What do you use for Generating AC/DC

CaptTom said:

I share the concern about running an oversize diesel genset.

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Our boat was fitted with an Onan MDJE 7.5 kw generator when it was new (I assume). If so, it's been in the boat for 40 years. The electrical demand of the boat is not much: the hot water heater, the battery charger, and whatever we happen to plug into an AC outlet. So occasionally a microwave, charging connections for computers, phones, a drill, etc.

So there is no way the generator sees anything like a full load, although I've never actually calculated it. But we, and I suspect most or all of the previous owners, only use the generator for short periods when we're out. Maybe an hour or so on the days we don't go anywhere on the main engines. So despite being under-loaded this has not so far affected the operation the generator. Starts right away with pre-heat, runs smoothly, doesn't use any oil to speak of.

However this may not be the situation if the generator was run for long periods with the same low load on it..

I've been running a 1500 watt inverter for the last 13 years. It's done everything I need. You may want to look into an inverter if you don't want or need a generator.

Greetings,

Does the girl come with it to do the pedaling, RT?

Greetings,
Mr. Marin. I fear if I answer that question I may be straying into OTDE territory...
Mr, Tom. "I would be careful pushing any generator right up to it's rated output."
[FONT=arial,sans-serif]Hey, no problem, get two of those EU300 units and you can parallel them to get up to 50A or 6kW. [/FONT]

There's NO problem pushing the Honda Inverter Gensets to their rated output...like Energizer bunnies...they just keep going and going and going.

Mine is 15 years old now and mistreated beyond belief...can't tell you how many times it's had to be restarted from going over rated capacity and ZERO problems.

I use it a lot when I can't load up my 8KW Genset... so my standard op is run the big Genset at dinner when cooking electric and hot water are both needed for about 2 hours...also charges batts... then around 2000, I run the Honda 1000 to charge the batt banks to the max, run the entertainment center, charge up the computers etc..etc till we hit the hay around 2200. Then run the Honda again in the AM if no big breakfast is planned...I run it for the coffee maker and start the battery bank charge until we get underway and the alternator does the rest. (overnght it's the forced air heat that drags the batteries down around 20-30 percent with the other loads).

Tom.B said:

Please pardon my use of irony for a humorous result. I mean nothing by it... BUT...

Perhaps the use of synthetic oil would have extended the life of your genset.

*cue the band*

(Thank you ladies and gentlemen. I'll be here all week. Please don't forget to tip your waitresses and bartenders... and you should try the veal. I hear it's fabulous!)

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Sorry to rain on your parade, that engine never had synthetic in it. It only had dino oil and had 179 hours on the hour meter. I think there were multiple reasons they discontinued it.

RT Firefly said:

[FONT=arial,sans-serif]Hey, no problem, get two of those EU300 units and you can parallel them to get up to 50A or 6kW. [/FONT]

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RT, I think you meant EU3000 units.

How much is the girl with the bike? Now you're talking!!

My friend with the Northern Lights simply carboned up the engine because he never had enough load. The guy I knew was fired from the Westerbeke dealership and moved away and I don't know a single boat with one so I was asking for feedback.

Thanks for feedback on Phasor Marine generators. They might be a good choice for the money.

I also love the humor.

Capthead said:

Sorry to rain on your parade, that engine never had synthetic in it. It only had dino oil and had 179 hours on the hour meter. I think there were multiple reasons they discontinued it.

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DRATT!! Foiled again

Here is our genset. 3,5K Next Generation made from a single cylinder Kobota motor that was sourced from roadside sign motors (before they went solar) that are nearly bullet-proof. The guys at the factory are great guys too. Had a few lengthy conversations with them and they are always very helpful and patient.

NEXT-GEN - Marine Power Units

You are correct Mr. II. EU 3000. Thank you. Mr. Ch. What humor?

I like that 3000i Handi. Nice specs and a 30A outlet like the eu2000i Companion model. The lower weight comes at the loss of the electric start on the older 3000 model. The $23-2500 price tag is steep compared to the 2000, but chicken feed compared to a built-in marinized unit.

I use my eu2000i for battery recharging (low RPM) after a day or two on the hook and hot water (high RPM) or for occasional morning assistance to the house bank/inverter for morning coffee and microwave use after a long night of battery drain. I also find the high RPM noisy, but forget it's on sometimes when just recharging the house bank.

Since I already carry gas cans for the dink, I don't mind an extra one for the genny.

