How quiet is a 5 kw Northern Lights genset

[Delfin]

I would appreciate hearing from anyone with a sound enclosured 5 kw Northern Lights genset or eqivalent. I currently have a 20 kw that was on the vessel when I purchased her, but want a smaller unit to charge batteries on the hook without having to listen to the 20 kw. So I am thinking about a 5 kw NL and would welcome any thoughts from those with a similar unit. Mine will be in a well sound insulated ER. So, how do you like yours? Is it as quiet as snowfall, as noisy as a Antonov 225 on take off, or somewhere in between?

 

[jfm]

I had one on a new charter boat 2 yrs ago. Quiet enough, nothing special good or bad. I don't love their small gensets and prefer onan tbh but on noise it felt ok. I'd expect would be v quiet on yr boat provided you do the exhaust well of course. Hard to quantify...

 

[RogerRat]

Apols for no knowledge on the Northern Lights range.

I had a Fisher Panda 4.5 Kw installed on my Targa40 that was very quiet. It has it's own acoustic jacket and the exhaust was installed well, nothing more than a gurgle and gentle water gush. Worked very well and reliable.

RR

 

[Delfin]

I had one on a new charter boat 2 yrs ago. Quiet enough, nothing special good or bad. I don't love their small gensets and prefer onan tbh but on noise it felt ok. I'd expect would be v quiet on yr boat provided you do the exhaust well of course. Hard to quantify...

Curious about your preference for Onan. In the states they are less than 1/3 the price but they look fine to me, just a faster revving engine. What do you prefer about them?

 

[Delfin]

Apols for no knowledge on the Northern Lights range.

I had a Fisher Panda 4.5 Kw installed on my Targa40 that was very quiet. It has it's own acoustic jacket and the exhaust was installed well, nothing more than a gurgle and gentle water gush. Worked very well and reliable.

RR

Much obliged. I looked at the Panda, but they cost about as much as a NL, but it seems there are mixed reviews on them. Either folks had a great experience as you did or they had problems. Can't quite sort out the differences.

 

[jfm]

Curious about your preference for Onan. In the states they are less than 1/3 the price but they look fine to me, just a faster revving engine. What do you prefer about them?

All the Onans I have had are 1500 rpm (1800 for 60Hz electricity). I think that makes them the same as NL. The NL had horrible instrumentation (olf mechanical dials, on a 2012 brand new boat) and was big for its 5Kw

 

[Delfin]

All the Onans I have had are 1500 rpm (1800 for 60Hz electricity). I think that makes them the same as NL. The NL had horrible instrumentation (olf mechanical dials, on a 2012 brand new boat) and was big for its 5Kw

Maybe it is only the 4.5/5kw, but they use a Kobota that spins at 2800. Agreed on the instrumentation. The 20kw I have has instrumentation from the 60s, but it does work. Sounds like Cummins/Onan have much more sophisticated monitoring. Still trying to figure out the price differential. Even if the Onan wears out twice as fast it would still be less money.

 

[Latestarter1]

Much obliged. I looked at the Panda, but they cost about as much as a NL, but it seems there are mixed reviews on them. Either folks had a great experience as you did or they had problems. Can't quite sort out the differences.

Despite one vote Fischer Panda have a poor reputation, as a result of one proving unrepairable at low hours I pulled a running one out of last re-power that I did and struggled to sell it, finally going to replace similar failed unit . Fischer Panda support in the U.S is dire.

We were all a little skeptical regarding the small belt driven high rpm Onan sets, however ten years on no reports of durability issues and Onan generator ends and control systems are robust.

Interesting regarding pricing, in Europe Fischer Panda is priced far below Kohler, Northern Lights, Onan, however despite that differential these seem to have better acceptance with mainstream builders here.

 

[MapisM]

Maybe it is only the 4.5/5kw

Yup, I believe it is.
You might wish to check out the 7kW Onan (I'm talking of 50Hz - kW rating @ 60Hz is bound to be slightly higher, but I'm not sure about how much exactly).
It's directly driven by a low rpm bulletproof engine, not much bigger/heavier than a 5kW, and I would bet equally silent, if not better.

 

[Delfin]

Yup, I believe it is.
You might wish to check out the 7kW Onan (I'm talking of 50Hz - kW rating @ 60Hz is bound to be slightly higher, but I'm not sure about how much exactly).
It's directly driven by a low rpm bulletproof engine, not much bigger/heavier than a 5kW, and I would bet equally silent, if not better.

Thanks. Unfortunately, that 7 kw won't fit. The max is the 5kw unless we used a cutting torch through the side, which isn't going to happen.

 

[jfm]

Yup, I believe it is.
You might wish to check out the 7kW Onan (I'm talking of 50Hz - kW rating @ 60Hz is bound to be slightly higher, but I'm not sure about how much exactly).
It's directly driven by a low rpm bulletproof engine, not much bigger/heavier than a 5kW, and I would bet equally silent, if not better.

yup I think constant 1500 or 1800rpm is much nicer to listen to than 2800. At leAst the 2800 is constant speed. The FP iirc is a rectify-invert machine that revs up as electrical demand increases

 

[Delfin]

Despite one vote Fischer Panda have a poor reputation, as a result of one proving unrepairable at low hours I pulled a running one out of last re-power that I did and struggled to sell it, finally going to replace similar failed unit . Fischer Panda support in the U.S is dire.

