Watt & Sea Hydrogenerators

[HR42]

Originally Posted by HR42

This is my latest effort to realibly install watt and seas hydro

Attachment 148228Attachment 148229Attachment 148230Attachment 148231Attachment 148232

I would like to report that this method is under engineered. Deformation of the plastic is substantial and the pins that come with the kit left their anodized housing. ...Attachment 161904

I have now purchased this pricey option

https://www.wattandsea.com/images/pr....181-500px.png

So will let you know how that goes

[B00B00]

Our watt and sea cruise 600 has become very stiff and the prop wont even turn at all until about 9kts. Still produces good power when we sail fast but its normally only in short burst when we surf so really doesnt add much.
Does anyone know if this can be serviced in the caribbean or have any ideas if i can have a crack at it myself?

[OceanPlanet]

Originally Posted by B00B00

Our watt and sea cruise 600 has become very stiff and the prop wont even turn at all until about 9kts. Still produces good power when we sail fast but its normally only in short burst when we surf so really doesnt add much.
Does anyone know if this can be serviced in the caribbean or have any ideas if i can have a crack at it myself?

Hi BooBoo,

Check on the Watt & Sea website on their "Network" page (https://www.wattandsea.com/en/network/find-a-dealer), type "Caribbean Netherlands" into their search, and a number of shops will come up

[Hobie_ind]

Originally Posted by B00B00

Our watt and sea cruise 600 has become very stiff and the prop wont even turn at all until about 9kts. Still produces good power when we sail fast but its normally only in short burst when we surf so really doesnt add much.
Does anyone know if this can be serviced in the caribbean or have any ideas if i can have a crack at it myself?

I'm not sure where you're at, but when I was there in 2015, XMarine in St George's, Grenada was a Watt & Sea rep. They were located right in St Georges, but I understand have now set up shop at the new Clarks Court Marina so I'm not sure if their 'downtown' shop is still in operation. Nicolas (Nick) was the one I spoke to about Watt & Sea generators and he'd likely be in a spot to advise what can be done locally.

X Marine
Lagoon Road , St George's , Grenada
Tel:+1 473 415 0297 (mark) or 415 0180 (Nick)

I found them competent...... but PAINFULLY slow, so I'd be cautious about leaving it with them if you're on a tight timeframe......

A second option if you're in St Lucia would be Dieter at DSL Yachting (Services » DSL Yachting). He might have some experience with them (or know who on the island is capable and trustworthy to rebuild it) given all of the Arc boats that come through every year with repairs needed.

Cheers,
Mark

[B00B00]

Thanks guys, we are in Antigua and heading to St Martin in a week. I saw that Antigua rigging were also agents so have flicked them an email

Has anyone ever taken there hydro apart?
I got the end cap off but it don't really want to take it much further apart.

[OceanPlanet]

Originally Posted by B00B00

Thanks guys, we are in Antigua and heading to St Martin in a week. I saw that Antigua rigging were also agents so have flicked them an email

Has anyone ever taken there hydro apart?
I got the end cap off but it don't really want to take it much further apart.

To replace the seals or do anything inside the lower generator, we've always had to send them to France. IIRC, there may have been a warranty on the seals on some of the units. Worth contacting W&S France if you can.

[lifgun]

Yep - I have the same issues...you need to get in contact with W&S France (La Rochelle) and then you have to send in the lower part of the hydrogen to the factory (you need the serial number) ....Mine was starting to make problems after about 20 K nautical miles....But over all a awesome piece of equipment .....

[BearBoater]

Anyone with new experiences in the last 5 or so months? Was reminded of this thread by the the SLV episode as Riley is clearly having a rough go at it with the props. Looks like they broke both propellers they had in pretty short order. I'd have serious reservations about using one of these if I didn't have wind/solar backups as well.

[Mogle]

Let's kick the discussion back live.

W&S has later released their Pod 600. This unit is fixed under the hull. I think there are a few benefits and disadvantages to this solution.
+ Not so exposed on the transom.
- Difficult to change the prop when you are in the water.
- Another few holes in the hull.

