Which Generator To Get

[67hat34c]

We have decided to replace or Onan 4.0 MCCK with a new Gas Gen. What generators do you guys like. pros and cons. Looking for quiet running set with low CO. Dont want sound shield, space tight. Our MCCK runs perfect but it is very bulky and heavy. have hard time working around it. Appears the 4kw is all we realy need. so we dont need one larger than 5kw.

 

[JLR]

Do NOT get the small Westerbeke. Nothing but problems for me and they even replaced the entire unit under warranty.

 

[Fanfare]

I just replaced my 12 kw diesel Onan with a 12.5 kw Phasor, but have zero hours on it thus far, so nothing to compare. The Onan was 750 lbs., while the new one is 540 w/o the soundshield. I decided to get the new one because Onan, now owned by Cummins, apparently no longer has parts, and no one would return my phone calls from the Bahamas for the piece I needed. So I had to fly back to Ft. Lauderdale with the old part and go to a marine junk yard for the replacement. That was seriously inconvenient. (So was no dock power or water due to a hurricane.) This, and the fact that Lloyd, my old Onan repairman, died last year, following which his wife tossed out his stash of old parts, made up my mind on the new one.

The possible drawback is that I associate the decrease in weight with a less durable generator. The Onan gave me 25 years of reasonable reliability, and its predecessor 15 years. Not perfect, but at least I learned how to fix most problems it had. Once I ran it for two months straight, stopping only for the weekly oil change. That's going to be a hard act to follow.

Jim Grove, Fanfare 1966 50MY

 

[jim rosenthal]

I'm surprised at the bad review on the gas Westerbeke, because they are generally said to be reliable. You might look at Kohlers- they have a good reputation and the gas ones are supposed to be very quiet and compact.
Before Blue Note was repowered, I replaced the original Onan, which was gone, with a Quicksilver, I think, which was a Mercruiser brand, actually made by Generac. It had a little Nissan 3 or 4 cyl engine. I only used it once or twice, but it was very quiet and smooth and I would own another one any time. It was a different shape than the Onan, which was a flat-opposed two cylinder- this was an inline engine, so it was longer and skinnier than the Onan. Fit well, though.
Onan has never been very good from the factory on customer service, from what I recall. Being purchased by Cummins made no difference. Too bad, because some of their newer small gas sets look pretty good.

 

[Genesis]

I have an 8kw Kohler diesel, and aside from a bad injector in #1 (leaking like crazy) its been rock-solid.

I've got close to 1000 hours on it now and the injector change is the only thing beyond oil and filter changes it has required. Quiet and dependable.

If that's a sign of what you'd get with their gas units, I'd have no problem with them either.

 

[Jackman]

How old, how many hours and what are the dimensions of your old one? Gas I presume? I'm kicking around the idea of getting one but not quite sure yet. I probably have less room than you...which is why I'm kicking around the idea.

 

[67hat34c]

Jackman, we are keeping the MCCK. installing it at home in a shed and putting an automotive radiator on it.


Westerbeke is first choice, however they are expensive, kohler is second choice but appears it needs sound shield, runs as 3600 rpms v westerbeke 1800rpm. My dock neighbor has a 36 Stamas with a kohler and i think it is much louder than my mcck. He does not have sound shield but his engine room appears well insulated. want to hear one run with sound shield. I have a source for a boat builder cost on Kohler.

 

[Genesis]

3600 RPM bites - avoid if possible.

 

[SeaEric]

Ditto what Genesis says...stay away from the 3600 RPM models.

 

[sofarelli]

I run a Kohler with a sound shield in my 32'.
It's very quiet. As I remember. your gas choices are limited.
Mine has been in for 5 years and the only repair was
a fuel pump replacement.

 

[67hat34c]

gas choice for 5kw is very limited. I can only find Westerbeke and Kohler.

Westerbeke is the best but you pay for that. It is a little smaller than the 4.0 mcck that i have now, but not much.

Kohler is very compact and light 224 lbs with sound shield. however 3600rpms and noise is concern. I would think that with the speed of the motor that it would not last as well as the Westerbeke or even the Onan that i have now, it was manufactured july 1985, installed some time thereafter and running very strong still, no sound shield. But man is is big and heavy. over 400lbs and bulky to work around.

 

[Pascal]

i had a WSTBK 6.5 or 7 on my previous gas boat... it was great... very low maintenance. impeller lasted 4 or 5 years / 700 hrs, same with the spark plugs, belt, etc...

there is a well known brand of smallish gas genset where people are always changing plugs... i'm pretty sure it's kohler. I always see threads on that on boatUS and BoaterED.

 

[67hat34c]

Kohler faxed me a db rating sheet for 5e and 7.3e gas gen sets.

with sound shield no load 61.9db, half load 63.8db, full load 65.1 db. this is rating from 3 feet away in an open field.

wish i knew db rating on my 4.0 mcck.

now trying to find out what the westerbeke 5kw db ratings are.

 

[jim rosenthal]

Yes, don't get a 3600 rpm set, they wear out fast, and they wear you out with all the noise. It's too bad NL doesn't make a gas set. Are you SURE you don't want to repower and get a diesel genset in the bargain?

 

[67hat34c]

wish i could, no $$ for that right now.

now I see why the old Onan Mcck units still bring a good price. typicaly sell for 1200 to 1800 or so. your only real choice is the westerbeke at 5500 to 6700 for the low CO unit.

 

[JLR]

FWIW, the brand new replacement westerbeke (now with 1 hour on it), is down again. It is a 3Kw model MVP. Stay away from this model.