Repair Diesel Generator or Get New Honda

[dwedeking2]

So I purchased a project Morgan OI 41 a couple years ago. Leaky hatches and ports led to water intrusion (not flooding above the floor boards but in a boat that was closed up all the time it was a mess). The electrical system is shot and I am replacing.

The boat was in Ft Myers during Hurricane Irma but was mostly undamaged but again got water inside. The following week I moved the boat to Jacksonville. When we went inside and turned on the electrical system the Panda control panel flashed lights and started the generator without human intervention. We turned it off and it won't restart.

There is a lot of corrosion on the motherboard of the control panel and I feel that maybe the main issue.

My question is "Does it make sense to replace the controller ($400) that maybe only one of the issues or spend $1100 on a new honda gas generator and be done (removing the diesel generator)?"

I'm running a 400ah house bank and plan on installing solar which should handle normal day to day power usage. The generator would be as a backup/bad weather, to power a water maker and if I needed 110 for power tools.

I just don't want to remove the diesel generator then think of a reason I should have kept it.

[Chotu]

Jacksonville. Key West. I think you’re going to need to keep the air conditioning also. So, I would repair the diesel generator so you can do that.

[dwedeking2]

Just did my first Key West summer. I did fine without ac but also grew up in the Southern California desert so used to sweating, at least here I can just jump in the water

[Chotu]

OK. I’ve owned a lot of generators. I’ve owned a few different Honda 2000 generators as well.

I know the popular narrative is these generators are amazing, they never break, they always work perfectly. However, that has not been my experience with them. First, there’s always going to be a fuel problem. A carburetor problem. Always something to worry about in that department. Second, speaking of air conditioning, I was running a small RV unit with a Honda EU 2000. It threw a rod. Completely broke.

Currently, I have a northern lights seven or 9 kW generator. I forget which. It’s on my monohull. It has needed maintenance, but the reliability factor in comparison to a tiny gasoline engine, plus the power output, it’s just night and day. It’s also really nice to be able to use the large fuel tank from the boat itself to run the generator. That means you can stay out forever basically. You are going to run out of gasoline. You have that big tank of diesel to work with.

My northern lights generator had not been closely maintained. I think it had three or 4000 hours on it. So the maintenance I had to do was changing the oil and filter, cleaning some small bits of impeller out of the heat exchanger, and replacing the exhaust mixing elbow. After doing those items, I am confident that this thing will run thousands more Hours without any further maintenance. Other than oil changes.

If you can find that logic board, I would suggest sticking with the diesel engine. That way if you do change your mind also you can have air conditioning as well. But the reliability factor is huge on the Diesel. I think a lot of times people rationalize not fixing their generator and getting a little Honda portable because they don’t want to spend the money. Plain and simple. But I think over the long run, fixing the diesel generator ends up ahead.

[sailorboy1]

I’ve pretty much given up on my small diesel generator in favor of my Honda (been 3 months and I haven’t tried to fix my diesel generator ). But if I believed it really could be fixed by a new $400 control panel I would do it

[Nicholson58]

Originally Posted by Chotu

Jacksonville. Key West. I think you’re going to need to keep the air conditioning also. So, I would repair the diesel generator so you can do that.

I assume you are working on the hard. It would be more efficient to mount a window AC in a hatch and plug in. If the generator turns freely, hours not too great, compression good, I’d fix it. Beware also of bad fuel with water and dirt. That can also prevent it running. Maybe it would be worthwhile to retain a mechanic.

[a64pilot]

I’d say if it were an NL or Onan etc. definitely throw some money at it.
But it’s not, it’s a Fischer Panda?

[sy_gilana]

What A64Pilot said

[S/V Adeline]

You know the diesel will run, just need someone to verify it will generate power. It should not be excessive to have someone check it out. If you know what to check, an ohm meter will tell you if the circuits to generate power are unbroken. I would pay to check it out, then decide.
We have had a 2-cycle gas generator and now have a brand new 4k gas generator, but always on the lookout to replace it with a diesel. I don't care what name brand, diesel is just more reliable and safer.

