Cannot find a operating manual to fix a problem

[Destiny of the Sea]

Just recently bought a 1986 38ft PT Trawler and I need an operating manual and cannot find one online anywhere. Can anyone advise please.
It came with 2 each 225 Lehman Engines with 586 hours each with a 1986 Onan Generator. Problem, I may have blown a fuse or breaker while I
was cruising under generator power and now no power to rest of yacht. Everything works under shore power.

Any advise will help?

Destiny of the Sea,
Steve

 

[O C Diver]

It sounds like you lost 120 VAC power. If thats the case I would look on the upper back of the generator sound shield for a double pole breaker. If you exceed the capacity of one leg of the generator, that's where it will trip taking out bother poles.

Ted

 

[tiltrider1]

You can find a manual for your generator but you won’t find anything useful from the boat manufacturer.

Start by checking the circuit breakers on the generator. Flip them off then flip them on. If that doesn’t work then take a multimeter and see how far the power goes before it ends.

It is possible that you overheated the shore/generator switch. You will know if you have power coming in but not going out.

 

[O C Diver]

To further the explanation, often boat generators don't have the same capacity as shore power. My shorepower is 50 amps 220 volts which equates to 12 KW. My generator was 9KW. Further, shorepower allows you to briefly exceed the limit (such as starting the air conditioning compressor). Your generator doesn't, bogs down requiring more amps, and then trips the generator breaker. Before doing some load balancing modification, I probably tripped the breaker 5 or 6 times.

Finally, the breakers on the main panel for shorepower or generator are the same amperage. So, if you have 50 amp 220 volts shorepower and the generator is only 9KW, the breaker on the generator will trip every time instead of the one on your breaker panel.

Ted

 

[Destiny of the Sea]

Just recently bought a 1986 38ft PT Trawler and I need an operating manual and cannot find one online anywhere. Can anyone advise please.
It came with 2 each 225 Lehman Engines with 586 hours each with a 1986 Onan Generator. Problem, I may have blown a fuse or breaker while I
was cruising under generator power and now no power to rest of yacht. Everything works under shore power.

Any advise will help?

Destiny of the Sea,
Steve

Thank you for that, This Onan 1986 Generator does not have any breakers or switch or even line breakers on the side of the control box. I did find the manual for the generator but not much help as this is how I learned of the line breakers on control box which it does not have? I am at a lost

 

[Comodave]

Call American Diesel for information on the engines. They have manuals for the engines. Brian is awesome to work with.
804-435-3107

 

[tiltrider1]

There are circuit breakers. The question is where? They might just look like buttons. Post the model number and we could probably help you locate the breakers.

 

[O C Diver]

Most likely the breaker is on a section of the generator sound shield or a box mounted on the actual generator itself (inside the sound shield).

My recommendation is to post some pictures so that we can better help you.

On my Onan generator, the breakers were mounted in the same area as the starter switch and hour meter.

Ted

 

[SteveK]

My westerbeke breaker blew. The sound shield has a door on the side where the gauges used to be before remote start. So, of course I look in there, nope. Took off the top sound shield and yes the breaker is on the backside, out of sight looking in through the access door.

 

[Destiny of the Sea]

Okay that is helpful. You mentioned sound shield, is that the black foam insulator on the metal panel?
I have taken both sides off and no breakers and not the back side of the generator. I will try to do that after I get off work today. The control box does not have any buttons or breakers on the side or inside of the box. Only I see is the on/off switch, fault button, heat and start switch with 3 gauges. Thank you for the help I need.

 

[SteveK]

I have a red box around my GEN, the sound shield. At the bottom of picture you can barely see the little door to view gauges that are now removed to the main electric panel. I have to remove the top marked NO STEP to reach in the left side as viewed from top to reset breaker.
Of course because I have a breaker does not mean you do.

 

[Destiny of the Sea]

There are circuit breakers. The question is where? They might just look like buttons. Post the model number and we could probably help you locate the breakers.

Okay finally got back to my yacht, the model is 1986 Onan Generator with 8MDKD. No nameplate on the control box. However here is the pictures that I finally figured out how to bring to you. Hopefully you or someone can help me please find the breakers or switch? I was cruising and lost power to craft and battery charger did not light up either.

 

[Destiny of the Sea]

Here is 2 more pictures that you requested. thank God for your help as I cant hear on the phone to get help. as you can see the back side has nothing under the control box. Do I need to take the top off?? looking forward to seeing your reply, Steve

 

[tiltrider1]

The manual for your unit shows a circuit breaker where your fault button is located. I am sure that is your circuit breaker. Have you tried cycling the button?

 

[Destiny of the Sea]

The manual for your unit shows a circuit breaker where your fault button is located. I am sure that is your circuit breaker. Have you tried cycling the button?

the manual tells me this fault button is to pop out when low oil or when coolant gets too hot and it shuts down the generator. This fault button is in a stuck in position. So I thought it is susposed to be this way. If not, then how do I cycling the button? thank you very much for being helpful as this is my first vessel of any kind!!

 

[Destiny of the Sea]

here is the picture of the box with the fault button. it does not look like a circuit breaker but maybe I am old fashion.

