Generator Replacement

[LADYBUG TOO]

A shaft seal failure on the raw water pump has done significant damage to our Mase IS 4.0 gen set. We are considering installing either a Westerbeke or Northern Lights unit instead of sending good money after bad. We would appreciate getting a few opinions from the Tug community. Ladybug, Too is all electric so we are looking at getting in the 4.5 to 5.0 KW range knowing, of course, that we cannot run everything at once. Somehow three cylinders seems better that one.

Pat & Carolyn
Ladybug, Too

 

[jroyle]

Both gensets are good choices. I am really pleased with the 5kw Onan in our R29. I have been on boats with both Northernlights and Westerbekes and my personal opinion is that the Onan is quieter. The Onan fits so nicely in the R29 and is easy to maintain from within the starboard locker. I'll never own another boat without a genset, we are constantly running ours for the AC/heat and hot water when offshore.

 

[elan]

Good morning Pat & Carolyn,
We used our Northern Light generator for ten years, six KW & would never consider using any thing else, of the ten years we lived aboard for five years.
In the Bahamas & other foreighn countries their are sometimes NO mariners so generating your own power, battery charging is essential!
Our water pump(Jabsco is used by Northern Lights seal gave up after 1,800 hrs(the shaft seal).
Impellas normally lasted two to three hundred hrs, other than oil changes we did NO maintance.
Their sound shield does an outstanding job keeping her quiet.
The exhaust is under water, sooooooooooooo when you are at anchor you don't desterb your neighbors & don't hesitate to run it anytime!
Lastly the key to keeping your generator running & lasting is properly loading the machine, it needs a seventy % load to keep it heated, do NOT use it with light lodes as it will shorten it's life!
Hope this dosn't sound like a sales pitch, however it's nice to talk about a superior product that served us & many of our crusing community friends well!
PS when we sold the American tug the generator had 2,900 hrs
Good luck,
Mike & Barbara
M/V Elan
26 Cutwater