Opinions on Westerbeke gas gensets

Bounty

New Member
Apr 12, 2007
82
Huntington Harbour, CA
Boat Info
Sundancer 340 mfg. 2000
Zodiac dinghy w/15HP Yamaha outboard
Village Marine Watermaker
Esterbeke
Engines
454 Mercruiser V Drives
I will shortly be replacing my 4.5KW genset. Want opinions on the Westerbeke marine gasoline gensets. I note that there are two versions, one EFI one not? Any comments or info would be welcome!
 
I personally like the low rpm configuration of the Westerbekes, turning only 1800 rpm. The new FI low CO units are great and I think they improved servicability too. I have run on boats with Onan's and Kohlers. The Kohlers turn3200 rpm and their noise is somewhat louder, even with sound shield. Our marina has around 100 cruisers and 95% are Sea Rays. Most have Westerbekes and some of them have more than 2000 hours. I have literally not heard of engine failures on any of them if they are maintained.
 
Bounty said:
I will shortly be replacing my 4.5KW genset. Want opinions on the Westerbeke marine gasoline gensets. I note that there are two versions, one EFI one not? Any comments or info would be welcome!

I'm a big fan of Westerbeke. I have a 7.0 BCGD I installed two years ago and it has been almost flawless. I say almost because it had a broken wire in the harness at a crimp connector which was difficult to find (Westerbeke support was excellent). That said, it is far quieter than my orignal generator which was truly a piece of junk .... Quicksilver (Mercruiser made by Generac) 7.5. The Westerbeke is also 80 pounds lighter.

The three cylinder engine has a counter rotating balance shaft which cancels engine vibration to the point it sounds like a sewing machine. It is also far more fuel efficient. The Quiicksilver would eat up to 2 gallons of fuel an hour under load (I installed a Navman 2100 on the unit just to keep track of how much fuel it burned.) The Westerbeke burns about a gallon an hour under load which is below the Navman 2100 transducer's ability to record it!

You will not be dissappointed with selecting a Westerbeke and the support that comes with it. I did look at both the low CO (efi) and the carb versions and decided on the carb. It's basically a personal choice because I like to do my own work.

-John
 
PlayDate said:
it sounds like a sewing machine.
That is a very fitting analogy!! We have a 4.5 BCGB. Even though they do have some vibrations, but I can only notice it in the Dancer mid cabin and there it puts our six months old boy right to sleep :wink:
Anywhere else on the boat it is vibration free and very silent.
 
I would appreciate any comments as to the relative advantages of the 5KW EFI model versus the carberated model. Comments?
 
Bounty said:
I would appreciate any comments as to the relative advantages of the 5KW EFI model versus the carberated model. Comments?

Three advantages ..... and they are significant to me ...
1. This is BIG to me ...Immediate start up at any time, cold or hot, no long cranking needed like sometime with the carb models
2. This also BIG to me ... Low CO emissions. The carbed models are not nearly as good in this area
3. and this might be less of a reason ... less fuel consumption by about 5 - 10 %.
 
Alex D said:
Bounty said:
I would appreciate any comments as to the relative advantages of the 5KW EFI model versus the carberated model. Comments?

Three advantages ..... and they are significant to me ...
1. This is BIG to me ...Immediate start up at any time, cold or hot, no long cranking needed like sometime with the carb models
2. This also BIG to me ... Low CO emissions. The carbed models are not nearly as good in this area
3. and this might be less of a reason ... less fuel consumption by about 5 - 10 %.

Good input and thank you. I am going to have to make my decision tomorrow. We don't have cold weather problems for cranking here, but I hear what you are saying about the start-up of the EFI version. With EFI generally you either start right up or never start in my experience. :smt038
 
Westerbeke generators come with a 5-year warranty, the first two years 100% -- less coverage during years 3-5. Our low CO 5KW doesn't produce 42 amps or regulate voltage +- 5% as advertised. Our local distributor (Cook Engine) is pushing back claiming the 5KW is too small for our 260.

I can't say I'm thrilled with the service thus far, but I do have an appointment in a few weeks with the service guy to officially measure the load my AC, water heater and microwave put on the genset. We also had some problems with the engine early on which the distributor fixed on the fourth try. :smt009

My advice to you is to confirm with your dealer that the 5KW generator is designed to provide 114-120 volts at full load (42 amps) before you buy. Also confirm that your power needs are properly matched with the generator you have in mind. On my boat, for example, a 5KW unit should be more than adequate.

