Portable generator for a Hunter 33

[Jimmy P]

Exploring the possibility of using a portable generator (heard the Honda EU 2000 is the best) at anchor. Has anyone configured a plug to work from the generator to the shore power plug on the boat? Can the AC run using this combination?

FYI, I have a 2006 Hunter 33 with two dedicated house batteries and a 3K inverter. Any advise is appreciated.

 

[Ed Schenck]

Doing it. The standard jumper has a male end to mate to shorepower female end. Other end of jumper is standard 3-prong 110v that plugs into the EU2000. Years ago I installed a shorepower plug in the anchor locker since I almost always dock bow in. This allows me to run the Honda(hatches/portlights closed) near the bow. I made a cover for mine and it is normally secured on deck. When the fuel tank is empty it lives under the nav table.

 

[Rick]

Jim, the device your looking for is called a pigtail. You can get it at most marine exchange outfits. Run an extension chord from gen to pigtail and plug it right in to shorepower. Ed has the popular spot for the generator although we do put ours on the swimbridge to keep the fumes downwind. Beware, you will get a reverse polarity light on your ac panel when you plug the gen into shore power receptacle. It wont be lit fully bright. This is NORMAL. Without being technical, tis because the gen is the ground. The boat doesnt agree. No worries.

Getting the ac to fire is doable if you have a newer unit that sorta starts up like they did on apollo 13 Otherwise......

Cheers

 

[Chuck Creel]

The pigtail isnt the issue with running the A/c, its the start up current surge. The a/C unit I have draws 11.5 AMPS running which is good for the Honda 2000EU. How ever the ratings for the honda are 16.3 AMPS on the outlets. You can figure the starting surge by multplying the running AMPS by 1.8. For example;
11.5x's1.8=20.7 AMPS. This I have found is borderline for the honda2000EU.

I have ran the dropin cruise air unit on my Honda2000 and the gen hardly kkows it is online.

The central uit I have installed will trip the breaker on the honda2000 when compressor starts but fan and all run fine.

Check the current darw on your A/C unit and see if it is more than 10.0 AMPs.


Fair Winds
Capt chuck

 

[Sailm8]

There is a new model of the honda called I think the companion. It has the female 30 amp plug built in.

 

[Jimmy P]

Thanks to all. This is very helpful. My follow-up question is along the lines of Chuck's response. I have turned on the AC at anchor (factory built-in) using my inverter. Of course, the house batteries didn't remain fully charged for long even when I cranked the engine. I never left it running to see how long it would go. Would running the generator into my shore-power recepticle and using the inverter work? Would the portable generator sustain the inverter or will there continue to be a surge issue.

I really appreciate the feedback from all of you. Planning another summer Keys run and want to save a little on marina fees.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Thanks to all. This is very helpful. My follow-up question is along the lines of Chuck's response. I have turned on the AC at anchor (factory built-in) using my inverter. Of course, the house batteries didn't remain fully charged for long even when I cranked the engine. I never left it running to see how long it would go. Would running the generator into my shore-power recepticle and using the inverter work? Would the portable generator sustain the inverter or will there continue to be a surge issue.

I really appreciate the feedback from all of you. Planning another summer Keys run and want to save a little on marina fees.

If you use a genset, why run the inverter simultaneously?
The A/C should run directly off the genset (as well as any other 110VAC needs.
Inverters are inefficient at converting DC to AC power not to mention that huge load on the batteries.

 

[Ed Schenck]

My 12K btu Mermaid A/C will run off of the Honda. But the generator will not handle the surge at startup without the inverter. . .I think. I believe that my 2000W Heart(Xantrex) has enough capacitance to get over the hump, about 18 amps I think. I don't know if I have ever tried it with the inverter off. But I will and hopefully soon.

 

[Jimmy P]

Ed, thanks for that information. That is just what I needed to know although I wasn't really clear on this. I have a 16K Marine Air and the Xantrex 3K. It sounds like the inverter should compensate for the initial surge and hopefully the Honda will do the rest after the inverter is shut down. I hate to conduct a $1000 experiment but cruising in Florida can be brutal in July and August. Any other feedback is appreciated.

 

[Ed Schenck]

Jim, I worry that your A/C is 16K. I have friends that could NOT run their 16K units with the EU2000. But I have no knowledge of their inverter status. Would it be possible to borrow one to test? Actually I am leaving Beaufort, NC next week and the hope is straight to St. Augustine. We'll be looking for a good anchorage or an affordable slip before heading out for Tampa Bay.

 

[Rick]

Jim its like this...
Easy as PIE: P (power in Watts) = I (current in Amps) x E (voltage in Volts). P=IE or PIE
So take a look at your start up amps, I dont know about Marine Air but one of the features of Mermaid is, that is starts the blower, then the compressor, etc to keep the amp draw down.
You said you have fired up the a/c on the hook so you should be ok. The generator plugged into shore power will turn your invereter into a battery charger so that is gonna be the key. You will only have the amp draw available that the generator can supply on start of a/c when it is plugged in.
Im not sure if.. you could do this. Start up the a/c on your inverter, let it get down to its running amps and then plug in the generator. It takes a microsecond for the inverter to see shorepower and switch over. Dont know if it would shut down a/c in the process.
Another opinion is in order here because I am NOT an electrician.

best of luck

 

[Jimmy P]

Thanks Rick.

