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Generator

Your old Chris-Craft electrical system can be a challenge. If it runs on "juice" pose your questions and offer your advice here.

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SAMBA
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Generator

Post by SAMBA » Tue Mar 03, 2015 1:39 am

My 1953 Sedan Cabin Cruiser has a generator under the back deck. It turns over but does not run yet. I believe it is 5000W, and 120 volts. I have talked to some who know a little, but no experts. One mechanic said it starts on its own when it is turned on and then a load is placed on it. My boat was totally rewired last year and it is on line and wired in, so that it would basically be the same as being on shore power if I chose to run it (would be nice to be able to charge house battery, appliances, etc. on a 2 or 3 day trip away from shore power.) Any advice? Seems better to fix it than purchase a small portable to do the same thing. I probably would not be likely to buy/install a whole new marine generator for the limited time I would be using it.

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Al Benton
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Re: Generator

Post by Al Benton » Tue Mar 03, 2015 8:40 am

Most onboard generators have a remote 3-position switch: OFF - AUTO - MANUAL in an easily accessible location. In the manual position my gen set would start, if all was well with the engine. Onboard gen sets usually have an automatic transfer contactor built in. In the auto position it would start if shore power was interrupted, again if the engine cooperated. The off position on the switch disabled the gen set through a relay on the set. If your set has this relay, it may not be able to start, if not wired correctly. Tough to say if this is an electrical or a mechanical issue with yours.
Al
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jfrprops
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Re: Generator

Post by jfrprops » Tue Mar 03, 2015 9:32 am

IN my opinion those old gens are a loud, smelly, dangerous pain ......I junked mine and like the added underdeck space and saved weight etc.

just saying.....

John in Va.
1980 Fairchild Scout 30
19?? custom Argentine Runabout 16'
1954 Whirlwind deluxe dual ckpt 16'
1921 Old Town Charles River 17' (founding Captain, James River Batteau Festival)

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evansjw44
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Re: Generator

Post by evansjw44 » Tue Mar 03, 2015 10:03 am

Generator auto-start works like this. When the generator is connected to the boat AC system via the transfer switch being manually set to the GEN position, the generator controls will start the generator. If there is enough load the generator will continue to run until the load drops below the required load and it will shut down. This is sort of old school as today's generators are manually started and stopped.

I have mine set up to run either way. I don't usually run it in auto-start mode.

I have never seen an installation that automatically switches to the generator on loss of shore power. The transfer from shore power to generator power is a manually operated switch. Like you main engines, the generator should not be started without ventilating the engine room space with the blower to clear out any fumes.

The two and four cylinder 1800 rpm machines are pretty quiet. The single cylinder 3600 rpm machines get pretty noisy. The newer 3600 machines are not that quiet either. The Kohler 4 cyliinder machines are quiet and reliable once you get them going. Don't let somebody tell you they are junk. They're just heavy.
Jim Evans

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Al Benton
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Re: Generator

Post by Al Benton » Tue Mar 03, 2015 10:16 am

I had one but admit that I seldom used it. As you say John, they are noisy. And dangerous! We had CO detectors, there may be good ones out there but none that I would trust my life with. We used ours on a couple of long overnight cruises to run the toaster oven, grill, or coffee pot, but never left it running unless the cabin was well ventilated and we were fixing a meal or making a fresh pot of coffee. At night, the gen set was off; we preferred to go boating the next day, not attend our own funeral. Who could sleep with that racket anyway?

Jim, thanks for that. Maybe that's why mine wouldn't start when I wanted it to; no load! I completely forgot about that!
Al
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evansjw44
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Re: Generator

Post by evansjw44 » Tue Mar 03, 2015 7:39 pm

You probably had the 2.5KW single cylinder 3600 rpm unit. We had one on my father's 34 skiff. I was noisy. I have the 4 KW 4 cylinder Kohler and it is quiet. You can barely hear it running and that is with a crummy muffler. It has saved out trips on many occasions. We didn't need it to for heat at night but we cook all electric and refridgerate electric too so; no or limited shore power is bad news. We were at Cedar Point, Sandusky, OH. Big harbor but overflowing. The nearby 30 amp plugs were both taken by a 55 footer who could have used the 50 amp plug but wouldn't.

CO really isn't a problem unless the machine is running really rich.
Jim Evans

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Re: Generator

Post by SAMBA » Thu Mar 05, 2015 5:29 pm

Thanks so much to all for the good advice. I think I'm going to let my mechanic put a limited amount of effort in it, but not send a lot of time and money after it if it is not a relatively easy fix. Dan (Samba)

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Al Benton
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Re: Generator

Post by Al Benton » Thu Mar 05, 2015 8:07 pm

Dan, like you, I didn't want to spend much on the gen set being I didn't use it very often when it did work well. Had I kept the cruiser I would have gotten a marine mechanic get it going again. From the point that Jim brought up, there may not be anything wrong with it, just the dumb operator.

In the early days we kept a refrigerator on the aft deck. The frig was shaped like a can of Bud and we would run the gen to keep the drinks cold on day cruises.
Al
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evansjw44
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Re: Generator

Post by evansjw44 » Tue Mar 10, 2015 8:48 am

Professional help may be hard to find. Not to defame marine mechanics but many are short of the electrical skills to diagnose generator electrical and control issues. There may be one around who has the right experience but you'll need to get a referral. The generator support techs from the manufacturer would be a good start but if the unit is old they may just throw their hands up and walk away. Also, it is common practice for generator service folks to require you uninstall it and drop it off at their shop for work.

Once you get passed the ignition, fuel and compression issues it gets complicated. I've service several over the year and offer advise. Get a service manual as a first step. If it hasn't frozen you're a step ahead of the game. I just had a spare magneto rebuilt so if your mechanic say you need one and he can't find one or wants the typical $1000 for it I can give you a reference.
Jim Evans

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