1 Operator Manual for Gasoline Generators
page 2
Do not wear loose clothing or jewelry when servicing equipment; tie
back long hair and avoid wearing loose jackets, shirts, sleeves, rings,
necklaces or bracelets that could be caught in moving parts.
Do not work on machinery when you are mentally or physically
incapacitated by fatigue.
Make sure all attaching hardware is properly tightened.
Always keep protective shields and guards in their respective places.
Do not check fluid levels or drive belt tension while engine is running.
Do not allow swimming or other activity near the exhaust discharge
opening for the generator while the generator is operating. Carbon
monoxide poisoning or death can occur.
Noise Hazard
High noise levels can cause hearing loss.
Never operate an engine without its muffler installed.
Do not run the engine with the air intake (silencer) or flame arrestor
removed.
Do not run engines for long periods with their enclosures open (when
installed).
Safety Standards for Gasoline Engines and Generators
Many standard safety tips, notes, cautions, and warnings are repeated in
this manual to highlight critical information. Read all manuals carefully,
maintain your equipment, and follow all safety procedures.
Installing a gasoline engine or generator should begin with a thorough
examination of the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) standards.
These standards are from a combination of sources including the USCG and
the NFPA. Applicable sections of the ABYC standards include:
H-2 Ventilation for Boats using Gasoline
H-24 Gasoline Fuel Systems
P-1 Installation of Exhaust Systems for Propulsion and Auxiliary Engines
P-4 Marine Inboard Engines and Transmissions
E-11 AC and DC Electrical Systems on Boats
Read the following ABYC, NFPA, and USCG publications, safety codes, and
standards. Follow their recommendations when installing all engines and
generators. All installations in the United States must comply with the Code
of Federal Regulations (CFR).
ABYC Standards and Technical Information Reports for Small Craft
American Boat and Yacht Council
613 Third Street, Suite 10
Annapolis, MD 21403
www.abycinc.org
NFPA Fire Protection Standard for Motor Craft
National Fire Protection Association
11 Tracy Drive
Avon Industrial Park
Avon, MA 02322
http://www.nfpa.org
United States Coast Guard (USCG) 33CFR183: Boats and Equipment
U.S. Government Printing Office
Washington, D.C. 20404
www.gpo.gov or www.ecfr.gov
Carbon Monoxide from CO/Low CO Generators
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a component of engine exhaust. It is a colorless,
tasteless, odorless, lighter than air poisonous gas that can kill you without
any warning. CO poisoning is one of the major safety risks associated with
boating. It is a threat that must not be underestimated. Westerbeke Low-
CO generators are designed to dramatically reduce normal levels of CO in
the engine exhaust. Several standards for CO have been published,
expressed in parts per million (ppm) and hours of exposure:
Table 1: Emissions Exposure Standards
In the last row of the table, 1200 ppm is the so-called IDLH concentration:
Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health.
A city in California characterizes the effect of CO concentration this way:
25 ppm: Permissible exposure level, no apparent toxic symptoms.
100 ppm: No poisoning for long period. Allowable for several hours.
200 ppm: Should not be exposed above this level for any period of
time. A possible mild frontal headache in two to three hours.
Even though the generator normally produces very low levels of CO, an
untreated exhaust leak would be extremely dangerous. For this reason, it is
extremely important to install a CO detector near the generator and to be
sure it is always turned on and functioning properly. If this detector sounds,
do not turn it off, assuming it is a false signal.
You cannot taste, smell, or otherwise detect CO. Leave the detector on, turn
off all engines and generators, evacuate the boat leaving ports and hatches
open, and seek professional help.
As soon as CO leaves the exhaust outlet, the level is subject to dilution in
the open air. The closer a person is to the exhaust outlet, the higher the
concentration of CO.
In a closed space, such as the engine compartment, the boat, or underneath
a stem swim platform, concentrations will potentially rise to the undiluted
level emanating from the exhaust system due to a lack of fresh air to dilute
the exhaust gas. Therefore, one should never rely on dilution of the exhaust
to provide a margin of safety.
Westerbeke Low-CO generators achieve reduction of CO by precise control
of the engine air/fuel ratio coupled with after-treatment in a special catalyst.
CO emissions are not the same for every model because each engine is
different. Also, certain fuel system components are common across several
engine models being adequate for some and extra-adequate for others,
thus producing different CO levels for different models.
The fuel system which accomplishes the required precise air/fuel ratio
control is comprised of many different components: purchased sub-
assemblies, machined castings, sensors, electronics and others. Because of
the extreme level of CO reduction, any variability in the functioning of any
these components can and will cause variability of the CO output.
CO concentration also varies with load. Usually, but not always, the worst-
case CO concentration occurs at maximum load.
Inspection
The catalyst is critical for minimizing engine CO exhaust emissions. Any
water intrusion into the exhaust system can quickly compromise the proper
operation of the catalyst. Inspection of the catalyst at the prescribed
intervals is critically important.
Use a CO analyzer to check for the presence of CO while the engine is
running. See 5.4.9 Exhaust System Maintenance.
Westerbeke exhaust system installation instructions must be adhered to.
NOTE: Water intrusion is not a product defect and is not covered under
your Westerbeke product warranty or the emissions-specific warranty
mandated by various regulating authorities such as EPA and CARB.
Maintenance of fuel filters, air filters, and any other components affecting
the flow of air or the flow of fuel to the engine is critically important.
The catalyst must be replaced every 2,000 hours of engine operation:
Catalyst performance will degrade over time. As the generator accumulates
operating hours, CO concentrations will increase.
Verification of satisfactory CO levels must be done seasonally or every
250 hours (whichever occurs first): Verification involves actual sampling
of exhaust gas with an appropriate CO analyzer.
There are two locations where exhaust gas can be sampled:
Dry, but hot, exhaust can be sampled at the plugged tapped hole in the
exhaust elbow intended for back pressure measurements.
Measurements at this location may not be practical in all instances due
to the high exhaust temperature, temperature limits of the analyzer,
safety concerns over temperatures involved or the possibility of high
levels of CO.
The other location is the vessel exhaust outlet, which contains entrained
cooling water (except dry stack exhaust systems). Only analyzers with
probes should be used at this location and it is critical that the probe
not ingest water. Probe-type analyzers have an air pump drawing a gas
sample through the probe. They tend to ingest water when it is present.
Follow these tips:
Aim the probe downwards with the opening pointed in the direction of
the water flow and just out of the flow.
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