portable generators

Jun 6, 2004
103
- - San Diego
My boat is a Passage 420 2000 Hunder 42'. When I sail to Avalon from San Diego and at a buoy for a couple of nights, my house batters go way down. On my return trip, my electronics fail to come until I am about 2 hours into the return trip.

I do not have a generator. My question here is what others have done. The cost of a full-sized generator is beyond what I want to spend. This leads me to a portable. I'd like to hear from those who use them about the brand, cost, size, use, and other info.

I appreciate any help. Thanks
 
Jan 4, 2006
6,444
Hunter 310 West Vancouver, B.C.
On my return trip, my electronics fail to come until I am about 2 hours into the return trip.
Sounds like you have a problem with the regulation of your alternator, hence the slow buildup of sufficient voltage to activate your electronics. Also, your house bank may be a little weak if it's down after only a couple of days. Either that, or your electrical demand exceeds your battery capacity.

Rather than investing a lot of money in a portable generator (which will only serve to annoy your neighbours), consider installing an external alternator regulator. This will really pour the amperage into your batteries in hurry. You may also want to check your house bank for capacity.
 
Aug 1, 2011
3,972
Catalina 270 255 Wabamun. Welcome to the marina
Have you considered what you're using and what that might be drawing? Either (or combined with) the possibility as Ralph suggests, the capacity of the house might be a whole lot less than you expect.
I'd offer that you be really careful running electronics below their requested voltages. That won't end well eventually.
 
Dec 19, 2006
5,809
Hunter 36 Punta Gorda
Not good idea running a portable Gen while sailing,check your alternator for output
and check your batteries,I never had a problem keeping batteries well charged while motoring,'But if sailing and batteries run down check batteries.
Nick
 
Feb 17, 2013
53
Hunter 380 Port Clinton, Ohio
You could run a 2000 watt Honda "Companion" generator while on the hook. The Companion has a 30 amp twist lock connector, so it is easy to plug it directly into your boat using a standard shore power cord. Cost is around 1200-1300 bucks. Nice quiet generator.
 

Sailm8

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Feb 21, 2008
1,746
Hunter 29.5 Punta Gorda
The bigger question is what is your energy budget and what is your charging system? How old are your batteries? Did they run flat or been damaged? Two hours to get enough juice to run our instruments doesn't sound right. Could be as simple as a loose alternator belt to dead or dying batteries. You need to give a more complete description of your electrical system. How do you monitor your state of charge and energy usage?
 

Rick D

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Jun 14, 2008
7,132
Hunter Legend 40.5 Shoreline Marina Long Beach CA
Well, as you know, a majority of boats in the Catalina coves run either built-in or portable generators, so you are not likely to annoy many people. I second the Honda which I actually had purchased in Los Angeles and had shipped to Two Harbors. That's been maybe ten years ago and my experience is excellent. Always use a fuel preservative to avoid carburetor issues and change the oil annually. I have a Balmar 90 amp alternator, external three stage regulator and 260 watts of solar, but I still need a generator every few days. While there may be similar knock-off generators, the Hondas are ubiquitous on boats and for amateur radio for very good reason. I'd urge you to lean that way. Before you jump, be sure you know your charger capacity and compare that to the output of the Honda 2000. Good luck.
 
Jul 27, 2011
4,989
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
Please do not buy a portable generator-- those things are now the scourge of both Avalon and Isthmus Cove, even beyond. (Sorry Rick D!) I suppose I'm among the few who do not like to be surrounded by 'em. Some experts here may offer you other reasons not to get one from a safety perspective. Not that I'm unsympathetic to your power issues; I've been working on my own for several years now. I did buy a portable generator for one long trip; however, I took it off of the boat shortly afterward and sold it this year at a boater's swap meet. They are not the solution IMHO.

