Electronics in small Marine Diesel Generators

Electronics are becoming a fact of life with modern diesel engines. The emissions regulators of the world are demanding lower levels of NOX, soot and other particulates in diesel engine exhausts, and electronics (and aftertreatment) are the only way to achieve this in most engines. But there are exceptions. Engines under 40 kw, in most applications, can still achieve Tier 3 levels without the use of electronics.

We know that electronics require a higher level of service capability to repair, and offer something else to go wrong. So why would a manufacturer who does not need to use electronics in order to meet emissions regulations do so? They offer better monitoring of the engine performance and can aid in troubleshooting when there is a problem. Some come set up for Electrical Synchronization or Paralleling. Indeed, some small marine generators, which would not normally need electronics, offer more than 30 ways to shut down on fault codes. It is also a way for the engine manufacturer to capture more of the service business. If you need their dealer to use their proprietary equipment to troubleshoot or repair, they get more of your aftermarket business.

Electronics in small Marine Generators have been successful in that they are normally sold to pleasure craft which see an average of 300-500 hours of use per year. At that rate, they are unlikely to accrue more than 5,000 hours in 10 years. In pleasure craft that are used in the charter industry, or are used for long range cruising, it is not uncommon for these vessels to put 2,000 hours or more on their generators every year. We have customers who routinely put 4,000-5,000 hours per year on their generators. In such applications, the likelihood of “nuisance” shut downs and more frequent repairs are much higher. Most small diesel engines today will run 20,000 hours or more before any major repairs, with reasonable maintenance. The addition of Advanced Electronics that will reduce that time frame by as much as 50% before a major repair is required. With over 30 ways to shut down, the generator will find more reasons to do so. The interesting thing is that, in our experience, the most common fault finding code is “Unknown Error”.

When buying a new, or replacement, generator more sophisticated is not always the best choice. This is especially true if you are a revenue generating vessel, or plan to cruise to remote destinations. You want to protect the generator from the real show stoppers: Low Oil Pressure, High Coolant Temp, and High Exhaust Temp. Anything else may be an inconvenience you can live with.