Microwave roughly 8 amps, 850 watts
Bat Charger maximum 5 amps, 600 watts
Frig roughly 2 amps, 240 watts
Water Heater roughly 10 amps, 1200 watts
A/C roughly 12 amps*, 1440 watts

* 7K BTU including raw water pump
 
thunderbird1 said:
Microwave roughly 8 amps, 850 watts
Bat Charger maximum 5 amps, 600 watts
Frig roughly 2 amps, 240 watts
Water Heater roughly 10 amps, 1200 watts
A/C roughly 12 amps*, 1440 watts

* 7K BTU including raw water pump

A 5kw should easily carry that load. The problem will be start up of the air conditioner. It can draw up to 5x it's running amperage. The small 6 gal Force 10 water heaters typically draw about 12A or 1500w. I normally don't recommend running the water heater continuously. The unit will heat up in about 10min and hold heat for up to 6hrs. Some boats will have the water heater plumbed into the engine. This will allow you not to have to waste precious electricity on it.
Remember, unlike being on the grid your generator power is finite. Management of the limited supply is crucial.

I am forbidden from commenting with opinion on Westerbeke products. It would be a conflict of interest and a commercial endorsement on this board.

Pat
 
Bounty said:
Alex D said:
Bounty said:
I would appreciate any comments as to the relative advantages of the 5KW EFI model versus the carberated model. Comments?

Three advantages ..... and they are significant to me ...
1. This is BIG to me ...Immediate start up at any time, cold or hot, no long cranking needed like sometime with the carb models
2. This also BIG to me ... Low CO emissions. The carbed models are not nearly as good in this area
3. and this might be less of a reason ... less fuel consumption by about 5 - 10 %.

Good input and thank you. I am going to have to make my decision tomorrow. We don't have cold weather problems for cranking here, but I hear what you are saying about the start-up of the EFI version. With EFI generally you either start right up or never start in my experience. :smt038

To everyone their own, but for me it would be no question. My carbed 4.5 BCGB carries all loads on our 340 fine. It starts hard when it sat for a week, so I always give it just a tiny smidge of Ether (starting fluid) on the first start up. After that it starts immediately anytime, just not when it sat for a week or longer. I would love to have an FI unit for the reasons I mentoned above. Ours burns only about .8 gal. an hours. I am very happy with that and the lack of noise a Westerbeke makes compared to Kohlers.
I also like that these Westerbeke's are bulletproof. They last for hundreds, thousands of hours with good maintenance. I cannot say that I have heard that about Kohlers. SR had actually quite a bit of problems with the 5.0 kW Kohlers they now install.
 
I had a 4.5KW westerbeke that would occasionally be difficult to start. I found out (by talking to the local wrench) that it is very common for the linkage on the electric choke to get gummed up. As soon as I lubed it up, it fired right away. I had to clean and lubricate the linkage about twice a season for it to be extrememly reliable.

I had the same genny on both a 32' Maxum as well as a 34' sundancer and both had power to spare with this genset. (even hair dryers without the water heater on).

briman

BTW: I am bald so don't think it was my hair dryer.
 
brimanst said:
I had a 4.5KW westerbeke that would occasionally be difficult to start. I found out (by talking to the local wrench) that it is very common for the linkage on the electric choke to get gummed up. As soon as I lubed it up, it fired right away. I had to clean and lubricate the linkage about twice a season for it to be extrememly reliable.

I had the same genny on both a 32' Maxum as well as a 34' sundancer and both had power to spare with this genset. (even hair dryers without the water heater on).

briman

BTW: I am bald so don't think it was my hair dryer.

The electric choke was one of the first things I checked and it works flawlessly. Closes right away and fully as soon as you touch the preheat switch.
 
Don't forget that it is just as important to open fully when when released, or it will run a little rough and rich.
 
Presentation said:
Would the 3K Westerbeke be to small on a 280 Sundancer with A/C?
What size a/c does it have?? Might be big enough if it's a 5K btu unit. I would not want a 12k btu unit and run it with a 3KW genny
 
thunderbird1 said:
Microwave roughly 8 amps, 850 watts
Bat Charger maximum 5 amps, 600 watts
Frig roughly 2 amps, 240 watts
Water Heater roughly 10 amps, 1200 watts
A/C roughly 12 amps*, 1440 watts

Where are you finding this informaion?

I'd like to find this for my boat.
 
thunderbird1 said:
Our local distributor (Cook Engine) is pushing back claiming the 5KW is too small for our 260.

I find this hard to believe given that the 5kw Kohler is used on Dancers up to and including 340DA.
 
Presentation said:
thunderbird1 said:
Microwave roughly 8 amps, 850 watts
Bat Charger maximum 5 amps, 600 watts
Frig roughly 2 amps, 240 watts
Water Heater roughly 10 amps, 1200 watts
A/C roughly 12 amps*, 1440 watts

Where are you finding this informaion?

I'd like to find this for my boat.

No one source, unfortunately. I've gathered the information over the past year from Sea Ray Tech Support, manuals, SRO, and CSR.
 
jg300da said:
thunderbird1 said:
Our local distributor (Cook Engine) is pushing back claiming the 5KW is too small for our 260.

I find this hard to believe given that the 5kw Kohler is used on Dancers up to and including 340DA.

I agree with you. Next week the Westerbeke distributor is sending a mechanic to my boat to measure amperage using a Fluke meter. I'm confident the results from that inspection will lead to some warrantee work to resolve my low voltage issue. :smt001
 

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