2.5 KW Diesel gen too small?

Have same boat with a 4kw

Hi, I have a similar IG and have installed a 4kw Kohler with a 2cylinder Yanmar engine. I added the access hatch shown and have soundproofed it.

The unit is quiet, runs at 1800. Handles at 16k btu ac, easily!

Best of all bought it used for under a grand.

JohnP

" I'd assume that is while you are inside the boat trying to read, watch tv, or sleep. Non of which you can do with a diesel genset in that size boat IMO unless you have some stellar engine room sound deadening. "

What rpm does the nextgen run at. I have a 4kw kohler which runs at 1800. It has no box but is pretty quiet and smooth. Can do all the things you describe right in the salon above.

I have done an upgrade to the soundproofing on the bottom of the salon sole and hatches.

JohnP

The NextGen 3.5kw runs at 2,800 rpm. It is a belt driven system. Someone may have a sound enclosure and offer up better review or its operation.

My Mainship does have sound deadening material in the salon but probably could use a lot more along with sealing up certain spots.

My thought process is unless you need to run A/C or large electric appliances (like hot water or stove), I'd rather just spend the money on alternative means of electricity creation. I only like running the genset when I decide to dinghy to shore for a shower and laundry.

Skinny said:

The NextGen 3.5kw runs at 2,800 rpm. It is a belt driven system. Someone may have a sound enclosure and offer up better review or its operation.

My Mainship does have sound deadening material in the salon but probably could use a lot more along with sealing up certain spots.

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Your genset is installed in the saloon somewhere? Ours on the '87 Mk III was in the lazarette....

FWIW, I've seen some soft sound "boxes" -- look like a fitted insulated blanket. Dunno more about 'em, but might be worth a look...

-Chris

PO installed it at the rear of the engine room, probably more work than it's worth to move to the lazarette position. Plus I really like that spot for storing my gear. I think Mainship puts all generators in the engine room from the ones I've seen on yachtworld.

Skinny said:

PO installed it at the rear of the engine room, probably more work than it's worth to move to the lazarette position. Plus I really like that spot for storing my gear. I think Mainship puts all generators in the engine room from the ones I've seen on yachtworld.

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I don't know if ours was an original or aftermarket installation...

I think I remember it was sort of (mostly) underneath part of the cockpit deck; I think the aft part. There was lots of space left in the lazaratte for the inflatable dink, outboard, etc.

-Chris

Skinny said:

The NextGen 3.5kw runs at 2,800 rpm. It is a belt driven system. Someone may have a sound enclosure and offer up better review or its operation.

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I have the NextGen 3.5 generator installed in a sound enclosure on my Mainship Pilot 34. I use it for cooking, hot water heating, the coffee maker in the morning, and a bit of battery charging, but not for running the A/C all night long. It could do it but I don't.

You definitely could sleep in the forward berth with it running in its sound enclosure to the aft of the engine room. But I doubt if the guy anchored behind us could. It emits an annoying putt, putt from the exhaust which is audible behind the boat but not so much inside it. That is the nature of one cylinder engines.

This genset is small, compact, relatively cheap and is fairly well built. It is as small a genset as I would want to have in any size boat.

David