Happy Spring, Mr Perkins!

[DHeckrotte]

After a home projects spring, we spent our first night aboard last night. Ran the engines for the first time (since the marina did at launch). Tried to run the genset... Tried to see why the stbd engine's batt was flat. Tried to start the stbd engine by jumping it from the house bank - nothing. The house bank would crank the genset but not the engine. Started the stbd engine by jumping it from the (running) port engine's batt.


Ran both engines at 1k no load. Port engine warmed to 180; starboard warmed to nearly 200. The stbd suffered intermittent overheating last fall; what's wrong is worse. I had guessed it had some bit of junk in the raw water side, but now I'm beginning to suspect a coolant system problem, like a stuck thermostat. Perkins 6.354s with 1100 hrs.


The Northlight genset failed to start. Cranked merrily. I suspect the need to bleed the fuel lines. (It was supposed to have received a new fuel filter.)


The battery charger seems to have packed up. All batts are less than a year old.


Time for a nap!

 

[GregBrannon]

An eventful first outing! You could be at work.


Best of luck working through the electrical and engine problems.

 

[DHeckrotte]

The battery charger is a Charles 2000 SP series. The instructions say that it has two internal fuses. There are also fuses at each battery. All fuses except the 110v one are ordinary automotive type and are OK. The 110v is a glass cylinder that looks as though it's permanently wired in(!). At least, I cannot figure out how to get it out or see whether it's blown.


It's the silver-ended white tube standing perpendicular to the circuit board to the left of the white-blue-green wired 110v terminal block.

 

[Solly]

If you have a meter a simple continuity check with the power off would tell if the fuse was blown.. Touch the leads on each end. Beeps = good. No beeps = not so good.

 

[High Wire]

The battery charger is a Charles 2000 SP series. The instructions say that it has two internal fuses. There are also fuses at each battery. All fuses except the 110v one are ordinary automotive type and are OK. The 110v is a glass cylinder that looks as though it's permanently wired in(!). At least, I cannot figure out how to get it out or see whether it's blown.


It's the silver-ended white tube standing perpendicular to the circuit board to the left of the white-blue-green wired 110v terminal block.

there is a 30 amp automotive fuse on the right side of the photo. Look for others on that side. (the DC side)
Check the outputs with a voltmeter. If nothing at all then suspect the AC side ( on the left.)

 

[FOG]

I found a lot of gunk in the raw water elbow that goes into the exhaust header on my Perkins 6.354 engines. Cleaned them out and much better water flow out the exhaust and cooler running engines.

 

[diver dave]

That white fuse body is ceramic to withstand high currents without shattering. Plus it is soldered in. If it blows u likely have power supply issues.

 

[DHeckrotte]

Fun continues. I've bought a new charger. I've discovered that the heavy 'welding cable' original battery leads on the boat are untinned copper in rubber insulation some of which has perished. So, the job now includes replacing all that 1/0 wire with boat wire in appropriate colors. The stuff is remarkably expensive! Ruinously expensive if bought from West Marine; though I am becoming less enthusiastic about their monopoly, Amazon's low cost is unmatched.

 

[Mkeller]

Try genuinedealz.com or bestboatwire.com. Great prices without the monopoly...

I found great deals on eBay too for battery cable.

 

[menzies]

When was the last time you cleaned out the heat exchangers?

 

[Nomad Willy]

I just did mine and it solved my hot problems.
My engine’s only 12 yrs old though.

 

[boomerang]

Intermittent overheating really sounds like a thermostat to me.

 

[High Wire]

Try genuinedealz.com or bestboatwire.com. Great prices without the monopoly...

I found great deals on eBay too for battery cable.

X2. 1/3 cost of West Marine for same cable.

 

[Pack Mule]

Is the flow at the exhaust about the same for both engines? I had a slight kink in the hose going to the exhaust elbow slowing down the flow. Also check the belt at the fresh water pump, it could be a little loose. I just had to tighten mine this past weekend.