The customer at work wanted assurance that this P24 was working as it should, despite having already undertaken extensive sea trials, so my boss suggested we take a video on the boat when underway.
Jokingly I said that my drone would do a far better job and the boss said to do it! So I did. LOL
Normally I would be driving these boats and giving it a harder work-out but on this occasion stayed ashore to fly the drone. I think the results are good enough to satisfy the customers request.
Is this the boat we see ?:
https://www.baesystems.com/en-uk/product/pacific-24
That’s the one.
The one in the video is the Mk4 V8 version and although it has better performance than the Mk3 straight 6 version they do have issues with the ecu engine management side of thing. Electronics and sea water does not mix well.
We have a Defence Police Mk4 in at the moment with a strange electrical problem. Failing to start being one and when finally running it will cut out when the VHF radio is turned on!!! Lots of head scratching and diagnostic testing has yet to find the cure.
Does it cut out when the VFH is keyed or just turned on?
Have seen electronics buggered by transmitters where the antennas aren’t tuned and the SWR is bad.
I consulted a friend who is an electronic engineer.
Problems starting:
possibly an old dud battery with reduced voltage.
Problem when switching on equipment:
possibly an old dud battery with reduced voltage.
Easy to see if a new battery changes things.
(And check for corrosion on battery terminals.)
Also: Marine VHF radios can be fairly powerful, so maybe RFI (Radio Frequency Interference) going back down the 12V power lines and interfering with the electronic engine control system ?
So try adding a smoothing circuit (capacitors & inductors) at each end of the 12V cables ?
Your local amateur radio club can probably advise on this.
Try isolating the radio power supply and running it from a separate battery and see if that makes any difference ?
Thanks for that.
Our electronic engineer is fairly switched on with these boats and has run all sorts of tests that have not flagged up where the problem is.
Yesterday we had the main engine dealer/agent in to have a look but I’m yet to know the results.
A common mode choke on the antenna / balun coax cable and also ferrite chokes on the power cables might help.
RF problems can be tricky to resolve - good luck.
The above worked for me when I was having to use a broadband dipole antenna and an automatic tuner (on an icom amateur radio).
Quick update.
I seems the ‘expert’ insists the electrical side of this boat is fine and the non start issue is a fuel pump that has failed.(It did in fact have low pressure)
Not sure how the engine cutting out when the VHF radio is switched on (according to MOD Police) is a fuel issue!!!
Perhaps someone had left the handbrake on? LOL
Dodgy pump just running and no more, switch powerful radio on and get a sharp voltage drop? Maybe enough to take pump out?