What is the proper way to use a gen set for overnight cruising?

[bigdealsam]

My new to me (1994) SeaRay 330 Sundancer is in great condition. I intend to use her for 3 or 4 days at a time in the ICW on the NC shore. I've never used a generator before and I am concerned with CO emissions and possible cabin contamination. Is it proper to leave the generator running all night (so I can run the ac or heat)? If so, do I also leave the blower running all night?

My survey says the generator is running properly and I have let it run for a couple of hours while I was cleaning the cabin without smelling anything (other than the crap that I removed from the cabin drawers)

I appreciate any info. Rather ask a dumb question than die from not asking a dumb question.
Thanks, Sam Baker

 

[marauder11]

Re: What is the proper way to use a gen set for overnight cruising?

Is co not odourless

 

[bigdealsam]

Re: What is the proper way to use a gen set for overnight cruising?

Yes, I think it is. My point about not smelling any odors was referring to gas fumes. The lack of an odor is, I would think, a pretty good indicator that the generator was running properly.
I'm just concerned with letting it run all night while I and my guests sleep in the cabin. Is it safe to let it run all night? If I let it run all night, do I also keep the blower running?

I just don't have any experience with a generator or overnight cruising.
Thanks, Sam

 

[Gpayne]

Re: What is the proper way to use a gen set for overnight cruising?

How about a carbon monoxide detector in the cabin? They work in the home, seems to me they'd probably work fine in a boat cabin as well.

 

[Expidia]

Re: What is the proper way to use a gen set for overnight cruising?

A CO detector would not be a bad idea in the sleeping area anyway. CO odorless. And a detector is cheap insurance at Walmart.

I'd call a marina who sells boats and ask them.
I know when Im on my brother in laws 46 footer he runs the gen while we are under way to give us AC in the cabin and run the fridge.

When we are at the marina he's plugged in to their power while we are sleeping.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: What is the proper way to use a gen set for overnight cruising?

make sure you have a good blower, add the CO detector, and have fun

 

[Ned L]

Re: What is the proper way to use a gen set for overnight cruising?

At least in my experience it is pretty much 'not normal' to run a generator all night and if there are other boats anchored in the area you will not be making any friends by doing so. Daytime & evening is fine, they are usually shut down as the evening quiets down.

 

[Thalasso]

Re: What is the proper way to use a gen set for overnight cruising?

It should already have carbon monoxide detectors unless the gen was installed later. Look on the walls in the sleeping area and in the aft cabin. They are mandatory by CG REGS. If i am out over night and no shore power and need it for A/C i run it all night.

 

[bigdealsam]

Re: What is the proper way to use a gen set for overnight cruising?

Thanks for the great responses men. I found the CO detector exactly where it should be in the mid cabin on the starboard side. Additionally, I contacted the previous owner and confirmed that he had spent many great air conditioned nights courtesy of the generator. He suggest that I run the blower all night as well.
Your info is greatly appreciated.

 

[CaptainKickback]

Re: What is the proper way to use a gen set for overnight cruising?

The 1998 Cruisers Yachts 2870 I had came with two detectors, one on each berth. A boat of your size surely has multiple sleeping areas. Check again, you may find another detector. If not, I would add one more.

We boat 2 days at a time. Where we anchor, there are always 15 - 20 boats anchored overnight on the weekend. They all run generators all night. In South Florida, no A/C, no sleep. As for noise, yours is installed inside the boat. Minimal noise for other boats. The ones that are loud are the ones people carry on, place on the deck, and disturb the peace.

So generate away!

Sea ya...

 

[shrew]

Re: What is the proper way to use a gen set for overnight cruising?

Common courtesy in an anchorage is to shut the genny off by 10pm. Many mooring fields have similar rules. I wouldn't be happy if you had that thing running all night right near me.

 

[Quit It]

Re: What is the proper way to use a gen set for overnight cruising?

The 1998 Cruisers Yachts 2870 I had came with two detectors, one on each berth. A boat of your size surely has multiple sleeping areas. Check again, you may find another detector. If not, I would add one more.

We boat 2 days at a time. Where we anchor, there are always 15 - 20 boats anchored overnight on the weekend. They all run generators all night. In South Florida, no A/C, no sleep. As for noise, yours is installed inside the boat. Minimal noise for other boats. The ones that are loud are the ones people carry on, place on the deck, and disturb the peace.

So generate away!

Sea ya...

This! Gensets are quiet, surrounded by fiberglass and sound deadening material.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: What is the proper way to use a gen set for overnight cruising?

