Fixed V portable generator

[Tranona]

Thats he same price as 15 suitcase generators. If they go wrong just buy another. What do you do when yours fails?

A properly installed, low revving generator will last the lifetime of the boat, provided it is serviced properly. Problem is that many are not installed properly as there is not enough space and they get crammed in and neglected - often through lack of regular use.

If you want to run much of your boat services such as microwave, fridge, washing machine, hair dryers, airconditioning and so on at 240V then you need a proper generator - which costs. If you only want occasional power to top up batteries or run power tools, use a suitcase and tolerate the extra noise, shorter life and inconvenience of carrying petrol.

As in everything to do with boats (and life) there is no such thing as a free lunch!

 

[Monique]

We have used a 2kW Honda "suitcase" generator for a couple of seasons and wouldn't be without one now. Never use its 12V output, just its 240V output plugged into the vessel's shore power socket via a long lead. That's so we can stand the generator on the foredeck away from the cockpit. if we really feel the need. Not that it 's very noisy. We always make a point of taking our environment and nearby boats onto consideration before we run it anyway.
The main advantage to us is that once plugged into the shorepower socket we have virtual shorepower.Tthe generator can be used to run the battery charger, heat up the calorifier, heat the "electric" kettle and most importantly enable SWMBO to switch on her hair dryer. Although admittedly, we can't do everything at once.
Oh, and just reminded by Conachair's post, the abilty to use 240v power tools can sometimes be priceless.
All that versatility for under £1K and if we really wanted to get power hungry by installing a washing machine, a second Honda can be connected in parallel, giving a total nearing 4 kW
Petrol is not a problem either, because we carry it for the outboards anyway.

I have the 3 KW Honda and agree with all the above.

 

[Monique]

I'm the proud owner of a Mastervolt 8KVA gennerator, stuffed right at the back of the engine compartment. It's been nothing but a pain in the ****.
It was fitted by the previous owner in 2005 along with a Mastervolt smart charger and a 3 KVA invertor. The whole lot must have cost a bomb, probably over £10,000...!
It's only done 57 hours of running...!!!and about 10 of them hours are by me.
The head's been off already as a couple of valves got rusty and wouldn't shut. The cooler was full of gunk and loads of other little probs due to lack of running.

It's a lovely installation but has to be run regularly. I would never have one again. I'm even thinking of removing it to sell and use a suitcase gennerator. The weight saving alone would be beneficial.

One more point, as it's a 3000rpm machine, so it isn't exactly quiet when running even though the insulation 'suitcase' covers are very robust. I hate having to run it, when on a nice queyside like Gaios or Mourtos.

I considered this option too and decided on a 1500 RPM genny. Then I looked for pricing.

Honda was the result

 

[G12]

I thought of permanently mounting a Honda somewhere in the boat. Maybe use an Eberspacher exhaust system. If you look on youtube, there are tons of videos of people running Honda generators that are permanently mounted in their garages with external fuel tanks and everything.
I'm not sure about the external fuel tank but a flexi exhaust, maybe with an additional silencer has been going around in my mind for quite some time.

 

[Malcolm3]

Panda and Honda

I sailed for two years with a Panda and a Honda900i . Despite what everyone says about Pandas mine was great and ran for 2 hrs every day . It is finicky to service and you do get to know it well!. It works at sea which suitcase doesnt or not easily.
The Honda was fine too.Used both as shore power with a Skylla control so could vary the load and keep starting loads down. Great advantage of Honda is that its aircooled so if out the water still works. Both really no problem with noise and like previous correspondent it wasnt really audible 2 boat lengths away unless very still. Put it on foredeck and it wasnt a problem inside either.
Think it depends a lot how much you will use them - for occasional use Id go for suitcase as far cheaper!

 

[Pagetslady]

I thought of permanently mounting a Honda somewhere in the boat. Maybe use an Eberspacher exhaust system. If you look on youtube, there are tons of videos of people running Honda generators that are permanently mounted in their garages with external fuel tanks and everything.
I'm not sure about the external fuel tank but a flexi exhaust, maybe with an additional silencer has been going around in my mind for quite some time.

Has anybody actually done this, have a 700A Yamaha suitcase generator very old one but still starts and runs well but I have considered getting a 2KVa honda and installing it in the aft heads which as I am mostly single handed I dont use. I thought of using Eberspacher exhaust pipe and skin fitting building a box to stand the generator in and a fan to vent the box through the small window in the heads my main concern is petrol and exhaust fumes getting into the bilge, if the box was mounted on soft mounts it would help with sound and vibration and the box would prevent any fumes getting into the bilge and the fan that would obviously only be running when generator is running to get rid of fumes and draw in fresh air for cooling.
Then I can use my mains charger, my immersion for hot water and TV laptop would be ideal, I have looked at 2KVA installed generators but best price I got was around £5,000 then there is the problem as to where to put it no this idea is out of the question.
Mike

 

[Conachair]

Has anybody actually done this, have a 700A Yamaha suitcase generator very old one but still starts and runs well but I have considered getting a 2KVa honda and installing it in the aft heads which as I am mostly single handed I dont use.

Haven't done it but bear in mind that if the carb intake gets blocked the fuel pump will empty the whole tank though a pipe as the carb bowl empties.

 

[LadyInBed]

I thought about the Honda EU20i but got a Planet 2 which I have been very pleased with.
It is slightly noisier & heavier than the Honda but about half the price! Also the Honda EU20i is only rated at 1.6kW where as the Planet 2 is rated at 2kW continuous.

