Generator choice

[julianmingham]

My generator (15 years old and sold as a Dolphin which is a badged Paguro 4000) has a number of faults including producing no AC, so it's probably time for a new one.
I'm thinking about a Whisper piccolo, any experience out there ?
The UK agent for the Whisper generators is sailfish marine, any experience ?

 

[geem]

Not familiar with that engine but I would say if you want long term reliability go for 1500rpm instead of 3000rpm.

 

[Dockhead]

Not familiar with that engine but I would say if you want long term reliability go for 1500rpm instead of 3000rpm.

Indeed. It makes a huge difference not only in reliability, but also in sound and vibration. Unfortunately also in cost and weight and bulk.

 

[KellysEye]

>Not familiar with that engine but I would say if you want long term reliability go for 1500rpm instead of 3000rpm.

Agree, 3000 rpm generators are lifed for 500 to 700 hours, 1,500 are the same as diesel engines 8,000 hours. I asked a number of diesel engine and generator repair shops which generator they least had to repair. The yellow jersey went to Northern Lights with Westerbeke a close second. The yellow jersey engine was Yamaha with nothing else close.

 

[RichardS]

>Not familiar with that engine but I would say if you want long term reliability go for 1500rpm instead of 3000rpm.

Agree, 3000 rpm generators are lifed for 500 to 700 hours, 1,500 are the same as diesel engines 8,000 hours. I asked a number of diesel engine and generator repair shops which generator they least had to repair. The yellow jersey went to Northern Lights with Westerbeke a close second. The yellow jersey engine was Yamaha with nothing else close.

Yamaha or Yanmar?

Richard

 

[superheat6k]

Be wary that the Paguro exists in many forms - Westerbeke; Mastervolt Whisper; Fischer Panda; etc. all offer the Paguro with different clothes on. The key commonality is the Farymann 15W singe cylinder engine, along with a Volpi (VTE) generator.

For occasional use they are OK, but do not let them sit unused too long, or they suffer from corrosion problems on the exhaust valves. If you want a serious genny then look as suggested at the 1500 RPM 4 pole models.

 

[geem]

>Not familiar with that engine but I would say if you want long term reliability go for 1500rpm instead of 3000rpm.

Agree, 3000 rpm generators are lifed for 500 to 700 hours, 1,500 are the same as diesel engines 8,000 hours. I asked a number of diesel engine and generator repair shops which generator they least had to repair. The yellow jersey went to Northern Lights with Westerbeke a close second. The yellow jersey engine was Yamaha with nothing else close.

undoubltly 1500 rpm generators will last longer but my 3000rpm unit is at 1900hrs so far. its 13 years old and still working. it is however a Perkins engine built to take some abuse

 

[DaiB]

>Not familiar with that engine but I would say if you want long term reliability go for 1500rpm instead of 3000rpm.

Agree, 3000 rpm generators are lifed for 500 to 700 hours, 1,500 are the same as diesel engines 8,000 hours. I asked a number of diesel engine and generator repair shops which generator they least had to repair. The yellow jersey went to Northern Lights with Westerbeke a close second. The yellow jersey engine was Yamaha with nothing else close.

In 2005 I was on a tanker, the engine staff split a case of beer the day 100,000 hours turned. Bit passed the 8000 hours life then!