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Default How Hot should an alternator get?

RW Salnick wrote in news:e9o55a$2hq$1
@gnus01.u.washington.edu:

Don't forget that a diesel engine, which has no throttle butterfly, is
moving a lot of air out of the compartment all the time it is running



That's true in a Hatteras with twin turbo 8V92TA's in it....but not in a
sailboat with a two-cylinder Yanmar idling slow. Even wide open, it's
still two little diesel pistons pumping slowly up and down, not much of a
threat to pumping out the stinky head hose smell on other threads at all...
(c;
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Default Diesels - How Hot should an alternator get?


"Larry" wrote in message
That's true in a Hatteras with twin turbo 8V92TA's in it....but not in a
sailboat with a two-cylinder Yanmar idling slow. Even wide open, it's
still two little diesel pistons pumping slowly up and down, not much of a
threat to pumping out the stinky head hose smell on other threads at

all...
(c;


Many diesel powered sailboats do have exhaust blowers, whether they need
them or not. I have owned 4 inboard sailboats and three had blowers - not
sure about the other, but it was a saildrive in it's own box.

But, I have to admit I hardly ever turned the blower on. Usually the engine
only ran for 15 or 20 min, to exit harbour, so no need. But on long windless
trips, I sometime remembered to turn it on, if it was getting steamy down
below.

It may be a good idea to wire the blower into the starter switch circuit so
it is always running when the engine runs or add a thermal switch set at 35C
or so. This would perhaps help the refrig unit too, because it exhausts into
the cockpit lockers which are open to the engine compartment.

GBM


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Default How Hot should an alternator get?

Larry wrote:
RW Salnick wrote in news:e9o55a$2hq$1
@gnus01.u.washington.edu:


Don't forget that a diesel engine, which has no throttle butterfly, is
moving a lot of air out of the compartment all the time it is running




That's true in a Hatteras with twin turbo 8V92TA's in it....but not in a
sailboat with a two-cylinder Yanmar idling slow. Even wide open, it's
still two little diesel pistons pumping slowly up and down, not much of a
threat to pumping out the stinky head hose smell on other threads at all...
(c;


Assuming we are talking about a 2GM, displacement of say 600 cc, idling
at 1000 RPM, it is pumping 0.6/2*1000 = 300 liters/min of air out the
exhaust pipe. This is approximately 10 CFM - not bad for idle and a
small engine...

bob
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Default How Hot should an alternator get?


"RW Salnick" wrote
Assuming we are talking about a 2GM, displacement of say 600 cc, idling
at 1000 RPM, it is pumping 0.6/2*1000 = 300 liters/min of air out the
exhaust pipe. This is approximately 10 CFM - not bad for idle and a
small engine...

bob,
If the 2GM is a 4-cycle engine, is the above correct if it only draws in
air every other revolution?

Shouldn't air flow to engine room be calculated to keep temperature down ?
As the combustion air temperature goes up, engine efficiency goes down - I
read somewhere that power loss could be 11% if temperature rises from 80F to
150F.

Perhaps having the exhaust fan run all the time the engine runs would be a
good idea?

GBM





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Default How Hot should an alternator get?

GBM wrote:
"RW Salnick" wrote

Assuming we are talking about a 2GM, displacement of say 600 cc, idling
at 1000 RPM, it is pumping 0.6/2*1000 = 300 liters/min of air out the
exhaust pipe. This is approximately 10 CFM - not bad for idle and a
small engine...


bob,
If the 2GM is a 4-cycle engine, is the above correct if it only draws in
air every other revolution?

Shouldn't air flow to engine room be calculated to keep temperature down ?
As the combustion air temperature goes up, engine efficiency goes down - I
read somewhere that power loss could be 11% if temperature rises from 80F to
150F.

Perhaps having the exhaust fan run all the time the engine runs would be a
good idea?

GBM


Correct - that is why I divided by 2 in the equation. I doubt that the
engine room temperature would reach 150 F under normal conditions
(although the engine external surfaces certainly could). If it did get
this hot, improved ventilation is certainly in order!!

The amount of air we are discussing here is a little more than what
would fill a 2' x 2' x 2' cube. On the small boat we are discussing
here, I am guessing that the engine compartment is pretty small and
crowded, and that the 10 CFM flow, at engine idle, would completely
replace the air in the engine compartment every minute or two, or less.

bob


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Default How Hot should an alternator get?



The amount of air we are discussing here is a little more than what
would fill a 2' x 2' x 2' cube. On the small boat we are discussing
here, I am guessing that the engine compartment is pretty small and
crowded, and that the 10 CFM flow, at engine idle, would completely
replace the air in the engine compartment every minute or two, or less.


bob,
I have the same size engine (older model) - The engine compartment is
3'highx2.5'wide and is open aft to the cockpit lockers etc, so enclosed
space is quite large. Nevertheless, after a long run (without blower
running), the engine "room" IS quite hot - I must measure it, but it must be
20-40F above the cabin temperature. Most of this is likely due to radiation
from the block which is at 150-160F, the exhaust manifold and the
alternator.

Because the refrig unit is nearby, I plan on rewiring so my exhaust fan will
run whenever the engine is running (so I don't have to remember to turn it
on). I have already insulated the wall between the engine and the refrig
unit. Hopefully these two things will keep the engine from adding further to
the already high refrig heat load.

GBM



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