T&T: Synchronizers

[Albin43SDtr]

'Lo All,

>  But I was not particularly impressed with the
>synchronizers.  Perhaps I would have been on different boats with
>different engines and different makes of synchronizers....

I have run three boats with Glendinning synchronizers. They all kept 
the engines in sync, except during radical power and/or directional 
changes, when the engines would be momentarily out of sync.

On the Celestial (twin Cummins 6BT5.9M engines) the Glendinning works 
superbly. Knock on wood! :)

My first experience with a "synchronizer" was a Judson that used 
something like three strobes as indicators. The Judson came with the 
first "big" boat I owned, a 36' 1958 Owens sportfisherman. It had 
three lights in a row. The outer two indicated which was the "faster" 
engine, then both went out and the center light came on when the 
engines were sync'ed. Of course it was only an indicator, and the 
skipper had to manually move the throttles, but it did give an 
indication of which was faster, so I guess it may have been a help to 
some. I turned it off as the flashing lights were too distracting.

The Glendinning Synchronizers that I am familiar with use a 
mechanical "tach" cable from each engine to turn what I guess could 
be called a differential combiner. (The following is a VERY 
simplified explanation.) The "master" engine remains mechanically 
linked to the throttle, but the "slave" is disconnected mechanically. 
The combiner takes the differential in RPMs to drive the "slave's" 
throttle. There are a couple of adjustments that optimize the unit's 
operation. I have never had to change any adjustments on the 
Celestial's synchronizer, just oiled the shafts. When not in 
"sync-mode", the slave's shaft is essentially mechanically re-linked 
and operates normally.

Glendinning's website is: http://www.glendinningprods.com/sync.html . 
 From there one can download the manuals and other materials to see 
how this particular brand works.

A quick look on Google indicated there are several other 
manufacturers of engine synchronizers.


Take care and be safe.

Wayne
M/V Celestial
Albin43 Sundeck