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Portable micro electric generators

8K views 24 replies 11 participants last post by  Armchair Sailor 
#1 ·
I have been contemplating doing some cruising on Lake Michigan in my 21' Cal in the future. I've been considering various methods of energy supply. I have an outboard motor and run it as little as possible; three times last summer. Solar panels do not impress me for energy output for deck space consumed and they are pricey. I like the idea of the towed generators but they do not really begin to shine until 5-6 knots, I've only found one under a grand, and of course you have to be moving to generate the juice. Realistically I'm only going to carry two batteries due to space limitations. I'm adding an autopilot and am smart enough to know that I will probably under estimate my actual amp usage. So I really can't get around the point that I have to charge those bricks somehow and relying on periodic shore power seems pollyannaish if not poor seamanship. Although I am of Dutch extraction I'm not against spending some money if I can see how it will meet my needs and be a long-term solution.
I got thinking about generators and how small does anybody actually make one. As usual, if one can get out of the "boat" and "marine" mind-set it opens up a lot of options. What I found was a Yamaha built gasoline powered 900 watt portable inverter generator. Now the good part: It weighs 28 lbs and measures 18"x15"x9" and emits 47-57db. It'll run on 7/10 of a gallon of gas for 12 hours at 25% load. The inverter function is apparently to give one a regulated supply of DC voltage. I could use the AC output to run my "shore side" battery charger though, and thus taper my charging.
Ok. Shoot me down!

I found it at www.electricgeneratorsdirect.com
 
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#3 ·
sailaway...I really like the concept of the Yamaha but I read the pdf manual and concluded that it is really underpowered for charging duties as it only puts out 7.5 AC amps and 8 DC. It will take a LONG time running to put a charge back in your batteries at those rates and using an external charger will probably just overload the unit as it calls for more watts than can be delivered. Also...the rated 900 watts is only into a steady state load and drops off severely if motorized stuff is connected. I don't think it would be of much use on a boat and I think the little Honda's would be a better choice.
AC Output
Rated Voltage V 120
Rated frequency Hz 60
Rated current A 7.5
Rated Output VA 900
Safty Device: Type Electronic
DC Output
Rated voltage V 12
Rated current A 8
Safety Device: Type DC protector
 
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#4 ·
a penny's worth,

The Honda EU1000 is a great little generator, I've used mine for 8 years with no problems at all. Little noise - within 50 ft can't hear it - use it for everything, although watch your power consumption, even though it's a 1kw, you'll only get 750 out of it. Get the optional battery charging cables. Sometimes a charger will pull more than it can generate if you run it through the boats electrical system.
 
#5 ·
Honda seems to be rated exactly the same as the Yamaha and 2-300 dollars more expensive, although the Honda name might be worth it. My battery charger requires 535 watts input and using it alone would seem to be within the capabilities of either unit. Charging off the inverter would certainly reduce the load further although at the expense of a longer run time. Really wouldn't have much to use it on other than battery charging (and about 45 other things I can think of if I thought to keep it in the back of my truck!)
I suspect I'm missing your point Cam. I know-not unusual!
 
#6 ·
sailaway:
"My battery charger requires 535 watts input" ...means about 4-5 amps which the Yamaha is capable of. The question is what is the OUTPUT of your battery charger with that input. At 100% efficiency 535 AC watts = about 45 DC amps which probably means you'll get something like 30 AMPS. This may be enough for your battery bank...kinda depends on your dailiy use on a 21 footer. For most cruisers, with refrigeration and autopilots etc. this would not be enough.

For something utilitarian that can come in handy in a lot of situations...it looks great. I have a friend with a Pacific Seacraft 37 that bought the honda1000 and is really unhappy with it since the charging output is quite restricted and he wishes he had spent the $$ for the 2000W unit and the higher amperage for his much larger battery bank...so...it all depends on your need. I really liked the DC output feature on the Yamaha but i wonder why they were so restrictive on the output... guess it would have raised the price too much to beef that up.
 
