Generator Operation

[Brian Degulis]

I wouldn't switch units on a trip. I switch units after a complete shut down in other words use one going to and the other coming home assuming I stayed a while and went on shore power. The reason I do it is just to insure they are both working properly and to excersize both units. I don't like machinery to sit if I can avoid it.

Brian

 

[luckydave215]

I do the 8 hour thing in the interest of insuring generator "vital signs" checks at regular, scheduled, intervals.
And no, surprisingly, since everything else on my boat is overdone, I don't have ANY gauges on the generators. Installing them is "on the list".
There are alarms of course, but they're usless for spotting problems before they're a PROBLEM.
I'm not worried about the heat cycles, they'll outlive me anyway.

 

[ThirdHatt]

I do the 8 hour thing in the interest of insuring generator "vital signs" checks at regular, scheduled, intervals.
And no, surprisingly, since everything else on my boat is overdone, I don't have ANY gauges on the generators. Installing them is "on the list". There are alarms of course, but they're usless for spotting problems before they're a PROBLEM.

I'm not worried about the heat cycles, they'll outlive me anyway.

Fair enough. If I didn't have the remote start panels with guages on both gens to see the oil pressures and water temps I would probably want to be able to check fluids sooner too.


C'mon Dave, you're not THAT old yet!!!LOL