Fisher Panda Genset thoughts.

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Parmenter said:
A white one ;)

Does that affect the generator?
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No, but an answer like that sure will affect the attitude of the people you are trying to get advice from. :facepalm:
 
Tom.B said:
No, but an answer like that sure will affect the attitude of the people you are trying to get advice from. :facepalm:
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LOL, I was warned that Americans have a different sense of humour to Australians.

My boat as yet hasn't seen water but it is very close.
She is a one off build very similar in style to this made from Cedar epoxy with Perkins 4236 engines
vk38.jpg
 
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Yep, it's white!:D Thanks for posting the picture. That is a beautiful shear line.

Dmarchand is very knowledgeable on mechanical things, and was trying to keep you out of trouble. The nuances of internet conversations are easily misunderstood. I love the Aussies' sense of humor even if sometimes I don't understand it.
 
Parmenter said:
She is a one off build very similar in style to this made from Cedar epoxy with Perkins 4236 engines
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Twins? Perkins at that! With used broken down Hynautic controls? And no reliable genset? A big old inefficient fridge? Cheap solar panels too! And wood! My God man, have you lost your mind? :eek:

Sounds like fun though.
 
sunchaser said:
Twins? Perkins at that! With used broken down Hynautic controls? And no reliable genset? A big old inefficient fridge? Cheap solar panels too! And wood! My God man, have you lost your mind? :eek:

Sounds like fun though.
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Nope....
He's Australian!

HOLLYWOOD
 
Parmenter said:
LOL, I was warned that Americans have a different sense of humour to Australians.
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Sense of humour had nothing to do with my question. This little community is like a family of sorts, at times dysfunctional and argumentative but pretty much always there for one another. Sometimes it helps others answer questions if you share a bit of background on either yourself or your boat. Filling out your profile is the easiest way to do that, sharing photos of your project is another.

As to the genny, putting $4,500 into something everybody on the web says ain't reliable may not be my cuppa tea but if faced with costs like yours I might give it a go. Assuming you've exhausted options like adding another $2,000 to the kitty and seen about a running take out with no issues that you can hear run. $25 for a 1 year membership at boatdiesel.com and asking your questions there is another dirt cheap option.

Ultimately you pay your money and take your chances. Good luck with your project mate.
 
Why would weight be an issue with that boat? I'd search a little longer and find a used Northern Lights, that FP will not provide you the service you think, and sorry I do not have my data sheets handy to prove beyond a reasonable doubt, then again reasonable does not come into the equation now does it.
 
A quick jump in here. A slip neighbor was outfitting his sailboat for cruising and opted for FP for his Gen. I asked him why FP and attitude started flying around. I just thought it was sailboater vs. powerboater tude time. He was going on a four or five year cruise and spent well over 55K buying things.

The next year I was at the dock and who appears? Mr Cruiser. :socool: And I should add, a not so happy Mr. Cruiser :facepalm:

He wasn't friendly at first but soon the sad stories of his cruising and that damned FP gen that the factory service couldn't fix and sucked. The stories of them not coming through with promises and the failure of the unit. I said, only 9 mos old and it wouldn't work?:eek:

That's the only FP story I know and if I had a happy one it would be right here.
(happy FP story insert here):nonono:
 
sunchaser said:
Twins?
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Yep
Perkins at that!
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yep
With used broken down Hynautic controls?
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Hydraulics are very reliable and easily repairable even in remote locations (unlike fly by wire) and remember, $500 vs $18,000
And no reliable genset?
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Who says?
The previous owner had 10 years - I would hope for same with a rebuild.
The minute it PROVES to be unreliable I will sell it and upgrade the solar.
A big old inefficient fridge?
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A brand new modern fridge
Cheap solar panels too!
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do the expensive ones work any better - evidence please
And wood!
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All the good trawlers in Oz are timber and God doesnt make plastic trees
My God man, have you lost your mind?
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Quite possibly

Did I mention it is a catamaran?
 
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CPseudonym said:
As to the genny, putting $4,500 into something everybody on the web says ain't reliable
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More like $2500 and everyone hasn't said they are unreliable at all.
Just the owners that are unhappy.

Heres a pile of unhappy Northern Lights owners for you
https://www.google.com/search?q=norther+lights+gearator+fail
Assuming you've exhausted options like adding another $2,000 to the kitty and seen about a running take out with no issues that you can hear run.
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Second hand marine diesel gennies smaller than 10KW in Australia are rare as rocking horse sh1t.
Light ones with sound shields are rarer again.(I have never seen one)

I have had my ear to the ground for 10 years and this is the first one I have found, the only other contender was a 20kw yanmar that was considerably heavy and ran, but had issues as well.
Ultimately you pay your money and take your chances. Good luck with your project mate.
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Yep - for a few grand I am prepared to take a gamble on this one.
 