#15 ·
Cam, if the 1000 is capable of 30 amps in as per your calculation it would certainly run a 20 amp charger that many people use. If however you have a 40 amp charger you would have to go to a larger generator. The generator size really depends on the output of your charger. The DC out put on the Honda 2,000 is also quite low as well, but it's not a particularily good way to charge your batteries anyway. It's a much better idea to use your smart charger which regulates the charging current to optimise battery charging.
Something else to consider is other AC loads you may wish to use from time to time like a Capacino maker and air conditioning, 2 items mentioned in previous threads, that would require a larger unit. Size matters
 
#16 ·
Ahoy ebs001

The EU 2000 will provide 17 amps surge and 13 amps run at 120vac. A 40 amp smartcharger like the Truecharge will draw about 11 amps max. and taper off, down to about 1 amp. A 6000 btu Marine Air A/C draws about 6 amps run and 15 amps start. That is about the max for the EU2000 on start up. You have to run the EU2000 at full throttle to start the A/C unit with nothing else running.
I doubt if our friend has A/C on his boat, so the EU should be able to do what is asked. He could even run the microwave, a hotplate, coffee maker, etc. Just not all at the same time.

Fair Winds Oh!!! it is 77 degrees partly cloudy, wind about 9kts to go into the low 80's today

Cap'n Dave .......reporting to you live from Georgetown Bahamas
 
#17 ·
Ebs...I've always known that size matters! <grin> but you're right if a 20AMP charger is all you need for your bank. When you get up into the 500A/H+ range on a cruising battery bank....it takes a lot of time to put your daily use back into those banks with just a 20 amp charger. My Heart smart charger inverter puts out 130AMPS before it starts tapering the charge and it is a pretty common piece of equipment on cruising boats but it does suck up the kilowatts in return for a fast charge.
 
#18 ·
Cap'n D I think from what I,ve read that for surge current of short duration the EU2000 will go above the 2000VA rating and would run larger A/C units than a 6,000 BTU. In an earlier thread people were running 10,000 or 12,000 BTU units.
Cam, my point was one needs to match one's gen choice to one's loads, so before one buys think of loads now and in the future.
 
#19 ·
Before we get too far off the track, one of the major reasons that I was attracted to the little Yamaha 1000, or the Honda of the same size, is that it is physically small and light weight. 28 lbs !
Now, for that size and weight, you can do a lot of things, if not run your a/c. On a larger boat, it would afford you a completely independant charging system-to charge say your starting battery if needed. Given the size and weight I could see it being worth having to charge some specific items and then just toss it back in the bottom of a locker.
I know that I could go up to a larger unit, but that misses the point of having a small and unobtrusive unit in the first place. Let's face it, anything that weighs much over 50 lbs is going to stay right where it's put be it the garage, the bilge, or the back of the pick-up truck. At 28 lbs this is something that can easily be brought up on deck, walked down to the dock, carried ashore for a party, etc.... Frankly, I was surprised that they've gotten them down as small as they have with the output they have.

As usual, we have the camping, hunting, and fishing markets to thank for the impetus to design the product.
 
#21 · (Edited)
I have a Honda EU1000i and really like it. I tie a short piece of line to it and wrap it around a cleat at the very back of the boat with the muffler facing the water. At anchor the wind is always on the front of the boat and that insures that the exhaust gas gets blown off the back of the boat. As a safety precaution I do close the cockpit off when I am running the generator, just in case, and I insure that all of the cockpit lockers are closed. I also have a carbon monoxide alarm on the boat. But I never really felt that was necessary, the way I have the generator mounted when I am using it I have trouble imagining how exhaust gas could get into even the cockpit in any great quantity. It usually doesn't hurt to be on the safe side, however. I find the EU1000i to be very quiet and I don't mind running it when other people are anchored near me, though I do choose not to run it near sunset when everyone typically sits in there cockpit and watches the world go by. It's a small generator and I would feel comfortable taking it on the dinghy to shore and using it to run power tools and things. I would not want to carry it for great distances, however, because it does get heavy pretty fast. It uses minimal amounts of gasoline. I don't know the Yamaha you refer to, but I feel comfortable giving the Honda two thumbs up.
 
#23 ·
It beats me why you need any more than the alternator on your outboard to charge your batteries with a 21' sailboat.
The mate and I cruised for three months solid with a 23' sailboat in the North Channel with just a Honda outboard as the battery charger and never felt we needed anything more. Not to date ourselves but this was before the age of GPS. Bring a portable charger for use at the dock and you should be covered. Thanks. Steve S.
 
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