I learned something new last weekend when operating my Honda. I have 150 hrs on the genny that I track with a small hourmeter. I changed the oil last fall and just fired it up for this season, but it kept quitting b/c of low oil. I thought it was not level, but checked the oil by pulling the dipstick, wiping it off, reinserting and screwing it down, then pulling it again and reading the level. It showed slightly above middle of the hatched area, so I thought it was fine. After repeated shutdowns, I read the book and it said to check the oil WITHOUT screwing the dipstick into the threads and fill it to the upper limit of the oil filer neck. I've been doing it wrong all this time. When in doubt, RTFM!!

Real men DON'T RTFM!!

Tom, I had looked at Next-Gen before. I just couldn't get any feedback on them.

Thanks

Kilo Pack is another.

FlyWright said:

I use my eu2000i for battery recharging (low RPM) after a day or two on the hook and hot water (high RPM) or for occasional morning assistance to the house bank/inverter for morning coffee and microwave use after a long night of battery drain.

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That's really the Crux of the matter isn't it. Management of the electrical system saves the cost of a much more expensive generator. I think it's really hard to beat the Honda 2000EU when a little management of your 110V electricity requirements are employed. I also like its 46 lb weight that fits in my lazarette like a dream.

Capthead said:

Tom, I had looked at Next-Gen before. I just couldn't get any feedback on them.

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Capt Chuck has one now too:

The Trawler Beach House: Do-It-Yourself Generator Install

Tom, Thanks for that link. That is a very clean install and I already have a generator space ready for it.

Hey Walt, I'm doing about the same thing but I have a noisy 3500W generator on the FB and it's noisy. Did I say noisy?

I think if you can fit them then solar is the way to go. Free power after purchase, no maintenance, silent.

My second choice is buy a used one. Someone out there with more money then sence is pulling a great genny today to put in a bigger one. I had a used Kohler 3.5KW in my last boat ($1800) and it worked/works flawlessly. With one terrorist action fuel could double overnite, at least with solar it's a one and done proposition. Make sure you have a nice big or preferrably two alts and your fine for the really cloudy days. Also add to your house bank as 6V carts at $75 are really cheap insurance for extended non charge periods. You crunch the numbers.

I've been crunching numbers and solar was on top of my list. I get sun 340 days a year if not more. I have six 6 Volt Trojan batteries and if I removed the old broken generator I could add six more. My starboard engine is connected to the water heater and I have a double front pulley on the port engine. I could swap that pulley and add a second alternator and kill two birds with one stone.

I have room for it.

The solar panels are getting more efficient too. Do I need a big resistor to dump power to when the batteries are full? I see the home solar systems have that but talking to all my boater friends, I get the look and a duh when I ask them that question.

Capthead said:

I've been crunching numbers and solar was on top of my list. I get sun 340 days a year if not more. I have six 6 Volt Trojan batteries and if I removed the old broken generator I could add six more. My starboard engine is connected to the water heater and I have a double front pulley on the port engine. I could swap that pulley and add a second alternator and kill two birds with one stone.

I have room for it.

The solar panels are getting more efficient too. Do I need a big resistor to dump power to when the batteries are full? I see the home solar systems have that but talking to all my boater friends, I get the look and a duh when I ask them that question.

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I pulled out one of my two generators and put in 10-6Vs in it's place. I sold the used genny for far more then the bats/alts. In fact I have enough left from the sale to pay for the solar as well. Put two 108AMP Delco alts on the front of one of my Lehmans. If we are moving about much at all I never need to run the genny. My next phase will be to add solar and maybe a few more bats. I would never need the genny if I didn't have the 220V cook top. I often run the HW heater in elec mode as a power dump if I'm worried about too much power, but that probably isn't necessary.

Using the hot water heater as a power dump is a great idea, thanks. How would you wire that up? If the inverter was wired to it also.

Capthead said:

Using the hot water heater as a power dump is a great idea, thanks. How would you wire that up? If the inverter was wired to it also.

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Yes my inverter feeds the entire panel so I can run anything I choose including the cook top albeit in 110V mode.

Gulf Comanche said:

I have been looking at the Honda 2000 on ebay. It has 2 120v, 13.3 amp outlets. My shorepower is 30 amp; will this work? I assume it will as long as use is 13.6 amps or below. But, my charger is 20 amp (2 banks @ 10 amps each).

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I've run the EU2000 through a pigtail to my shorepower cable off one of the two outlets. It will run my 40A battery charger, all my lighting and minor loads, plus at least one of the water heater, 2-burner stove or A/C.

I think the 20A battery charger means 20A on the 12V side. 12x20=240W.

