Moving generator in a 320

goalie59

I am new to this forum. Boat in the Canadian Great Lakes and have been following and enjoying this forum. Sounds like a great bunch of Rinker owners. I have a 2005 320 that has a list to the starboard side. This list is not as aggressive if my waste tank is empty and my water tank is full (starboard for waste, port for fresh water). My generator is located in the middle of the boat ahead of the engines. I was wondering if I could move the generator to the port side to try to offset this list . It looks like fuel and electrical lines have lots of room to do this and I can move the batteries easy enough. The only problem that I see is that I would have to lengthen the gen exhaust discharge hose and was wondering if extending this hose to run from port all the way to the starboard side might effect the discharge. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated. Thanks

zaverin1

It would effect the efficiency of the exhaust output but if done right would have little overall effect.
best way to level your boat is to Move batteries to the high side.
i did that on my sea ray. That boat had everything on the star side which caused a good list which I solved by putting 2 batteries from Star to port.

LaRea

Welcome to the forum! 

I suggest temporarily moving the batteries from stbd to port so you can see if that's enough to level the boat.  If it works, then do a permanent move.  

It would be a good opportunity to clean up your battery wiring too.  Most boats after 12 years have accumulated at least some accessories that are direct-wired to the batteries without proper fuse blocks.  

raybo3

Welcome to the RBOC

Liberty44140

Do not move your generator. You are lucky that it is positioned where it is. If you had a problem it can be very easily removed to work on. Most rinkers generator is located on the side where you need to remove an engine to get he generator out. Your better off moving batteries or looking at adding lead to one side.

Dream_Inn

I agree with Liberty.  That genny is so much easier to work on where it is.  I used to own a 2002 310, same boat as yours basically, but genny was on port side. Made it really tough to change out impeller.(but may be telling you more about weight distribution and that hull originally had it on the port side)  I'd consider what LaRea mentioned about changing batteries around and or adding another battery.

goalie59

Thank you very much for the welcome and all the great responses. If I could just add a few things. My two house batteries are already on the port side. So by moving the two starting batteries from starboard to port would be minimal. Also I have large Merc 350,s and there is minimal room between the genny and engines so the engines would have to come out to remove the genny. At least one would.Unless I am missing something , by sliding the genny all the way to port I would only be minimizing access to the front of it. The impeller is at the rear. Maybe I would be making more work for myself than needed but I thought that this could eliminate my list. Thanks again for any input .

LaRea

Still, I'd try disconnecting the starter batteries and setting them on the other side to see how much it helps.  It's 15 minutes of work and you'd have an answer.

If you relocate the generator, it's 200 pounds moving 4 feet.  If you relocate the batteries, it's 80 pounds moving 10 feet.  Should have the same effect.  

goalie59

Great point LaRea. Thank you vey much

Dream_Inn

Also take note, if you are moving 80 lbs off one side and putting on the other side, it's really like putting twice the weight (160lbs). So it will have quite a bit of an effect.  & since it is moving from the outside all the way to the other outer part, there is a lot more leverage. 

Liberty44140

If the batteries don’t do it, a lot of sailboats that race add lead to solve weight issues. Builders build to be light but boats have to weigh in to major events so boats that are always light add lead. Needs to be very secure so that it can’t move around and break something 

Handymans342

Can you actually buy that much lead??

Liberty44140

Yes, I don’t know where they buy it but they do buy bricks of lead 

raybo3

IMO there is a reason the genny is where it is. I would move the batteries. Also I would assume that you have 2 fuel tanks. Are you sure both tanks have the same amount of fuel in them? 

zaverin1

Upgrade to bigger battery group and make the move 

Dream_Inn

Raybo makes a good point.  If you have the center valve open it can be pulling more from one tank.

Cableguy Greg

Handymans342 said:

Can you actually buy that much lead??

Yes. Here is a place...

http://www.nuclead.com/leadballast.html

Glassguy54

I just took about 400 lbs of lead to the local metal recycler. I restore/relead stained glass windows and had a $hit load accumulated

goalie59

Tanks are pulling even the list is there weather they are full or empty. I think when my batteries die I will add two more large batteries to the port side and be done with it . The only lead I think I will put on the boat is in the tanks. That is un leaded. Ha ha. Thanks 

Handymans342

Glassguy54 said:

I just took about 400 lbs of lead to the local metal recycler. I restore/relead stained glass windows and had a $hit load accumulated

Should have saved it to fix your list

randy56

goalie, preposition your beer

goalie59

Lol. Great advice. But if I am sitting on the port side who drives the boat? 

randy56

LOL a case of beer is about 18 lbs, 5 case's is 90 lbs. you can tell your wife than you must store more beer on the boat. To offset the list. 

dropout

I have also noticed the starboard list on my Rinker, and just figured it out this season on why. I have two separate gas tanks, port/starboard the port burns more fuel so I just balance the tanks when I fuel up, problem solved!