T&T: Auto Genset start

[Dave Cooper]

<George wrote in part: First, you have to remember to shut big loads down
(such as air conditioning) before it shuts the genset down. Otherwise the
genset is started with these loads almost immediately applied to it with out

warm up, in addition to the battery chargers.>

I set Swan Song up to run all loads thru our two Trace 4024 inverters just
to avoid this issue. It matters not what loads are running when the genset
starts as the inverter s keep them running non stop with or without the
genset.
Doing it this way makes it a seamless automatic operation and doesn't put
big start loads on the genset.
We also have load shedding AC load panels so the draw from the AC loads can
never exceed the continuous load rating of the inverters. The load shedding
is automatic. It shuts off and turns back on (after a two minute delay) when
the loading drops of the next priority in line.
We seldom see notice the load shedding operation as it kicks off the water
heater first, the washer/dryer next, the master stateroom AC next, etc. As
soon as the "peak" has passed it turns them back on in the reverse sequence.

This system has been running for better than 5 years automatically without a
hitch, except for a short period when the autostart failed do to operator
error ;-) The genset has ~2300 hours on it now which, for a 24/7
Air-conditioned boat is very low.

The Trace does have multiple adjustable voltage trigger settings. A 24 & 2
hour, a 15 minute and an instantaneous setting if I recall correctly. It
also has a glow time, a crank time and a max of 5 tries to start and then
sets an alarm. Once started it has a warm-up time and before shut down it
releases the load and has a cool down period. A fairly well thought out
sequencer, IMO. Murphy controls has one with similar features but the price
is nearly the total cost of the Trace!
The Genset itself has its own fault monitor system that will shut it down
and not let it restart till the fault is corrected and the fault circuit
manually reset.

Re checking the fluid levels; this is a daily part of the ER checks whether
underway, at anchor or on the dock. If you aren't checking the
ER/bilges/machinery daily things can go bump in the night and ruin your day,
IMHO.

As always YMMV....ours does.

Dave & Nancy
Swan Song
Roughwater 58
Caribbean Cruise '08