Repair/replace or get rid of generator

[Ayb]

The generator on our boat needs a bottom end rebuild and I've been debating whether to bother or to just get rid of it and free up space in the engine room. It's an old 8kw westerbeke 3-cylinder and while it probably was very useful decades ago the equipment it's meant to power is mostly decomissioned or in need of replacement. Our plan is to cruise locally in the Puget sound and desolation sound and work up to bigger adventures in a few years.

* She had two marine air heat pump systems, the aft one is long gone and the salon one is there but needs work and I'm debating whether to repair it or install the latest marine air or just free up space and declutter. We have a diesel furnace as well for heat.
* We're not keeping the washer/dryer
* Previous owner had a dive compressor, we're not divers and removed it
* Our engine has two alternators and the battery banks aren't huge, I'd love to have more but I'm still looking for where to physically put them. Motoring for two hours seems to charge the batteries nicely.
* We have an inverter but haven't really needed it's output yet and it doesn't power much, just an outlet or two.
* Most importantly, the water maker is old and has been decomissioned for a while, I suspect recomissioning it will not be cheaper or easier than installing a more modern and probably better and more efficient one. We don't likely need a water maker for a few years yet but that alone gives me pause, I can see us using a generator to power a water maker some day.
* Refrigeration is engine compressor / 12v pump / 120v pump but needs servicing and repair, again it seems running the engine would do the trick but I could imagine the convenience at anchor with the generator

In the end I'm debating where to put the effort and money. We don't have wind or solar yet, the battery banks aren't huge, but some day a water maker is in the cards. Should we rebuild the generator as a matter of course or replace it with something more modern? Or is it really not worth the hassle if we don't "require" air conditioning and heat pump and a washing machine?

I'm also a bit nervous about how the generator will come out for rebuild or replacement or removal. I think I can get it out on pieces but having to take apart a brand new one to get it in there doesn't sound great.

[hpeer]

Why not just go for a Honda? At worst you would delay the decision for a good bit and then sell the Honda. At best it will fit all your needs.

[Ayb]

I don't have a good place for a gas generator above deck (yet) but maybe that's the simplest solution.

[tkeithlu]

If I'm reading you correctly, your battery bank is fairly small and your only way of charging it when away from the dock is the engine. So, if the engine fails to start, you have a limited amount of time before you lose all your electronics, right? It may be time to consider what sort of redundancy would better protect you. It could be solar, wind, or a genset, and a genset could be a small portable gasoline model or a replacement/rebuild for the Westerbeke. My main genset is a brother of yours, an old Universal M25 now Westerbeke. My backup is a small portable that plugs into the shore cable and shares fuel with the dinghy outboard. It sits under a box on deck. Others have other Plan Bs. What would work for you?

[Ayb]

Correct, no backup for the engine charging right now. I'll do some reading about small gas generators, I want to redesign our deck storage anyhow and I can probably make a spot for one on the port side and it'll be an easy run to the shore power recepticale.

[Emmalina]

I had an 8kw Onan for years never used it as it was installed to run AC which was removed years ago. Sold it and used the money for more solar and a Lithium installation. Best thing I ever did and a lot more space in the engine room. Also bought a Honda for emergency use and welding.

[Ayb]

Thanks, that's what I'm curious about doing as well, I'd rather put the money into more and better batteries, solar and maybe a wind generator, and I guess a little Honda gas generator as backup but I'm worried I'll miss the big generator some day. I suppose if battery banks were sufficiently sized and we had several other means of charging combined with a modern water maker, we'd be alright.

Basically I'm wondering if this generator is really necessary for us or if it's one of the 1980s items onboard that can go in favor of something more modern or different

[sailorboy1]

My diesel generator seemed to break regular and it was loud and right next to our berth. So i got a Honda Eu2200 to run the aft air conditioner. A week later the diesel generator failed again. That was almost 3 years ago and I have not even tried to fix it because the Honda is so much betterin everyway except the number of loads it will run at same time.