I am interested in W&S Pod 600 for my 42" sailing vessel.

https://www.wattandsea.com/fr/produi...d-cruising-600

[Aliena]

Originally Posted by Mogle

Let's kick the discussion back live.

W&S has later released their Pod 600. This unit is fixed under the hull. I think there are a few benefits and disadvantages to this solution.
+ Not so exposed on the transom.
- Difficult to change the prop when you are in the water.
- Another few holes in the hull.

I am interested in W&S Pod 600 for my 42" sailing vessel.

https://www.wattandsea.com/fr/produi...d-cruising-600

Hi Mogle,
Did you finally installed the POD 600? If so, it would be great you give us some feedback.
I am considering to install such equipment on my new boat, but I am worried with stories about weed fouling.
Thanks.

[Hiva Oa]

How easy is it to spin the prop by hand ? Just trying to gauge if I have a pending seal problem.

[Na Mara]

Originally Posted by Mogle

Let's kick the discussion back live.

W&S has later released their Pod 600. This unit is fixed under the hull. I think there are a few benefits and disadvantages to this solution.
+ Not so exposed on the transom.
- Difficult to change the prop when you are in the water.
- Another few holes in the hull.

I am interested in W&S Pod 600 for my 42" sailing vessel.

https://www.wattandsea.com/fr/produi...d-cruising-600

I'm holding off on this as I think a better solution is fitting a pair of ocean volt servo prop sail drives under the boat and just going all electric on propulsion. The props will be more robust, the regen mode will net 1000W at my typical cruising speed, there is the ability to spin the motors up to clear stuff off the props, and I might as well do this as I am coming up for a repower in the next 10 years or so anyway. It will be way more expensive, but as part of a repower it is defensible.

Until then, if I'm doing a hydro generator, it will be off the back of the boat where I can easily get to it and from where I can easily ship it back to France for the regular servicing it will need.

[Hiva Oa]

Originally Posted by B00B00

Our watt and sea cruise 600 has become very stiff and the prop wont even turn at all until about 9kts. Still produces good power when we sail fast but its normally only in short burst when we surf so really doesnt add much.
Does anyone know if this can be serviced in the caribbean or have any ideas if i can have a crack at it myself?

When you say stiff can you spin with one finger or about 1 to 2 lbs of force about mid blade ?

[dial_amonkey]

Originally Posted by B00B00

Thanks guys, we are in Antigua and heading to St Martin in a week. I saw that Antigua rigging were also agents so have flicked them an email

Has anyone ever taken there hydro apart?
I got the end cap off but it don't really want to take it much further apart.

Hi I have replaced the seal/s and oil by removing the end cap,

Watt&Sea insisted I use mineral oil, But didn't have any( was remote) so I used AFT synthetic .. seems fine so far.

If the rotor isn't turning it could be that the cap has somehow become too tight? If the cap has been wound in just slightly too much there will be too much friction - too loose and the seal will leak.

I would push in the rotor, check if it moves at all, you can slightly loosen the cap (1/2 a turn) without risk of a leak but take care more than than that.

The mechanic seal is two graphite plates pressed together with a strong spring

The seal is a mechanical seal that wasn't difficult to find, even here in third world New Zealand.

I didn't completely dissemble it : although I would have liked to as I didn't see how to remove the 3 phase generator.

Check for any tiny cracks in the white alternator housing around the cap.

I also replaced the cable gland - That wasn't difficult either - but the electrical cable has a special plug to stop the oil (under pressure) migrating down the length between the conductors.

One thing that I didn't know was it's important to get the oil volume correct as replacing the cap pressurises the oil.

[YourOldNemesis]

Can you give me some more info? I'm in Fiji and mine has an oil leak. I've taken the end cap off and i can see the graphite discs and the spring with the rubber piece underneath.

I have removed the graphite disc and the spring, but how does the rubber tube come off? What do I call it when I'm asking a bearing shop on the phone?