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400SS or 370SS owners, can your generator run while on plane???

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400SS or 370SS owners, can your generator run while on plane???

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Old 01-23-2016 | 07:07 AM
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Originally Posted by alindquist
I can run on plane with the gen running, never had a problem, although I have a 330...

Yes, your 330 Sun Sport has a smooth running surface and does not disturb the water inlet with foam or changing water dynamic like these stepped hulls in the FASTech and Super Sport. Fortunately in all of this my AC inlet is in the leading "delta," like your smooth area, of my stepped hull so the AC feed is fine.

Last edited by aquaforce; 01-23-2016 at 07:20 AM.
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Old 01-23-2016 | 07:41 AM
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I have a 2004 37ss and no problems running gen / ac on plane. Believe you need to keep @35 or less, which I run between 32 - 34 with everything on.
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Old 01-23-2016 | 07:48 AM
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Originally Posted by Nauti Hoff
I have a 2004 37ss and no problems running gen / ac on plane. Believe you need to keep @35 or less, which I run between 32 - 34 with everything on.


I don't think I can stay on plane at 32-34mph with triple engines. My slow easy cruise is about 37mph +. If you run up over 35mph with the gen on, does it shut off? Is your pickup behind both steps?
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Old 01-23-2016 | 09:44 AM
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It great to visit with those "committed to resolve"!
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Old 01-23-2016 | 10:26 AM
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Originally Posted by fossil fuel
It great to visit with those "committed to resolve"!

Well this is how I want to use the boat so that is my determination to make it that way. I will learn a lot in this process and the final outcome will help others with the same interest. It will be fun for me since it involves a boat. lol
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Old 01-23-2016 | 10:41 AM
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Originally Posted by aquaforce
I don't think I can stay on plane at 32-34mph with triple engines. My slow easy cruise is about 37mph +. If you run up over 35mph with the gen on, does it shut off? Is your pickup behind both steps?
i haven't tried going over 35, the pickup is behind both steps on the port side of the hull and has a notch in front to help water collection. Believe I read somewhere a few years ago, only speaking on my hull, that above 35 produces too many bubbles impacting water flow. Its far enough back I'm not worried about protruding out of the water at higher speeds. I would try Formula's TAG to get their perspective if you haven't already.
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Old 01-23-2016 | 12:23 PM
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Originally Posted by Nauti Hoff
i haven't tried going over 35, the pickup is behind both steps on the port side of the hull and has a notch in front to help water collection. Believe I read somewhere a few years ago, only speaking on my hull, that above 35 produces too many bubbles impacting water flow. Its far enough back I'm not worried about protruding out of the water at higher speeds. I would try Formula's TAG to get their perspective if you haven't already.


Ok, your pickup is located the same as all the others. This location seems to be the same for all stepped hulls across production as far as I can find.

Yes I have talked with TAG and they don't want to commit to anything. That is how liabilities go in this sue crazy world we live in. I will try to get them to throw me a bone with info about hull/flow dynamics for my transom mount if it comes to that.

Right now another suspicion to research is the step activity air locking the strainer. There is positive water pressure against the inlet from the column of water in the discharge hose so if the air bubbles can't overcome that then the pickup location will not work at 40mph +.

Last edited by aquaforce; 01-23-2016 at 12:29 PM.
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Old 01-26-2016 | 06:26 AM
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My 370 SS had no issues running gen at any speed. Have you call Formula. I find it hard that they would put a boat in the marketplace with those limitations. I have seen boats on a lift like mine go through impellers quicker do to dry start. I have seen on high perf boats an electric operated water shut off valve that takes 110 to keep open so if gen dies it closes water inlet valve. My suggestion call Formula they have always been helpful
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Old 01-26-2016 | 08:50 AM
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Aquaforce, Have you given and consideration to using an accumulator tank (something like a 3 gal fuel tank) with a pressure relief overboard dump.
Seems to me this would allow for bubbles to rise to top of tank and be discharged from top of tank overboard while maintaining a reserve of clean water to draw from bottom of accumulator.
No experience here just a thought that came to mind.
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Old 01-26-2016 | 09:06 AM
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IIRC, Michael Peters did the design on the larger Formula hulls didn't he?
If you can confirm, he may can give you some insight on the best place to put the water pickups on the transom.
http://www.mpyd.net/

Also, you may look to some of the folks that have gone to bigger power on the bigger SS Formulas. I know I've seen them with Whipples before. Where did they place their auxiliary water pickups if needed?

I think you will end up with a transom water pickup, and some type of water pressure bleed-off/pop-off device. There are a few vendors that sell setups like this.

I also remember seeing a post from someone here on the forums that has a HUGE single sea-strainer on a 38' go-fast boat, enough that he can run two engines off of it, via a transom pickup. Perhaps this would be the ticket for you as well, keeping a constant/reserve volume of water in a large strainer; ensuring the supply line to the genset taps off the very bottom.

Remember, your generator water pickup on the bottom of the boat is using the offset water pressure to keep the pump primed. What I'm getting at, is when your hull is at rest, that pickup is probably 18-40" below the water surface when the boat is at rest (pending where the pickup is along the hull). Once you open the valve, water is pressured up into the system because it's well below the water's surface. You are losing all of that when you are up on plane, and hoping to overcome with speed. Those little standard clamshell hull pickups are really only designed to make sure the boat picks up plenty of water when you are at anchor in a strong current.
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