I have a 8kw
Westerbeke generator. It has started and run perfectly for the 1 year I've owned the
boat it sits in. It has an
emergency stop switch and just below that switch is an 8 amp fuse.
The start sequence normally goes like this: First you hold down the preheat switch. As soon as you do this, the gauges light up and you can hear the preheat solenoid doing it's thing. Then while still holding down the preheat switch, you depress the start switch. Once the
motor is running, you let go of the start switch, but continue holding down the preheat switch for a few more seconds until the
oil pressure reaches some predetermined point. At that point, you can also release the preheat switch and use the
generator.
The other night I followed this sequence as usual, but after turning over a couple times, instead of firing up, everything just stopped. No clicking of the preheat solenoid, no lights on the
instruments. Totally dead.
After troubleshooting for a bit, I found the 8 amp fuse below the
emergency kill switch was blown. I replaced it and it immediately blew again. So obviously there's something more going on than a blown fuse.
I spent several hours today trying to find the problem, went through lots more
fuses, and got nowhere?
The wires all look to be in good condition. Nothing frayed, no worn
insulation. Connections at all switches look good.
Where do I go next? Any ideas what the most likely culprit's might be? Can there be a dead short internally in the starter? A solenoid? A switch?
I'm in a
remote area in the
Bahamas, so I need to figure this one out myself.
TIA for any help offered.