Yes it is a never ending saga. Something must go wrong or it isn't a normal day on a sailing yacht.
Two days ago we went out to fill our water tanks, empty our holding tanks and try to catch some fish. Yes that is the second time and that was after replacing our head to holding tank hose two day before that. We are motoring around trolling for anything we can catch.
Nothing happening but after about 3 hours the generator just up and quit. A few days before we changed the Oil in the engines and generator and also changed the first stage fuel filters for the engines. The next day we went out fishing with the guys and Josiai and all be darned if the port engine didn't quit. Changed the Primary filter on the engine and all was well. Then when we got into port we changed the primary on the starboard engine in sympathy for the port engine. So now starts the generator problem. Remember this is a brand new generator that we installed back in Port Denarau a little over a month ago. It only has 125 hours on it. Because I had a problem lifting fuel from my primary tank to the old generator I took to putting my first stage filter and electric fuel pump on this genset also. For whatever reason and whoever installed the original genset ran the fuel line all the way to the aft of the starboard hull then down through the engine compartment then back forward to the fuel tank, about 18 feet plus three foot of lift.
Well I figured that the old filter system I used might be the culprit I changed the canister filter. Did not fix it. I had also installed the inline fuel pump ahead of that filter and I came to believe that it might have been clogged so I replace it and put it after the filter. This fuel pump is connected to the generator fuel pump so both come on at the same time. After priming it several times and it sounds like it is full of fuel I start the genset and it runs for about a minute then shuts down. I have no way of measuring the pressure from the fuel pump so it is a guess as you go thing. I know for certain that it is a lack of fuel to the injector pump but don't know if it is loss of fuel or insertion of air. In the process of trying to eliminate culprits, I decided to eliminate about 8 feet of fuel line by altering it's route to the tank. Then we blew it out with some scuba air and checked the pickup to see if it was clogged.
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In our cabin - birth pulled apart - checking out the hose.
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What the heck is going on?!
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Moses (lying on the genset, and Malo - working it from outside)
The entire day is spent chasing this down when we finally try and set up a day tank using one of the 14 jerries of diesel fuel. After about an hour of tinkering and using my spare jerry the engine seems to run perfectly well set up so the onboard fuel pump does not have to lift fuel from the tank but only take it at the same level. So we modifiy a lid and a lid insert on one of the spare jerries and connect a feed and return line to the jerry to run the diesel from this make shift day tank to the genset. Ben running ever since. I am still not done but today is a day of rest (Sunday) and I am giving the guys a break.
Probably more of a break from my frustration than the work because I think once we get back into again tomorrow I might have a better attitude that they can deal with. All for now and will let you all know how it turns out.
John