Battery charging outboard?

[Colin24]

Recently I read (somewhere on the net) about an American who was talking about his boat and mentioned that he had acquired a new outboard motor. One of the things he liked about his new purchase was that it has an electric output socket that you can connect a lead to and it charges your batteries. Never having had an outboard, I don’t know if this facility is common or unusual, but certainly very useful.

What I’d like to know is: would this arrangement only be found on larger HP outboards?
Would this size of outboard be too large for –for instance, a Halcyon 23?
If anyone knows of an outboard that would have this ability and not be too big for a Halcyon 23 let me know who makes it and I’ll have a look at there web site.

Cheers,

Colin


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[Guest]

Colin,

Many of the outboard manufacturers offer engines of around 4HP and above with charging outputs. However, current output isn't massive but should be adequate to cope with log, echosounder & VHF.

Try any of the big manufacturers - Honda, Mariner, Mercury etc.

James

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[Colin24]

James

Thanks for the fast responce.
That's good to hear, I was hoping that would be the case.

Cheers,

Colin

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[Colin24]

I’ve had a look at the Honda site. They have a 9.9 HP outboard (the BF8) that provides 6 Amps at 1000 RPM and 12 amps at 3000 rpm. Frankly that doesn’t mean a thing to me. Is that good? Is that adequate? I know the HP is plenty for the Halcyon 23 but is that enough charging oomph to keep a well equipped small boat going?

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[Joe_Cole]

That'll be fine. So long as you are reasonably careful you won't have a problem.

We operate instruments, radios, plotter and lights on half that power (though we do have a solar panel to keep the battery topped up when we are not on board)

Don't get a fridge though....they eat up the electricity.

If you want to get into the detail of it all most books about electricity on boats will give you the basics so that you can work out the power requirements. It's quite easy. Really, it is!

Joe

Joe



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[Colin24]

Brilliant, What a helpful bunch you are.
Many thanks

Colin


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[FullCircle]

I ran my Corribee 21ft with an Evinrude 6 with charging, even doing night passages and all season without having to take the battery off the boat.
Didnt do a lot of mortoring either, as I am too mean.
Buy the 4 stroke though. Its quieter, less smelly, far,far more economical...... worth the extra few quid. Honda do a 5.5 I think 4 stroke with charging. Yamaha the same. Round 600 quid I think(without looking).
Running the usual nav lights, interior fluorescents, Log/Depth and VHF. Boat kept on swinging mooring, so no other charging was had.
Also now have 5w Solar panel (22 quid), which keeps the current topped up on new boat. Will post on that when I know it works long term.

Jim

<hr width=100% size=1>Second Chance - First Love

 

[Joe_Cole]

"What a helpful bunch you are."

Don't believe it Colin.

Just you mention "Collision Regs" or "Flag Etiquette" and you'll find out what a bunch of savages this lot really are! /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

Joe



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[saltyanchor]

where buy solar panel

For 22 quid, where did you get the 5W panel?
thanks


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[Talbot]

IMHO the honda will be too heavy. For a boat of that size the amount of weight that you put right at the end will be critical. My recommendation would be the new Tohatsu 8hp 4 stroke. This is only 25kg and with the optional extra lighting circuit will pump out 85w. Unless you get an electric start motor, you will not get one that has a regulated output, (and they weigh abt 50kg) however, you could easily add in a regulator and this will provide you with an adequate power for your size boat IF you change nav and internal lights to LED and I would suggest a small suitcase size solar panel.

check out :
http://www.tohatsu.com/outboards/8.html
and
http://www.orcagreen.com/

I run a 10amp charging outboard to power a much larger boat but I do not believe that you can accept that weight penalty to get an engine that provides that much power, thus believe that this is a good compromise.

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[oldharry]

I very successfully ran a BF8 on a 20 ft Matilda, and found although it is a heavy engine for its power it was fine. The charger rarely gave more than 3 - 4 amps (metered), but it seemed to keep the battery reasonably well charged through the summer, running normal Nav and cabin lights, log, Fishfinder, and VHF.

Mind you, it was an hours run usually under power from the mooring down to the harbour entrance - each way! so that every trip involved at least a 2 hour run under power as a rule. (Who wants to waste time beating down through the moorings against the tide when the sea is out there waiting? - not me!)

I now run a Yamaha 9.9 elelctric start on a heavy 20 footer, and find it has ample power over the tide, and again the 90w alternator has kept the battery well topped up throughout the season. Both these engines are quite heavy, but I would not have thought either would seriously affect the balance of a Hlacyon 23 - they have no more effect than an extra crew member in the cockpit.

The extra weight of a heavier engine like the BF8 could have a marked effect on a light weight racing boat, but certainly should not worry a Halcyon.


