Diesel generator smokey

[Tasemu]

Hi all. Another question from me.

 

I have an inbuilt diesel generator and over the last 2 weeks it has been running fine when needed. Now that the rain has started and the temperature has dropped a bit here on the K&A, i've noticed that the exhaust is a bit smokey. Not billowing out or anything, but I can see fine white smoke coming out with the raw water exhaust. Is this something I should be worrying about? It has been clear exhaust up until now.

 

The diesel genny's are quite expensive so I'd rather take care of it if I can.

 

Thanks for any and all advice as always!

[Steve56]

I know that sometimes with this sort of cooling system if the water flow is slightly reduced you can get steam coming from th exhaust. Check your inlet pipe and strainer for any partial blockage. Also check that your water pump impeller is in good condition.

[TheBiscuits]

Just now, Steve56 said:

I know that sometimes with this sort of cooling system if the water flow is slightly reduced you can get steam coming from th exhaust. Check your inlet pipe and strainer for any partial blockage. Also check that your water pump impeller is in good condition.

 

That saved me some typing, thanks!  Almost word for word what I was going to say.

[Tasemu]

8 minutes ago, Steve56 said:

I know that sometimes with this sort of cooling system if the water flow is slightly reduced you can get steam coming from th exhaust. Check your inlet pipe and strainer for any partial blockage. Also check that your water pump impeller is in good condition.

Excellent, that's what i'll do as soon as the rain dies down. Hopefully a good poke around the side of the boat with a stick may loosen something.

[Tracy D'arth]

45 minutes ago, Tasemu said:

Excellent, that's what i'll do as soon as the rain dies down. Hopefully a good poke around the side of the boat with a stick may loosen something.

It would be better to be a bit more scientific than just poking a stick. There will be a water inlet with some form of grating and maybe a mud box as well.

You seem to have insufficient water flow for proper cooling, the problem needs to be properly sorted else you will not have a generator for long.

[OldGoat]

I have a fresh water cooled exhaust system and at times of high humidity there's a lot of water vapour (not steam - cos you can't see steam) in the exhaust. In fact when there isn't any I stop the engine pdq.....

[Tasemu]

4 hours ago, Tracy D'arth said:

It would be better to be a bit more scientific than just poking a stick. There will be a water inlet with some form of grating and maybe a mud box as well.

You seem to have insufficient water flow for proper cooling, the problem needs to be properly sorted else you will not have a generator for long.

I know there is a mud box with a grate, but not sure how I would get in there with the boat in the water, unless I go for a swim in the canal. Sorry i've only bought my boat recently and saw the mud box out of the water.

Edited August 19, 2020 by Tasemu

[TheBiscuits]

5 minutes ago, Tasemu said:

I know there is a mud box with a grate, but not sure how I would get in there with the boat in the water, unless I go for a swim in the canal. Sorry i've only bought my boat recently and saw the mud box out of the water.

 

Give us photos of the inside of the boat where the intake is.

 

The mud box must be clearable from inside the boat when it is afloat, but on some you need to turn off a seacock first.  Look for a pipe coming from the hull towards the genset. 

 

I think what you are calling the mudbox is likely to be the intake for the mudbox, not the mudbox itself.

[Tasemu]

6 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

Give us photos of the inside of the boat where the intake is.

 

The mud box must be clearable from inside the boat when it is afloat, but on some you need to turn off a seacock first.  Look for a pipe coming from the hull towards the genset. 

 

I think what you are calling the mudbox is likely to be the intake for the mudbox, not the mudbox itself.

I think you may be right, sorry for the ignorance haha. I'm still learning

 

Here are some photo's.

 

 

[TheBiscuits]

 

The steel box with the red lid will be your primary mudbox.  Open the lid and clean inside it - the screen may or may not be removable.

 

The lever tap on the side of it turns off so you can unscrew the clear lid off the grey secondary filter.  Do this and clean the filter in there too.

 

If you get stuck, add pictures of the inside of the mudbox.

 

Don't forget to turn the tap back on after you have reassembled it all!

[Tasemu]

1 minute ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

The steel box with the red lid will be your primary mudbox.  Open the lid and clean inside it - the screen may or may not be removable.

