Crowley installed the Balmar system (alternator, regulator, battery combiner) their installer was very professional spent the whole day ensuring it was all hooked up correctly. When at the yard the only casualty was the tachometer, with the theory being that the old Motorola that shipped with the Lehman requires more current than a modern alternator puts out.
We made it through downtown Chicago, it was an amazing experience that was over far too quickly. The Illinois river is equally incredible, a complete change from the Great Lakes and we are excited to begin out river journey.
Sadly, however, the charging system saga is not over. Upon arriving at lockport and tying up for the night, the house batteries were nearly dead. It seems the entire Balmar setup is not functioning at all, and I did not keep the old alternator. Going to try and diagnose the problem this evening and tomorrow. It is a bit discouraging to spend over $2,000 and go backwards, we are now completely reliant on the generator to operate the boat safely and of course no 12v power means no refrigeration either.
Stay tuned...