Westerbeke 8.0 BTDA kicking my arse

This is the wiring diagram from my 8.0 BTDA manual that I am using for debug.
AF0B8FA1-F9C9-4DDC-B42F-E6BC386AB709.jpeg
 
Fixed it! Error by yours truly. This generator has two oil switches. One for low pressure shutdown and an auxiliary for Sea Ray system monitor alarm. I had analyzed the auxiliary had gone bad, bought its part number and replaced it. But noooo! After tracing wire colors it was the shutdown switch that went bad and I put an aux switch part number in its spot. Jumpered it and runs on and on normally now. The two switches are different so gotta go buy the right one. Now he has a spare aux oil switch. Ha!

Also I discovered the power runs serially through both the on generator stop switch and the remote panel start/run switch. With the remote panel switch off, that creates an open circuit. You have to put it in the run position for the generator to continue running when started from the on generator switches.
 
Last edited:
ZZ13 said:
Fixed it! Error by yours truly. This generator has two oil switches. One for low pressure shutdown and an auxiliary for Sea Ray system monitor alarm. I had analyzed the auxiliary had gone bad, bought its part number and replaced it. But noooo! After tracing wire colors it was the shutdown switch that went bad and I put an aux switch part number in its spot. Jumpered it and runs on and on normally now. The two switches are different so gotta go buy the right one. Now he has a spare aux oil switch. Ha!

Also I discovered the power runs serially through both the on generator stop switch and the remote panel start/run switch. With the remote panel switch off, that creates an open circuit. You have to put it in the run position for the generator to continue running when started from the on generator switches.
Click to expand...
Those were some of my discoveries also and the reason I drew up the schematic - not in the SR drawings nor the generator drawings; at least for the 400DA.
 
Great tip on the 2 oil pressure switches! I have seen them, and wondered why. Thanks for the teaching! This will be good to know for future troubleshooting.
 
LMBoat said:
Great tip on the 2 oil pressure switches! I have seen them, and wondered why. Thanks for the teaching! This will be good to know for future troubleshooting.
Click to expand...
The one with the thicker white wire going to it is the shutdown sensor. You’ll probably need to scrap the red paint away from the wire to see it. The system monitor switch is a smaller black wire with white stripe.
 
And the beat goes on...

I put in the correct oil shutdown switch. That fixed that. After researching it’s normally closed above 10 psi and opens below that. The Sea Ray auxiliary switch is the opposite. Normally open and closes at low pressure. So that explains that.

Oil gauge has never worked since he bought the boat. Needle just hung limp straight down. Replaced oil sender and that fixed that.

Temp gauge is pegged to right. Replaced temp sender and no change. So that leads to the remaining problem. All three gauges peg to right when engine is running as if all senders are shorted to ground. When shut off the oil and voltage gauges return to normal off position. But temp gauge stays pegged. And here is the interesting part. With ground cable of generator start battery disconnected, there is still power to the control panel to activate gauges and relays. Seems like there is a short to the boat ground system somewhere. I have some research to do to attack this one.

Two pictures attached are the gauges with generator running. And with generator in ON position but not started.

By the way if you need to replace temp sender, remove belt, alternator and alternator tension bracket. So much easier to get tools and hand back there that way.
AC640F2F-98A8-4AD6-9049-AA162DC428E7.jpeg 98C10BB3-7B7A-4998-B98C-25D2B2B49D93.jpeg
 
I went back to the boat today and I tried every possible combination of disconnecting wires at the gauges. Never got rid of the problem. So I disconnected the ground wire from the gauges and ran a wire direct from the battery (-) to the ground on the gauges. Problem still there. Could it be the battery? It has a real hard time starting the generator now as well. Each gauge reads 12.4v at its power posts with a multimeter. I guess it’s possible all three gauges are bad. Multimeter reads 12.4v at voltmeter while the voltmeter needle is pegged.
 
