How safe is it to use a generator?
- Thread starter Caribbeanknight1
- Start date
- Status
Jiffy Pop
You need to look, but it is still around and still comes in it's own tin for cooking.
OK, does the collection include air freight to Grenada?You could buy one of these for under $25 and make your coffee in peace and quiet. The canisters cost about $1.25 at the local Korean grocery store and burn for about an hour and a half.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Camp-Chef-Butane-Single-Burner-Stove/20468060
And if you'd like, we could take up a collection to buy your first canister.
Yeah, just what I want in a rolling anchorage. Great thought.
We've got a 3kw inverter, but it won't run the stove, refer system, water heater and h2o maker, let alone the A/C.
We actually have an Onan that the only thing anyone can hear beyond a few feet is the water exhausting the boat. Anyone anchoring astern of me is doing so knowing that the second, smaller exhaust pipe is for a gene, so I assume they don't mind the fumes. We most often are outside "the pack", anyway, as we sail onto our anchor and off and I do not consider it good seamanship to sail through a crowded anchorage.
I don't particularly enjoy listening to the on deck genes either, but some people rely on them and I can accept them for a few hours in the evening.
I was just trying to make the point that we all should understand that other people may need those noisy things to cruise and be a tiny bit kinder.
What gets me a hell of a lot more aggravated than the little genes, is the cheap windgens, that on a boat anchored even 500 feet away or more, grind out a horrendous noise 24/7. From reading this forum I thought it was customary for those with the noisy windgens to anchor down wind of everyone else, just as a courtesy, but I'm finding that, at least here in the Caribbean, those folks will insinuate themselves right in the middle of an anchorage, totally uncaring of the others in the anchorage.
I have been very hesitant to purchase a windgen because of this very reason and after 2+ years, I think I have a handle on the few that run without making everyone else around them miserable and those aboard one's own boat crazy from vibration and noise. And to add insult to injury, almost everyone with a cheap windgen maintains that THEIR windgen is quiet. Like a freight train is quiet!
Sorry for the rant, but 24/7 versus a couple of hours?
Jiffy Pop!!! and all this time I just made popcorn like my mommy did. In a pan with oil and a lid. What a modern age we live in
capta, Thanks for your response. I understand how you "Operate" and your concern for your fellow boaters is admirable.
As far as the boat explosions pictures, it sure seems like a lot of stupid power-boaters are still out there. A few years ago we were anchored in Clipper Cove on San Francisco Bay when a beautiful 42 foot Stephens or Chris Craft motor yacht pulled out heading east for Bezerkeley. About a 300 yards east of the anchorage, they burst into flames. The three folks onboard, a couple and a young daughter were taken off by the Coast Guard who just happened to be around the corner. Could have been the engine, could have been something else.
But the same "lack of logic" applies to everyone with a gasoline powered outboard or an A4 for that matter.
The A4 skippers have made a great case that their engines aren't anymore dangerous than anyone elses IF they TAKE CARE of their systems.
Goodness, folks, sh*t happens, and there are more stories at BoatUS of *********s filling their fuel tanks through their fishing rod holders than you can sneeze at. There are also lots of internet pictures of boats on the rocks.
All I'm suggesting that gasoline, in and of itself, is not an inherent evil. It requires CARE, but so does sailing, motoring and docking a boat, of any kind.
As far as the boat explosions pictures, it sure seems like a lot of stupid power-boaters are still out there. A few years ago we were anchored in Clipper Cove on San Francisco Bay when a beautiful 42 foot Stephens or Chris Craft motor yacht pulled out heading east for Bezerkeley. About a 300 yards east of the anchorage, they burst into flames. The three folks onboard, a couple and a young daughter were taken off by the Coast Guard who just happened to be around the corner. Could have been the engine, could have been something else.
But the same "lack of logic" applies to everyone with a gasoline powered outboard or an A4 for that matter.
The A4 skippers have made a great case that their engines aren't anymore dangerous than anyone elses IF they TAKE CARE of their systems.
Goodness, folks, sh*t happens, and there are more stories at BoatUS of *********s filling their fuel tanks through their fishing rod holders than you can sneeze at. There are also lots of internet pictures of boats on the rocks.
All I'm suggesting that gasoline, in and of itself, is not an inherent evil. It requires CARE, but so does sailing, motoring and docking a boat, of any kind.
