Generator Exhaust Issue

[steelydon]

I have come to believe my life is a cautionary tale for you guys. So there I was On Saturday working on the boat, what else. (new blinds, HVAC high pressure error, wind speed sensor) you get the picture. It was a beautiful day but a little brisk but hey the first sunshine in over a week i decided to go for a ride?



I had closed all the seacocks so I opened the engine strainer, unplugged, cast off and away I went to Beaufort NC (pronounced Beaufort). I opened the PH door to take pictures and I was the only boat underway on Taylor's Creek. The breeze cooled the PH down so I decided to crank the generator and turn on all 3 heat pumps. The NL fired right up I turned on the heat and shut the door. Without the breeze the sun warmed the PH so I didn't notice the generator had quit.


Upon entering the channel back to the marina I noticed no generator again. I figured that the 3 heat pumps and inverter had overloaded it so I cranked the gen again as I was entering the marina w/o the heat pumps. Once docked I noticed the generator had stopped again and there was also smoke coming from the lazerette. That's when it hit me that I had forgotten to open the seacock. (admit it, most of you saw this coming so why didn't you call me before I cranked the gen?) I rushed to open the seacock but the impeller had toasted back in Beaufort. At this point I forgot about the smoke and wondered where all the water was coming from. Shutting the seacock which stopped the water ingress I found the culprit. The exhaust gas had burned a 1" hole in the elbow and since the generator is below the waterline and no vanes on the impeller I had a clear path for the seawater.

Confession time, they say it is good for the soul. When I installed the generator in 2015 I put in a temporary elbow with all intentions of replacing it right away. I know it should have been a bronze or fiberglass elbow but hey, $1.99 compared to $65 and with other projects on the list it was quickly forgotten and it did great for 5 years.

I tracked down all the vanes while replacing the impeller and the generator runs great. (whew) No harm, no foul and now I get to spend the $65.


No reply necessary. It was stupid and I have been humbled. Fun ride though.

Don

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

I have come to believe my life is a cautionary tale for you guys. So there I was On Saturday working on the boat, what else. (new blinds, HVAC high pressure error, wind speed sensor) you get the picture. It was a beautiful day but a little brisk but hey the first sunshine in over a week i decided to go for a ride?



I had closed all the seacocks so I opened the engine strainer, unplugged, cast off and away I went to Beaufort NC (pronounced Beaufort). I opened the PH door to take pictures and I was the only boat underway on Taylor's Creek. The breeze cooled the PH down so I decided to crank the generator and turn on all 3 heat pumps. The NL fired right up I turned on the heat and shut the door. Without the breeze the sun warmed the PH so I didn't notice the generator had quit.


Upon entering the channel back to the marina I noticed no generator again. I figured that the 3 heat pumps and inverter had overloaded it so I cranked the gen again as I was entering the marina w/o the heat pumps. Once docked I noticed the generator had stopped again and there was also smoke coming from the lazerette. That's when it hit me that I had forgotten to open the seacock. (admit it, most of you saw this coming so why didn't you call me before I cranked the gen?) I rushed to open the seacock but the impeller had toasted back in Beaufort. At this point I forgot about the smoke and wondered where all the water was coming from. Shutting the seacock which stopped the water ingress I found the culprit. The exhaust gas had burned a 1" hole in the elbow and since the generator is below the waterline and no vanes on the impeller I had a clear path for the seawater.

Confession time, they say it is good for the soul. When I installed the generator in 2015 I put in a temporary elbow with all intentions of replacing it right away. I know it should have been a bronze or fiberglass elbow but hey, $1.99 compared to $65 and with other projects on the list it was quickly forgotten and it did great for 5 years.

I tracked down all the vanes while replacing the impeller and the generator runs great. (whew) No harm, no foul and now I get to spend the $65.


No reply necessary. It was stupid and I have been humbled. Fun ride though.

Don

Glad to see every thing worked out. I would say nearly everyone has made this mistake.

When I close my valves I place a bright red streamer (mine is an aircraft 'Remove Before Flight' gear pin) on my lower helm. Reminds me to open the valves.

Carry spare impellers too.

 

[rslifkin]

Glad to see every thing worked out. I would say nearly everyone has made this mistake.

When I close my valves I place a bright red streamer (mine is an aircraft 'Remove Before Flight' gear pin) on my lower helm. Reminds me to open the valves.

Carry spare impellers too.

I don't do the streamers, but if I've got a seacock closed or anything, I trip the relevant ignition breaker (or turn off the generator battery switch) so the key or start switch won't do anything. The switches and breakers are in the engine room for that stuff, so I'm forced to go down and look instead of just blindly flipping it back on.

 

[steelydon]

A friend of mine unaware of the days events asked me what the funky smell was. I replied it is a mixture of diesel exhaust, plastic and stupidity.


Don

 

[jgwinks]

I don't do the streamers, but if I've got a seacock closed or anything, I trip the relevant ignition breaker (or turn off the generator battery switch) so the key or start switch won't do anything. The switches and breakers are in the engine room for that stuff, so I'm forced to go down and look instead of just blindly flipping it back on.

I don't have the streamers, but right now my boat has a note taped to both helms: IMPELLERS HAVE BEEN REMOVED SEACOCKS HAVE BEEN REMOVED. Not so much for me, but in case the yard gets impatient and decides to splash before I'm ready. I'm not really their customer, I bought the boat from their customer so I'm not sure where their loyalties lie.

 

[Arc]

Borel exhaust temp alarm. Good to have.