Marine Generator serviceable hours expectation.

[Mobcat]

Hi Crew I have a Kohler 9ekozd 5 years old and has 2200 hrs on the meter, my system runs a 8kw VictronConnect Quattro 240v with 24kw of lithium @48v so it is a good modern hybrid system running the genset at 6-7 kw average running the 120amp 48v charger so load is approximately 80% on engine constantly and from what I have heard that’s ideal ??? , I change oil and filter every 200hrs have thus far changed out the sea water pump and a couple of the hose clamps on the raw water rubber pipes and a raw water flow sensor and oil pressure sensor, and for the last 300hrs things have been running as should on a well serviced marine diesel Gen set …. My question is what would one consider a serviceable life for this Generator before your just better off replacing it with new and selling it for parts or as a working 2nd hand generator with high hrs on it, what would one think would be a good call on replacing generator before major problems start unfolding and then just hopefully go back to the teething problems of a new generator??? And does anyone have any tips for increasing longevity of gensets, as they are a costly replacement item to plan for.
Thanks ?

 

[TowLou]

It will run till it will not. Maybe 7k? Maybe 10k? Do you plan to run it a hour a time every few weeks or every day half of the day? With 1k load all the time or a 7k load at times then a steady 4 or 5k load as ypu run it.

Many variables can happen. The controller could go voltage regulator could go.

But at 80% all the time well just as any other motor ran that hard. Something may go but who knows when. Keep servicing it and enjoy the time.

 

[DavidM]

80% load on an 1,800 rpm generator isn't that much. I think you could see 10,000 hours on it with no core mechanical problems.

David

 

[Mobcat]

Hi Tow Lou, as a rule we run 2 hrs a day depending if we are using the ice makers or the AC units there’s 4 AC units on board so we are lucky to get through the night with them in with out the Generator cutting to return to full charge, when the Battrey gets to 46 volt the generator starts and the generator stops when the battery gets to 55 bolts, it seems a good system and I don’t think I would want to run the generator any more loaded than what it is, you can load share the Quattro to keep any left over power with in the parameters to go to the Battrey so if the elec water heater cycles off it will use that power diverted to the battery for charging with the max charge rate being 120 amp @ 48 volt, we live on board so it’s nice to have a generator you can rely on, we have a little back up generator 2 kva petrol Honda incase things go bad but thus far we haven’t had to use it but it’s nice to know it’s there especially on the big trips we do to remote areas as it would get messy with out generator power after a day.

 

[sunchaser]

Cat
The generator end will require a "check" according to the brand specific book too. On the motor end another oft missed potential issue is the exhaust run needs verification/watching to insure no water back flow potential.

TF's generator expert is Ski. With model data in hand, contact him or go to boatdiesel.com genset section for detailed feedback.

 

[ksanders]

When I was maintaining prime power small gen sets we would typically see around 20,000 hours of use before the engine would be simply worn out and unable to carry the load.

You will most likely see that in a intermittent use generator but that is the benchmark to try for.

 

[Mobcat]

Wow 20000 hrs that’s huge isn’t , was that on the ones on the freezer trailers to run the freezer plants, I suppose they would of worked hard there whole life, how big where the units do you remember ksandrs ?