A rolling anchorage, you say? No problem. For an additional $25 you could cobble together some gimbals for one of these stoves, such as shown here: http://www.pinoyboats.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=550 They have even provided helpful pictures on how to do it. (They even show how to rig up a pot holder for it.) Then you could save the other $1950 for your cruising kitty.
Yeah, I guess there is air freight to Grenada for those $1.50 canisters--assuming they don't sell them in Grenada. But surely the money you'll save on having to maintain that noisy, smelly generator, including the cost of airlifting parts into Grenada when the thing breaks down, should more than offset that.
Very carefull
No big deal any way I am sure we all carry gas for the dinghy so just a little more for Gen.
nick
No big deal any way I am sure we all carry gas for the dinghy so just a little more for Gen.
nick
Genrators
I recommend two products: Ethanol Shield fuel stabilizer and a product called Mechanic in a Bottle. You can get them in the lawnmower section of Home Depot. I use these products on my lawn mower and snow blower as well.
End of season run to flameout.
The 1000s are much lighter weight but can't power as much. The 2000s will power just about everything but are heavier and cost a bit more. So you have to decide if you need the extra amps. Carbon Monoxide detector is a must.
I put the generator on the swim platform tethered & locked to the boat. Under way it is tethered under my helm seat. When I depart the boat I lock it up down below.
Coast Awhile - Hunter 310
The Honda & Yamaha Generators 1000 or 2000 very similar - they are reliable, extremely quiet, fuel efficient(8.3 hrs on 0.6 gallons of gas). The Harbor Freight models are not reliable, loud, and use more fuel.
I recommend two products: Ethanol Shield fuel stabilizer and a product called Mechanic in a Bottle. You can get them in the lawnmower section of Home Depot. I use these products on my lawn mower and snow blower as well.
End of season run to flameout.
The 1000s are much lighter weight but can't power as much. The 2000s will power just about everything but are heavier and cost a bit more. So you have to decide if you need the extra amps. Carbon Monoxide detector is a must.
I put the generator on the swim platform tethered & locked to the boat. Under way it is tethered under my helm seat. When I depart the boat I lock it up down below.
Coast Awhile - Hunter 310
Thanks to everyone for posting your thoughts and concerns about my original post. After reading everything I decided a test of the little generator could be safely done on the boat. There was no wind so I kept the gen on the floor of the cockpit in the rear under the tiller. I motored out to a isolated cove and dropped anchor. Read through the manual and while my wife was relaxing I position the gen in my open transom so the exhaust aimed out the boat. One pull on the handle and it started right up and the entire cove was engulfed in the loud obnoxious roar of the motor. My wife was shocked by how much noise it made. It did power a fan( oh boy) but doesn't produce enough wattage to run the smallest Keurig. We both agree its much more tranquil to use our wind sock for air flow. Needless to say its now in my garage.
I don't understand why small generators must be noisy! A 9.9 outboard motor can be practically silent. Why not install water mufflers on generators? A wet exhaust is considered standard for propulsion do the same thing for any other engine on board.
I commend you for reaching what is clearly the right decision. And no doubt anyone who winds up sharing an anchorage with you will be delighted as well!
By the way: Doing the test with your wife aboard was undoubtedly the right way to do it, so that she could see for herself the issues involved. Otherwise, had you done the test yourself and simply reported back, it might have resulted in some hurt feelings, granting that this was a very kind gift from your father-in-law. You have handled it well.
Virtually all outboards are water cooled. Virtually all portable generators are air cooled. Water cooled engines are generally much quieter.
Ross,
The difference for me is that the outboard passes by you and is a passing sound or temporary. They also don't tend to run at wide open throttle through a quiet anchorage. A portable generator on a swim platform is stationary and similar to me finding your house and parking my running lawnmower outside your open bedroom window.
The difference between many AUX engines charging at anchor and a Honda is that the main engine is a tick above idle, inside your boat, and using a wet exhaust. The Honda is running outside the boat, on a swim platform at FULL BORE. If it is not running full bore, and is in ECO mode, then it's really not needed..
I find many well installed gensets to be extremely quiet, splashing water only, but the portable generators etc. are at full bore and sound like someone parked a lawnmower outside your boat and then left.....
I own a Honda EU2000 but would NEVER be discourteous enough to others to use it on our boat. We try to be conscious of other peoples time on the water, or at anchor, to the point that we often motor sail the last bit into an anchorage using OUR TIME to charge or chill the holding plate and not EVERYONE ELSE'S time to charge or chill. EVERY sailor with an AUX engine has the ability to do the same. Sadly rather than digging into THEIR TIME to charge they insist on sailing on their time and charging on everyone else's time. Sadly this is just the state of this society today. The level of selfishness and entitlement, to negatively impact others, is at an all time high.