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[Guest]

Most reasonable will do ..

Go to your local outboard stockist and he will set you up with suitable connections. I have 3 o/bd's from a 3hp up. The 4.5 has charging and also the larger.

I have had 'lighting' circuit on all my o/bd's of 4hp and over ... the lighting circuit though is AC and needs the small rectifier box ...... it is not very powerful charging - but certainly better than nothing .....

so - answer is NO it is not unusual.


<hr width=100% size=1>Nigel ...
Bilge Keelers get up further ! I came - cos they said was FREE Guinness !
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[Guest]

Collin ....

Make sure it goes to charge the battery ...... the amount of charge is dependent on the battery needs - not the boat.

It seems that many posts are suggesting - probably not meant to - that the ouput must be sufficient for lights / radio etc. etc.

The time that you run the engine into / out of port etc. should normally with most engines of 4hp and up be sufficient to recharge your battery - as long as you aren't daft in what you have fitted in the boat !!! The lights etc. will only be used at night ..... how many hours then are you going to use 'em ? The radio - VHF that is uses tiny amount unless tx' etc. etc.

I had a 7.5 Mercury Sailpower driving my Snapdragon 23 ... with rectified lighting charging the twin battery ..... NO problem ... I even used to have my Car Radio on all the time ...... as well as VHF, E/S etc.

I have now with present boat bought a trickle-charge solar panel .... sold in Car accessory shops for hooking onto car batts' to kep them topped up when stored ..... It sits 'lodged' on cabin roof with cable down into cabin and then croc-clipped to battery. No need for controller as its very small wattage .... but it certainly works ....... keeps my main start battery ready to go !!!! Cost - 29.95 ......... even included the croc-clip to cigarette lighter converter !!!


<hr width=100% size=1>Nigel ...
Bilge Keelers get up further ! I came - cos they said was FREE Guinness !
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[Colin24]

Re: Collin ....

Nigel

Thanks for that, that’s exactly what I need to know. When I say “keep the boat supplied” I really meant, -as you surmised, keep the batteries charged .

I’ve lowered my sights re the outboard and now believe a 6.5 to 7.75 Hp will be ample.
One question arises from you’re reply. You mention “with rectified lighting charging the twin battery ..”
I’m not really sure what this means. I’m guessing that it means either, putting a rectifier in line between the power output from the outboard and the lights (not sure what a rectifier does –Variable voltage in, fixed voltage out?) or is it something that is if fitted between the battery and the lights? What ever it is it sound like something I need to know about.

Cheers,

Colin


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[Joe_Cole]

Re: Collin ....

The alternator on the engine produces AC electricity. Your battery stores DC and most, if not all, of your instruments need DC electricity. A rectifier changes AC to DC.

A regulator will control the voltage, but you probably won't need to worry about that with this set up. (On a car or boat with a larger alternator a lot more power is generated and too much power going into a battery will B**g** it up. The regulator will "regulate" the power to prevent damage. Over simplified, but that's the gist of it)

The power goes from the engine to the battery via the rectifier and/or regulator. You do not connect the engine direct to the equipment.

You need a rectifier but probably don't need a regulator.

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[Colin24]

Re: Collin ....

Sorted

That clears it up for me.

Once again, many thanks to all for you're patience and informative replies.

Cheers,

Colin


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[halcyon]

Years ago we had a Newbridge Navigater with an outboard that charged from a tapping of the mag, gave you a few amps, that was a 8hp. Now a lot of outboards have small alternators, these will give a output as per a car, but around 10 amp say.
Outboard dealer should be able to advise what has what, but is do-able.

Brian

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[FullCircle]

Re: where buy solar panel

A nice couple who go to al the Boat Jumbles called JonJo Marine. I will be at home tonight, and be able to post a telephone number to you.

Jim

<hr width=100% size=1>Second Chance - First Love

 

[kilkerr1]

We've got a 4-stroke 8HP Honda outboard which charges the battery on our 22' Kingfisher. It's made a huge difference to, well, everything really. Go for it.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://kilkerr.members.easyspace.com/santateresa_pics.htm>Santa Teresa and other t'ings</A>

 

[Gordonmc]

Don't be too optimistic about the output from an outboard. Most charging circuits are described as for "lighting". Another factor is the noise which will tend to encourage you to run the o/b minimum time.
I had a 9h. Suzuki two-stroke with a charging circuit including an inbuilt rectifier . This was wired direct to the battery on a Hurley 22. The charge could only just keep up with a tiller-pilot. If I had to put on a nav. light, the pilot went haywire because of voltage drop.
The answer was to add a small-ish solar panel which kept the (70 ah) battery at peak charge. This was supplemented by home charging before trips.

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