Help-Generator trouble on vacation in Bahamas

[garyd]

Well it ran for a good 10-12 hours, then started the same thing. It will now run for a while then shut down or go real low. It is something we can live with as we only need to keep the frig cold and it lasts almost 10 hours with no 115v. So if we can give a shot of two hours of 115v now and then we good. We should only have one more night out on the hook so 1 night might be a little warm but we had had cool relative 80 degrees east winds at night.

I'm going to repeat my clean process on the main filter now we are somewhere I can dump the garbage of soaked diesel paper towels etc etc. Maybe that we get it going again for 10-12 hours and we can have AC tonight.

One of the other cruisers said he had read an article that the low ash in diesel fuel these days is having an effect on O rings. Apparently the ash would get absorbed by the o rings and swell helping them to seal. Now with the low ash the O rings are reverting back to their old size and leaks are appearing in the form of air leaks in boats. HMMMMM

Got me stumpted I've cleaned blew through and bypassed almost everything and made sure everything was tight.

garyd

[the kuz]

One more thing to check when you get back is the pick up tube. I have had 2 go bad (one one the port engine and one on the genny). They are made of rigid copper and are soldered to the pick up fitting that screws into the top of the tank. When manufactured, they were apparently clamped in a vise, because mine had witness marks and a slightly flat spot. After 25-30 years of being stressed by vibration and sloshing fuel, 2 of mine developed a hairline crack near the point where the vise clamped down. It was so fine that you could not see it unless you put side pressure on the tube so it opened up. Anyway when the fuel got down below the crack, air would be sucked in and the the gen/moter would slow down/stop. Full tank it ran normal. I checked for air leaks at every fitting from the motor back until I got to the tank - what a project. Anyway the tube is something you would never think could fail, especially in that mode. So, if you have an air leak into the fuel that you can't locate, it is worth a check. I made a piece of clear tube with fittings that I rigged to a small 12v fuel pump. Inserted in the line and sucked fuel into a container. Might be an easier way, but that showed the air bubbles. Made replacements and all has been fine for several years.
Good luck, Bob K

[garyd]

Well. I did the same thing that gave me twelve hours of running without a problem. And it has worked so far it ran for 10 hours today perfect. But we topped the fuel tanks off.

So maybe Bobk. has something. Interesting. It ran great. So who knows.

Anyway we maybe over the hump. So thanks again maybe I got it maybe not.

garyd