[TSOJOURNER]

WE ARE LOOKING INTO A GENERATOR FOR OUR GULFSTAR 50 ITS BETWEEN FISCHER-PANDA OR WHISPER-ANY FEEDBACK?

 

[TSOJOURNER]

When I use my generator on my boat my reverse polarity light goes on. How I use the generator is to turn it on and plug it into my 30 amp shore power plug and charge the batteries through my charger./converter. I just do this to charge up the batteries as I have an inverter when I need 110Volts. I have rewired the plug from the generator and still my reverse polarity light goes on. Any suggestions?

 

[TSOJOURNER]

Go with the Panda, above and beyond all I''ve seen.

Rodney
A&R Marine Service

 

[TSOJOURNER]

WE ARE LOOKING INTO A GENERATOR FOR OUR GULFSTAR 50 ITS BETWEEN FISCHER-PANDA OR WHISPER-ANY FEEDBACK?

Had a Panda 10kw installed in Trinidad for my Swan 57. Difficult to find a mechanic to service in the BVIs. Like the old Jaguar bumper sticker-'Oh...but when it runs'. Hi tech, poorly engineered corrosion system and capacitor failures every few hundred hours. Needs to run under load or engine will eventualy smoke. My unit lasted only 775 hours before needing new back end(water intrusion) and engine over haul. In all fairness to Panda my unit was the first generation leftover built in 1998 with belt driven water pump installed over back end and back end cooled with sea water. Understand new models improved with better pump installation and entire unit fresh water cooled. Panda very helpful and offered to sell me a new one at a substantial savings. Have removed old unit and gave it away. Replacing with either a 6kw Norhtern Lights or Westerbeke 7.6 BTD. Leaning towards the Westerbeke. Prefer not to deal with the additional problems of a 3600 rpm unit no matter what make. If you go with Panda keep it properly loaded.

 

[TSOJOURNER]

nightcap37

I'll presume you are using a stand alone generator ( Honda of Yamaha) and it is normal for the reverse polarity lite to be on. The reason is that with the generator you have a floating ground. To explain simply. Today most all 110V wiring consist of three (3) wires, Hot (colored ,typically red or black) Neutral (white) and Ground (green). The Hot wire brings electricity from the power plant to your house or boat, through the shore power cord. The Neutral wire take the electricity back to the power plant, remember electricity needs a completed circuit, and is also connected to Mother Nature-the earth. The Ground wire is a safety wire, forty years ago it was not required, in case of an internal short of the appliance (their are other reasons but thats the main one) and is also connected to the earth usually at the fuse box.

On your boat at sea the neutral wire is not connected to earth, thus the floating ground, and the reverse polarity lite. DO NOT connect the neutral wire to the boat ground it can be dangerous and WILL DESTROY your zincs in a matter of hours.

If you have made any changes to the wiring on you boat, generator, or power cords please make sure they are wire correct, so that the Hot is always connected to HOT-Neutral to Neutral-Ground to Ground. The West Marine catalog has picture showing which prong is which, or contact marine electrician.