[dwedeking2]

I'm on a mooring so don't have access to shore power.

I'm looking more at the long term solution.

My concern was what ah64 brought up. It's a Fischer panda. Am I going to be buying a control panel and then following issues the rest of its life, ending up spending more?

[a64pilot]

Which Fischer Panda is it?

[dwedeking2]

4200sc

The previous owner is dead. This was a project boat the the surviving wife wanted gone. So I'm missing a lot of history on what ran, what ran well and any quirks. The generator did start and provide power prior to Irma in a short test.

I've had issues with wire corrosion and overheating of wires so have put off this question until I did the complete rewire (which I'm ready to start now)

[Apollo366]

Why have gas on a boat? Other than 5 gal jug on deck for OB>

Plus Diesels are much longer lived than gas.

My boat has a 1978 Yanmar in it, other than normal maintenance, I & former owners (in 34 years) have only had to Clean fuel tanks of bacteria etc. replaced FW pump, installed modern fuel filtering system, & cleaned head & exch elbow of carbon buildup.

In 34 yrs that seems like a pretty low cost of maintenance to me.

With a gas gen it will 1.) have to have carb cleaned or replaced if let to sit more than a year or so, 2.) will wear out or require major mait. every 3,000 hrs or so, 3.) run through twice as much fuel as Diesel, 4.) have a large amount of dangerous fuel on board.

Me, I'd fix the electrical system first, have a Dealer Mech look at it and estimate required work to be done and go from there, notice I said "Dealer Mech", my prior owners had pick-up mechs work on the Yanmar, all left signs of very, very poor workmanship behind, so had to redo their work down the line.

Just my $2 worth,

Wayne

[Boatyarddog]

Originally Posted by dwedeking2

So I purchased a project Morgan OI 41 a couple years ago. Leaky hatches and ports led to water intrusion (not flooding above the floor boards but in a boat that was closed up all the time it was a mess). The electrical system is shot and I am replacing.

The boat was in Ft Myers during Hurricane Irma but was mostly undamaged but again got water inside. The following week I moved the boat to Jacksonville. When we went inside and turned on the electrical system the Panda control panel flashed lights and started the generator without human intervention. We turned it off and it won't restart.

There is a lot of corrosion on the motherboard of the control panel and I feel that maybe the main issue.

My question is "Does it make sense to replace the controller ($400) that maybe only one of the issues or spend $1100 on a new honda gas generator and be done (removing the diesel generator)?"

I'm running a 400ah house bank and plan on installing solar which should handle normal day to day power usage. The generator would be as a backup/bad weather, to power a water maker and if I needed 110 for power tools.

I just don't want to remove the diesel generator then think of a reason I should have kept it.

Corrosion on any thing electronic will eventually cause issues.
I've got a pretty low power consumption, so a 1000watt Honda is what I chose in 2001 for a backup on the boat.
It's been NO problem since I bought it.
Couldn't be happier with it.
Quiet,low fuel use.
I'm using non ethanol fuel.
Emptying the tank every year.
Price now is comparable to 20 yrs ago
Why?
Cheers,
SV Cloud Duster

[Mr O]

I was in a similar situation a few years ago when I bought my boat, although it was a dry boat. The Fisher Panda 4k genset started but overheated. I thought about pulling the whole system out. Then decided to fix the thing. Glad I did because it has been working fine ever since, plus I now know the beast and what it needs to live a long life. Panda gensets are pretty well made but the 20 year old models have their quirks. I plumbed in a freshwater bypass in the seawater intake hose to flush the cooling system with SaltAway. This has helped keep the anode block clear of that salt goo that tends to clog the passage ways for the raw water. As mentioned in previous posts, the diesel genset will last longer, more efficient , safer fuel source, and easier to use.

That said, if I was faced with r&r of the genset at about $12k, I would probably opt for a Honda 2000.

Good luck on your project. Morgans are fine boats.