Generator solutions

[Polishicebreaker]

 

Hi there, I'm about to build my generator into the engine compartment. It's an air cooled Lombardini, quite noisy and needs taming!

How can I ensure its quietened down but doesn't overheat. Should I cut vents into the hull?

Anyone have similar experience of doing this?

Cheers. Ed

[The Bagdad Boatman (waits)]

You need a good supply of air to cool the engine. An air intake muffler and an inproved silence will help I fitted a pair of car radiator fans to cool a boxed in genny, and fitted a ebbaspatcher exhaust pipe to take the exhaust fumes away.

[magnetman]

I would be reluctant to cut any holes in the hull sides. I think forced cooling using a high volume 12v cooling fan might work. I bought one recently to add to the engine hole ventilation and it really does push a lot of air. Bit noisy but no louder than the Genny itself.

 

Yes car radiator fan is what I mean.

[Polishicebreaker]

That sounds good.

Could the air intake be plastic ducting pipe or similar I was thinking?

Exhaust I suppose should be easy to modify a generic silencer to fit so maybe no vents needed in the side. Fan sounds like a good idea.

[BEngo]

An intake air cleaner and a good exhaust silencer will be step one.

Next, don't forget some anti-vibration mountings and a flexible pipe in the exhaust and the fuel pipes to deaden transmitted sound.

A good solid ply box lined with sound absorbent material is step three

Then, ideally you need to baffle the cooling air inlets and outlets to the box so that there is no direct sound path from inside to out. The faces of the baffles should be be coated with sound absorbing material. It makes for a big box!

 

N

[Rob@BSSOffice]

sounds good.

Exhaust I suppose should be easy to modify a generic silencer to fit so maybe no vents needed in the side. Fan sounds like a good idea.

 

Sounds bad

 

Before you go improvising generator exhaust systems, please read this advice from the MAIB about an installed portable generator and an improvised exhaust.

 

Three boaters dead from generator exhaust gases in 12 months is enough...

http://www.maib.gov.uk/publications/safety_bulletins/safety_bulletin_2013/safety_bulletin_2_2013.cfm

 

Regards

Rob

[thorne lass]

The CO problem is rather less with a diesel engine than petrol but there is still enough CO to worry about, plus lots of other nasties that I wouldn't want to share a bed with.

 

My point, I am afraid, is that I would not waste a penny on a horrible noisy engine that you will never manage to silence effectively, "effectively" being defined as "such that you will not annoy the neighbours."

[Paul's Nulife4-2]

Hi Gang,

Power !

Just a question, is the Cost of Buying, Building a suitable box in the Engine Bay, Sound Proofing, Cooling and Exhausting said Generator and box, Then having the Running and Servicing costs .Going to be Better or worse than -

Maybe exploring a Bigger Battery Bank, an additional engine Alternator and some Solar and /or Wind power ?.

Genuine Question as I've got all the above anyway. Just throwing into the pot !.

(By the way I'm a Full Time Livaboard CCr, With a Whisper 3500 Built in Generator that I've had aboard for 7 years and it's got 357 hours on the clock,,, 50 ish Hours a year !.)

Edited April 29, 2014 by Paul's Nulife4-2

[Justme]

If its not to late in the design / build process, think about a water cooled generator.

 

Will be much quieter & need less air cooling if you use the canal water for the coolant.

[blackrose]

The other thing is that if an air cooled generator is boxed in inside an engine room it will probably overheat even with the addition of fans.

 

Ask me how I know...

 

You can box in a water-cooled generator but air cooled generators also need air space around them to radiate that heat off - even with fans.

[Higgs]

Hi Gang,

 

(By the way I'm a Full Time Livaboard CCr, With a Whisper 3500 Built in Generator that I've had aboard for 7 years and it's got 357 hours on the clock,,, 50 ish Hours a year !.)

 

 

50 hrs a year doesn't sound like alot. Are those Whisper gens up to regular weekly use? It's my plan to fit something similar, but think it will have to do regular work..., more like the 357 hrs a year.

[Paul's Nulife4-2]

 

50 hrs a year doesn't sound like alot. Are those Whisper gens up to regular weekly use? It's my plan to fit something similar, but think it will have to do regular work..., more like the 357 hrs a year.

Hi ya

No, In my opinion Whisper Gen s are Brilliant, Very Capable, Very Reliable, and Very Quiet. Especially if you add the gas separator. Had exactly the same model in my last boat, and that one was used for approx 3 hrs a day, Most Days, used approx 3 lts diesel a day, when it was approx 45p a ltr, & Never let me down..As I had a 100% Electric Boat Domesticly talking (I mean no Gas, No Solar Panels, Electric

secondary Heating, & only had Electric

Cooking). I love it,,

I just don't seem to use it on this boat, as power has never been in short supply or an issue for

me.

Twin 100a Alternaters

Small 120w Amorphous Solar

Rutland Wind Gen

And a Single 840a / hr Battery Bank seems to suit my needs, as a Livaboard CCr who until recently, just Used there Boat.

Have a look on the For Sale & Wanted Board for more of a inventory and use,if interested as I don't want to hijack this thread.

[Higgs]

Hi ya

No, In my opinion Whisper Gen s are Brilliant, Very Capable, Very Reliable, and Very Quiet. Especially if you add the gas separator. Had exactly the same model in my last boat, and that one was used for approx 3 hrs a day, Most Days, used approx 3 lts diesel a day, when it was approx 45p a ltr, & Never let me down..As I had a 100% Electric Boat Domesticly talking (I mean no Gas, No Solar Panels, Electric

secondary Heating, & only had Electric

Cooking). I love it,,

I just don't seem to use it on this boat, as power has never been in short supply or an issue for

me.

