The diesel gen sets are so trouble free, it's hard to quantify the cost verses value. A $10,000 initial purchase over 35 years is less than a Starbucks coffee many people have every day. Plus, as mentioned, on the right boat, it increases the boats value at resale.
I only have two memorable repairs to mine in that time. $300 for a heat exchanger and $250 to replace the raw water pump. That's it?? I eliminated the primary fuel filtering in the generator case long ago and run it off the starboard main engine primary filter. An oil change is 3 quarts of oil and one $6.00 filter once a year.
Unless you're running AC or electric heat, the load averages less than 50% (water heater, battery charger, refer, stove, lights) below 10 - 12 amps. (That's what the Port said my max load was on the dock.) So you're probably correct on the fuel usage. I would expect it to be closer to 1/2 gal per hour.
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Larry B
Careful . . .I Have a Generator and I'm not afraid to use it !
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