In my opinion--the solution is a combination of decreased power requirement, solar combined w/ diesel engine charging, and strong, well-maintained, batteries. Make sure the fridge is insulated well at the door--e.g. replace the seal w/ a new one. Turn it up (warmer) to maintain 40 to 50 deg temp cycle. If you have radar keep it on stand-by unless using it to range, or off when sailing. Do not sail much using the autohelm; use mostly only when motoring. If motoring to destination turn it off in the final hour b/f entering the anchorage and steer manually. Use a lantern below at night with LEDs or fluorescent lights. ALWAYS TURN OFF EVERYTHING that consumes power that is not being used, even the propane solenoid valve, etc., and the stereo. Turn off cell phones except to make a call so you do not have to keep recharging them, etc. Do not use appliances that require a large inverter. I think you get the picture!

Get a couple of solar panels of at least 85 watts, maybe larger ones or more of 'em, plus a battery charge controller/monitor. Charge all day, then "top off" with the diesel for an hour before turning in. Charge at 1200 to 1500 rpm. Make sure your charging alternator is working as it should. Get new, true deep-cycle, house batteries if yours are more than 5 years old and learn how to take care of 'em!!

PS--I hardly ever see or hear portable generators at the northern Channel Islands and many people, including me, anchor out there for 12 to 14 days at a time, or longer. Yes, the batteries still go down some after a couple of weeks. But, it works well enough for those relatively short coastal trips away a from AC power. It's a different "culture"; we love the pristine--sight and sound!!
 
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Nov 6, 2006
9,885
Hunter 34 Mandeville Louisiana
OK.. I will decline to lecture about this, rather just answer the question posed. A small portable like the Honda EU 2000 http://www.electricgeneratorsdirect.com/Honda-EU2000IA1-Portable-Generator/p8519.html or the Generac iQ 2000 http://www.electricgeneratorsdirect...dBW9lcUjns4CMQYfb9uLCPtbhIQgUBBk7dBoC0F_w_wcB are the only ones I would consider. They are both sufficient to drive your on board battery charger and are the most quiet of the bunch. The new Generac is quieter than the Honda and has some neat bells and whistles.. I own a Honda and it is a fine little unit that is very economical with fuel. I recently had to run it to power my freezer and refrigerator when we lost power because of some flooding.. There are lots of pros and cons to their use, the biggest con being carrying gasoline on board.. There are noise issues, but if you use common sense about when/where you run it, it will not disturb too many folks.
 
Jul 27, 2011
4,989
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
I recognize that they are here to stay irrespective of the best arguments that can be made against their use on boats. But to me, if the thing can be heard more than a foot or two from the deck of the boat on which it sits, then it's not "quiet." The more quite, and more still the anchorage you're in, the louder those things get. Sometimes you just wish to listen to the wind and sea. I don't know why I must hear someone's %..!! buzzing generator when a solar panel or two would do the job for them just as well. It's already bad enough with the powerboats around with their stinky, noisy generators and engines. What are we out there for? To bring it all with us just to get away from it all? Go rent a cabin in the mountains if that is what folks want!!
 
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Aug 17, 2010
208
Hunter 410 Dover NH
I don't find the noise to be a huge problem, especially with the newer ones... Under the foot or two from the deck standard wind generators will be prohibited as well... In my opinion there's already enough people telling me what I can and cannot do. If someone chooses to run a generator on deck I live with it or I leave, I don't own the anchorage and I don't think they're being inconsiderate. Just my opinion...
 
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Jul 27, 2011
4,989
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
I don't find the noise to be a huge problem, especially with the newer ones... Under the foot or two from the deck standard wind generators will be prohibited as well... In my opinion there's already enough people telling me what I can and cannot do. If someone chooses to run a generator on deck I live with it or I leave, I don't own the anchorage and I don't think they're being inconsiderate. Just my opinion...
Yeah--but just imagine yourself "surrounded" by 'em. We're not just talking one or two here. In the case of Avalon and elsewhere at Catalina Island we're taking dozens of 'em spread all over the mooring fields running at various times all day between 0730 and 2200 or so. They're now like the i-phone of overnight boating. It's absurd, IMHO. And you're right-- I've left Catalina Island and moved the boat to Ventura to visit the northern Channel Islands where there are many, many fewer boaters out there to begin with. But eventually, you can bet, there'll be no place where you can go where they--the portable generators-- are not--buzzzzzzzzzz!!
 