 

[SteveK]

The fault button is the circuit breaker. If you zoom in on the overhead photo you can actually see contacts open.

 

[Destiny of the Sea]

The fault button is the circuit breaker. If you zoom in on the overhead photo you can actually see contacts open.
View attachment 157247

okay, I will go down there and take a closer look at behind the fault button for a contact open. if so, how do I reset? Thank you

 

[SteveK]

okay, I will go down there and take a closer look at behind the fault button for a contact open. if so, how do I reset? Thank you

Frankly, I do not know. The fault pin should be popped out, instead it looks like the backend of it has popped open.

 

[Destiny of the Sea]

Frankly, I do not know. The fault pin should be popped out, instead it looks like the backend of it has popped open.

Okay, I will look into this further. thank you for your support SteveK, This is Steve C. for real. You are very patient with me and I appreciate you!!

 

[BruceK]

Good luck with the fix. I had a similar vintage MDKD 6.5, totally reliable except for the start solenoid.
Btw, only a matter of time before Royal Caribbean Cruise Line steals your screen name.

 

[O C Diver]

That's very similar to my 9KW Onan. Since the breaker wasn't on the control box, it's time to trace the output power cable back to where it enters the generator.

Ted

 

[luna]

The Parts Manual for my Mid 1990's 8MDKD lists the Control Box mounted Circuit Breaker as Optional. As you seem to have an optioned out unit, (I have the CB, but no gauges) it is a pity the CB is not in the Control Box.

The Fault (pop out) Breaker is for the various sensors (overtemp, low oil pressure, coolant level) and will open and stop the engine if the condition exists. It is rated at 1/2 an Amp at 50 VDC so clearly thats not the genset's output line CB.

OC Diver hit the nail on the head, you need to trace the genset's output wiring (likely housed in that convoluted tubing that appears to come from beneath the control box) until you find the circuit breakers. They are likely not a lot different looking than those in your house.

 

[Destiny of the Sea]

The Parts Manual for my Mid 1990's 8MDKD lists the Control Box mounted Circuit Breaker as Optional. As you seem to have an optioned out unit, (I have the CB, but no gauges) it is a pity the CB is not in the Control Box.

The Fault (pop out) Breaker is for the various sensors (overtemp, low oil pressure, coolant level) and will open and stop the engine if the condition exists. It is rated at 1/2 an Amp at 50 VDC so clearly thats not the genset's output line CB.

OC Diver hit the nail on the head, you need to trace the genset's output wiring (likely housed in that convoluted tubing that appears to come from beneath the control box) until you find the circuit breakers. They are likely not a lot different looking than those in your house.

You are exactly correct as this is optional. I could not see open contacts and yet the button I mentioned is a fault breaker for just what you mentioned. Thank you for that. I will start the trace from under the control box. I did do that but I followed the huge red cable that led me to the Genset breaker on the wall with the other 3 breakers. But that did not do the trick when I reset all of them. So I will follow the smaller wires from under the control box and hopefully find something?? Thank you again Luna

 

[Destiny of the Sea]

The Parts Manual for my Mid 1990's 8MDKD lists the Control Box mounted Circuit Breaker as Optional. As you seem to have an optioned out unit, (I have the CB, but no gauges) it is a pity the CB is not in the Control Box.

The Fault (pop out) Breaker is for the various sensors (overtemp, low oil pressure, coolant level) and will open and stop the engine if the condition exists. It is rated at 1/2 an Amp at 50 VDC so clearly thats not the genset's output line CB.

OC Diver hit the nail on the head, you need to trace the genset's output wiring (likely housed in that convoluted tubing that appears to come from beneath the control box) until you find the circuit breakers. They are likely not a lot different looking than those in your house.

Good Day, I have finished tracing all the wires from underneath the control box to several origins. No breakers that I can find. I did include a picture of plate and I have no idea how to contact them. I am at lost how to reset my yacht so I can have generator power to rest of my yacht.

 

[dvarholy]

I have hard copies of the 8MDKD shop and parts manuals. I would suggest, with the power off, trace the feeder cable back from your transfer switch to the generator control box. Let me know if you need more help.

Daniel Varholy
'89 Tradewinds '43 MY

 

[tiltrider1]

You did flip the shore/off/generator switch to generator correct?

 

[SteveK]

You did flip the shore/off/generator switch to generator correct?

The GEN was running, and then quit. That made it sound like a breaker.
But, I have had a failed transfer switch.
An electrician is needed to tap into the AC power lines from GEN to see if GEN is out putting.

 

[tiltrider1]

Last resort, follow the electrons. Doing that always leads me to the problem.

 

[luna]

I'm not sure of what exactly happened.

To the OP, does the Kubota D950 3 cylinder diesel engine that likely powers the Genset still run or is it dead and won't start?

Do you know if you have any 240 Volt consumers onboard, maybe a water heater, range, or clothes dryer?

The wires that carry the output from the Genset are about the diameter of an Eagle HB wood pencil, remember those from grade school?

If you have traced those sized wires from the Genset to a switch or load panel and found no breakers, first I'm surprised and 2nd, you have more work to do.