HELP!!! Quick, some advice needed on generator considerations!

[demonboy]

I'm about to embark on some further research into generators for our 43ft boat and I've been chatting to the boat yard about fitting one in order to charge our 405aH battery bank plus run a water maker that I have not yet purchased (so there are some missing variables).

However as a first port of call I thought I'd ask you clever people for your comments/thoughts on what my boatyard in Turkey has come back to me suggesting. Here's what they said:

[ QUOTE ]
I have looked at the 4 and 7 kw generators and we can fit the 4 kw only. So you must calculate while you are buying the rest of the equipment you need.

The generator is Onan 4.0MDKAU 2 cylinder, 4 kw, 220 v,18.2, 50 hz with 2400 rpm.

The cost of this generator is $9145 (€7620) including VAT. This price also includes the water lock, cables, siphon breaker, control panel and sound insulated cabin.

Onan is probably the quietest generator around and easy to find spare parts for.

Zeynom and Blues both had 11 kw Onan generators installed last spring and they are very happy.

Onan is manufactured by Cummins Engine and because it is an American company the prices are in dollars which means a great buy because the dollar is so low right now.

Installation of the generator including water intake, new exhaust, fuel line, electrical link, polyester and carpentry work, commissioning of the engine and a running track under the generator will be around €3000 plus materials.

Because the generator will be sitting on top of the steering quadrant compartment we will make a sliding track under the generator so that you can move it aside to get at the steering gear and to reach the sides of the generator.

It is the beginning of the season and there are only a couple of this size generators left in Turkey right now. A new shipment is not expected for some months and I have a 48 hour option on it. I know it is not much time but if we want the generator I need to put a deposit on it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Any comments appreciated!

 

[Blueboatman]

Not the old''Hurry hurry buy it now scenario''
It's not my money and I know nothing about installed generators..If you just want someone to give you permission to do it,well ,sounds like you can justify it,want it,have the space and spare cash .......and are already struggling to come up with some viable and alternative,better deal,within the next 48 hours..
You have my permission to go for it.
My only caveat is-Should your main engine likely to die shortly,do you have the reserves to replace that too?

 

[pvb]

FWIW...

FWIW, I haven't changed my view that you don't need a big AC generator to charge a small battery bank (and 405Ah is small), or to run a watermaker. You certainly don't need a 4kW generator if that's all you're going to power! As for spending €12000 or so, it's your money...

 

[demonboy]

Re: FWIW...

Don't worry, I've calmed down! I won't be making any decision in the next 48 hours, but it's a scenario I need to thrash out and this forum helps me exorcise the demons.

PVB - I appreciate what you are saying and I've yet to look into this alternative. I know very little about gensets and smaller DC version is something I need to educate myself on.

 

[Norman_E]

Onan are a very well known make in America. When I lived there I knew people with big RV's (giant motor caravans to us), and most of them had Onan generators fitted.

 

[kandoma]

I installed a hydraulic pump to my "main" engine (magnetic clutch) and drive a 7.5kw generator. Has not cost an arm nor a leg and the engine is ticking away at 1400 rpms. The generator itself has cost +- 1000 Euro. I have no room in my 30 ft boat for a full sized generator, but now I can drive my dive compressor with 380 Volt.

Peter

 

[Becky]

Re: FWIW...

Here's the female viewpoint.

We decided to fit a generator on the following grounds;-
1)We intended to (and did) fit a watermaker which runs on 240v, which is slightly more efficient than one running on 12 v
2)I can run a microwave, a hair drier, an electric kettle, the water heater, and of course the battery chargers. Not all at the same time, of course, but having access to 240v does extend the number of electrical items you can consider without being in a marina
3)It will save running the engine for just charging the batteries, which is a saving in fuel, as well as noise. Which extends our motoring range.
4)If we need lights in the evening, as we did in the Caribbean recently, we wouldn't have to run the engine to gain enough electricity. (It gets dark early out there).
5)It saves on gas.

The two items of equipment we have appreciated most are the generator and the watermaker; the latter admittedly on a friends boat we were on for 6 weeks.

So there you have it. Get one, it's great. Can't obviously comment on technical things like makes. Way outside my knowledge. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[demonboy]

Re: FWIW...

That's useful to know, Becky. My dilema, however, is that I can't see us needing it for much more than charging the batteries and running the watermaker. It's a catch 22 situation I suppose. If one does have 240v at ones fingertips then one always finds things to run on it...like the fridges on constantly, for example.

 

[Stemar]

Re: FWIW...

On a 43 footer with a good sized generator, I have a sneaking feeling that a microwave could easily become one of those things like the cordless drill that you didn't know you couldn't live without until you had it.

From my position of infinite wisdom ( /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif), having 2 12v batteries on a 24 footer, 4kw sounds like a lot, but I'd put money on you ending up wondering if you should have gone a size bigger in a few years

 

[William_H]

Re: FWIW...

It is all a matter of how much you want to spend and what luxuries you want. You could obviously survive quite well with main engine battery charging and conserving fresh water. But if you want the luxury of water maker microwave etc then the Onan is the way to go. This is especially so if you spend a lot of time at a powered mooring and get used to AC power and so want it for remote moorings. Around here Onan is regarded as the best for this work. olewill

 

[ELLIS100]

Re: FWIW...

Sorry if I'm missing something here but why not just buy one of the little suitcase gennys you see used on market stalls etc, they are about 200 quid max and for what you need more than big enough and almost silent running. They run on probably the same fuel as your outboard so no big deal there.
I am going to be fitting a genny to my boat but I will definately be getting one I can lug about, never know when you need a bit of portable power.
Definately not worth the 7000 odd quid quoted.

 

[Guest]

I have a country house that occasionally suffers power out .... I've identified a 2.5kw genny ....Briggs and Stratton that will cost me 300 quid. Its quiet and comes in frame with optional wheels etc.

I was offered a diesel genny at 3.5kw - similar set-up and rated as a quiet version and it had 3 phase as well as single ... 700 quid. Briggs and Stratton again.

These are over the counter prices .....

Based on these - I feel that you may be going a bit over the top ?? OK - yours may be "silent" - but thats a function of installation and set-up - not the genny set.


Given that the average suitcase genny will provide about 700 - 800W ... how much do you really need ... Battery charging if batterys are in good condition and reasonably charged are in single figure amps .... even a microwave will work on most small gennys of about 1kw .. if careful.

But of course once Memsahib gets her hands on a 240v plug - its death to small gennys .... "Darling ... I can't seem to get my hair-dryer, curling tongs and foot-spa to work .... do you think I've plugged in too much ?????"