Jump to content

Urgent Generator Advice Needed

dmr

By dmr
in Boat Equipment

 Share

Featured Posts

dmr Veteran II

dmr

Posted
Posted

I don't like generators and so know very little about them.

However it looks like I might have to get my injection pump off to the menders. Its Easter which is a problem and if bits are needed there will be more details. I urgently need a generator to keep the boat alive.

Need to buy one tomorrow

What shall I get?

Are the little Kipor machines any good?

I could hire one but as the timescale is unknown I think it well be less stressful to buy one, and then hopefully sell it on to another boater afterwards (a possible bargain for someone).

 

Ive only get a little 20amp battery charger which is far from ideal in this situation, but it does mean that I don't need a big genny.

 

...............Dave

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Arthur Brown Influencer

Arthur Brown

Posted
Posted

Machine mart offer sub Kw petrol gensets for £110 to nice sine wave inverter sets for £2K Everyone will have about the same range. Their diesel range seem a bit too big to fit in the boat.

Is it time to look at a bigger charger too something that will let you put the bulk charge in as fast as the battery will take it sounds good, up to the limit of the generator.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Loafer Veteran

Loafer

Posted
Posted

Kipor work, other options include a secondhand honda ex1000 or eu1000 of ebay, borrowing one, etc/

 

 

 

Daniel

 

I'd borrow one, if you don't want one later. Greenie for Mike's offer. I can't match it!

Sorry, quoted the wrong post, but you know what I mean!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
dmr Veteran II

dmr

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I have a leetle genny you're welcome to borrow if you wish.

 

Its the cheapie Impax 700W from Toolstation, or was it Screwfix?

 

Pick it up any time you like.

 

Thanks Mike, I will be in touch tomorrow. Where are you now? A new lift pump should arrive tomorrow. It just might be low inlet pressure due to the lift pump (its done 14000 hours), if that don't fix it then its the injection pump so I will need to remove that and get it down to the Stanadyne agents in Southampton, but they cant do anything till next week. I've gone into low consumption mode but will need to get some charge into the batteries over the weekend.

 

..............Dave

Link to comment
Share on other sites
dmr Veteran II

dmr

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Dave. If Mike too far can loan you an EU10.

Back on board tomorrow evening.

 

Thanks

Gillie is driving back from Newbury this morning so will going right past Mike, and I have already asked her to collect Mikes genny, she's bringing a new lift pump with her too so that might fix things. We are only running on one cylinder which is an odd fault. It could possibly be the lift pump, otherwise it could be the injection pump, but the Stanadyne is a single pump with a distributor so injecting on only one is a bit odd.

 

..................Dave

Link to comment
Share on other sites
MtB Veteran II

MtBDonate to Canal World

Posted
Posted

Weird indeed. A distributor problem possibly...

 

But on balance I'm inclined to suspect a restricted fuel supply. Could the injector pump be sucking a small amount of fuel up past a failed lift pump perhaps? Enough to allow it to inject once every three attempts.

 

My BD3 was a total pig to bleed the time I ran out of fuel. I gave up in the end and employed the mechanic at Napton Narrowboats. He couldn't do it either, which sort of pleased me.

 

He eventually did it by starting the engine on EzyStart and keeping it running until it self-purged. Took about a minute spraying carefully into the inlet manifold to keep it running.

 

I didn't mention this to the bloke who bought the engine from me for £5k, shortly after :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Loafer Veteran

Loafer

Posted
Posted

Weird indeed. A distributor problem possibly...

 

But on balance I'm inclined to suspect a restricted fuel supply. Could the injector pump be sucking a small amount of fuel up past a failed lift pump perhaps? Enough to allow it to inject once every three attempts.

 

My BD3 was a total pig to bleed the time I ran out of fuel. I gave up in the end and employed the mechanic at Napton Narrowboats. He couldn't do it either, which sort of pleased me.

 

He eventually did it by starting the engine on EzyStart and keeping it running until it self-purged. Took about a minute spraying carefully into the inlet manifold to keep it running.

 

I didn't mention this to the bloke who bought the engine from me for £5k, shortly after smile.png

 

No wonder you didn't get on with your BD3, Mike!

 

I've had to bleed the high pressure side only twice in 6 years, whereupon it started very quickly. All other fuel filter changes didn't need a bleed at all. Some big differences there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
dmr Veteran II

dmr

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I have also only needed to bleed the high pressure side once before. The lift pump has a priming lever which makes bleeding very easy.

After doing the first (suction side) filter I pump fuel into a plastic bottle to shift the air then reconnect to push fuel into the second filter with the top bleed screw open. I did think that the lift pump was perhaps not pushing out fuel quite as enthusiastically as it should.

Other option is that I somehow dislodged some crap that that has got into the injection pump. I stripped and inspected the filter head and the unions had been put in with a lot of threadlock so maybe a bit had come off. Its done 14000 hours so would be surprised if it did it now. Or maybe a dead spider hiding inside the new filter??? Removed the new filter and could see no sign of trouble.

 

.................Dave

Link to comment
Share on other sites
dmr Veteran II

dmr

Posted
  • Author
Posted

At last, after almost 10 years I feel like a real K&A boater, there is a cheap generator running on the front deck in a little improvised generator house. Thank you mtb. Its not the quietest but it sounds ok. If the old rule applies (1/3 for the factory, 1/3 for the shop and a 1/3 for the middlemen, then somebody has made that genny for about £60 how do they do it?

 

Sadly the new lift pump has not fixed the engine so unless I am missing something obvious its time to get the Injection pump off.

Will start a new thread later asking for forum advice.

 

...................Dave

Link to comment
Share on other sites
MtB Veteran II

MtBDonate to Canal World

Posted
Posted

You're welcome!

 

You've also obviously missed the "93Db" label on it, which proves it's quieter than you think.

 

It's certainly a helluvalot noisier than my other genny, which bears a "95Db" label...


Turn the telly UP so you can't hear it!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
dmr Veteran II

dmr

Posted
  • Author
Posted

dB not Db!!!. Trouble is dB's come in many shapes and sizes so there is much potential for making things sound (ha!) better than they are.

Anyway I am really impressed with that genny.

Will send a pm later to discuss longer term plans.

Right now I think I need a beer, failed to fix engine but got the BSS with only a trivial warning or two. Back cabin rug obscures the "Fuel Cock Below" notice!

 

................Dave

Link to comment
Share on other sites
MtB Veteran II

MtBDonate to Canal World

Posted
Posted

dB not Db!!!. Trouble is dB's come in many shapes and sizes so there is much potential for making things sound (ha!) better than they are.

Anyway I am really impressed with that genny.

Will send a pm later to discuss longer term plans.

Right now I think I need a beer, failed to fix engine but got the BSS with only a trivial warning or two. Back cabin rug obscures the "Fuel Cock Below" notice!

 

................Dave

 

 

 

Jeez, you're lucky to be alive!!!!!

 

Hope you realise this...

 

 

:D

(Yes, really cute isn't it?!)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.