Last edited:
Well, it looks like all three gauges individually went bad. So I took the temp gauge apart to see if I could figure out why it was pegged, indicating the sender wire was shorted to ground. It was real easy to take apart. Just pry off glued on cover and go from there. After fiddling with the little coil wires I tested using a battery and it worked. Pegged when shorted to ground and went back to zero with ground removed. So I’ll glue the cover back on and now I have a spare. Looks to me the problem was one of the little coil wires had moved over and was touching the metal can which also isn’t insulated from the ground post. So there would be the short to ground. I tucked that wire back in well away from the can and everything now works fine. Looks like I have a spare now. My theory is that these generators vibrate so much that over time things in the gauges move around and cause trouble.
BD7386B8-BE6C-48D6-B11A-D1F25DBA3B27.jpeg 659C5C60-41BC-4721-8253-CF2313236BFA.jpeg 36BCDEB2-1300-4E23-9FE7-5A798D780D65.jpeg
 
Last edited:
All glued back together. Going to put it back on the generator and use it.
8E317B2B-2D32-4BB6-9471-596D9B316BAB.jpeg 6F762D09-4FCA-4C41-BD1D-9536D1CD5A73.jpeg

Update: So much for that idea. Repaired gauge still fails in the same way when installed back into the unit. So it’s now in the trash and the new gauge is back on the unit.
 
Last edited:
It’s finally back to 100% operational. All three gauges were bad. Had to replace them all. So in the course of the first 1200 hours of its life, this generator lost two shutdown sensors, a control circuit diode, and all three gauges. At 1200 hours my same model generator lost the temp shutdown sensor and the temp gauge. I guess they vibrate so much these parts breakdown pretty quickly.
 
So..... I've got one for you Westerbeke guys. I'm helping a friend with a "2001" 11.0BTD Westerbeke diesel generator. Starts and runs fine from either generator control panel or remote control panel. Problem is it wont stop / turn off from the remote panel. Tried opening circuit at remote stop switch by removing one of the wires from the stop switch but it keeps running. Only way to turn it off is at the generator. Looks to me that stop switches are in series and only way the K2 run solenoid can stay energized is with a shorted / closed preheat switch at the generator. But then the fuel solenoid would be energized after the generator is turned off, which is not the case.
Anybody got a idea ????
 
2 things. 1. Check the fuse in the side of the control panel on the generator itself. 2. Make sure the stop actuator is actually extending and shutting off the fuel when you press the stop switch.
 
NotHerDecision said:
2 things. 1. Check the fuse in the side of the control panel on the generator itself. 2. Make sure the stop actuator is actually extending and shutting off the fuel when you press the stop switch.
Click to expand...

Fuse is for sure good. The stop switch on the generator panel works fine, but the one on the remote panel does not work at all.
 
It has to be in the remote circuit then.
 
I've been using manual_service_35e_44c_8-15 btdc_45100_rev_2.pdf (westerbeke.com)
pages 71, 71a, and 72
The first trip to the boat had no idea what was going on (no schematic , just a fact finding mission) Did notice no 12v to remote stop switch. Pulled wire off remote stop switch but gen kept running. Schematic shows stop switches in series.
Side note: This is a Neptunus Boat which I am told is a dutch design built in canada. (might have some wiring peculiarities ?)
 
In Westerbeke hell right now.... on anchor and gen not running. All three of the sensors check out fine. Gen was running with the start switch held open. Temps fine, oil pressure fine, voltage on panel reads off the chart but 14v when off.
Keep blowing fuses. Will click for a few seconds then the fuse blows. I was trying to put a jumper into the fuse wires and hit the side and shorted something as no power in the red wire to the fuse. Looks like it feed from the 20amp breaker...can not get any voltage reading there from the circuit breaker. I did have it running for an hour and thought my problems were over but they are back. And then the questions from the admiral on why can't you call someone? Now my laptop is running low on juice and no inverter power left.
 
20amp circuit breaker was popped and reset. Gen starts but need preheat on to run. I jumped the wires (instead of the 8v fuse that keeps blowing and jumper was hot so something is shorted out. I have the remote plug removed and running from the gen panel.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Forum statistics

Threads
113,123
Messages
1,426,638
Members
61,037
Latest member
wojozobl
Back
Top