How to purge a generator strainer????

skunkman

Active Member
May 27, 2014
452
Longboat Key
Boat Info
2014 330 DA sold
Current boat 2021 Formula 350CBR
Engines
Triple 350 Mercury Verado
I have a new 330DA and the generator has had an intermitant overheating problem. I clean the strainer before every outing. Last time out very little water was coming out of the port exhaust. I shut it down. The dealer said it is likely a bad impeller which makes sense. He said I should purge the strainer. I know how to clean the strainer but I am unfamiliar with purging it. Any thoughts? Should this be under warantee?
 
junk in the strainer won't be warranty
are you getting a lot of trash in the strainer ??
 
What generator do you have in the boat, a Kohler (painted white)? If so the impeller is relatively easy to change. With out knowing the chain of events that led to the current condition, my guess is that the strainer got clogged, no water flow to the pump, and destroyed the impeller. As to purging the strainer, I'm assuming they want you to get the air out of the system, let it sit in the water for awhile or put some water in the strainer, similar to the problem the AC system can have. I'd empty the strainer basket of debris, clean the inside of the strainer and then see if water flows through the strainer, if need be purge it, prior to starting the generator. If the boat is lift kept or in a high and dry this happens alot. You might also want to take the hose off at the pump to see if water is flowing through it, maybe back flush it to the strainer with a garden hose (witthout the generator running, naturally) along with the above debris removal sequence. I would not run this geneartor again until I put another impeller in it anyway to check it and if the impeller has some of the pieces missing, find them in the cooling system and remove them. They usually wind up in the heat exchanger and will restict the flow. I doubt they will warranty this. These impellers need to be changed every year or at least every other year, they are very small and fragile. You're going to want to carry a spare and be able to change it yourself anyway. Enjoy the new boat!!!!!!!!!!!
Al
 
I agree with AAK, I went through impellers at least once each season with my Kohler gen.
 
a fair amount of sea grass - it still had low flow even after I cleaned it out
if the flow was restricted the impeller could have cooked ...doesn't take long at all with low/no water
 

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