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Looking for ideas on potential generator upgrade
I have a 2009 Marathon H3 that has a generator that the hour meter has gone to 9999 and does not count any further (installed hour meter for servicing). I think it is a Kolher 20 KW.
The generator runs and operates as it should but when it runs there is visible exhaust that indicates to me that it could be due to high hours on the Kubota power plant. I could have the motor rebuilt but the generator has the same hours as the engine and I have been told that parts are not available to rebuild the generator. What are people doing in this regard? I have heard that some people are installing Power Tech units but then that requires changes to the coach due to physical differences in the units. Also would I have to interface Marathon Techlink systems to new generator or would inverters control everything? Looking for ideas as I don’t know how long everything will keep running. Posted this on POG also. -
7 Replies
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WHOA Steve,
Who’s giving you this info, I’d run. The counter on your generator is a Marathon part interfaced with the techlink.
At 10,000 hours your just getting started on generator hours, you probably have a Kohler with a Yanmar engine and your smoke problem is due to running it without load.
30,000 hours you might need to think about rebuilding but you need to get it on a load machine and run it for about 20 hours to clear it up if it is that smokey or turn everything on you have in the bus and let it run for along time.
The 1st thing I would do is call Marathon on Monday and ask about resetting the meter and find a place if you can’t get to Coburg with a load machine.
We have preached on here for years about running the Kohlers with little load, they don’t like it.
Service at 150 hours and change the fuel pump too will help.
Later,
bv
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Steve, What Bernie said.
Our generators, run hard under load are 30,000 to 40,000 hour machines, minimum. Get your bus outdoors and load up the electrical system as much as possible, with not only all A/C units working hard, but the Webasto or Aquahot, plus all other heavy loads. Work it hard and long, maybe a day or more.
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Just curious, why is running under load beneficial?
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Liam,
It’s turbo charged and needs to run long, hard and often under heavy loads to make heat as Bernie pointed out. The exhaust pipe also is probably coated in unburnt fuel and soot as well. Imagine your series 60 on low idle for a very long period of time, it will run like crap until you blow it out.
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Why is running at very low loads bad for diesel engines?
Pistons and cylinders are lubricated by oil that is retained in the cylinder cross hatching-small diagonal scratches created by honing. When an engine runs lightly loaded for a long time the cross hatch tends to fill in and the cylinder becomes “glazed”. This greatly accelerates wear to piston rings and lowers compression as the rings no longer seal. Significant blow-by and exhaust smoke can be the result. Instead of going easy on the engine, running at low loads can actually wear out a diesel engine prematurely.
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Thanks for the education. Interesting.
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When it comes to these engines, you want to “Drive it like you Stole it”. The same applies to your generator. If you don’t run it “loaded” you are not doing it any favors.
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