Like jet skis or PWC's, it always seems to be one inconsiderate bad apple out of 30+ boats. The problem is that once one generator goes on others then add in thinking it is okay to do so. Pretty quickly it sounds like you are at a county fair.
A few weeks ago one owner got himself a standing ovation for finally shutting down his OBNOXIOUS generator... Sorry but I do find the use of portable generators rude and extremely inconsiderate especially after 4:30pm or before 9:00am... When it is flat glass calm the level of inconsiderate/rude/obnoxious rises to a cheesy Vegas level.....
For the last 40+ years we cruised Maine in pretty much peace & quiet but in the last five years the onslaught of these things has gotten out of control and it's ruining the essence of what people cruise to Maine for...
One of the most infuriating things for me is that I set foot on lots of boats with portable gen sets all the time. AHUGE portion of these boats don't even have a volt meter let alone a battery monitor. They have no idea whether they need to charge or should be charging so they just RUIN the atmosphere because they are using guess work...
I even motored by one guy using the Honda's 12V outlet for charging which DOES NOTHING.......
I am to the point where I am ready to digitally record a generator and "loop it" then buy a PA speaker and do laps at MAX volume around offending boats until they get the point and turn off the racket..
I'm sure it would take abut 30 seconds for them to get the point and shut it off. 30 seconds of really obnoxious, is possibly better than 8 hours straight of just regular obnoxious........
i used a honda 2000 gas powered generator in a rolly mooring for 7 years without any incident and i have yet to hear of a genny exploding while in use underway--i dont know many who use gennies while underway.
also--in an anchorage, the generator is not inside the boat when in use--it is on deck somewhere, hopefully not upwind from cabin ventilation.
i have watched from slight distance while riding my bicycle in sd, a powerboat, at a fuel dock, explode into beautiful fireball, but it was because the fuel station, was texaco, insisted that ALL motors are OFF when filling--when, in fact, the bilge blowers need to remain ON for fueling. that initial spark of turning on the blowers can blow you sky high, when fumes accumulate, which they will in fueling, of the blowers are not in use.
but use of a generator blowing you up---please reconsider facts and actualities..use common sense, which i know is rare as hens teeth anymore--but that sense will save you from doing something something foolish
i had a generator fire involving a 3k honda with faulty plug in-- but there was no explosion, as i put the fire out before it hit the tank, and the genny was 40 ft away from me on the bow of this boat. . my fire was due to faulty wiring inside the generator due to age and abuse prior to my owning.
also--in an anchorage, the generator is not inside the boat when in use--it is on deck somewhere, hopefully not upwind from cabin ventilation.
i have watched from slight distance while riding my bicycle in sd, a powerboat, at a fuel dock, explode into beautiful fireball, but it was because the fuel station, was texaco, insisted that ALL motors are OFF when filling--when, in fact, the bilge blowers need to remain ON for fueling. that initial spark of turning on the blowers can blow you sky high, when fumes accumulate, which they will in fueling, of the blowers are not in use.
but use of a generator blowing you up---please reconsider facts and actualities..use common sense, which i know is rare as hens teeth anymore--but that sense will save you from doing something something foolish
i had a generator fire involving a 3k honda with faulty plug in-- but there was no explosion, as i put the fire out before it hit the tank, and the genny was 40 ft away from me on the bow of this boat. . my fire was due to faulty wiring inside the generator due to age and abuse prior to my owning.
Thank you for writing one of the best posts I've read on SBO to date. I agree with all of it 1000% and it is very well stated. Much appreciated.
A few years ago I was in the anchorage at Isthmus Cove, Catalina for a few days. I did not have my normal complement of batteries installed that particular trip so I needed to run my main engine to recharge (no generator). I'm Atomic 4 powered so I'm pretty quiet except for the normal sploosh of a wet exhaust.
Nevertheless, prior to recharging I made a dinghy trip around the anchorage to ask my neighbors when would be the least offensive time to do this. They were most appreciative of the consideration, a suitable time was chosen (like around midday) and we all got along fine.
Nevertheless, prior to recharging I made a dinghy trip around the anchorage to ask my neighbors when would be the least offensive time to do this. They were most appreciative of the consideration, a suitable time was chosen (like around midday) and we all got along fine.
- Status