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Rick D

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Jun 14, 2008
7,132
Hunter Legend 40.5 Shoreline Marina Long Beach CA
I actually agree with Kings. That's why I have all the energy-conservation items aboard. All LED lighting including running lights, I turn the frig & freezers up (power hogs!) per the advice from the manufacturer (vs. shutting off & turning on), don't watch but maybe 30 minutes of TV a day and run and charge the computer ashore. But, that's just not enough when you have separate compressors for the frig & freezer. And, we rarely go for less than a week, so I can't keep up with the draw even with the solar and I have no room for more. The wind generators make me nuts. I'd rather put up with 45 minutes to an hour of generator once a day (or every other day). I can go three to five days with no generator in the summer, but not in winter. I am in an anchorage that is largely shadowed in the early morning and later afternoon (Cat). So, we wait until the sundowner winds come up in the late afternoon to run the generator since the noise is out there anyway and the workers are off and run their own. Most full-time boats use a combination solar, wind and generators. I feel the same way about wind as Kings feels about portable generators. More "power" to him! We all gotta do what we gotta do; just try to be as considerate as possible. :clap:
 
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Jan 4, 2006
6,444
Hunter 310 West Vancouver, B.C.
So, we wait until the sundowner winds come up in the late afternoon to run the generator since the noise is out there anyway and the workers are off and run their own.
This is the difference between you and many of the powerboaters out there. Most of them just DO NOT give a damn about disturbing others. Another pet peeve of mine about these inconsiderate yahoos.
 
Aug 17, 2010
208
Hunter 410 Dover NH
Yeah--but just imagine yourself "surrounded" by 'em. We're not just talking one or two here. In the case of Avalon and elsewhere at Catalina Island, we're taking dozens of 'em spread all over the mooring fields running at various times all day between 0730 and 2200 or so. They're now like the i-phone of overnight boating. It's absurd, IMHO. And you're right-- I've left Catalina Island and moved the boat to Ventura to visit the northern Channel Islands where there are many, many fewer boaters out there to begin with. But eventually, you can bet, there'll be no place where you can go where they--the portable generators-- are not--buzzzzzzzzzz!!
Ya I see your point, we don't have that issue here...
 

Sailm8

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Feb 21, 2008
1,746
Hunter 29.5 Punta Gorda
I can live and sleep with the steady drone of being surrounded by generators. It's the irregular woop woop or buzz of wind generators that keeps me up.
 
Jan 18, 2016
782
Catalina 387 Dana Point
As suggested, Solar.

Why? 'Cause it'll work all year around. it's absolutely silent. They don't need to be chained to the boat to not be stolen. And, for a few hundred watts, cheaper than a genset. (I don't like the buzzzzzzz at Avalon either)

Other notes:
1. What is the condition and size of your battery bank? A pair of 5 year old West Marine Group 31's are pretty much done as useful batteries.
2. What is your draw? (i.e. how many amphours do you consume in a day)
3. What is your alternator output?

Drawing lead acid batteries down to dead repeatedly kills em. I'll bet your battery bank doesn't have much capacity left. For the price of 1 honda 2K generator you can get some solar and 4 new GC6 batteries that will completely solve your problem.

Read the battery and charging articles over at MaineSail's page (http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/boat_projects) and on his sub forum on this site.
 
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hughvr

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Oct 9, 2011
13
Hunter 420 Hudson Point Marina, J Cty, NJ
I have a 1999 Hunter 420 and have had all the electrical problems. I carry a spare, charged starter battery with jumper cables as an emergency backup. Check your alternator belt for looseness first. If your batteries are more than 4-5 years old, replace them. Replace the solar panel in front of the hatch. It is an easy do it yourself job. I found a flexible one that fit with a very minor cut to the frame. I also hung a wind generator. Have an electrician check your connections. A small portable generator is quiet and can fix the problem in a pinch but won't run your AC.
 

gtista

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Mar 3, 2015
1
Catalina Catalina 27 Solomons
Running a gasoline engine driven portable generator on any boat is a good way to die from carbon monoxide poisoning. I was with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission before I retired and we saw lots of deaths from running these things in close proximity to confined spaces on land. Assume the same thing would apply on a boat.
 
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