 

The lever tap on the side of it turns off so you can unscrew the clear lid off the grey secondary filter.  Do this and clean the filter in there too.

Awesome, will do! It seems as though its under the waterline though. But maybe that's just me being paranoid.

[TheBiscuits]

5 minutes ago, Tasemu said:

Awesome, will do! It seems as though its under the waterline though. But maybe that's just me being paranoid.

 

Open it carefully just in case ...

 

 

[Tasemu]

11 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

Open it carefully just in case ...

 

 

Good point, if i just unscrew it slowly and water comes in, i can wrench it shut again. That's right yeah? I KNOW this time i'm getting into the stupid questions but I want to be 100% sure i'm catching what you're pitching right now haha

[TheBiscuits]

1 minute ago, Tasemu said:

Good point, if i just unscrew it slowly and water comes in, i can wrench it shut again. That's right yeah? I KNOW this time i'm getting into the stupid questions but I want to be 100% sure i'm catching what you're pitching right now haha

Yes, precisely that.

 

I would expect the waterline to be a few inches down inside the box, but it depends on how much heavy stuff you put on the boat!

[Tasemu]

Just now, TheBiscuits said:

Yes, precisely that.

 

I would expect the waterline to be a few inches down inside the box, but it depends on how much heavy stuff you put on the boat!

Exactly, the aga rayburn and the generator have got me nervous haha

[BEngo]

To test if it is safe to open the primary mud box:

 

Shut the lever valve.  Remove the top of the secondary filter.  Crack the lever valve open a little. Water should not come out of the secondary filter.  If it does, shut the valve then clean and reassemble the secondary filter.  Put the Rayburn on the bank temporarily  and try again?

  If the water stays outside, clean and reassemble the secondary,   shut the valve then  open the mudbox and clean it out.

 

N9

[TheBiscuits]

2 hours ago, BEngo said:

Put the Rayburn on the bank temporarily  and try again?

 

"This is left as an exercise for the reader ..."

 

Edited August 19, 2020 by TheBiscuits
spellink

[Tasemu]

5 minutes ago, BEngo said:

To test if it is safe to open the primary mud box:

 

Shut the lever valve.  Remove the top of the secondary filter.  Crack the lever valve open a little. Water should not come out of the secondary filter.  If it does, shut the valve then clean and reassemble the secondary filter.  Put the Rayburn on the bank temporarily  and try again?

  If the water stays outside, clean and reassemble the secondary,   shut the valve then  open the mudbox and clean it out.

 

N9

Excellent, i'll do this! Except for the aga moving, seems easier to just dive in and lift the boat up myself.

[Eeyore]

Diesel engines are at their happiest when working hard, which is rarely the case on a canal boat. The main engine will enjoy some “high speed” work on open water; and the generator will love a diet of fan heaters for half an hour or so whenever it starts to get a bit smokey. Obviously not before you’re happy with the cooling situation.

[BEngo]

4 hours ago, Tasemu said:

Excellent, i'll do this! Except for the aga moving, seems easier to just dive in and lift the boat up myself.

If you lift the boat with one hand you can use the other to poke a hosepipe into the mud box inlets and wash all the muck back out.?

[36national]

But you got the Aga balanced in the other hand. You need the third hand to hold the hosepipe. The one your mum took from you at birth and only lets you have back on special occasions.

 

[Slim]

What make/model  / output is the generator. I ask beecause I have one (Paguro 4000)

[Tasemu]

11 hours ago, Slim said:

What make/model  / output is the generator. I ask beecause I have one (Paguro 4000)

I believe its a beta 20 (red). Also i've noticed its no longer having any white smoke coming out. Maybe it was the rain... Still gonna clean it.

[OldGoat]

26 minutes ago, Tasemu said:

I believe its a beta 20 (red). Also i've noticed its no longer having any white smoke coming out. Maybe it was the rain... Still gonna clean it.

Told you!

It's not smoke - it's water vapour (all too commonly referred to as steam......)

My Beta(s) have been doing it for 20 years - but I still think " I wonder........."

 

[Tasemu]

Wicked, that's one thing off my big list of boat worries and repairs.