[Chotu]

Here’s the real issue. You don’t need that big of a generator to charge those batteries. That’s too much generator for your application. It was sized to run all of those heat exchangers and everything that you removed.

So, if you don’t need to be running a pair of air conditioners, you don’t need a generator that size. You are just running it below capacity anyway charging batteries with it. That’s a terrible use for it.

Charging batteries is best done by solar these days. Also your engine system. Pair that with the right inverter and you are good.

[Ballsnall]

Originally Posted by Ayb

Basically I'm wondering if this generator is really necessary for us or if it's one of the 1980s items onboard that can go in favor of something more modern or different

Reading your post it doesn't sound like you have a current use case for the generator and you have considered your future requirements and they won't require a generator either. Also consider, how long do you expect to keep the vessel and will removing the generator significantly affect the resale value?

I think you can safely ditch the Genset and put the savings into as you say, a more modern solutions without the noise, smell, vibration and maintenance.

[Ayb]

Thanks, that makes sense. I think I'll get the Honda generator and build a place for it on the deck first, do a year or so like this (and make sure we aren't missing the air conditioning in the summer, though I doubt it ever worked incredibly well) and next year remove the diesel generator entirely and reuse that space for additional batteries or something else. With the marine air components removed, I have a lot of space for storage or a modern water maker or who knows what else.

[sailorboy1]

My Honda will run my 16k btu air conditioner. Needed a soft start unit for it, around $200. but it starts and runs in Eco mode.

[boatman61]

Use the money a new generator or a rebuild would cost to invest in solar energy and increased battery power.
Utilise some of the space gained from the removal of your junked genny for your added power bank.
Later you can decide if a small portable genny is needed for backup.

[MJH]

Originally Posted by Ayb

The generator on our boat needs a bottom end rebuild and I've been debating whether to bother or to just get rid of it and free up space in the engine room. It's an old 8kw westerbeke 3-cylinder and while it probably was very useful decades ago the equipment it's meant to power is mostly decomissioned or in need of replacement. Our plan is to cruise locally in the Puget sound and desolation sound and work up to bigger adventures in a few years.

* She had two marine air heat pump systems, the aft one is long gone and the salon one is there but needs work and I'm debating whether to repair it or install the latest marine air or just free up space and declutter. We have a diesel furnace as well for heat.
* We're not keeping the washer/dryer
* Previous owner had a dive compressor, we're not divers and removed it
* Our engine has two alternators and the battery banks aren't huge, I'd love to have more but I'm still looking for where to physically put them. Motoring for two hours seems to charge the batteries nicely.
* We have an inverter but haven't really needed it's output yet and it doesn't power much, just an outlet or two.
* Most importantly, the water maker is old and has been decomissioned for a while, I suspect recomissioning it will not be cheaper or easier than installing a more modern and probably better and more efficient one. We don't likely need a water maker for a few years yet but that alone gives me pause, I can see us using a generator to power a water maker some day.
* Refrigeration is engine compressor / 12v pump / 120v pump but needs servicing and repair, again it seems running the engine would do the trick but I could imagine the convenience at anchor with the generator

In the end I'm debating where to put the effort and money. We don't have wind or solar yet, the battery banks aren't huge, but some day a water maker is in the cards. Should we rebuild the generator as a matter of course or replace it with something more modern? Or is it really not worth the hassle if we don't "require" air conditioning and heat pump and a washing machine?

I'm also a bit nervous about how the generator will come out for rebuild or replacement or removal. I think I can get it out on pieces but having to take apart a brand new one to get it in there doesn't sound great.

Sounds like all the equipment that needs a genset is no longer there, working, or needed to your lifestyle...remove it and sell it.

My new-to-me boat came with a washer/dryer, Onan 8.0kw genset, davits, etc...I removed and sold those ugly 700+ pounds.

~ ~ _/) ~ ~ MJH

[Ayb]

Thanks. I'm going to really appreciate the space that generator takes up. First challenge is how to get it out of the boat, it's in a rather awkward spot and the cabinet opening isn't very large. Might have to do that job at next haul out.