 

[Jimmy P]

Jim, I worry that your A/C is 16K. I have friends that could NOT run their 16K units with the EU2000. But I have no knowledge of their inverter status. Would it be possible to borrow one to test? Actually I am leaving Beaufort, NC next week and the hope is straight to St. Augustine. We'll be looking for a good anchorage or an affordable slip before heading out for Tampa Bay.

Thanks for that. Your right, I haven't heard of anyone doing it with a 16K. Still researching.

Ed, If you want a marina the St. Augustine City Marina (904-829-8155) is on the otherside of the Bridge of Lions if your coming from the ocean through the inlet. If your in the ditch you will run into it. It is $79.00 per night and that includes everything. Your a hundred feet from bars, restaurants, etc.

If you drop the hook I would do it right in front of the fort before the bridge (not as crowded as the south side of the bridge). You can dingy under the bridge to the city marina. I keep my boat at the Conch House Marina (904-829-8646) which is right off where the inlet and the ditch meet (salt run). I think the price is about the same there and it's a good marina as well.

Send me an e-mail if you need more local info. or info on Florida cruising, marinas, etc. Good luck and thanks again for the info.

 

[seadaddler]

Jim Parker

Check out Jim Seamans Java web site,he has a 356 and he made some hook up to use the Honda to run his AC.
Nick

 

[Dennis W.]

Jim, Consider this; you can only have one a/c source at a time. When the generator or shore power is on then the inverter will auto switch off and become a converter (charger) to recharge your batteries. The converter draw has to be allowed for when you consider the amp draw at startup and while running. It is not possible to combine the inverter and the generator as a single source. Using the generator to charge batteries while they're being used to power the inverter to run the airconditioner is possible but you will need a separate charger. The system will get very complex and expensive very quickly. If the Honda Eu2000 is not large enough to start and run your airconditioner you should consider the Onan/Cummins 3600 diesel generator. Find someone with the Honda and try it. Make sure all a/c breakers are off and inverter is off berfore trying to start and run the airconditioner

 

[Jimmy P]

Dennis, will do. I was also thinking of the Honda 3k. Of course, with the Hunter 33 it's a space issue.

 

[Benny]

We started with a Honda 3000 and were pleased with the performance but not the weight and bulkiness of the unit. We downsized to a Honda 2000eu and noticed two things right away. The fuel capacity was not enough to run the A/C all night long and sometimes it would have a hard time getting the A/C compressor started. The first problem we solved with a connection to a 3 1/2 auxiliary fuel tank for a total capacity of 4 1/2 gallons and the second problem was solved by adding a Hard Start capacitor to the A/C unit. We sit the generator on top of the starboard locker by the swim platform and tie it down to the stern pulpit. When not in use it stays under the Nav table.

 

[Jimmy P]

Benny, thanks for the message but you got me on the hard start capacitor. Is this an in-line capacitor and where is it connected? I have the 16K Marine Air so I'm not sure where it would go, much less the size of the capacitor. You are right on the 3K. After I looked at them it is too large and cumbersome for my H33.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Benny, thanks for the message but you got me on the hard start capacitor. Is this an in-line capacitor and where is it connected? I have the 16K Marine Air so I'm not sure where it would go, much less the size of the capacitor. You are right on the 3K. After I looked at them it is too large and cumbersome for my H33.

I think what Benny was referring to is actually a soft start capacitor circuit, a desc of which you can find in the link below.

http://www.myronzucker.com/capacitalk106.html

I've seen a pretty good write-up of installation on the IP site but can't seem to find it now, sorry.
Maybe someone else has a good link to it.

 

[javaprog]

Jim its like this...
Easy as PIE: P (power in Watts) = I (current in Amps) x E (voltage in Volts). P=IE or PIE
So take a look at your start up amps, I dont know about Marine Air but one of the features of Mermaid is, that is starts the blower, then the compressor, etc to keep the amp draw down.
You said you have fired up the a/c on the hook so you should be ok. The generator plugged into shore power will turn your invereter into a battery charger so that is gonna be the key. You will only have the amp draw available that the generator can supply on start of a/c when it is plugged in.
Im not sure if.. you could do this. Start up the a/c on your inverter, let it get down to its running amps and then plug in the generator. It takes a microsecond for the inverter to see shorepower and switch over. Dont know if it would shut down a/c in the process.
Another opinion is in order here because I am NOT an electrician.

best of luck

Assuming "Xantrex 3K" means inverter/charger and not just inverter this could work. However what happens when the AC gets the temp. down? The AC shuts down... the temp goes up and the whole cycle starts over. You'd have to unplug the generator each time the AC kicks off.