Does anyone have a small (3-4 KW) diesel generator on their boat? I was wondering if one could be mounted aft of the rudder post in the aft lazarette area? I know they are pricey ($5Kish) and like everybody else have considered the Honda i2000, but diesel would be sweet and quiet. Just thinking out loud. Cheers
Randy,
I have one,
http://entecwest.com/products.htm, EW-4200-D
Came with the boat (a 367), seems to work well
It's mounted fore and aft on centerline. Difficult to work on (what isn't) in the aft locker.
Let me know what questions you have.
P69,
Cool. How is it mounted? How did they flatten the area out?
Cheers,
Randy
There is wood frame for a base (Plywood/solid wood, Teak/ fir????) with a stainless steel liner.
I know that there is a metal base/plate that bolts to the wood frame with four bolts (one each corner)
Actually, I 'm really not sure now that I think about it. I;ll take pictures this weekend. I hauled it out to clear a overheating issue (jelly-like substance in coolant system) and should have taken pictures then.
All I did was remove the four bolts, disconnect hoses and wires, then lifted it out.I had to rotate it 90 degrees to get it out of the hatch opening, but it is a pretty good fit.
The starter controls are in the cabin, just inside the companionway next to the 110v panel on the starboard side.
I'll get some pictures this weekend.
Hi
don't know if this is much help but my 365 ketch has a 3.8kw diesel generator in the port locker,the front of the gen is flush with the rear locker opening so you still have the hole locker for storage,it also has its own starter battery so if the main battries have a problem i can still start the gen then use that to start the main engine or run the boat electrics
Graemek,
So, it's mounted where the batterries were originally installed at the factory? That would be a good place. Better access for service work. But I think i would have to relocate my batteries. Wont work on Stb side as my hot water heater is mounted next to that bulkhead.
Hi Randy
sorry not very good at describing it ,same locker but at the rear end,opposite end to the battries
Journey does not have a diesel gen set at the moment, but there was one in the aft locker as evidenced by the exhaust set up that is still there.
Randy,
Here are the pictures of the generator install. Basically, a previous owner used 3/4" fir plywood to make a platform. Platform legs are wedge/triangular-shaped probably with the hypotenuse scribed (or maybe not scribed) to the shape of the hull. This creates the level platform. The platform top is made of two layers of the same 3/4" fir plywood.
The generator sits inside of a SS, insulated box that includes the bottom SS tray. This tray/box just sits loose in on the platform. It gets sandwiched between blue base and plywood by the four through bolts.
The generator base (blue in the pictures) is bolted through the tray/base and through the two layers of plywood with four SS bolts and nylon nuts.
Generator is bolted to its blue base. The only problem with this arrangement is that it limits the access to the areas in the stern that are outboard of the generator sides and it is really tough getting to the rudder packing gland.
Generator has its own fuel filter/water separator. I think its fuel intake and return lines are separate from the main engine's. I know the return line is separate, not sure about the intake from the tank.
When I removed the generator from the boat for servicing, I removed the four through bolts and lifted it out of the locker. The plywood base and the SS box/tray stayed in the boat. Only the generator and its blue base came out.
The pictures are kinda big, so instead of posting them in-line, go get them from the following links.
http://bodylens.com/Gallery/thumbnails.php?album=13
nice picks,yours is twice the size of mine will try to get some picks of my unit tonight,mine's only 3.8kw i guess yours is 5kw ish
P69
Great picks. That's what I was looking for! I think it worth losing the aft storage space for a generator. I am now leaning that way. Thanks !
Randy
Graemek,
it's 4.2 kw. It runs air conditioner, battery charger, and other AC chargers (phones, ipods, etc...) simultaneously, but it is loud.
Randy,
Consider the installation carefully. The one I have is hand-crankable, but the fwd end, where the crank goes, is so close to the steering quadrant that there is no way to crank it. I can still reach into the stern area to port and stbd of the generator, but just can't crawl into that locker. It's also difficult to release the retaining clip on the shaft that turns the two impellers (raw and fresh).
I guess i'm saying that, since it'll take a lot of space, make sure you can get to the areas that need servicing without having to remove the bloody thing (impellers, heat exchangers, change/add oil, priming, AC power connection, hand crank if it can do that).
After not having been run for a few months, I have to manually pump the fuel. This Entec has a priming lever (lever on port side with red tip, DownOpenbox.jpg), but its movement range is so small that it takes 50 to 100 strokes to get the fuel back up to the engine. I just keep stroking until I hear the return fuel dribbling back into the tank, which is the same tank as the main engine, under the cockpit. I'm thinking of putting a small electric fuel pump in line to make that easier. That'll be after I move its fuel filter/separator to a more accessible place. It was installed down in a hole where it is difficult to inspect/drain/change filter.
I guess the installation is not to bad. It's not that heavy and if I need to modify the stern area (add shelves/hooks, beef up the back stay chain plate area, build a stern anchor locker, etc...) I can just remove the darn thing and have lots of room. It's just 4 bolts and a few hoses (about 2 hours one way).