DD 3-71 Generator service

[yachtsmanwilly]

Running the 30KW DC generator on the tug boat every other week or so for battery charging duties more than anything else. Other that it being ether dependent to start, oil consumption is really low.

The main issue is cruddy looking coolant on the HE tank. It doesnt use any coolant, and runs at 180F consistently, but it is pretty muddy looking. Short of making a big deal, whats the easiest route to go for a flush, and neutralizer before refilling with green stuff? Im talking about off the shelf cleaner without getting dealer cost involved.

Should probably do the 30KW Isuzu AC plant too.

Just looking for ideas here... Thanks. ws


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[Avenger]

I had pretty good results getting rust out of the cooling system on the Suburban with the Prestone Cooling System Cleaner that they sell in about every auto parts store. It did require multiple flushes though.

[yachtsmanwilly]

Roger that! Is that alkaline based and compatible with DD stuff?? Detroit has always been about clean and PH correct juice. Maybe I should start a blasphe ah er, thred across the hall?? ws

[Avenger]

Couldn't tell you, you'd have to RTFB. Read the Bottle. All I can tell you was it worked on the fake Detroit 6.2L in the 'burb. The water was pretty brown, so I felt it did well. But again, lots of flushing.

[banned]

Take out the thermostat if it's a blocking type figure out a way to block the bypass. I used to have an old thermostat get it wide open in a pot of hot water then stick something in it to keep it from closing. The auto parts stuff they sell today is environmentally friendly safe to handle junk. Muriatic 5:1 or concrete etch 2:1. Run it up for 30 minutes flush flush flush then neutralize.


Brian

[yachtsmanwilly]

Thanks Brian... I thought after all the BS across the hall there was a real way to get this done. I have a feeling theres a lotta mud way down low in the AF. After the initial start-up. let go of the governor kill knob and it runs up to speed. Just want to be a little proactive. Its just an "N" unit so no turbo/cooler shit to deal with.

So now on to the General Station Alarm system. Theres 7 bells, 4 actuators and they all ring, however the E.R. switch has no power to it. Got it apart and jumpered the contacts; NADA. Being an emergency device, I am guessing its hot wired into the battery bank bus with a fuse (found the junction) for each bell. Had two bad fuses, changed and still NFG. Called the old alarm guy and he said we probably lost the feed to the switch at the bell junction box in the ER. Anyone hazard a guess as to what the voltage is on this system? The DC side of the boat is 120 VDC.

I cant see this being driven by a 12V battery for the generator. Its OEM to the 1965 Bushey built boat. Thoughts or ideas?? This guy was built as a canaller for Erie canal work. ws

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[banned]

On mine the only things that weren't 120V DC was the gen start batteries and the 64V engine starter. Everything else electric controls, alarm systems everything was 120 DC. So heavily built and wonderfully simple should be pretty easy to figure out.


Brian

[yachtsmanwilly]

Thanks! Im heading out in a bit.... I guess Ill err on the side of caution and consider the alarm system as 120DC unless proven otherwise. All the DC wiring on the boat is fiberglass cloth wrapped rubber insulated wire. Theres a few alarm stations that have THHN wire in there now. Thats the shiny plastic jacket stuff thats oil and gas resistant... some one has been in there before me! ws

[yachtsmanwilly]

So far... feed wire to switch seems DOA... ws

[skycheney]

Apr 15, 2021 12:02:10 GMT -5 yachtsmanwilly said:

So far... feed wire to switch seems DOA... ws

No ideas, but I liked the video.


And I need more info on the system. Is this automatic or just switched by those toggles? I would imagine its just there so crew sees an issue and flips the alarm, right? So do all switches feed from the same source? Do other switches work? Are they chained together so that the hot feed runs from one switch box to the next? Can you look in switch boxes that work and see if you can find the lead that goes to the next switch? Maybe a lead just dropped off or broke in one of those other boxes.