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Post Info TOPIC: Water heater / calorifier and engine cooling


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Water heater / calorifier and engine cooling


We have a Beta 60, new last year, which now has 320 hours on it.

When running flat out, at full rpm, engine temperature is just under 90 deg, but the alarm does not sound.  We are in Norway with sea water temperature around 3 degrees, which make me worry about what will happen in warm water.

The water flow from the exhaust is well above Beta specs.

We connected our water heater using the connection points installed in the factory, and it works OK

Does all the circulation cooling water pass through the calorifier, or only some of it?

I read somewhere that it is necessary to limit flow to the calorifier to optimise cooling.  Is that true, and if so, how to determine what limit to apply. 

How to do it?  Have a partly closed valve in the calorifier circuit?



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Hello Neil,

The coolant thermostat on the engine begins to open at 71°C / 160°F. The thermostat fully opens at 85°C / 185°F

90° C / 194° F is on the high end of operation temperature. The overheat alarm should not sound until approximately 99°C /210° F.

It is important that you do not use more than 50/50 mix ratio of coolant in the engine or engine overheat wil result.

The factory installed water heater fittings do limit flow and only allow a small portion of the engine coolant to pass through the calorifier.

Question: What is your maximum RPM at wide open throttle?

ALSO:

You have posted other questions in this forum regarding a header tank installation on your engine.

Improper header tank installation may be at the root of your higher engine operating temperature.

Your questions regarding the header tank installation will be answered on that posting.







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Best regards,

Farron

Technical Sales and Service for Beta Marine, US Ltd. Minnesott Beach, NC   PH: 252-249-2473  farron@betamarineusa.com



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Thank you for your rapid reply
Max rpm is 2650.
We started with a 23 degree pitch 3 blade Max prop which limited revs to 2300, and set off the alarm in about ten minutes.. We set that back to 20 degrees, getting 2650 rpm. I will probably drop back to 19 degrees pitch angle next haulout, or when we are in warmer water and can make the change by diving. Water is 3 deg C here.

We have 50/50 antifreeze/ water in the system


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Senior Member

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Date:

Hello Neil,

I think you are on the right track with decreasing pitch to bring the engine RPM up.

As you experienced at the 23° pitch setting, over propping will definitely cause an engine to run hot.

Confirm your tachometer reading with a photo tach reading of the crankshaft RPM.


__________________

Best regards,

Farron

Technical Sales and Service for Beta Marine, US Ltd. Minnesott Beach, NC   PH: 252-249-2473  farron@betamarineusa.com



Veteran Member

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Posts: 52
Date:

Sorry for slow reply.
Engine now runs at 70 degrees all the time, even after several hours at 2200 rpm. We do not normally run above that, although the with the current prop pitch we can get to max revs.
BTW the exhaust temperature is only about 30 deg C when in 15 degree water. It seems to be consistently about 15 deg C above the local seawater temperature. Suggests to me that we have plenty water flowing (we are about 25% above Beta recommended minimum

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