This! Gen-sets are quiet, surrounded by fiberglass and sound deadening material.

A generator that would bother the neighbors is going to be even more annoying to you!
I don't have one. Is the exhaust commonly above or below the water line?

If you are anchored from the bow, and there is a wind, the boat will weathervane so the exhaust exiting the stern blows away from the boat.
Exhaust fumes blowing into the boat are minimized.

 

[Ned L]

Re: What is the proper way to use a gen set for overnight cruising?

If you are trying to spend a nice quite night swinging on an anchor in some nice quite cove there isn't anything much more annoying than to be listening to someone's generator sputtering and gurgling away all night.

 

[Fireman431]

Re: What is the proper way to use a gen set for overnight cruising?

We use our genset at night all the time. There are a few things to remember...

1) No need to run the blower. The blower pulls air in from the top of the gunwale and recirculates it thru the bilge. Depending on the breeze, the chances are greater to pull in CO and exhaust fumes. Read the manuals. They recommend turning the blowers off. Especially if the genset is in a sealed sound deadening container, then the blower is useless anyway. There are there to feed air to the engine(s) and remove fuel vapors.

2) Any sealed genset or one mounted under the cabin sole will not be loud enough to wake any other boaters. If you're there first, it's your call. By running it, you get a low quiet hum, A/C, refrigerator, TV, stove, coffee, etc. By not running it, you get sweat, bare bones comforts, and probably dead batteries by morning if your fridge is 110v/12v.

3) CO detectors are MANDATORY (according to AMMA and CG regs) anywhere someone is able to fall asleep. This means each cabin and the salon. If you can fall asleep on the couch, then you need a CO detector. Don't settle for the WalMart one. Get the marine rated 110v/12v/9v model. It is wired into the boats AC power and 12v battery power. It also is set with a 9v battery backup. They are about $35-$50 online. Cheap insurance so you or your family/friends don't wake up dead.

 

[Quit It]

Re: What is the proper way to use a gen set for overnight cruising?

3) CO detectors are MANDATORY (according to AMMA and CG regs) anywhere someone is able to fall asleep. This means each cabin and the salon. If you can fall asleep on the couch, then you need a CO detector. Don't settle for the WalMart one. Get the marine rated 110v/12v/9v model. It is wired into the boats AC power and 12v battery power. It also is set with a 9v battery backup. They are about $35-$50 online. Cheap insurance so you or your family/friends don't wake up dead.

$35-50 online? Which ones?

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: What is the proper way to use a gen set for overnight cruising?

... The blower pulls air in from the top of the gunwale and Recirculates it Thru the bilge... There are there to feed air to the engine(s) and remove fuel vapors...

Your blowers should be pulling the air From the Bilge and Blowing it overboard.
They are there to remove the fuel Vapors that shouldn't be there in the first place.

Like an insurance policy, blowers are something you definitely want to have but never want to need.

 

[jestor68]

Re: What is the proper way to use a gen set for overnight cruising?

The blower draws in air from one side and blows it out the other. Where the air inlet is located will determine what is drawn in. Hopefully the gen exhaust is located on the same side as the blower exhaust.

The built in gens I have heard were barely audible from, say, 20 feet away.

 

[Silly Seville]

Re: What is the proper way to use a gen set for overnight cruising?

For the folks who are blowing chunks about generators...you can calm down and take into consideration the facts of the matter. The craft in question is a big-arse cabin cruiser with a factory installed marine genset. That means the generator is in it's own room, insulated both acoustically and thermally, is water cooled just like any inboard engine, and exhausts thru the hull into the water to further reduce noise and fumes.

It is perfectly safe to use 24 hours a day whether moored or underway, which is precisely what it was designed/intended/installed for! There is a reason they cost between 5-10 thousand dollars to buy/install.

This ain't your grandpappy's Coleman campsite gennie.

Google the name Westerbeke if ya'll want a further education. :facepalm:

 

[emoney]

Re: What is the proper way to use a gen set for overnight cruising?

Factory installed or not, they still have the potential to leak CO2 into the cabin. THere's a reason it's called the silent killer.

Just make sure your CO2 detector is functioning and enjoy. You'll find that a majority of nights, you probably won't need it to begin with. Doesn't hurt, btw, to install a back-up indicator. Those alarms can be mistaken for "Fire alarms" that we've all probably pulled a battery on to make it stop. If the carbon monoxide detector does off, get everybody up on deck EVERY time. Better to be safe than sorry.