Jesting aside for a moment, I spent some time on a vessel that had an FP as a backup. It saw most of the duty as the big 24 KW genset was not needed for coffee making and hair dryers. Its weak link was the cooling system with RW and cooling pump failures fairly routine. So suggest you keep several sets of both onboard and insure the safety shutdowns are working properly.
 
SeaWasp is an Australian built brand, mostly Kubota based, from memory better priced than some pricy overseas gensets. A new solenoid for my Onan cost near $400.
Parmenter, we see you are committed, get to work, report back how the FP comes up.
Will you be painting it with black and white patches?
 
BruceK said:
SeaWasp is an Australian built brand, mostly Kubota based, from memory better priced than some pricy overseas gensets.
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$14,000 was my quote from them

Will you be painting it with black and white patches?
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As in Panda print?

Perhaps yellow as in lemon may be a better choice ;)

I think I'll leave the case as it is, it presents very well.
 
sunchaser said:
Its weak link was the cooling system with RW and cooling pump failures fairly routine.
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Was this an old salt water cooled or new fresh water cooled unit?

So suggest you keep several sets of both onboard and insure the safety shutdowns are working properly.
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Seeing as they are a Johnson pump, as used on most other brands of diesel that must be a given on them as well.

Is there a more reliable brand of pump than Johnson, perhaps I need to change the pump on my main engines as well.
 
On our 3.5 KW phasor genny, we put an march pump and took off the one on the engine. Wired it in directly to the breaker on the genny so when it starts the pump is. It's been fine for 2 abaco trips and 10 bimini trips. Just a thought.
 
Camano 31 said:
On our 3.5 KW phasor genny, we put an march pump and took off the one on the engine. Wired it in directly to the breaker on the genny so when it starts the pump is. It's been fine for 2 abaco trips and 10 bimini trips. Just a thought.
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And a decent thought at that as the pump could be mounted outside the enclosure. :thumb:
 
Parmenter said:
And a decent thought at that as the pump could be mounted outside the enclosure. :thumb:
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Yep exactly what we did, we did from after a friends NL got damaged on an GB42. Also on smaller generators with sound shields I would recommend moving the capacitor out side of the shield. I'll try to get a pic of our setup tommorow.
 
Camano 31 said:
On our 3.5 KW phasor genny, we put an march pump and took off the one on the engine. Wired it in directly to the breaker on the genny so when it starts the pump is. It's been fine for 2 abaco trips and 10 bimini trips. Just a thought.
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I have to ask...

Your posts show a Nordhavn 47.

Are you running a 3.5KW as your only generator on your N47, was the 3.5KW generator on your Camano?
 
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ksanders said:
I have to ask... Your posts show a Nordhavn 47. Are you running a 3.5KW as your only generator on your N47, was the 3.5KW generator on your Camano?
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Yeah our Camano. Wee might do the same with the NL on the N. Has know one else heard of this?
 
Camano 31 said:
Yeah our Camano. Wee might do the same with the NL on the N. Has know one else heard of this?
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Some NL gensets have a weak point - the exhaust elbow. If not already done switch it out to a NL supplied SS one and keep a spare onboard.

The NL RW pumps are good from my experience. I'd hesitate to go with an external pump as the cooling and exhaust systems require the volume and head pressure the on engine provides.
 
sunchaser said:
Some NL gensets have a weak point - the exhaust elbow. If not already done switch it out to a NL supplied SS one and keep a spare onboard. The NL RW pumps are good from my experience. I'd hesitate to go with an external pump as the cooling and exhaust systems require the volume and head pressure the on engine provides.
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Thats funny, on the survey that was one of things. Nordhavn replaced it.
 
sunchaser said:
Some NL gensets have a weak point - the exhaust elbow. If not already done switch it out to a NL supplied SS one and keep a spare onboard.
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Very good tip. I had to change mine.
 
Camano 31 said:
Yep exactly what we did, we did from after a friends NL got damaged on an GB42. Also on smaller generators with sound shields I would recommend moving the capacitor out side of the shield. I'll try to get a pic of our setup tommorow.
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Marvelous :thumb:
 
Parmenter said:
WTF :eek:
I thought it was only FP that was allowed to have problems.;)
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10 years and other than standard servicing that is the only thing the NL has required. Wonder about the 10 year service of the FP.
 
Moonstruck said:
10 years and other than standard servicing that is the only thing the NL has required. Wonder about the 10 year service of the FP.
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Would someone, anybody, please chime in who has an FP that has been in routine service for more than 8 years. If so, please share your experiences.
 
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