Generator Stratagy

[READY2GO]

I will start off by saying I know this is not for everyone, but it seems to work well for us. We live aboard on a mooring and get most of our power from 480 watts of solar panels connected to 8 Trojan T-105 batteries. We use our generator mostly for heating water and AC in the summer. We use a Honda 2000i. We bought one 2 ½ years ago for $999.00 with free shipping and no sales tax. We put 1,270.7 hours on it and it still ran like new. I sold it yesterday for $500 and the guy was thrilled to get it. We just bought a new one for $999.00 plus tax (I bought local this time).

I only had one problem with the Honda while I had it. The low oil sensor died and would not let it run. I disconnected it and it has never missed a beat and always starts on the first pull. I check the oil regularly anyway so the disconnecting the sensor was no biggie to me. The new one comes with a 3 year warranty, so I guess I will be keeping this one for three years before replacing it.

Cost $ 999.00
Oil for changes 3 qts @ $8= $ 24.00
Total cost $ 1,023.00
Selling price $ 500.00
Total generator cost 2 ½ years including maintenance $523.00. Not too bad.

I know the first one would have lasted a long time yet but it was starting to look a little worn as it sits outside year round. We do keep it semi-covered but it still gets wet when it rains. I wanted to sell it while I could still get a good price. I put it on the cruiser's net and it sold within 20 minutes.

$523/2.5 years = $209.20 per year for the cost of the generator including maintenance. In my opinion hard to beat.

 

[CPseudonym]

That's pretty good. What was your approximate monthly gas cost?

 

[O C Diver]

Miss read your post.

Ted

 

[Crusty Chief]

You just can't beat that little generator! Smart plan.

 

[healhustler]

Yeah, that is pretty cheap power. Sure wish it was a diesel though. I wonder how long they really last. I don't know anyone who kept a Honda till it crapped.

 

[psneeld]

Bought my 1000 Honda in 1998. 2 liveaboards, only generator for the 1st boat, alternate and heavily used for 2nd.

Plus everything from many a Volunteer Fireman's Christmas parades, Boy Scout special events, power outages, remote tool operation, etc, etc.

Same original everything... maybe 1 new sparkplug. Starts withing 3 pulls, usually the 2nd.

If every piece of machinery was as reliable and effective...I would sell my tools....drink more beer and let some mechanic have a couple hours work every decade or so...

 

[READY2GO]

That's pretty good. What was your approximate monthly gas cost?

Our useage varies too much for a monthly amount. In the summer we use it at night for AC. We fill it up and turn on the AC at bed time and let it run till it runs out of gas about 4 am. The boat is cool enough till we get up and open it up for the day. That uses 1.1 gallons per night. Other than summer it does not get used as much. I looked at the log book. We used it 70 hours from 2/12/2015 to 6/29/2015 which is when we started our summer AC routine. You could figure about one gallon per 8 hours of run time.

 

[CPseudonym]

I wonder how long they really last. I don't know anyone who kept a Honda till it crapped.

Had a couple generators stolen and one fairly new pump driven over by an excavator but have never crapped one out yet. Including an old steel cased white and orange one my dad bought in the early 1980's. Oil and the occasional spark plug or pull cord is all any of them have ever needed.

A few of the newer key start inverters have had batteries die pretty quick but as they pull start we never replace the batteries.

 

[Pgitug]

You can get a kit that replaces the vented gas cap with one that connects an outboard gas tank to it so you don't run out of gas or have to fill it so often.

 

[READY2GO]

You can get a kit that replaces the vented gas cap with one that connects an outboard gas tank to it so you don't run out of gas or have to fill it so often.

We thought of doing that but like the idea of limited gas useage. The 8 hour run time is fine for us. If it was too cool in the morning it would be hard to open up the boat.

I think if I could get my wife to sleep in the V berth we could do without the AC since we only use it to get to sleep. She likes the bigger bed of the aft cabin. I guess the year and a half of living on a 25' sailboat turned her off to V berths and since where she goes I go we sleep in the aft cabin and run the AC.

 

[Temptation]

We just bought a new Honda 2000 ($999). It's predecessor lasted 10 years and did not crap out but fell overboard (don't ask). At about year 7 it was running rough and I replaced the carburetor ($140) and it ran like new again. We consider a Honda the most reliable piece of gear on our boat. In the 10 years we owned it, we cruised about 20,000 miles on several different boats. The Honda could run a Heart 100 amp charger, a 7000 btu AC unit and all of the galley appliances. As long as you kept the load under 1600 watts, it ran like a champ.

 

[Heron]

We just bought a new Honda 2000 ($999).

Thank you all! Your purchases help fund my Honda Pension (21+ years with the M/C division), and hence fund my Boat...

 

[n36511]

Thank you all! Your purchases help fund my Honda Pension (21+ years with the M/C division), and hence fund my Boat...

Glad to fund it! Love my 2000 and use it to augment my 7.3 at night. Enough juice to run the aft air and keep us cool until 3-4AM. Hard to beat on 1 gallon of gas.

 

[Pgitug]

Everybody talks about a 2000 watt Honda for $999.00.
What about a 2000 Watt Generac for about Half the Money? $549.00.
Gotta Love Costco

 

[kchace]

I came very close to buying one of these this past year, but upon doing some research I found far too many negative comments about it. Here is one example and there were others. I think with the Honda you pay more but at least get a very high quality generator.

http://www.amazon.com/Generac-5793-Generator-Discontinued-Manufacturer/product-reviews/B002NKMG66

Ken

 

[FF]

Generac = garbage