Situation: You have a pitch black, cold ship. You might have this situation after dry dock or getting the ship back after it has been stored for a long period of time. You need to get electricity in the plant before putting the boiler on diesel oil. Once you have electricity in the ship, you can begin firing off your boiler and eventually applying steam to the main engines for propulsion.

1.              Start the Emergency Diesel Generator

                                                        i.      On all ships, diesel and steam, you have an emergency diesel generator (EDG). The EDG is easily started off of diesel oil and does not need any pumps or compressors switched on before activation.

                                                   ii.      Diesel oil, because of its low viscosity, does not need to be heated before use, unlike heavy fuel oil. You must simply line up the correct valves and switch ‘on.’

                                              iii.      The EDG needs to have generated 440 volts, and 60 hertz, before it is tripped onto the emergency switchboard.

Situation: Now that you have power to the emergency switchboard, you can close the breakers for the specific components you will need to activate your Ship Service Diesel Generator. Basically, what this means once you have tripped the breaker for example, your salt water service pump there is now electricity going to that pump and you can switch it on. The reason you switch generators is because your EDG should only be used for short amounts of time, in case you actually do need it for a casualty. If there was a casualty and you lost the entire ship the EDG is required to switch on within five minutes.

1.              Close breakers for:

                                                        i.      Salt water service pump

                                                   ii.      Control air compressor

                                              iii.      SSDG pre-lube pump

                                                   iv.      Emergency lighting

                                                        v.      Fire pump

2.  Machinery check

                                                        i.      Check all machinery for possible problems

                                                   ii.      Check level of diesel oil

3.              Line up all appropriate valves:

a.              Saltwater valves

                                                                          i.            Sea chest valve

                                                                     ii.            Inlet and outlet pump discharge

                                                                iii.            Inlet and outlet for SSDG

                                                                     iv.            Overboard

b.              Control air valves

                                                                          i.            Inlet of receiver

                                                                     ii.            Inlet and outlet for SSDG

                                                                iii.            Drain

c.              Pre-lube oil

                                                                          i.            Inlet and outlet of the SSDG

d.              Jacket water

                                                                          i.            Open inlet and discharge

                                                                     ii.            Make sure jacket water tank is at least 50%; if not, open inlet valve and allow the tank to fill.

4. Appropriate activation of SSDG

                                                        i.      Turn on the compressor and allow any moisture that has accumulated to drain out for at least two minutes. After the moisture is drained out of the receiver you must open the air receiver outlet valve and all valves that line up to the SSDG. Then close the drain.

                                                   ii.      Now roll the generator over by applying air.

                                              iii.      Now start your pre-lube pump, and salt water services pump.

                                                   iv.      Start the generator. Once the generator is adjusted to 440 volts and 60 hertz, tie in to the main switchboards. But once you do tie in to the main switch boards, the breaker for the EDG will trip and the load will be taken off of it. So you will need to monitor your pumps and compressors.

5. Machinery checks again

                                                        i.      Check for excessive noise or vibrations

                                                   ii.      Check for leaks

                                              iii.      Check adequate cooling of jacket water and lube oil.

Disclaimer: This process because of its general application could be used also on the TSGB,  but with some alterations. Every ship is different and this process is subject to changes.