Onan MDKAL generator

[Piers]

Anyone know an easy way to change the anode on this genny without allowing a half litre or more of seawater to flood the base? The anode is at the back of genny in the most inaccessible position possible.

 

[longjohnsilver]

Can you suck it out with a pela? Or run it for a few seconds with fresh water. Or even run it dry for a second or so.

 

[Nick_H]

Do it when the boat is lifted?

 

[jfm]

It is absolutely critical with mdkal to install genset with space at right hand end. If they mounted it with right end inaccessible then tut tut. It's the only onan I can think of with this problem. Most others have the heat ex at the front.
It might be better and should be pretty easy to buy rubber hose and 1 inch grommets, and mount the heat exchanger outside the genset casing where it would be much more accessible.

If you never change the anode the heat ex will last 5-6 years

You could do what I do and have a tee in the raw water inlet, with hosepipe connection, and flush genset w freshwater when you aren't going to use it for a week. I have hosepipe inside e room to make it easier. Then you wouldn't need anode. You could even do it remotely if you bought a couple of motorised valves and fancied a little project.

 

[Piers]

It is absolutely critical with mdkal to install genset with space at right hand end. If they mounted it with right end inaccessible then tut tut. It's the only onan I can think of with this problem. Most others have the heat ex at the front.
It might be better and should be pretty easy to buy rubber hose and 1 inch grommets, and mount the heat exchanger outside the genset casing where it would be much more accessible.

If you never change the anode the heat ex will last 5-6 years

You could do what I do and have a tee in the raw water inlet, with hosepipe connection, and flush genset w freshwater when you aren't going to use it for a week. I have hosepipe inside e room to make it easier. Then you wouldn't need anode. You could even do it remotely if you bought a couple of motorised valves and fancied a little project.

There's little to no room to the right and access behind is impossible. I like the idea of a fresh water flush capability and I'll have a good look and see how to do it. There's FW to the engine room so shouldn't be too much of a prob.

Brilliant idea - thanks jfm.

Can't get the Pela into the pipes that access the heat exchanger - too many right angle bends. And being ashore cannot drain the unit given the vertical pipe risers associated with the exchanger.

So jfm's answer is the best. Again - thanks.

 

[Forty_Two]

Anyone know an easy way to change the anode on this genny without allowing a half litre or more of seawater to flood the base? The anode is at the back of genny in the most inaccessible position possible.

Hi Piers, three weeks ago I did this on my MDKAZ. I use a wet & dry hoover, start to loosen the anode then run the hoover & hold the tube at the side/under the anode & gently loosen away letting a slow stream of water shoot into the hoover. Doesn't take long & voila no water in the tray.

A heating guy showed me this trick for taking radiators of when the drain cock sticks as they all do. Works a treat.

Paul

 

[jfm]

Fwiw here is freshwater injector on one of my gensets. You click a hosepipe on the brass hosepipe nipple at the bottom, shut the main intake seacock and open the freshwater valve. It's all 1.25 inch stuff.

 

[Portofino]

It's me Mr "awkaward question "
What's the risk of waterlocking the engine cylinder (s) ?-I mean the fresh water in is so strong it backs up in the exhaust manifold *and /or - from turning gen off too early before water off ? -and exhaust valve (s) is open = fills up

Or t,other way - @ start up - drying the impeller from not synchronising Gen on with tap on ?

Pressure from strainer s just passive 1m below W/L ish or less ., impeller just sucks sea water from strainer .
Hose pressure any thoughts ?

* assuming water leaves the Geny set via the exhaust manifold(s) .

 

[Piers]

Hi Piers, three weeks ago I did this on my MDKAZ. I use a wet & dry hoover, start to loosen the anode then run the hoover & hold the tube at the side/under the anode & gently loosen away letting a slow stream of water shoot into the hoover. Doesn't take long & voila no water in the tray.

A heating guy showed me this trick for taking radiators of when the drain cock sticks as they all do. Works a treat.

Paul

A really good idea. I was about to do just this when I wondered about blowing the seawater out of the system. I'd already disconnected the hose from the impeller to the heat exchanger (to see if the Pela idea would work) so I took a huge breath and blew down it. After half a dozen blows, air started to flow quite freely. Having removed the side and rear panels (how awkward was that!) I had access to the anode. Thankfully, only a few drops of seawater came out. Blowing had worked!

Now to refit the panels today....

 

[jfm]

It's me Mr "awkaward question "
What's the risk of waterlocking the engine cylinder (s) ?-I mean the fresh water in is so strong it backs up in the exhaust manifold *and /or - from turning gen off too early before water off ? -and exhaust valve (s) is open = fills up

Or t,other way - @ start up - drying the impeller from not synchronising Gen on with tap on ?

Pressure from strainer s just passive 1m below W/L ish or less ., impeller just sucks sea water from strainer .
Hose pressure any thoughts ?

* assuming water leaves the Geny set via the exhaust manifold(s) .

zero risk of any problem if you know what you're doing; some risk if you're a bit incompetent, though you'd need to be unlucky. . A comment you could make of boating generally!