Genset Remote Start Panel

[JLR]

I have a Westerbeke genset on the other boat. I believe is it is a 15KW unit, diesel, of course. I have a remote start stop panel in my salon. I would like to add one on my flybridge. The salon panel is made up of three momentary switches for pre heat, start and stop. I know it cannot be this simple but would it work for the flybridge panel if I bought three momentary switches, a panel and simply jumped the wires off of the back of the three switches in my salon. Sounds too easy and simple to work. Any ideas?

 

[MVCaprice]

I have a Westerbeke genset on the other boat. I believe is it is a 15KW unit, diesel, of course. I have a remote start stop panel in my salon. I would like to add one on my flybridge. The salon panel is made up of three momentary switches for pre heat, start and stop. I know it cannot be this simple but would it work for the flybridge panel if I bought three momentary switches, a panel and simply jumped the wires off of the back of the three switches in my salon. Sounds too easy and simple to work. Any ideas?

I would check and see if Westerbeke makes a remote pigtail. If they do I would not expect it to be cheap. Like 500$ for a basic pigtail kindof thing.

You can however probably splice in as you say with the toggle switches if you have the wiring diagram.​

Other manufacturers such as Northern lights have all of these harnesses modular and easily plug and play able. Our harness from NL was a very basic 6 wire with a momentary three way switch and a momentary on/off switch. Our paneling console connects directly to these toggles using ring terminals. Obviously if you want instrumentation in the remote you may need to do more work although I would recommend using an analog to Nema 2000 gateway for that to save wiring time and provide the ability for data on all displays on the boat.

 

[tonytrakovich]

If you are sure about the 3 momentary switches, then you probably jump them. You need to know if they are N.O. or N.C. momentary switches. N.O. switches would be jumped in parallel. N.C. switches would have to be jumped in series.

What model genny?

 

[Avenger]

Yes, you can. It's what Hatteras did on the electrical panels of many boats. I'd have to look at a schematic to detail it, but it's pretty straightforward.

 

[Boatsb]

Newer generators have electronic controls. If this is one there's a panel and cable needed.

 

[Cricket]

John, just an fyi for your Westerbeke, they're notorious for premature heat exchanger and exhaust elbow failures.

 

[Walter P]

I have a Westerbeke genset on the other boat. I believe is it is a 15KW unit, diesel, of course. I have a remote start stop panel in my salon. I would like to add one on my flybridge. The salon panel is made up of three momentary switches for pre heat, start and stop. I know it cannot be this simple but would it work for the flybridge panel if I bought three momentary switches, a panel and simply jumped the wires off of the back of the three switches in my salon. Sounds too easy and simple to work. Any ideas?

John, Westerbeke does in fact have a panel as you describe. They also have a complete instrument
panel with various gauges including the control switches. It has a wiring harness available in various
lengths so all this makes it an easy plug and play project. I bought the setup with the gauges etc for
my 15 KW Westerbeke some years ago and I loved it. In fact the panel with switches etc was an exact
duplicate of the unit on the gen set. Don't remember cost but it probably was not cheap however it was
worth every penny. "Quality is remembered long after price is forgotten".

Walt

 

[JLR]

Thanks all. I need to get the details off of the actual plate to verify the model number. The survey says it is a 20KW. I think not. Also, the model number listed on the survey does not seem right to me. I do not need to duplicate the gauges on the genset itself. I just want to be able to turn it on and off from the bridge. Also, I will be able to get the schematic and verify whether the switches are normally open or closed. This is just in the planning stage. If Westerbeke has an easy plug and play cable with a limited panel to start stop etc., that is what I will do. However, all this is premature until I can verify the model number. I still think that it is a 15 KW unit. Once I nail that down, I can get more information. In a brief conversation yesterday with a local Westerbeke outfit, they said that turning the unit off by the second remote station is the tricky part. But, without a model number, I can not go any further. But, with that said, jumping the switches also seems like an option. And thanks Holden for the premature failure information. I believe the genset was rebuilt about 100 hours ago. But, I will keep an eye on it. .

 

[Pascal]

Maybe i am overthinking this but what good will this do you away from the electrical panel? I dont think starting and shutting down a generator with loads connected is a good idea. On start up you want the genny to stabilize and warm up at least for 10 or 15 seconds and on shut down you want to let it run with no load for a minute or so to cool down.

 

[JLR]

Pascal - the reason I want the remote panel is so that I can start and stop the genset either after I have used the windlass to anchor(stop) or, more importantly, before I use the windlass to lift my anchor(start). Since I do this most often when fishing, I am reluctant to head into the salon after fishing to use the start panel there before washing up from fishing. Not really a big deal but it would be nice to have the bridge panel to facilitate remote starts when changing anchoring spots before I use the windlass. Also, truth be told, I have a space in my panel that I want to fill from a prior installation of a Bennett Automatic Trim Tab Controller that simply will not work with my boat after having replaced virtually all of the components since buying it new. But, that is another story.

