Generator/AC flushing?

W

WaxedElvis

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I have a trailerable boat with outboards and use it in salt water. With this boat, and all previous boats, I always flushed the motors with fresh water after use. This new boat has a 3kw genset and AC. Do these need to be flushed? If so, can I do that on the trailer with one of those inboard plunger looking flushers? I assume I would just put that device over the intake, turn on the water, and fire up the generator for a few minutes and do the same with the AC.

Don't want to do more harm than good, the dealer said don't worry about it but engine flushing seems to be important so I figure I'd see get advice from the forum So, what say you experts?
 
If you can do it, it is a good idea. The method you described should work just fine.
 
generators are all fresh water cooled, most stay in water and never get flushed. It doens't hurt but i'm not sure i see the benefits vs the risk. For instance, if you dont' turn off the water as soon as you turn off the genny, you're going to fill the water lift muffler and drown the engine. be carful with that...

air con? really no benefits at all in my opinion.
 
I agree with Pascal, I too would worry about forcing water into the genset. As far as the AC goes, you could stuff a hose into the water discharge site on the side of the hull and flush backward out the bottom of the boat.
 
Probably nothing in the A/C that salt water will hurt. Everything it touches is either plastic, SS or copper.
 
running fresh water thru them is never a bad idea, especially if you plan to leave them on land for a while and let the sea water evaporate. nothing like regular use to solve that problem. :-)
 
I flush my genny with fresh water every fall during winterizing procedure. Do nothing to AC & haven't for 25 years; two boats.
 
I have gardenhose quick disconnects on both diesel engines, the genny and the A/C.

She's on a lift behind the house and getting the salt water out of her while she sits saves on electrolysis and zincs, backwashes the strainers and keeps critters from growing in the AC lines.

You HAVE TO BE CAREFUL to coordinate the flushing with engine starting, and take the necessay precautions not to dump water into your exhaust system which will damage the engine.

RWS
 
I don't see the need for the extra maintenance effort. You are not going to prolong the life of the genny or the A/C. Take a look at all those boats sitting in coastal slips. My guess is that virtually all of them including mine have never been fresh water flushed and have had no major failures that would have been prevented by flushing.
 
Pascal that 3kw westerbeke is RAW water cooled it has a fresh water cooling option but very very few have this option.As for flushing the gen it won't hurt but just take the cap off the sea water strainer stick the hose in the top of the strainer and let the genny water pump suck water into it.Just be very careful not to fill the exhaust and engine with water
 
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