 

[William_H]

Generators

As the OP can see the answer will be very personal to your boat your demands and your sailing style. As you can see cost is all a question of need versus value.
My neighbour has a 40 odd ft power boat and spends a lot of weekends on it away from the marina.
His garage was open a while back and I noticed a machine on the floor. On enquiry and he explained he had bought second hand a generator to replace the existing generator on his boat. The existing gen was noisy with vibration.
The replacement consists of a Kubotu 3 cylinder diesel coupled to a 5KVa (I think) generator. Now properly installed that should be a very quiet power source. But obviously you would need to use it and need it a lot or be very rich to justify that sort of luxury.
I noted that my sailing friends would be very proud to have that as the main boat engine. It would beat Mrs Johnson and her 6 little OB ponies.
So it all depends..... good luck olewill

 

[Nostrodamus]

Thank you for all your replies.
It would seem that those who have generators already fitted on the whole are happy with them but they need regular running and maintainance.
Fiting an internal one now seems to be ano brainer due to the cost.
Suitcase generators seem aviable alternative but it supprised me to see that theyappear to be more a weapon of last resort and are not used too often. Indeed with the prices as they are now they do seem a good buy.
The disadvantage used to be noise but again they seem to be quieter.
Some have mentioned fitting then below where I would have thought fitting them on deck with extra soundproofing may be a better and safer option.
The biggest disadvantage seems to be the fuel you need to carry for them but as most people have outboards they are carring this fuel anyway.
Again thank your for your replies.

 

[rotrax]

Thank you for all your replies.
It would seem that those who have generators already fitted on the whole are happy with them but they need regular running and maintainance.
Fiting an internal one now seems to be ano brainer due to the cost.
Suitcase generators seem aviable alternative but it supprised me to see that theyappear to be more a weapon of last resort and are not used too often. Indeed with the prices as they are now they do seem a good buy.
The disadvantage used to be noise but again they seem to be quieter.
Some have mentioned fitting then below where I would have thought fitting them on deck with extra soundproofing may be a better and safer option.
The biggest disadvantage seems to be the fuel you need to carry for them but as most people have outboards they are carring this fuel anyway.
Again thank your for your replies.

Hi- Only just picked up on this post-been down the boat. As First Mate and I retire next March and intend to spend more time afloat I purchased the Kipor 2600. Noisier than a honda but under £500.00. So far so good, starts easily, works all the kit and as a previous poster said can be mounted up front so its not so intrusive. It works for us.

 

[macd]

Haven't done it but bear in mind that if the carb intake gets blocked the fuel pump will empty the whole tank though a pipe as the carb bowl empties.

Seems unlikely to me. The Honda fuel pump's a simple low-volume diaphragm affair driven by crankcase pressure. Unless Honda are rather cleverer than I thought, when the carb bowl empties, the engine just might be inclined to stop, and the pump with it.

 

[Conachair]

Seems unlikely to me. The Honda fuel pump's a simple low-volume diaphragm affair driven by crankcase pressure. Unless Honda are rather cleverer than I thought, when the carb bowl empties, the engine just might be inclined to stop, and the pump with it.

Not sure of the exact mechanism but it's happened to me more than once.

 

[macd]

Not sure of the exact mechanism but it's happened to me more than once.

Then that's a worry, as you say. Is there some sort of buy-pass? You'd have thought that if the fuel line's blocked enough to starve the carb then...well...a blocked line wouldn't be very good at dumping fuel. And did it completely empty the tank or just dump fuel out? Would it be practicable to fit a catch-bottle?

 

[Conachair]

Then that's a worry, as you say. Is there some sort of buy-pass? You'd have thought that if the fuel line's blocked enough to starve the carb then...well...a blocked line wouldn't be very good at dumping fuel. And did it completely empty the tank or just dump fuel out? Would it be practicable to fit a catch-bottle?

Was a while ago, might be a return to the fuel tank? ISTR 2 x pipes sticking out the bottom of the genny, might have been excess coming out of a breather or something. The way the plastic pipes exit you'd need a sump rather than a catch bottle.

 

[macd]

If it's a float bowl breather, sounds like a fault with the float valve...perhaps a bit of muck on it (sometimes a punctured float, but unlikely in your case). Sounds like you're right that it would need addressing.

 

[Pagetslady]

If it's a float bowl breather, sounds like a fault with the float valve...perhaps a bit of muck on it (sometimes a punctured float, but unlikely in your case). Sounds like you're right that it would need addressing.

not sure why the pump would continue pumping if the engine was to stop, My Yamaha doesn't have a fuel tap as such when it starts or just before I assume the the fuel is turned on, I know it has a safety system that stops the engine if the oil level is low may be I missed the point about the engine stopping and the fuel kept flowing that is what the float chamber is for i thought.
Mike

 

[idpnd]

It works at sea which suitcase doesnt or not easily.

Important point here - I need a backup to the engine alternator for making some leccy at sea (charging batteries to keep the show on the road).

Has anyone used portables at sea?

Thanks!

 

[GrahamM376]

Has anyone used portables at sea?

Oil sumps are pretty shallow so portables should only be run on reasonably flat surface.

 

[macd]

not sure why the pump would continue pumping if the engine was to stop, My Yamaha doesn't have a fuel tap as such when it starts or just before I assume the the fuel is turned on, I know it has a safety system that stops the engine if the oil level is low may be I missed the point about the engine stopping and the fuel kept flowing that is what the float chamber is for i thought.
Mike

It wouldn't continue pumping, although maybe I was being a little too ferrous:
"Unless Honda are rather cleverer than I thought, when the carb bowl empties, the engine just might be inclined to stop, and the pump with it."

The float chamber, incidentally, is there to maintain the correct head (i.e. pressure) of fuel. But, as you suggest, the float valve (if working correctly) would cut off the fuel supply.