 

[Pascal]

I guess your windlass is powered by its own battery bank charged only a battery charger?

If you do it this way, make sure you turn off the big loads at the panel (air con, refrigeration etc) to limit the loads on the genset when starting.

 

[oscarvan]

make sure you turn off the big loads at the panel (air con, refrigeration etc) to limit the loads on the genset when starting.

I will second that, although refrigeration is not THAT big a load. Unless you have five of them of course

 

[JLR]

The windlass runs off the house bank of batteries. To my knowledge, they are charged both by the alternators and by the battery charger. Why then, you ask, would I want to start the genset rather than just relying on the alternators, to keep the house bank charged when using the windlass? Well, the answer is as follows. First, I have been chasing a one time only likely voltage fault on my starboard engine which occurred before I tried to start the engine but after I turned the key on. That fault, although occurring only once, was cured by turning on the genset and then starting the engine. I am load testing all ten of my batteries tomorrow and will replace them in the Spring. Nevertheless, having the genset on seemed to eliminate the fault. Also, my bridge is air conditioned. With real feel temps here in New York approaching one hundred degrees, it is nice to turn the air on on the bridge when lifting the anchor.

 

[DCMY #92]

I have a Westerbeke remote panel I don't need. Email me at anderson@competititvepower.us if you want it.

 

[JLR]

Done. Thank you. Email on its way.

 

[Boatsb]

Load test them all individually.

There's got to be a problem battery for the engine to not start.

Also make sure all the connections are tight and the battery cables properly terminated.

I've seen cable ends falling off and sparking.

I also use an electronic tester. Its more accurate than the old toasters.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

Load test them all individually.

There's got to be a problem battery for the engine to not start.

Also make sure all the connections are tight and the battery cables properly terminated.

I've seen cable ends falling off and sparking.

I also use an electronic tester. Its more accurate than the old toasters.

And are the connecting cables between batteries of the same size as the cables to the engines? I've seen smaller gauge connecting cables cause low voltage issues when under heavy load. So, if 4/0 going to the batteries, then you need 4/0 between them as well.

 

[Boatsb]

And are the connecting cables between batteries of the same size as the cables to the engines? I've seen smaller gauge connecting cables cause low voltage issues when under heavy load. So, if 4/0 going to the batteries, then you need 4/0 between them as well.

Come on Sky. Why do we need such big cables?


OK so just to help with his point. I went onto a 52C to change Batteries. The PO passed away and I was there to get things right. The 4/0 cables to the starter and ground were fine. The intermediate (between the batteries to connect in series) cables were 4 Ga. I believe Derek referred to them as Fuses.

 

[JLR]

Best laid plans. My brand new 500 amp load tested crapped out right out of the box. My mechanic was on the clock. So, since we could not load test the batteries efficiently, we did the next best think by putting a meter on them. In the course of doing so, we found one bad battery in the port bank of four ( 6 volts with no load ) and, more importantly, found a loose connection on the starboard bank of four that feeds the ECM. We had to disassemble all of the bridging bars to test each invidually so it was not worth reassembling them all to use starting the engines as a load test. However, with the loose connection and after replacing the one bad battery, all seems fine. Now, for a bit of a rant ----Sky--- are you listening. Another Ocean, not Hatteras build quality moan. First, for some reason, this boat has no battery disconnect switches. So, all of the disassembly etc. was done live. Second, with four group 31 batteries per bank, there was absolutely no room to remove the batteries. We needed to take the alternator cover off, tip one battery on its end, place a line under it to remove it vertically and lift it out before being able to slide the bad battery over enough to be able to remove it. What a pain in the neck. I am not certain how Ocean got away with no battery switches. If the live feed to the starter should short, I would hate to think of the ensuing conflagration. But, what the heck. I cruise at 27 knots!

 

[Cricket]

John you like projects, install some battery switches. It would make me crazy not to be able to turn them off.
Good friend would buy a new Ocean every other year, had something like 12 of them. He always said there's logic to his madness, the actual logic was to make sure his Ocean was always under warranty.
On his last Ocean (52 or 54) we were at a large tournament sponsored by Ocean, Ocean had already fixed the dinette table 3-4 times and was now ignoring him, and the rest of the punch list. He took it out of the boat, put it on the dock box with a huge nasty gram, an hour later there were 4 guys from Ocean fixing all of the broken stuff on his 3 month old boat and a new table arrive later that day.