Onan generator fuel consumption

[bmac]

My 9kW Onan diesel generator has a full load fuel flow rating of 1 gph. Over the past month and 30 hours of operation as best I can figure the generator is consuming 2.5 gph. Is this even possible? If so what could cause such a high rate. I don't have raw fuel coming out the exhaust or black smoke :huh:

 

[First_Mate]

Hard to believe. How are you calculating the burn?

 

[bmac]

Hard to believe. How are you calculating the burn?

Much of the run time is while we're on the hook with only the genny running. I'm calculating it based on tank readings off the smartcraft, though I'm starting to question the reliability of that indication for these purposes. It does seem repeatable but very improbable. I spoke to my Cummins tech and he said without smoke or raw fuel in the exhaust consumption like this isn't possible. :huh:

 

[katricol]

I think it's the smartcraft. If you have no smoke/smell, no way it could burn that much. Mine burns less than stated in the manuel.

 

[First_Mate]

Ran my Cummins/Onan 9EQD for 100 straight hours this past weekend. Load was my two A/C's, cooktop (about an hour per day), Water heater, TV's, kids iPod chargers, PLUS another gas boat's battery charger and 16,000 BTU Air Conditioner (had them plugged into my cockpit outlet so they didn't have to run their genny)

According to SmartCraft I was burning a little less than 8 gallons per day. Or 1.3 qts per hour.

 

[Pietro]

Question: Does the Smartcraf actually measure fuel consumption of the genny or the gph were calculated from reading the different fuel level in the tank? If so it cannot be so precise...
I’m thinking of installing a FloScan for the gen also...

 

[First_Mate]

I got it over four days checking the fuel remaining in the tank (via SmartCraft) at the same time daily. Definitely not sure how accurate that is, but it's a start.