Portable Generators

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jrn

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I have a Sealine S23 and am now getting cold with no shore power. Also SWMBO does not like cold showeres! I would like to get a small generator for heating the water and a small fan heater - any advice would be appreciated. What power do you need? What are the cheapest gens. and does anyone have similar experience with them?
Thanks in advance

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Funnily enough I've been considering a little genny for my boat, would like a little handbag style one (LV or Gucci praps?), I want it to weight about the same as a 110 amp battery, say 10 or 15 kgs, plus I want to fix it permanently to the floor and be able to fix an external exhaust pipe to it. Must be aircooled as I dont want loads of skin fittings and plumming and stuff.

This goes against my grain of not adding weight to the boat.

Must be able to run a small fan heater, boil a kettle and run the battery charger, but not all at the same time obviously.

<hr width=100% size=1>Sod the Healey - I think I'll buy an E-Type.
 
Your requirements are similar to many peoples, and therein lies the problem. The need for a fan heater or kettle requires at least 1.2 kw and would be better at 2.6kw. at this size forget suitcase. There are some at this size at reasonable prices, but they are not light or quiet!!, however they can be built in. The air cooling will need to be looked at carefully. I carry a suitcase sized 750w for power tools and emergency battery charge, and use a eberspacher for my heating - cheaper and quieter

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small travel kettle can be less than 1kw as can fan heater on low setting no?

air cooling not a problem in the space i have in mind, routing the exhaust might be though.

<hr width=100% size=1>Sod the Healey - I think I'll buy an E-Type.
 
Standard answer No 6 Got ot a caravan/camping shop and you'll be able to pick up a kettle with oh so low wattage for not much money

I hate those bloody generators. I was sleeping on the boat last weekend in Weymouth. Boat next to me had one on the bathing platform. I came back fromthe pub with a few beers inside me. I could handle the people on the boat the otherside of me talking and laughing. I couldn't stand that bloody genny though.
I can sleep through most things, even snoring, but listening to a little 2 stroke ruptured gnat banging away inside a tin can got my back up.
I had a few words with said genny owner I got a standard reply starting in F and ending in F. I wouldn't mind but he was moored next to a bloody shore power socket!
Anyway, some kind hearted soul taught the genny to swim in the early hours. Were'nt me, but I would have liked to have done the deed. Got my own back in the morning. Started up the engine with the drive exhaust just clear of the water. You have to leave early to catch the fish you know!

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I bought a little genny from the York Motorhome fair last month, only £99! not brillant spec, but gives you power when you need it. Ideal for low wattage use, charging batt. etc. and very handy to have 240v supply on the boat for running power tools etc.

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I have the Honda 1000.
Wouldnt fancy listening to it for too long, so not much good for heating, but okay for kettle and charging in emergency.
How about those gas heaters you can get, small and effective or go the whole hog and get an ebersbacher.

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Immersion heater 2 kw, fan heater, 1-2 kw, kettle 1-2 kw, you will need a 3 kw genny to run the immersion for hot water, forget suitcase size, it will be a fair sized unit with 3-4hp engine. i would think again and maybe get a shore power connection, or a built in 3.5 kw diesel unit. Petrol gennys running outside the boat are noisy beasts when this size.There is another way, of course, how about an instant gas water heater and a catalytic gas heater, or a hydoponic webasto heater with radiators and water heating, then you can run it from diesel and have a small genny to charge the batteries.

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Wot about one of those Whispergen thingys which use a Stirling engine? Ignoring that you need to rob a bank to pay for it? They are supposed to be dead quiet and they generate useable waste heat, so no need for an Ebby. For a kettle, I think it's either a big feck off inverter (plenty of battery power on that hot scoot of yours!) or use the gas cooker if you've got one; and if you don't, get one! Electrickery is a v. inefficient way of boiling water, IMO.

cheers,
david

<hr width=100% size=1>It's a mother beautiful bridge, and it's gonna be there!
 
I can't see your point of no gas with a petrol engine, you probaly carry 50 gallons of liquefied gas under ambient pressure anyway, I would be more worried about the petrol fumes, from a vented tank or minor leak. just keep the gas out of the engine space, which you should anyway.

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We often digress, Dave, nature of the forum "fredrift"! But I see your point one way, but I've never had any fear of petrol or gas, some of the petrol engined beasts I used to work on in the army, would make your hair curl! Especially the tanks. But a small bottled gas catalytic heater, I've not seen, wouldn't that be just as much danger, in case of a leak?

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Thank you for all the advice. It seems as though a small genny will only be useful for power tools and charging batteries, so I will have to stick with cold showers or get an eberspacher.

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Never had one but the catalytic heaters are supposed to create lots of condensation which I guess is why you don't see many on boats.

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