Monday, August 1, 2011

Generator install is complete

I finished making the wet exhaust connections to the generator, so for all practical purposes the generator a about as complete as I can get it right now. I'm waiting on a clamp order to get here before I can double clamp all the connections.

For the wet exhaust hose I used Gates hose with wire in it. I wanted to keep the exhaust hose pretty tight to the bulkheads so I used some fiberglass fittings to turn a 45 in to the water lift, and two 90's to get to the bulkhead. To make the turn in to and out of the bulkhead I used stainless steel 90's and sch. 80 nipples. I clamped the hose to the plywood fuel tank covers using two mineral ac clamps and I have a sch. 80 nipple welded in to the hull for the discharge about 12" above the water line.

The suction line from the sea chest to the generator pump inlet is 3/4" suction hose with stainless wire in it. I had bought a 100' roll of this stuff for the fresh water system, and had plenty of it left over so I used it for the generator. The generator is set up for 1/2" suction hose, so I had to remove the 1/2" barb fitting from the pump and increase it to 3/4" with an adapter coupler. I don't think the generator will mind the increase ( decrease in head) suction pipe size.

I've yet to install the DC conduit from the engine room to the wheel house, so I have no control wires from the generator to the wheel house. Along with the generator control panel in the wheel house, I'd like to be able to start it from the engine room, so I will need to source another panel.

I had the generator running about a year ago, but I think I'll fire it up inside the engine room within a few weeks as I'm curious to see how loud it is in place. A 55 gallon drum on my scaffold will mimic the water line, and a sump pump in a bucket below the discharge will get the water back up to the barrel. This is how I was planning on getting big electricity at the launch site, so I might as well see if it will work.

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