35 CHB Generator

I'm looking at a 35 CHB but feel that I may have to install a generator so that I can get rid of the LP stove.
Could anyone tell me how much of a project it would be to install a 5 to 7 KW generator.
Is the engine alternator with an inverter enough to run things of electrical nature.
Thanks
Peter

Hi Sunvale,

Well, have got to ask why you want to replace the LPG stove?* A well designed/installed LPG system*should not concern you regarding safety.

Having replaced the AC stove on WESTERLY with an LPG system and stove, I am in the school of thought that this is a better system.* It is certainly easier on the cooking side, and easier on our neighbors at the anchorage (less noise) around meal times.

The expense of putting in a 5KW generator/AC stove with all the electrical trimmings could run $8000-10000.** If you have other new AC needs (AC), then it may make more sense.

Having an engine alternator/inverter combo to power an AC stove can be challenging to install, can be expensive as well, and you*may need*to increase the size of your battery bank.** Everything needs to be balanced.

Hiya,
** I'm also curious about ditching the LPG stove.* First thing on the to do list on the boat I'm in charge of was REPLACE 110V STOVE/OVEN.

I'd echo all those comments, and we have nusssing which requires AC on board by choice - the wiring is all there but disconnected. The relevance?...just that we have exactly the vessel you are looking at. Which varies between 34 and 36 feet in description. We have come at our power needs by a different route, ie alternator, solar and wind gen.
Oh Yea....the pic upload is working again.* Well done guys.

I chose an LPG stove over electric: wanted to reduce my electrical dependence and avoid the large ($9000) expense of a genset.**I also*prefer cooking with gas.* Further, the LPG tank makes good use of the Coot's*phony stack.

Jay N wrote:

Hi Sunvale,

Well, have got to ask why you want to replace the LPG stove?* A well designed/installed LPG system*should not concern you regarding safety.

Having replaced the AC stove on WESTERLY with an LPG system and stove, I am in the school of thought that this is a better system.* It is certainly easier on the cooking side, and easier on our neighbors at the anchorage (less noise) around meal times.

The expense of putting in a 5KW generator/AC stove with all the electrical trimmings could run $8000-10000.** If you have other new AC needs (AC), then it may make more sense.

Having an engine alternator/inverter combo to power an AC stove can be challenging to install, can be expensive as well, and you*may need*to increase the size of your battery bank.** Everything needs to be balanced.

Click to expand...

I have to agree with Jay. LPG is the only way to go. Gas is perfectly safe if you follow the quidelines for installation and maintenance, and if your'e really concerned, install a sniffer. Gas is much more variable for cooking, and a couple tanks of gas in a ventilated, regulated box on deck will last half the summer.*

And, not having the initial expense and maintenance and noise of a generator is wonderful.

*

Keep the gas stove , dump the electric reefer for a propane unit and you can save $5K for the noisemaker .

Unlimited hook time in quiet!

Your neighbors will love ya!!%

Thanks for all the information. I have had LP in our motor home for some time and it does work fine. I just remember some of the incidents on the Columbia river during salmon season. Saw a number of boats blow their top.
I was not sure I was going to get any replies being a newby, but I'm glad I did.
The wife wants to be in the water by spring, so we are both doing a lot of reading and research. Never thought I would look at a stink pot twice after sailing all the years, but am getting to old for the work involved.
Thanks
Peter

I would rank LPG #1, unless you boat in the cooler climates, where I rank diesel stoves #1. I replaced a perfectly good LPG stove with a better diesel stove when I bought my boat and I have never regretted it. I did add an LPG 2 burner top mount at the side of my diesel stove, for those hot days when the diesel stove doesn't get lit. the LPG was still there, the tank storage had been worked out, so it was an easy add.
LPG is waaay easier to keep clean than diesel.
I boat with some in the AC crowd, and they are forever running their genset, making way too much noise. they can't cook late at night or too early in the morning without waking the whole raft of boats, so that has encouraged them to adopt an early to bed, late to rise lifestyle. If that works for you, go ahead, but that isn't for everyone.

The AC boat mentioned above, just last year had to replace an aging (worn out) genset and to get adequate size, went for 14kw. That just met the power requirements. The box it sits in would be too tall for my ER, the whole thing too heavy as well. Your space requirements would be taxed. Without AC cooking, you could get away with 4 kw for all your charging, microwave and hot water needs. Price is almost linearly related to # of kw.

sunvale wrote:

*Never thought I would look at a stink pot twice after sailing all the years, but am getting to old for the work involved.
Thanks
Peter

Click to expand...

I am not offended by the term.**

I have been on many sail boats with hard core sailors and the only time we actually sailed was just for fun. Never to get from point*A to B.

Always used the motor for that.*A stink sail or a blow pot.

I know it is kind of funky and odd that sail boaters won't talk to power boaters and vice versa.
Seems kind of childish to me.

*We all love the water. It's pretty big and room for everyone Sail boaters and Trawler folk.*

Most Trawlers are competent and informed.
*I can see where the weekend warriors in the speed boats are a little different.
Many buzz around with little or no regard for anyone else on the water

These are the ones I would consider stink potters.

Well, I guess I am contrarian. I just ripped out my LPG stove and have replaced it with an electric cooktop!
In my instance, the LPG system was old and antiquated and I would have had to replumb the entire system and the stove itself was beat up so I would have wanted to replace that as well. All that is around $2k, +/-. My boat already had an 8KW northern lights generator that was recently installed prior to my purchase with only 275 hours on it since installation. Thus, I have plenty of generator power. For the cost of redoing the LPG system and installing an inverter, well, I can burn a ton of diesel for that cost! Plus, as you mentioned, there are instances of blowing up due to LPG leaks. So, we opted to switch to electric and be done with it since we'll be running the generator for a bit at night and again in the a.m. to charge the house batteries so it just made sense to us. We'll see if I regret it in the end. But would I install a generator just for an electric cooktop- no. I'd go LPG instead due to the cost savings.

Just looked at all the pictures and noticed a couple of wind generators. I never gave them any thought but sure will now. With one of them and a nice bank of batteries hooked to an inverter, that would make a lot of sense. I have been out of the water environment for to long. have to get my sea legs back and have some fun with the wife.
Peter

Running the noisemaker a "bit" at night and in the AM will do very little for the batteries.

Best would be a 200A alternator driven by the noisemaker with any 3 or 4 stage regulator , and if you anchor a lot perhaps AGM's with their higher acceptance rate.