strongly suggesting to install it outside the engine bay. It failed, the second one failed and the third one I installed out of the engine bay and I suspect is still going.. Balmar regs don't like heat. Others seem to have no issues...

Aw shucks, NOW ya tell us why your first few regulators failed. All this time I thought it was a regulator failure, and not shoddy instructions. :D

Chris, figure out the length of the harness and go from there. Here are some wiring diagrams for you: [url]http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,4548.0.html[/url]

The 612 and 614 are almost identical, you'll do well with what you bought.

Enjoy your install, any ?s let us know.

Are you coming to the Catalina Rendezvous this weekend?

[QUOTE=stu jackson c34;9322]Aw shucks, NOW ya tell us why your first few regulators failed. All this time I thought it was a regulator failure, and not shoddy instructions. :D

Chris, figure out the length of the harness and go from there. Here are some wiring diagrams for you: [url]http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,4548.0.html[/url]

The 612 and 614 are almost identical, you'll do well with what you bought.

Enjoy your install, any ?s let us know.

Are you coming to the Catalina Rendezvous this weekend?[/QUOTE]

It was a regulator failure.:D I still strongly believe Balmar should manufacture these things to deal with heat better and they should have known this prior to the late 90's early 2000's...

I've also had one fail on a customers flag blue Awlgripped boat that was mounted behind the electrical panel. When the sun hit the hull it could exceed 140F in there, it cooked. It is inexcusable that these devices can't deal with engine heat. We have millions of electronic engine devices that do just fine.

If they want it out of the engine room here's a thought, how about longer wire harnesses...;)

Just FYI -

Our boat had a Balmar ARS-III external regulator mounted by the PO inside the engine compartment. It gave good service for 10 years, then died.

I replaced it with an ARS-5 but (foolishly) left it in the same location. It is not proving to work, but it wasn't in the heat long enough to be an issue. I suspect there are other issues (wiring?) that I need to check out when I get a chance.

After this topic, I plan to move it outside the engine cover.

Another FYI-

On a cruise this spring with an unusual 3 days of clouds/rain, our robust solar panel array couldn't keep up with our electrical demand. Unfortunately, I disovered that the alternator/regulator system was not putting out any current.

Reading the Balmar external regulator manual, I saw that I could place a jumper wire across two terminals (ignition and field) on the wiring harness, which then places 12+V to the field circuit. The field circuit controls how much output voltage/current the alternator will produce. Since I had fairly depleted batteries, having the alternator go full output (I registered 70A on my shunt meter) was acceptable for about a half hour.

As the battery charge came up, the voltage increased until it was at 14.5V (by then the current dropped to about 50A), and then I shut it down to avoid damaging the batteries. After letting the batteries 'rest' for a while to let the charge on the surface of the plates diffuse deeper, I was able to run the alternator on 'full field' again to pump more charge in.

I don't recommend this practice, but it worked for me as an emergency procedure. I imagine if you put a rheostat in the jumper to reduce the current flowing in the field, you could manually regulate the output voltage and carefully recharge your batteries more completely and safely than I did at 'full throttle.'

Duane,
That is exactly the concept behind the old "Auto-Mac" alternator regulators. You could manually adjust the field current with a knob. Crude by today's standards, but it worked!

[QUOTE=deising;9326]Another FYI-

On a cruise this spring with an unusual 3 days of clouds/rain, our robust solar panel array couldn't keep up with our electrical demand. Unfortunately, I disovered that the alternator/regulator system was not putting out any current.

Reading the Balmar external regulator manual, I saw that I could place a jumper wire across two terminals (ignition and field) on the wiring harness, which then places 12+V to the field circuit. The field circuit controls how much output voltage/current the alternator will produce. Since I had fairly depleted batteries, having the alternator go full output (I registered 70A on my shunt meter) was acceptable for about a half hour.

As the battery charge came up, the voltage increased until it was at 14.5V (by then the current dropped to about 50A), and then I shut it down to avoid damaging the batteries. After letting the batteries 'rest' for a while to let the charge on the surface of the plates diffuse deeper, I was able to run the alternator on 'full field' again to pump more charge in.

I don't recommend this practice, but it worked for me as an emergency procedure. I imagine if you put a rheostat in the jumper to reduce the current flowing in the field, you could manually regulate the output voltage and carefully recharge your batteries more completely and safely than I did at 'full throttle.'[/QUOTE]

Duane,

This can be very dangerous for your batteries. Full fielding should be done as a test only as your voltage during this Balmar test procedure is 100% unregulated and can easily exceed 17+ volts.

I use this procedure quite often and have witnessed banks go well past 15+ volts if I am not careful to pull the test lead when the voltage is climbing beyond 14.6. The max voltage applied by most all Balmar regulators, at regulator "full field", is about 10.5 volts.

Point well taken, Maine Sail. I would never do it unless I could monitor the battery voltage accurately and continuously, as I did.

Perhaps I was little more cavalier about it because my battery bank is 5 years old and doesn't 'owe me much.'

Nah, Duane, it was knowledge and safety, and knowing your electrical system. Your explanation made a lot of sense: don't overcharge.

We used to have an AutoMac. It taught us a LOT about our electrical system.

Best bet for anyone: batttery monitoring system (Link 2000 wish you could find one!, Link Pro or Lite, Victron).

Get one first. I put my Link 2000 in last, shoulda put it in first.

Everyone says that, and not only about me! :)

Under the galley and to starboard is a skinny door. I used this area as there is a frame for the drawers on the starboard side of the galley. I had to run the wires under the cabin sole but this was a good place to put the regulator and I also put the combiner here as well (see top just below the regulator.)

Chris, for your new regulator, you might be interested in the Small Engine Mode, discussed here on page 2 (more than the earlier link I provided)

[url]http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,4454.0.html[/url]