Generator Reliance & switching to only 12v?

[Tim Good]

I currently have a mixed system of 240v and 12v. However my fridge and watermaker rely on my 6kw genset. Both are pretty potent and so the watermaker make a significant amount in short period whilst the fridge cools things down super quick and usually stays cold for over 24 hours after being switched off.

However I am concerned about my reliance on 240v. Has anyone has the experience of these and either switch entirely to 12v and upgraded their power generation or have you found that the genset solutions is actually quite reliable providing you carry the spares and know the engine inside out?

 

[RichardS]

I currently have a mixed system of 240v and 12v. However my fridge and watermaker rely on my 6kw genset. Both are pretty potent and so the watermaker make a significant amount in short period whilst the fridge cools things down super quick and usually stays cold for over 24 hours after being switched off.

However I am concerned about my reliance on 240v. Has anyone has the experience of these and either switch entirely to 12v and upgraded their power generation or have you found that the genset solutions is actually quite reliable providing you carry the spares and know the engine inside out?

I'm no expert but having a 220v fridge does seem to reduce your options significantly. The water maker runs on demand so can be run when you are battery charging or whenever but a fridge should be run continuously so would be better suited to 12v I would have thought.

Richard

 

[geem]

We have a diesel genset that is mainly used for running our large watermaker. We dont run it for the fridge as we have ample solar to take care of that. Our fridge is 24V. If we get problems with our elderly genset we can make water from the 3kw inverter with the solar panels assisting to recharge the batteries and the main engine running with the alternator charging. its not ideal but it does as a stop gap measure until we get the genset fixed.

 

[RobbieW]

Perhaps it depends how much space you have to install reliable systems. My, somewhat smaller, genset failed last year for the second time (same failure) and that time it took out the generator coils. Its no longer on the boat and I've reworked my charging system with a bigger alternator (+ configurable charger, a Balmar 614) and solar, which I'd intended to add but hadnt got around to till forced, so that I dont depend on mains for charging. I still have a 2kw inverter/charger so if I need 240 I have it, the new alternator copes with most loads except SWMBOs hairdryer on full chat

 

[ip485]

I suppose it depends on how crucial you consider the fridge and water maker. To state the obvious if you are doing any ocean passages sods law the Genset will pack up on day two.

I would have thought the fridge freezer would run off the batteries via an inverter and possibly so would the water maker, but then you need the means to produce a reasonable charge. My fridge freezer is dual, but the water maker is 240V, which I can run through the inverter. I have nearly 1000w of solar and 800 A/H of battery.

My remaining "weakness" is the water heater which cant run through the inverter!

I would guess you also need to run the Genset for quite a period to cool down the fridge / freezer and make a reasonable amount of water. Potentially I think this can also be a draw back because Gensets dont "like" to be run on a low load, and I find running the Genset for any length of time is annoying.

 

[RobbieW]

...
My remaining "weakness" is the water heater which cant run through the inverter!
...

That 'weakness' was part of my thinking in getting shot of the genset. It would heat the water but it was very slow, by using the engine which has a transfer coil in the calorifier I get a hot tank in about 30 mins

 

[ip485]

Interesting - my Genset heats the water really quickly (it is 8Kw with a 3Kw immersion) but the engine takes an age. I guess your immersion may have been lower rating, mind, that might be ideal to run off the inverter thereby ensuring silent heating (albeit somewhat slower).

Ideally I would like a dual heater - I guess I would run a 1.5Kw heater off the batteries. I would like a thermal panel (underneath the solar) but thats another big project - for another day maybe.

With two big solar panels on the arch I have a theory for piping the water direct into the tanks (with a valve to bleed off the first gallon or so) when it rains. Not a lot of good in the Med but might be just the job elsewhere. Thats a much smaller job so might get done.