We were all a little skeptical regarding the small belt driven high rpm Onan sets, however ten years on no reports of durability issues and Onan generator ends and control systems are robust.

Interesting regarding pricing, in Europe Fischer Panda is priced far below Kohler, Northern Lights, Onan, however despite that differential these seem to have better acceptance with mainstream builders here.

That's a great recommendation, thank you. The pricing is bizarre. The NL is just over $11,000 and the Onan around $3,300, at least here. The Panda is over $10k, but I read people bemoaning problems they've had.

 

[Portofino]

Two problems with small genys that make confusing reading when you ask Mr Google
1- poor installation leading to poor access to service items -smaller boats cramming them in lockers etc
2- lack of use or neglect
FP ,s with the super silent exhaust kit are near " snowfall quite " -but sea water flows through the block and windings ,protected by a Alluminium " water connection block " .This corrodes along with the fixing bolts -they strip .
Avoid a small FP .
I have currently a Mase http://www.masenorthamerica.com/en/
Unusually it's air cooled ( yanmar 1GM) -so engine gets no seawater nor the windings -= great idea
There is a small easy change out radiator style intercooler that cools the air which is fanned around the box .
It is noisey but it's in its own sound proof box ( which I will beef up ) in a well sound proof engine room .
It seems wel engineered -Stainless steel exhaust ,brass stirrup type pump conected to the sump for easy oil change ,
Easy access to the water pump for impeller change .
I like it as for as small genys go -sits between 2 tanks

 

[Monique]

When I bought this boat, I wanted an Onan or NL. Second condition, it had to be 3 cylinders, Kubota based preferably. Third condition, it had to be a 1500 rpm unit.

My Onan is a 6.5 KW 3 cylinder Kubota. I can get all engine components from any agricultural shop. For the GEN portion, I don't get a kiss when Cummins sell me the spares. I purchased a CSR PCB for $900..... Argh.

The unit is so quiet I once forgot it was running when leaving the boat; went back 2 hours later ... yep, it was running! I do not have a sound enclosure but a well sound proofed machinery bay.

FP have a terrible reputation for their small units.

 

[MapisM]

My Onan is a 6.5 KW 3 cylinder Kubota.

Same here - and btw, that's basically the same engine (afaik) used in the current Onan 7kW that I previously suggested, before Delfin explained his space restrictions.
Running flawlessly since 1996, and counting - fingers crossed!
But your requirements list made me curious, why did you want a 3 cyl? I mean, it's not like the cylinders number per se is a guarantee of reliability...

 

[Delfin]

Same here - and btw, that's basically the same engine (afaik) used in the current Onan 7kW that I previously suggested, before Delfin explained his space restrictions.
Running flawlessly since 1996, and counting - fingers crossed!
But your requirements list made me curious, why did you want a 3 cyl? I mean, it's not like the cylinders number per se is a guarantee of reliability...

Yes, I wish I could shoe horn that in, but without some fairly major surgery I'm restricted to a certain footprint. I also looked at Westerbeke, and it is the same price as Northern Lights, which I think enjoys the best reputation. I understand the concept that a 2800 rpm engine will wear out almost twice as fast as a 1800 engine, but is that the right way to look at it? We figure that we'll be living on the hook for a few years, which means I would be running this new small house genset for around 9,000 hours over 5 years. Any guesses on whether I would get 9,000 hours out of the Onan?

 

[Latestarter1]

Yes, I wish I could shoe horn that in, but without some fairly major surgery I'm restricted to a certain footprint. I also looked at Westerbeke, and it is the same price as Northern Lights, which I think enjoys the best reputation. I understand the concept that a 2800 rpm engine will wear out almost twice as fast as a 1800 engine, but is that the right way to look at it? We figure that we'll be living on the hook for a few years, which means I would be running this new small house genset for around 9,000 hours over 5 years. Any guesses on whether I would get 9,000 hours out of the Onan?

Engine speed is NO direct indicator of wear out, concerns were also centered around the drive system as it was departure from direct drive, as in previous post and over ten years on as per previous post, concerns regarding reliability durability including mine I might add, have proved incorrect.

Onan did not get to become member of the top of the heap club by building 'soft' products.

ARE would I expect give you a view.

 

[Greenheart]

Paguro 6500w? 49db at 7 meters, sounds good. Price sounds less cheerful, I heard.

 

[Delfin]

Engine speed is NO direct indicator of wear out, concerns were also centered around the drive system as it was departure from direct drive, as in previous post and over ten years on as per previous post, concerns regarding reliability durability including mine I might add, have proved incorrect.

Onan did not get to become member of the top of the heap club by building 'soft' products.

ARE would I expect give you a view.

Thanks. Turns out the pricing I was looking at online wasn't accurate. The Onan is about the same cost as the Northern Lights, which makes sense.

 

[Monique]

I could not find a 2 cylinder 1500rpm unit... from any manufacturer. Given the reliability of Kubota in industrial equipment, it is quite likely an Onan will give you the 9000 hours you expect.

Good luck