Portable generator question

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Oscarpop

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We are going to purchase a portable honda generator to plug into the shore power outlet while at anchor and allow us to charge batteries, etc etc.

There are 2 honda versions, the Eu10 ( 1kw) and the EU20 ( 2kw)

As we are not going to be running hairdryers and high wattage appliances on the boat, will the EU10 suffice?

Also, if one of our stern lockers has ventilation, can we keep it in there while running?

Many thanks.
 
Go for the higher output as a) with low consumption needs it will struggle less and be quieter and b) when you decide you need it there will be power to spare.

Always run the generator in the fresh air unless it is in a specially and professionally designed mount.

On our yacht the air flow through the boat when at anchor/mooring (i.e. head to wind) drawa air down the companionway and out the fore hatch. Thus unless very carefully placed on the side deck the generator exhaust is drawn into the cabin and the carbon monoxide alarm trips quite quickly. Thus be very careful and experiment on your boat for a safe position that means you will live - and install and alarm!
 
The 10i will run a 40 amp battery charger, but you can't run it inside a locker. The risk of CO2 poisoning, the mess the fumes would make and the risk of explosion after re-filling the petrol are far to high to even consider, so it will have to live on the deck whilst being run. This might upset those near you.

However, we have just sold our Honda 20i and are replacing it with solar instead. Before you buy anything consider the cost of other options first. A couple of 100w panels and mountings would be cheaper than a new Honda 10i.

Pete
 
A big factor when deciding between models is the weight and size........... EU10i = 13kgs EU20i = 21 kgs . apparently the safest fuel is lpg as once fuel is off and run till stopped ,it can be stowed below without danger but I would imagine you would need something like a 10kg canister setup to be realistic.
 
When you come to charging batteries, the initial current requirement can be quite high.
In theory the 1kW should be able to charge 12V at about 80 amps but in practice, if you have a big battery bank the initial surge may trip the built -in contact breakers as each battery will take about 20amp charging current at the start.
 
We coped living aboard without shore-power very often with a very old and used Honda EX650.

I was going to get the EU10i but read reviews that suggested they're not really built for very regular (daily) use - more for the weekender... something about cylinder linings rings a bell.

The EX650 would charge a low bank of ~350AH through a 40A Sterling multi-stage smart charger PLUS a laptop. But would trip out if any more was on at the start.

EX650 is a heavy unit at 23kg but according to the numbers is actually very quiet compared to the others. In practice it is noisy, so if conditions allowed I used to run it in the tender, on a painter off the stern. No sound at all that way, except for the neighbours knocking ;)
 
Oscarpop said:
We are going to purchase a portable honda generator to plug into the shore power outlet while at anchor and allow us to charge batteries, etc etc.

There are 2 honda versions, the Eu10 ( 1kw) and the EU20 ( 2kw)

As we are not going to be running hairdryers and high wattage appliances on the boat, will the EU10 suffice?

Also, if one of our stern lockers has ventilation, can we keep it in there while running?

Many thanks.
Click to expand...
Firstly I think you will find the Hondas are 800W and 1600W respectively NOT 1kW and 2kW. - difference between continuous load and peak load.
Second look at alternative "silent" suitcase gennys - a half to one third the price of the hondas. I have a Kipor 3000ti - now on its 7th season and no problems - just change the plug and oil regularly (annually) - So what if it does not last as long as a honda? at the price I can throw it away and buy another and still be in pocket.

As for power - go for the biggest you can manage - The Kipor I have is rated 2.6kW continuous and has on occasion been running at that capacity - 'tis amazing how many uses one finds for the extra power.
 
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Had a Kippor and very impressed - until we sold it and bought a Honda EU10i - it is sooooooooo much quieter and the vibration is noticeably less. I agree that one can find lots of ways to use the extra power but lugging 21kg around the deck isn't fun at all. All things considered I want to heat the calorifier, charge the batteries and the laptop; the small Honda does those essentials - the calorifier has a 750w element.
 
We do exactly that...

...on Lytham Green. Have had the EU10i for several years now and it does the job. If our batteries are low and the charger kicking out max amps we have to set the switch on the Eu10i to 'hair' instead of 'tortoise' to fix it at full power as it tends to 'hunt' on the auto-speed sensing. Once batteries are up a bit we switch back to 'tortoise' and the speed gradually drops as the batteries charge.

One thing to note: if you have an RCD on your shore power inlet, you'll need to link the earth and neutral at the EU10i output otherwise the RCD will trip. I made up a short link-cable (from 13amp domestic plug, from genny, to 16amp shore power inlet) which has this earth-neutral link in it. It is marked for genny use ONLY.
 
We have the EU10i which was bought for charging the batteries and running small appliances or the immersion heater. Main reason is the size and weight when lifting in and out of the locker.

As to the argument of get a big one as you'll need it in future, it's a bit like cars and houses, the bigger they are the more junk you store. If you get a big genny you'll start looking for more things to power from it and end up with masses of clutter with gadgets that you don't actually need. The only times we need more power, vacuum, pressure washer or the likes, are when we're attached to shore power and we don't need them for sailing anyway.
 
JerryHawkins said:
One thing to note: if you have an RCD on your shore power inlet, you'll need to link the earth and neutral at the EU10i output otherwise the RCD will trip. I made up a short link-cable (from 13amp domestic plug, from genny, to 16amp shore power inlet) which has this earth-neutral link in it. It is marked for genny use ONLY.
Click to expand...

Curiously it's not a problem we've found & the RCD trip test works fine. Our Honda also has a standard 13amp domestic outlet not a blue marine one. Still, like CTVA says, warm water and full batteries is all it needs to do.
 
I have read through all the above post's and basicaly as a full time live aboard my advice to you is; Do get the larger of the two, believe me it is so much quieter and smoother. Yes it is a tad heavier but well worth it. Now what is this all about using LPG?? We use petrol and it has never been a problem to store it over winter whilst in the marina.

Good luck

Peter
 
On the weights of the Honda Eu models. We have an Eu20i and there is no way SWMBO could lift it the short distance from storage to deck. (perhaps in an emergency, but not on a normal day to day basis).
 
[QUOTE=rivonia;35 Now what is this all about using LPG?? We use petrol and it has never been a problem to store it over winter whilst in the marina.

If your storing petrol below you will only get a problem once and my cockpit lockers like many boats are unsafe to store anything highly flammable.
I keep a few litres of petrol for the outboard on deck by the stern ,but I am contemplating using a Honda when off grid , problem is stowage I could make a purpose built box and mount it aft of the pushpit rather like a liferaft cradle and it may be possible to run it in this position with suitable openings for ventilation.
 
The Lazy Kipper said:
warm water and full batteries is all it needs to do.
Click to expand...
And the fridge/freezer, beer/wine fridge, coffee maker, ice maker, SHMO's hair drier, mini shmo's hairdrier / tongs etc etc. Oooops - forgot the kettle and the toaster - oh if it was as simple as battery charging and hot water...... - forgot the TV, Puter, DVD, playstation or whatever the latest gaming machine is these days..:rolleyes:
 
cliff said:
And the fridge/freezer, beer/wine fridge, coffee maker, ice maker, SHMO's hair drier, mini shmo's hairdrier / tongs etc etc. Oooops - forgot the kettle and the toaster - oh if it was as simple as battery charging and hot water...... - forgot the TV, Puter, DVD, playstation or whatever the latest gaming machine is these days..:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Ahh, the joys of a simple sailing life..... :)
 
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