Shipboard Generators Help

[Jeffery_P_Oliver]

We are going in to the shipyard to replace our ship service generators. The new gensets are both electric start. The chief and I both think they should be one pneumatic and one electric start just like every other workboat we have worked on. We did a search of the cfr and have found nothing. Does anybody know if it is required to have 2 different sources of energy for the starters and what cfr governs this situation? Thanks for any help.

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[KPEngineer]

I don't think there is a CFR requirement. All of my last three boats have been all electric start gennies.

[injunear]

There is no requirement for type of starting system. It's been standard practice on uninspected vessels and small motor vessels with air controls to have 1 air start genset and 1 either electric or hydraulic start.

The last vessels I sailed had air start gensets and the emergency gen was battery start as most are. SOLAS requirements now are that the emergency genset has to have 2 independent battery banks.

[Steamer]

SOLAS requirements now are that the emergency genset has to have 2 independent battery banks.

Solas requires a second source of energy capable of making 3 starts within 30 minutes unless the engine can be hand cranked. That energy source can be electricity, air, hydraulic oil, or rubber bands. Even a bunch of deckhands lifting a heavy weight attached to a rope starter will suffice - but maybe that counts as manual starting.

[vbuble]

We are going in to the shipyard to replace our ship service generators. The new gensets are both electric start. The chief and I both think they should be one pneumatic and one electric start just like every other workboat we have worked on. We did a search of the cfr and have found nothing. Does anybody know if it is required to have 2 different sources of energy for the starters and what cfr governs this situation? Thanks for any help.Sent from my HTC Inspire using gCaptain

No, there is no such requirement by any rules (cfr, solas, iacs ur....) for any ship navigating in any area of navigation. Requirement is to be applied for emergency generator only. Best regards from CROATIA.

[seadog!]

No reason you can't reconfigure it later.

Both electric means less spare parts to stock.

[injunear]

No reason you can't reconfigure it later.

Both electric means less spare parts to stock.

Looking back, I'd rather stock a set of vanes to change out every 3 years or so than tote multiple 8D batteries in and out of the E/R on a 4 year average.

[seadog!]

That's why my first option was to change one over to air later.

[seadog!]

...and I'd damn sure have the deckhands doin' the totin'!!

[tengineer]

That's why my first option was to change one over to air later.

I was a young aspiring engineer on a ship that had an air start e-gen and asked how it would get started if we lost air. The chief said, "Boy, air around here isn't a problem. Haven't you found your way up the bridge yet?"
tengineer

[Jeffery_P_Oliver]

Being a dive boat air is definitely not a problem and the reman kits for air starters are a lot smaller than a couple of 8D batteries. And lighter.

[brjones]

All three of our main DG' are air start. Our EDG is electric or air and also spring start

[87cr250r]

Here on the tug side of the world every generator is electric start. But what good does having an E-start and an air start generator do? Two separate power sources? Well 2 8-D batteries are also two separate power sources. If you want ultimate in get your boat started no matter what you need a hydraulic start generator. You can take a completely dead boat, pump until you're out of breath, and fire up. Electric start is the best. Air starters have a better power density for starting big engines. If you do go with air start, TDI starters are the shit.

[Jeffery_P_Oliver]

Well.... The Port Captain went with 2 electric start gensets, but they are 12 volt. Spare altenator, battery and starter take up less room than an 8D battery. Now I just gotta figure out what to do with the 2 spare 8D's I have.

[87cr250r]

Are they filled? If not, keep them as spares. Otherwise take them home and use them for your solar system on your house.

You'll love the e-start stuff until your first battery dies. We buy the cheapest batteries on the planet ($150 for an 8D when I pay $110 for a group 27 for my truck). My boss can't figure out why they only last 18 months. Carrying the new 150-180lb battery into the engine room sucks. Carry a decent load tester for the batteries, a 400 amp load. The bad batteries almost always show up on the electrolyte test, but that is almost always after a failure to start. For harbor boats, a failure to start is not a big deal but offshore boats it is. In emergency applications with quality batteries the suggested replacement interval is 2 years (Cat uses this number when you use their batteries with their emergency gens). I would expect a lead acid battery to last a minimum of 5 years with a 7 year peak expectancy. So, if your company is willing to buy decent quality batteries you may want to set up a 4 year replacement interval with periodic cell testing and load testing to prevent any failures to start.