Smell of rotten eggs from genset

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Cadence

If I am not mistake catalytic converters got so hot that they could melt and ignite asphalt, under autos, and were band from oil refineries. Some refinery worker of the time might verify this or call it BS.

They do get hot, I don’t think they get that hot though, they do have shielding too, look at one under a car and see, just don’t grab it
Last time I was at Sun-N-Fun there was a fire in the grass parking area from Ferrari or other exotic, seems they don’t shield their Cats as well as others do.
As far as refineries, makes sense, but that leaves Diesels, and they will run away from an explosive gas leak like natural gas or propane etc.

Seems a Cat lights off about 600 f and normal operating is 1200 to 1600 f.
Diesel exhaust temp working hard will approach about 1000 f or so and an if I remember right my airplanes exhaust temp was about 1450 at peak. Surprisingly lower compression motors had higher exhaust temps than higher power, high compression motors.

[DeepFrz]

Many wild fires are started by auto/pickup exhaust systems. The DEF systems on diesel engines get very hot as well. Even the exhaust output on some diesel pickups can start a fire.

[a64pilot]

Fires are usually from sparks, hence you have to have a spark arrestor or on any generator to use it in a National Park.
I didn’t know that about the new road Diesels though, I have fallen out of love for an over the road Diesel, DEF is just one of many reasons.

[hzcruiser]

As mentioned above, that smell is common during the start-up phase of an older style catalytic converter.

[RaymondR]

Originally Posted by roland stockham

When salt water sits in a pipe for a while you get this. Same with heads and salt water showers. It is cause by hydrogen sulphide being liberated. If you run the geny weekly it probably wont happen and is good for the engine.Otherwise it is harmless

Be careful there mate.

Hydrogen sulphide gas is deadly poison in fairly low concentrations however not generally in the concentrations where you can still detect the rotten egg smell. One of the problems with it is that as the concentration increases it destroys your sense of smell and whilst you may think it has dissipated it may actually be becoming more concentrated in the air. It also tends to collect in low places so bolt for higher ground.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, nhuyck.

[nhuyck]

I knew it was not the batteries, that was the first thing I checked.

I pulled the cat off the generator and cleaned the interior and pulled the O2 sensor and cleaned that as well. That seemed to rectify the smell. Will continue to observe.

[Cadence]

For what it may or may not be worth. I got rid of a catalytic converter and eliminated the smell. It didn't help or hurt performance but it did get rid of the stench.

[nhuyck]

I was thinking of doing that since there is no O2 sensor after the cat. If it returns, I will probably remove the guts from the cat. I can’t imagine burning .4 gallons per hour is putting off a terrible amount of emissions. Especially since I put around 20 hours per year on the genny.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by nhuyck

I was thinking of doing that since there is no O2 sensor after the cat. If it returns, I will probably remove the guts from the cat. I can’t imagine burning .4 gallons per hour is putting off a terrible amount of emissions. Especially since I put around 20 hours per year on the genny.

Take it out,with a short length of pipe. Easier than getting the pellets out.

[nhuyck]

I have a feeling that O2 sensor was a bit sooted up. That seemed to be the dirtiest part of the two. If the O2 was giving a bad reading, it may have caused the ecm to richen the mixture, causing unburnt fuel to pass through the cat. Either way, it doesn’t smell anymore so I think I’ll roll. Thanks for all the tips. Hope this thread helps someone in the future.

[neilpride]

Happen to me long time ago just to found in the raw water filter a dead small fish, just saying...

[billdomb]

Originally Posted by nhuyck

I have a Kohler 7.5 EKD in a 2015 Cruisers. I just bought the boat and the generator had 5 hours on it when I bought it. The issue I am having is a horrible rotten egg smell upon start up of the ge...

It's hydrogen sulfide, which, incidentally, is as toxic as hydrogen cyanide. Gloms onto red cells and compromises oxygen transport. Good news is, your schoz can detect it at pretty low concentrations.

Would not be going out of my way to inhale exhaust. Along with the H2S, you're also getting all sorts of other nitrogen compounds, some of which are carcinogenic.

regards
William Domb, DMD

[hellosailor]

Fires, sparks, yes. But at least in the 1980's, auto manuals came with a warning not to park on top of dried leaves or other combustible materials, because the catalytic converter, even with a heat shield, could start them on fire. FWIW.

Hydrogen sulfide is not good stuff to breath, so it is worth pursing a solution. And, keeping a CO detector around because if you're smelling anything in the exhaust...you're still inhaling the exhaust, and that's a CO worry too.

[Kerryf]

Its just stale salt water in the exhaust. Mine does that every time I shut it down for a couple of days.