Generator Information

[2bucks]

I have an onboard generator powered by a Yanmar 3GMFL married to a Marathon Pancake 332CSA3020 generator. It runs fine, everything works well, but...... I want to know more. It has no hour meter, it has no ammeter, it has no dedicated voltmeter. All it has on the control panel is an oil, water, and charge idiot light.

It is a constant rpm setup at 1800 rpm, and I can't tell when it's loaded or not loaded, the sound doesn't seem to change. Doesn't this setup still want/need to be loaded to keep up heat in the engine? With no gauges I can't tell if I'm underloading or overloading. Although I run it fairly seldom, just to charge batteries when out on the hook, I'd like to maximize the units longevity. 80 hours run time per year is probably a close guess.

So, my question is, has anyone found a packaged set with some type of load indicator and real temp gauge? I think I'd like to keep tabs on what it's doing. Any suggestions?

Ken*

 

[FF]

Marinetics sells an amp meter that will allow you to tell the AC load.

Installation is a snap , you pass a ring of wires over the noisemaker output , and hook it to their meter.

Works well with a switch if you get a second or third pickup ring and monitor inverter , or shore power loads.

FF

 

[RickB]

FF wrote:

Works well with a switch if you get a second or third pickup ring and monitor inverter , or shore power loads.

You should not switch a current transducer. If it goes open circuit the voltage will rise to a very high level and it will destroy itself or damage other equipment or you.

And they only go on one conductor, not the two or three wires that make up the generator output.

*

 

[FF]

"And they only go on one conductor, not the two or three wires that make up the generator output.'


Its been 3 decades , but I think Rick is right , just the black wire needs to go thru the wire coil.

I forget how they handle 240 (tho we bring it aboard ) , should be in the install sheet anyway.

FF

 

[Phil Fill]

I would install the amp meter at the main panel, so it would show the amps weather on dock power, gen set or inverter.*Might want to install a DC amp meter also while you are at it.* We loose power during the winter so we run on the gen set or inverter, so its nice to know both the AC and DC amps being used.***Like FF a RickB indicated they are not that hard to install.*