Bertram33 User Forum

I wouldn't have thought you could run all that on a 5 KW. 5,000 W/120 V = 42 Amps, which seemed skimpy to me. Maybe I need to re-think this minimum 8 KW genny

My boat was a 1980 model. There are two deck hatches in the salon. The genet was directly below the forward hatch. On the northern lights all of the maintenence items are on one side, fuel filter, oil filter, fuel primer pump. I was also able to get access to the top of the unit through the forward hatch in the salon floor. This gave me access to the heat exchanger, starter, belt, etc. I was able to go down to work through the aft hatch where the a/c unit and water tank are located. I built a platform for the unit to sit between the stringers and fiberglassed in place. we did not have to do any cutting or disassembly of the gen set to get it in place. The muffler and battery were also on the platform. As far as power goes you probably could not have run everything at once, but in 10 years of full time commercial operation we never had any problems. We often would run a 16,000 btu cruise air along with a 1500 watt quartz heater for the bridge and intermittent draw from a microwave as well as the hot water heater. hope this was of some help.

Sounds good to me. What about the ride and noise in the salon? I have a westerbeke 6bd which actually is a 7. When they replaced the gen end the 6 was no longer available but the 7 had the same foot print. I would have thought the a 5 would have been to small to run all of that. I havent tryed to run everthing on mine, I guess I just did not want to push it. The most I would run is the ac and water heater but not with the micro. Did you have the work done or did you do it yourself. Did you come into any problems with the install? How heavy is your gen compared to the westerbeke.Mine is from 1988. It takes 2 men and a small boy to lift it out of the bilge. I know I had to do it twice, once to get the gen end fixed, and again 2 minutes after I started it because the new gen end burned up. Man what a chore that was. Stuart One other thing is mine is desiel not gas. Might be a big weight diffrence

I'LL TRY TO SEND SOME PHOTOS OUT. IS THEIR A WAY TO POST THEM? IT IS A CLEAN IN STALL UNDER THE SALON. I HAVE A 79 33 S.F. AND THE RIDE WAS NOT EFECTED AND IT IS OUT OF THE ELEMENTS. VERY KEY. THEIR IS A LOT OF SPACE UNDER THE SALON DECK TO GET ACCESS TO IT. AND THE FISH KILL BOX IN THE BACK DECK IS GREAT.

Tim, read this link to see how to post pictures in a message. http://www.bertram33.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=85 David Sumich Bertram33.com Forum Administrator

The Norhtern lights wieghs in at 375lbs. I did the install myself. I built a small A frame over the aft hatch in the salon floor. I lowered the unit into place and then pushed it on to the platform. I also lined the salon floor with sound deadening material. If the genset was running without the engines, you could still hear it, but is was not so loud that you could not sleep aboard or watch tv.

With the gen under the salon, how does the boat react with low fuel? You dont have that counter balance any more. Stu

Sbeer,

Sbeer, I have only ran my fuel tank down to 240 gals burned. But i did not a big difference. The stern may have been a little high? But the ride was not effected. For the most part she sits just fine in the water. 79 33 S.F.

Well, I settled on a new 8KW Kohler genny with a sound enclosure and digital controls. Got a good deal due to Miami boat show pricing. Will report on results when it's installed Anybody want to buy a 1987 8KW rusty (but running well) Onan?

congrats sean....were the prices much better at the show?..did you get it right from kohler or from a dealer? Tim Stamm Photo Finish 1981 33' Bertram FBC

I didn't actually go to the show. Some of the manufacturers drop their prices for a month during it. I got it from a local dealer for $7950, which is about $1500 less than the best price I had before the show, for any comparable model (including the 8KW Kohler). About the same deal as an 8KW Onan with sound shield, except the Onan didn't have digital controls or as good a warranty. Now I've got to get what I want to get done in there while there's still room before they install it: bonding system.