CAT C32 Heat Exchanger Maint & Cleaning

The Westerbeke line at least in the pre-electronic ones dating back a few years. It's stamped right on the generator and it is advertised as such 15kw/12.5kw........ The 12btd (60 cycle, 12kw) is the 10btd (50 cycle, 10kw), The smaller Northern lights are advertised as such also. If you increase or lower the rpm's of a generator it increases or lowers the hertz.

What advice have you given him besides replacing it with a properly sized generator? It's not exactly feasible to cut apart a yacht and just change generators. While this might be the ideal thing to do in a perfect world, it's not the easiest remedy.

I am not going to get in some pissing match with you because it is pointless but you started out saying you knew about generators and "stuff" then posted some specs you figured would prove it. I replied in a way that if you knew anything at all about electrical generation would have tipped you off that the speeds and frequencies you posted don't support your claim of electrical knowledge.

Unfortunately you are not helping support your buddy. Just as I suggest he find another line of work, I suggest you stick to subjects you know something about.

I suggested that since the boat is very new and (probably) still under warranty, his clearly demonstrated incompetence will only jeapordise the remedies that are (probably) still available to the owner.

His own statements prove he didn't even know what engine he had yet he was ready to blame CAT for the problems and was surprised that they weren't very helpful. Their hesitance might have been because as soon as he opened his mouth they knew what they were dealing with.

Someone specified, approved, installed, and accepted a grossly oversized generator. That is not CAT's fault and adding more complexity with heating elements, pumps, plumbing, electrical and electronic controls in order to increase load and fuel burn to correct the problem is hardly a reasonable way to correct a major F-up over the life of the boat.

Let the lawyers and the yard decide who will pay for the remedy. Keeping grossly oversized generators onboard is not a practical solution nor is keeping an incompetent "engineer."

Replacing those generators is not impossible, and it is probably not even difficult. It will most likely cost less than the increased maintenance costs created by the present condition.

Whining about my estimation of your electrical knowledge or your friend's competence and trying to belittle me doesn't make him a real engineer or justify abusing the owner even more.

That is about all I have to say on this subject, if you want more information perhaps you should go back to the beginning of the thread. Good night.

Between drinking the coffee and smoking at least 3 packs a day this 1970's Marine Engineering Officer did sit down after climbing those stairs and in between coughs had enough sense to listen to the lecturer who explained all about Volts, Amps, Hertz and every other funky thing they send down those bits of wire.

The number of poles is always a multiple of 2.

A four pole machine rotating at 1800 would be 4 x 1800 divided by 120 equals 60 Hz.

A six pole machine for 60Hz would be rotating at 1200 (6 x 1200 / 120 = 60.

same with a 50 Hz machine, 50 = 4 x RPM / 120 answer 1500.

If the smart ones on here actually knew how to calculate using the very simple formula that I have noted above, a 2100 RPM machine rated at 60 Hz would have 3.42857 poles and if so stick a patent on that quick.

Now some 60 Hz machines will be set to run at 3600 and I have worked on some large ones that only run at 90 RPM but they are a bit big to fit inside a white boat putting out if I remember something like 46,000 KW.

and when I learnt my trade there was no generators running at 60 or 50 Hz as Generators produced DC voltage and it was Alternators that produced "alternating" AC current.

My advise would be to call in a real marine engineer and a real electrical technician who could then explain if there was a problem and how to fix it to a real Captain and Owner.