Our Fischer Panda 6.5 hp generator is an essential piece of equipment, which runs our water maker and our dive compressor. While preparing to cross the Indian Ocean, I reviewed the problems that we've had with our generator over the past five years and checked that I was carrying sufficient spare parts to be able to keep the generator running. If the generator fails in the remote Chagos atoll, then we'll not be able to make water and, with a nine day, 1,000 mile passage to the Seychelles, we'd have to start rationing water and probably leave immediately.
I'm not too worried about hoses or exhaust problems because they can be sorted out using epoxy, hose clips, rubber gasket material and self amalgamating tape of which I have plenty. It's the "clever" parts that concern me, which are difficult to work around.
Top of the list is a spare Fuel Pump, I guess I could bypass the pump and use another pump, but I already have an old pump, which leaks a little diesel, but would be fine to get us out of trouble for a couple of months.
The next essential spare is the Fuel Solenoid Valve. This allows fuel into the Injector Pump and is the main way of stopping the generator. It is a electro-mechanical device, custom made for the generator and would be extremely difficult to bodge. I carry a brand-new spare.
The sea water pump is another critical component, so I carry a spare pump, impellers, bearings, seals, and SpeedSeal o-rings.
We've had endless problems with Relays - mostly caused by them vibrating loose and giving intermittent problems, so I carry three spare relays.
I carry two spare injectors, but only because I replaced them five years ago and had the old ones serviced.
The Exhaust Elbow has failed three times in 15 years, so I carry a spare (repaired) elbow. This is not so critical as the small holes that normally form can be repaired with Epoxy.
The remaining spares are the normal filters, fan belts and oil.
The Earth Isolation Relay has failed in the past and I had to fit a new one, but I know that I can bypass the relay with jumper leads, which will get me out of trouble, so I haven't bothered to get a spare.
Here's my spares list. As I've travelled around the world, searching small hardware stores in remote places, I've gathered a list of alternative part numbers for filters.
Spare Part |
Description |
Quantity |
Alternator Belt (9.5 * 890) |
NAPA 25 - 7345 (10 * 891mm) (Fits but is a little bit too wide) |
2 |
Diodes for Earth Isolation Relay |
1N4007 |
3 |
Electric Fuel Pump |
Hardi 14412 12V |
1 |
Engine Oil (litres) |
Super High Performance Diesel Engine Oil (SHPD) 15W-40 |
2.5 litres |
Exhaust Manifold (Exhaust Outlet Injection P8) |
Used / Repaired |
1 |
Filter - Oil |
KUB 15841-3243-0 (Kubota) |
3 |
Filter - Primary Fuel |
Perkins 26561117 |
3 |
Filter - Secondary Fuel |
WIX 33023 |
3 |
Fuel Solenoid Valve |
Part No: FP34.08.06.007 |
1 |
Injectors |
Serviced Aug 2012 |
2 |
Relay 12V 40A (4 pin) |
(Original) Hella 4RA 003 510-111 |
3 |
Sea Water Pump - Spare |
Johnson F4B-9 (10-35127-3 1039) |
1 |
Sea Water Pump Impellor |
JOH09-810B |
2 |
Sea Water Pump Service - Bearings |
2 bearings in the pump |
2 |
Sea Water Pump Service - Lip Seal |
2 lip seals in the pump |
2 |
Speedseal Knurled Nuts |
|
4 |
Speedseal O-ring |
|
2 |
Neville Howarth. Dec 2016.