Generator Replacement

[Capt Chad]

The old 15KW Onan is still working fine but anytime it so much as sputters I clench up thinking about what just could have broke. It's a great generator but the parts availability is about to make it impractical. And its loud. It's Very loud. I re did the sound shield with soundown and it's still obnoxious.

So I'm thinking that this winter may be it's last. It's in a 46c. I don't think I need a 15. 12.5 or 12kw should be fine.

What would you guys replace it with? My generator guy works on all of it. Phasor or NL seem to be the most popular. Has anybody went from a 15kw Onan to a NL or Phasor that can tell me how big of a difference it made in sound? With or without a soundshield? And of course reliability and parts availability are big.

 

[Captain Ralph]

You will never do better than a Northern Lights with the Gem sound box.
Order now as there is usually a long wait time.

Also, the Gem box uses double mounts, it does raise the box up a couple more inches. Check ror clearances.
If it fits, you will not hear or feel it.

 

[Pascal]

Is the noise from the exhaust or from the motor itself.

the Ohnos I have run, 2009 27.5s and 2004 47s are loud at the exhaust as i they do not pump enough water. They never run hot but it just sounds like the exhaust is dry because the raw pumps are undersized.

I have also run boats with NL 18s and they were great. Quiet, reliable etc.

No experience with Phasor.

 

[ian w]

I don’t think you need a sound shield
On my 53 the new Phasor under the galley floor is pretty quiet

 

[Pascal]

Sound shields make a big difference at least on the NL, Ohnos and Norpros I ve used.

 

[Scarlett]

I agree on the phasor they use a baffle system on the air intake that also helps quite them. Same setup 53 MY no sound shield very little noise. Also make sure the cover to your generator room has a good gasket which also helps to keep the noise down

 

[Cricket]

Have a Phasor 3 cylinder 15kw, no sound shield, in our 50c engine room. Pretty quiet and has been bullet proof since 2001.
Also, great people to work with in Pompano and if you need parts in a rush most are available at the local Kubota dealer except for the marinized stuff like HE, exhaust elbow, raw water pump.
We did change out the HE and exhaust elbow a few years ago just because they were 20 years old.
Parts arrived in a few days ready to go including being painted with Imron or Awlgrip.

 

[motoryacht lover]

Replaced my 20kw Onan with a 20kw NL about 3 years ago and have been very pleased. I had/have
A sound shield on both. I didn’t notice a noise difference between the two.

 

[Capt Chad]

Pascal, we have engine noise and vibration noise. The exhaust is pretty quiet.

I can find Phasor pricing online. Anybody know what a NL 12K with soundshield costs? Phasor looks like 16K or so.

 

[cww]

I did this exact thing in my last boat. Went from a piece of sh*t Oh-no to a 12kw Phasor, and I was very pleased. I cheaped out on the sound shield because my mechanic told me the new Phasors are so much quieter than the Oh-no's that I would be happy without it, and he was right. You could barely hear it through the regular engine room sound insulation, then as soon as an air conditioner or a TV or anything on the interior was switched on, you couldn't hear it. Phasors come with a sound-deadening intake cowl on them so you don't get a lot of engine noise and they pump a lot of water so you don't get a lot of exhaust noise. They're a great product.

I'd like to be able to tell you how dealing with their parts department is, but I can't. Because in 4+ years and 600+ hours not a single thing on it ever broke. My current boat has a Northern Lights 15kw installed 2 years before I bought it. It's obviously a high-quality piece, but I have more trouble with it than I did with the Phasor. It's currently not working for the second time in 2 months because the back seal on the water pump blew out and is spewing water into the bilge. I just replaced the exhaust elbow on it last month because it had a pinhole rusted through it and had started leaking water into the bilge and leaking exhaust into the boat. If it had been my decision I would have picked a Phasor.

 

[cww]

Oh, also I forgot to say, my current boat has the Northern-Lights branded sound box on the generator that Ralph is talking about, and he's right, you can't hear it at all. The only way you know it's running (obviously besides for all the electrical stuff on the boat working) is a slight hum I can feel through my feet on the galley floor if I'm barefoot. Otherwise, you have to go look over the side of the boat to see exhaust coming out. It's really that quiet.

Compared to the Phasor it's the difference between quiet and silent. Neither one is going to be noticeable. Phasor makes and sells soundboxes for their gensets too, so I don't think that's really a deciding factor in picking which brand to buy.

 

[rsmith]

My neighbor owns Phasor. Family business and good people. I got the 3cylinder 12.5KW runs everything my 15 onan did and super quiet with out soundshield. Personally I think the reason I was able to keep the onans going for so long was I threw out the sound shields day one. I think they hold in the heat promote corrosion and hide stuff going wrong.

 

[TurtleIV]

We have twin 15kw phasors and very happy with them.

 

[TurtleIV]

Our 15kw Phasors have no sound shields and not overly loud on our boat.

 

[Capt Chad]

We had some marina drama over the minter and all my boat projects went on hold. So now I have a raw water pump leaking out the shaft seal on the ONO for year 2. I think I would rather order a new gennie than order a $900 pump for the ONO.

Question is, do I get a 9.5 or a 12.5? My house load runs off a 30a breaker and my 2 ACs run off a 30a. If I'm restricted to that is there even a benefit to running a 12.5?



.

 

[Cricket]

Have a 3 cylinder 15kw Phasor without a sound shield. The Onan 15kw couldn't run everything, Phasor does. Really great product.