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09-10-2016, 05:57 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
City: Merced CA
Vessel Name: none
Vessel Model: pipe dream
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 189
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verifying raw water flow
my genset has an underwater discharge for the raw water. I'm concerned that there isn't an easy way for me to see whether I'm getting coolant flow. Has anyone come up with a good solution to visually check that the raw water pump and heat exchanger are performing ? Appreciate any suggestions.
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Dawdler
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09-10-2016, 06:08 PM
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#2
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Guru
City: Ft Pierce
Vessel Name: Sold
Vessel Model: Was an Albin/PSN 40
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 28,148
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Coolant.... or raw water? Aqua alarm is good for raw water.... Murphy gauge is good for low coolant
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09-10-2016, 06:08 PM
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#3
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Moderator Emeritus
City: Au Gres, MI
Vessel Name: Black Dog
Vessel Model: Formula 41PC
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 21,187
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I have a Borel alarm installed on both main and the genset exhaust. It measures the exhaust temperature right after the cooling water is injected into the exhaust stream. If the water pump stops working, this alarm is supposed to,go off immediately before the engine temperature gauge shows an overtemp. I also have 2 high water alarms and water in fuel sensors in the system.
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09-10-2016, 07:19 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
City: Merced CA
Vessel Name: none
Vessel Model: pipe dream
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 189
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Thanks both for your replies. It's the raw water flow I was concerned about. I"ll look into acqua alarm and the borel solution.
appreciate the help.
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Dawdler
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09-10-2016, 07:30 PM
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#5
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Guru
City: Concrete Washington State
Vessel Name: Willy
Vessel Model: Willard Nomad 30'
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 18,743
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You can put a "T" in a hose and a small ball valve. Start the gen, open the valve and observe folw or no flow. Less than $20.
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Eric
North Western Washington State USA
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09-10-2016, 07:50 PM
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#6
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Guru
City: Cape May, NJ
Vessel Name: Irish Lady
Vessel Model: Monk 36
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 4,964
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Take baseline full load temperatures with a handheld infra red temperature gun at key points. Find the highest temp at each point and mark it for consistent subsequent checks. Write them down so its easy to compare later without guessing. Exhaust hose, exhaust riser, header tank, thermostat housing, heat exhanger seawater inlet and outlet. The exhaust riser will heat up PDQ with no seawater flow. A quick check using the back of your hand will tell if something is wrong.
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Archie
Irish Lady
1984 Monk 36 Hull #46
Currently in Cape May, NJ
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09-10-2016, 07:58 PM
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#7
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Master and Commander
City: Vallejo CA
Vessel Name: Carquinez Coot
Vessel Model: penultimate Seahorse Marine Coot hull #6
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 12,559
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Does your genset have meters to monitor coolant temperature, oil pressure, and electrical output?
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Kar-KEEN-ez Koot
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09-10-2016, 07:59 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
City: Merced CA
Vessel Name: none
Vessel Model: pipe dream
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 189
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thanks again to all. I love the simplicity of Nomad Willy's suggestion.
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Dawdler
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09-10-2016, 08:02 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
City: Merced CA
Vessel Name: none
Vessel Model: pipe dream
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 189
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Mark,
yes, have all that. I'm just in the habit with the mains of looking at the engine exhaust ports immediately after engine start to confirm raw water flow, and was trying to be able to check the generator raw water flow as well, rather than waiting for temp alarms to go off.....
thanks.
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Dawdler
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09-10-2016, 08:09 PM
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#10
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Guru
City: North Carolina for now
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 6,348
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dawdler
thanks again to all. I love the simplicity of Nomad Willy's suggestion.
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Just have a way to catch and clean up the water... ever see what the flow looks like coming out of a hull-side discharge?
Is this underwater discharge just the water after running through a separator, or also exhaust?
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George
"There's the Right Way, the Wrong Way, and what some guy says he's gotten away with"
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09-10-2016, 08:14 PM
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#11
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Master and Commander
City: Vallejo CA
Vessel Name: Carquinez Coot
Vessel Model: penultimate Seahorse Marine Coot hull #6
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 12,559
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While at dock or in a dinghy, perhaps you could place your hand at the outlet and get a good sense of the water flow, or would your hand be cooked?
I'm genset-less, so curious: do boaters pay as much attention/maintenance to their gensets as they do their propulsion engines?
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Kar-KEEN-ez Koot
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09-10-2016, 08:45 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
City: Tasmania
Vessel Model: Old Town Loon
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 218
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Quote:
Originally Posted by markpierce
I'm genset-less, so curious: do boaters pay as much attention/maintenance to their gensets as they do their propulsion engines?
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I'd have to say most of them no. When we bought our boat the engines where not to bad but the genset at much the same running hours was completely had it.
When we start our genset we just monitor the engine temp once the load is on it until it becomes stable and within the normal range 160 - 185.
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09-11-2016, 06:58 AM
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#13
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Guru
City: Rodney Bay Lagoon
Vessel Name: "Dragon Lady"
Vessel Model: DeFever 41
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 681
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[QUOTE="Dawdler;478657"] . . . just in the habit with the mains of looking at the engine exhaust ports immediately after engine start to confirm raw water flow, and was trying to be able to check the generator raw water flow as well . . . /QUOTE]
A very good and simple habit, may well save you a major overheat one day. I suggest installing a Tee in the hose which injects raw-water into the exhaust elbow. Run a small (1/4"?) line to a through-hull well above the water line and easilly visible from the deck. A good stream of sea water will be visible when the genset is running and all is well.
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Mike
If all else fails, read the instructions
If it ain't broke, don't fix it
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09-11-2016, 09:38 AM
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#14
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Guru
City: Seaford Va on Poquoson River, VA
Vessel Name: Old Glory
Vessel Model: 1970 Egg Harbor 37 extended salon model
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 2,264
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I ran a 1/4 inch polyethylene line out the transom.
I simply drilled a small hole, then I glued in a piece of 3/8 copper tubing.
Passed the 1/4 inch line thru it and slightly crimped to hold it in place. Likely also sealed it with permatex gasket maker
Engine side, I tee'd it off from the raw water injection, I brazed up a copper tube to an existing raw water part, then passed in the plastic tube and sealed it with Permatex gasket maker., Or I used a short piece of rubber hose, can not really recall..
I used clear poly tubing like you can buy at Lowes as it is very cheap around 11 cents a foot..
Did that at least 5 year ago.
I did this on my main engines as I have underwater exhaust extensions, and you can not see the raw water flow.
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09-11-2016, 11:03 AM
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#15
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Guru
City: Cypress Landing Marina (NC)
Vessel Name: Heron (2)
Vessel Model: '88 Cape Dory 28 Flybridge #115
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 1,305
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I didn't realize how spoiled I am...
I have an old Pancake style strainer with an 8" or so clear top. It's a simple mater of lifting the engine hatch, observing the circulation and being on my way....
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Steve
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