Boat Safety

[John Orentas]

Thought I would start a new thread for this item to save disrupting the original and members may want to respond to his issue.

 

Keeping Up. Touched on a problem re. the Stop Solenoid on some engines. Most of the engines we use these days are basically marinised industrial or traction engines. It is sensible that such power units have an inbuilt fail safe feature in that in the event of emergency, vehicle turning over, setting on fire or some other eventuality the power is switched off and the engine is brought to a stop by the removal of power from the stop solenoid.

 

However on a sea-boat the overiding rule is that the engine must not be stopped in emergency conditions, even in the case of fire or major malfunction a running engine is the first line of defence, if you stop it you may not be able to start it again.

 

When I took my Diesel Engine Maintenance instructors course with the RYA a few years ago, the head honcho's where horrified when they were told that engines with the industrial "fail safe" systems are being used in an un-modified state for sea-boats. In fact engines which rely on having and electrical supply in order to function are very much frowned upon and for very good reasons.

 

Not so important with canal boats, but anyone with such an engine who regularly uses fast flowing or tidal waters would be well advised the modify the system.

 

The important difference is that on a boat (at sea in particular) a voltage needs to be applied to the stop solenoid to cut off the fuel, an electrical fault or flat bettery will not stop the engine.

[dor]

So all those canal boats based on Mitsubishi engines(vetus & thorneycroft come immediately to mind), and probably several others as well, should not be used as they have an electric fuel pump?

[John Orentas]

Dor.

 

In my experience if an electric fuel pump is de-activated or fails in some way on a narrowboat it is is unlikely to stop the engine. The fuel tank being above or approximately level with the top of the engine, the system will 'gravity feed' quite comfortably.

 

I have a theory that the majority of boats do not need a lift pump at all and I am sure the injector pump will allow the fuel to be raised a few feet if necessary by atmospheric pressure but I must admit I have never but it to the test.

 

But as I said, does it matter that much on the average narrowboat anyway, you are not likely to find yourself beam on to a five foot swell with a dead engine.

Edited December 12, 2005 by John Orentas

[Guest]

Dor.

 

In my experience if an electric fuel pump is de-activated or fails in some way on a narrowboat it is is unlikely to stop the engine. The fuel tank being above or approximately level with the top of the engine, the system will 'gravity feed' quite comfortably.

 

I have a theory that the majority of boats do not need a lift pump at all and I am sure the injector pump will allow the fuel to be raised a few feet if necessary by atmospheric pressure but I must admit I have never but it to the test.

 

But as I said, does it matter that much on the average narrowboat anyway, you are not likely to find yourself beam on to a five foot swell with a dead engine.

That is why I am surprised that our Vetus uses an electric lift pump on the Mitsubishi based engine. These are really aimed at sea boats but are finding their way into inland use. Our previous Yanmar could be hand started and run without any battery present.

Edited December 12, 2005 by Guest