Changing subject, I agree with some other posts that a good battery/inverter setup, adequately sized and with appropriate charging capability, can be much better than a genset in many applications. An electric stove (without an alternative) may push you over the edge. Refrigeration becomes the next big draw. And for me, the desire to run the A/C probably more than absolutely necessary is the clincher.

Just remember if your hot water heater warms from your engines and you have run in the last 12 hours or so...the hot water heater might not be much of an AC dump unless you are using it.

That is a great point. Also, if it's a hot and sunny day and your hot water heater has shut off, what happens to the electricity the solar panels are trying to dump?

Maybe a resister with a fan that cools it or something like that. I'm a complete novice here but I do understand electricity and the need for a dump on a solar system.

Daddyo said:

I think if you can fit them then solar is the way to go. Free power after purchase, no maintenance, silent.

My second choice is buy a used one. Someone out there with more money then sence is pulling a great genny today to put in a bigger one. I had a used Kohler 3.5KW in my last boat ($1800) and it worked/works flawlessly. With one terrorist action fuel could double overnite, at least with solar it's a one and done proposition.

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That might be me as I would like to have a bigger gen set engine, not necessarily more KW, for the hydraulic pump. Our main gen set is a 10KW Kohler, engine is a Perkins 4.35, with 2300 hours. Its OK but in high winds it would be nice to have more umff/thrust. This morning logging in the ad for a portable diesel gen set came up. It’s the one I been looking at as its enclosed so it could be mounted out side on the salon or pilot house roof as many commercial have done.

Solar panels is depended on the area and how much sun. In the PNW not many solar panels. Wind gen are popular on sail boats, but I don’t remember seeing solar or wind on a power boat. Most pleasure boats don’t want to ugly up their boat! Sine the Eagle is already ugly a little more does not hurt.

CaptTom said:

Changing subject, I agree with some other posts that a good battery/inverter setup, adequately sized and with appropriate charging capability, can be much better than a genset in many applications.

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I've believed that for quite a few years but then I live where I have no need for A/C & heat. I also have a propane stove, so with my refrigerator being 110V (small) as is my ice maker, the only 110V requirements left are the batt charger (turned off when I'm away from shore power) two lamps (40 watt bulbs) 4 X 110v receptacles. (1 in the head, 1 in the state room and 2 in the galley. After cruising for at least an hour, the hot water is really hot and lasts 24 hours at anchor. (Hot shower in the AM, no genny or inverter needed.)

Having a 3000 watt inverter, and 3-8D AGMs for the house, my only requirement for a genny is to charge the batts. Since we never go off shore power for over 3 days,but if we ever do, enter the Honda EU2000 for charging the batts. And with just a hot water heater needed after 24 hours, the EU 2000 will handle that.

A long time ago, I was cruising in the Sea of Cortez and was anchored at Juanita Cove. I met a guy, his wife and their Golden Lab. (Bear) They were running a 38' Down East style boat and were on a 1 month extended tour of the Gulf of California. I marveled at the beauty of their boat and they finally offered to give my brother and I a tour. Although the boat was impressive on the interior, the thing that stood out the most was that it was totally a 12V boat! There was not one 110V requirement on the boat and no genny to charge the batts. They had solar collectors on the roof and a cruise generator to keep the batts topped off.

Now, I know that in many climates, this system will not work as people do require a/c and heat at times. The point (after this long winded post) is that you don't have to set your boat up with similar power systems that your home has. After all, we go boating for a little release from the day to day and maybe for some "soft adventure."

Yes Walt you say it correctly:
you can build wonderful install with 12 Volt,WITHOUT AC;
AC in our climate zone is fundamental.
__________________
Norbert

I agree with you, Walt. I have no air conditioning, but use a Big Buddy Propane heater on a 12 ft hose for winter trips. It works fine into the high 30s. I also have small 600-700W ceramic heaters which can run off the inverter while underway or the Honda at anchor, if needed to supplement the propane. I never needed to run both at the same time, but sometimes just run the ceramics to take the chill off in the morning if the propane is not set up.

Propane oven/stove is great and water heating from the stbd engine saves the need for an installed genset. I wish I could also use the propane to heat the water.

SeaHorse, how many amps is your charger? The eu2000i is limited to 1600W continuous. That will power a 130A 12V charger, albeit at a high (noisy) RPM. Even 1200W ops can be noisy. My 30A charger is inadequately sized for my 660AH house bank, but will recharge the batts quietly. If I need a large bulk charge, that's where the 120A Balmar will come into play.