Twin 100a Alternaters

Small 120w Amorphous Solar

Rutland Wind Gen

And a Single 840a / hr Battery Bank seems to suit my needs, as a Livaboard CCr who until recently, just Used there Boat.

Have a look on the For Sale & Wanted Board for more of a inventory and use,if interested as I don't want to hijack this thread.

 

Thanks. Sounds like a pretty good recommendation. I've also got a Rutland and 3 x 100 w solars. I'm just thinking that the 3 kw Victron will not be necessary with a generator. Bit of an overkill. Problem is, I've already bought the inverter. Need the genny, because the engine is a BMC 1500 and I can't really add too much in the way of alternators. The generator solution seems more practical. Will take a load of work off the engine.

Edited April 29, 2014 by Higgs

[blackrose]

If money were no object I'd be going for a 1500 rpm generator rather than 3000 rpm. Quieter and less servicing.

 

For water cooled diesel marine generators this is the mutt's nuts in my opinion.

 

http://www.lugger.com/marine/M673LD3.html

 

http://www.lugger.com/PDFs/brochure_pdfs/spec_sheets/Marine/M673LD3.pdf

Edited April 29, 2014 by blackrose

[Higgs]

If money were no object I'd be going for a 1500 rpm generator rather than 3000 rpm. Quieter and less servicing.

 

For water cooled diesel marine generators this is the mutt's nuts in my opinion.

 

http://www.lugger.com/marine/M673LD3.html

 

http://www.lugger.com/PDFs/brochure_pdfs/spec_sheets/Marine/M673LD3.pdf

 

The mutt's nuts will be more than the space I have can accommodate. Better for your widebeam, I think.

[bottle]

Got a bigger one than that on my narrow boat.

 

Very similar but a Cummins Onan

[Polishicebreaker]

Hi, thanks that's interesting and a very sad incident.

My situation is different though as my genny is diesel. It also looks like a poor installation if the exhaust came off, probably shook itself free with vibration.

It's good to be aware of the potential consequences of this kind of failed installation all the same thanks.

 

 

 

 

Sounds bad

 

Before you go improvising generator exhaust systems, please read this advice from the MAIB about an installed portable generator and an improvised exhaust.

 

Three boaters dead from generator exhaust gases in 12 months is enough...

http://www.maib.gov.uk/publications/safety_bulletins/safety_bulletin_2013/safety_bulletin_2_2013.cfm

 

Regards

Rob

[Polishicebreaker]

All very useful info.

My reasons for trying to install this particular genny are that it's the only one I have at the moment. It's only 2 and a half years old so prob got a good few hrs on yet. I'm planning in only using It for big power tool use and occasional welding so not that often. Maybe a little chArge for batteries in winter but hopefully won't need much. I have a decent battery bank but not enough for big power tool use.

Water cooled genny's look good but not an option price wise at the moment.

[Paul's Nulife4-2]

Aah got ya,

Well good luck with that anyway.

[Rob@BSSOffice]

Hi, thanks that's interesting and a very sad incident.

My situation is different though as my genny is diesel. It also looks like a poor installation if the exhaust came off, probably shook itself free with vibration.

It's good to be aware of the potential consequences of this kind of failed installation all the same thanks.

 

Four years ago, according to the police, a man died aboard a barge on the GU from exhaust fumes from a diesel generator.

 

Later that year, a man died aboard the boat he was restoring from exhaust fumes from a gas-oil / diesel heater.

 

Carbon based fuels can produce carbon monoxide.

 

As previously mentioned diesel exhaust gases also contains other health-damaging items so there is little leeway for having a less-than-perfect exhaust system.

 

HTH

Rob

[John V]

can't understand anyone who doesn't have a CO alarm, they don't cost that much.

[Paul's Nulife4-2]

I know it might take some messing about, but is it feasible to get your Generator Exhaust END Adapted in Diameter to take the same Exhaust pipe as fitted to Webesto and Eberspacher Heaters !. After a bit of research,You 'might' even be able to use the same Silencer, and Boat Skin Fittings !. Just a thought.

[magnetman]

The MAIB link that bass Rob put up has a picture of a portable generator... with a web as to silencer...which appears to have dropped off.. and two people died.

 

Oh dear

Phone does silly things to my writing.

 

'Bss Rob... Webasto...

 

proof read it mm

Agree re the CO alarm. We have 3 on board

[Paul's Nulife4-2]

The MAIB link that bass Rob put up has a picture of a portable generator... with a web as to silencer...which appears to have dropped off.. and two people died.

 

Oh dear

Phone does silly things to my writing.

 

'Bss Rob... Webasto...

 

proof read it mm

Agree re the CO alarm. We have 3 on board

Oh no,

Maybe not such a good idea then...

You really need to think about this one I think.

A big yes ref co2 Alarms from me as well, ( Got 2, and 3 Smoke Alarms. I'm Paranoid)

[bottle]

Oh no,

Maybe not such a good idea then...

You really need to think about this one I think.

A big yes ref co 2 Alarms from me as well, ( Got 2, and 3 Smoke Alarms. I'm Paranoid)

 

I know it was a typo but to be sure, to be sure it is a CO alarm.