Coffee machine wont work off generator

[Chill]

I recently treated the boat to a Bosch Tassimo coffee machine and all has been fine when in the marina but at the weekend while we were out it would not make a hot cup of coffee! The generator is a Kohler 6kva and runs everything else without any problems. Any ideas?

 

[sailorman]

Is the genny pure sine wave ????
does it run a microwave ok

 

[MarieK]

My Tassimo coffee maker wont work off my inverter - assumed it didnt have enough oomph. Will look into the sine wave

 

[Chill]

Runs the microwave fine! not sure if it is sine wave. The boat is a 1999 Sealine T46 and the generator was a stardard item.

 

[sailorman]

My Tassimo coffee maker wont work off my inverter - assumed it didnt have enough oomph. Will look into the sine wave

Mi microwave needs pure sine wave, it works off of the Kipor genny or the Studer inverter

 

[rosssavage]

The generator is a pure sine Geoff, very odd. Have you tried the coffee machine on shore power since the failed generator attempt?

 

[Chill]

Yep worked fine when we got back to the marina!

 

[sailorman]

Yep worked fine when we got back to the marina!

have you tried it with the engine running

 

[superheat6k]

Are you running anything else at the same time. 6KVA is a fair size unit, so with little load the voltage will be quite high, so could simply be too high for the coffee maker. I would expect this is only around 1 kW.

See if it works with say the immersion heater on. Or measure the voltage at a convenient socket (I am assuming you know how to do this safely).

It is normal for generators to reduce the output voltage as the load increases, and this effect helps with governing the output current. It is known as droop. However, if the coffee maker is made for use in Europe which operates at 220-230 volts the UK 240 volts supply could peak at no load on your genny around 250-260v, which its electronics may prevent it using.

 

[MapisM]

the UK 240 volts supply could peak at no load on your genny around 250-260v

Are you saying that Onan, N-L, etc. build special marine gensets for the UK? Never heard of that....

 

[superheat6k]

Are you saying that Onan, N-L, etc. build special marine gensets for the UK? Never heard of that....

Don't think my thread response suggested anything like that ! I was trying to offer a specific reason why his coffee machine won't work on his generator supply. I don't think I suggested makers make specific mods for specific markets. I did suggest he measure his no load output voltage, because this might give a clue as to his problem. It may be the case the specific output voltage can be adjusted on this model.

However, just had a quick look at the Onan Cummins blurb and yes they do offer quite a range of base voltages, 115 / 230 or 120 / 240, or request details for other options.

http://www.cumminsonan.com/www/pdf/marine/f-1381.pdf

 

[Chill]

I will try all of the above at the weekend, will also try it on our friends boat.

 

[MapisM]

I don't think I suggested makers make specific mods for specific markets.

Yeah, but that was sort of implicit, in suggesting that some "UK" gensets might supply up to 260V when unloaded.

Anyway, my Q was genuine, and absolutely not meant to suggest that what you said wasn't true.
Sorry if it came through like that, but I was really surprised to hear of another possible choice (other than the typical 50 vs. 60 Hz.) for boat AC systems.
But you live and learn, as they say...
Just curious, are PrinFairSunskr boats built with different gensets, depending on whether they are meant for the UK or the rest of EU market?

 

[Beamishken]

Some gen sets have a trimmer adjustment on the avr unit to regulate the voltage to what is required
I had an avr pack up on a 16kva Genny & it gave 300v but damaged any tools connected to it
When I replaced the avr I had to adjust the rpm to 1500rpm (most boat Gennys are 3000rpm) then set the voltage to the required voltage with the trimmer on the avr
A check on the output voltage is a good place to start

 

[Beyondhelp]

Its possible that the generator output is very noisy and its upsetting the electronics within the coffee machine. I have a screwfix own brand jigsaw that is a bit like this. It wouldn't run from a 2.2kva petrol generator, but is fine from the mains.. Do you have anything else as an experiment you can try running at the same time, say a kettle that would put other load on the generator to see if that quietens it down.. The only way to really see whats going on would be to use an oscilloscope to see what's not quite right with the generator output.

 

[Piers]

We installed a hew induction hob on Play d'eau only to find it wouldn't work when powered by one of our Onan generators.

Eventually found the problem to be that the hob had a very narrow acceptance band for the mains frequency (50Hz plus/minus 1). Checked the generator and found it to be 51.5Hz. Adjusted it (by altering the revs) and lo and behold, the hob burst into life.

So, my suggestion is to check the frequency. Worked for me.

 

[IDAMAY]

+ 1 Piers. On our previous boat (Sealine T47 with Kohler 11 Kva Genset) everything worked from the genset except the washing machine. This needed exactly the same tweek you mention.

Richard.

 

[ARE]

I agree with Piers, almost 100% sure it'll be a frequency related issue.

Most older generators are mechanically governed this means frequency is normally set at 52.5 Hz off load and loaded you would normally see around 50 Hz. I suspect your coffee machine has a tighter tolerance on frequency than your generator. As is stated induction hob's are notoriously tight on frequency tolerances and so are washing machines. This is why all Cummins Onan gensets are electronically governed.

I would suggest you try measuring the frequency on and off load, you could also try a base load on the genset and then see if the coffee machine works.

I believe Kohler used to offer an electronic governing kit as an option, if not you could turn the frequency down on your unit but you can't go to low or this will drop the frequency to low under full load. Your only other option is a inverter for the coffee machine.

Anthony.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Are you saying that Onan, N-L, etc. build special marine gensets for the UK? Never heard of that....

Mapism, old chap, the question should not be whether Onan, N-L etc make special gensets for the UK but whether they make them for the rest of Europe

 

[MapisM]

LOL, along the lines of "fog in Channel, Continent cut off"?
...as if most British wouldn't be boating in sunny 230V Countries...