Cruisers Forum
 


Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on Cruisers Forums. Advertise Here
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Rate Thread Display Modes
Old 19-11-2008, 19:44   #1
Registered User

Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Southbound
Boat: Pearson 31-2
Posts: 303
Honda generator for charging batteries

I have tried searching the forum for an answer to this but found threads related to running an air conditioner only.

I'm looking at using the Honda to charge batteries but am unsure how to plug it in. Do you use the 12v output to charge or the 120v to run the shore power charger?
Aquah0lic is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-11-2008, 19:46   #2
Registered User

Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Southbound
Boat: Pearson 31-2
Posts: 303
Hey, do I get a free cruisersforum hat or t-shirt when I hit 100 posts? Oop, thats 98! Almost there!
Aquah0lic is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-11-2008, 19:53   #3
Senior Cruiser
 
skipmac's Avatar

Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: 29° 49.16’ N 82° 25.82’ W
Boat: Pearson 422
Posts: 16,306
If this is like the Honda I used to have, the 12V output is only a couple of amps or so. I got much faster charging by plugging the boats charger into the 120V AC output of the generator.
skipmac is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-11-2008, 21:11   #4
Registered User

Join Date: May 2008
Location: daytona beach florida
Boat: csy 37
Posts: 2,976
Images: 1
the honda only puts out 8 amps at the 12 volt outlet - probably not enough to make it worthwhile running the thing except in the direst of circumstances.

you can connect it to your onboard charger by making up or buying an adapter plug that plugs into the 120 outlet on the honda and your shorepower inlet and then use your onboard charger.

or you can run an automotive type charger that plugs into the 120 outlet and connects direct to the battery via battery clamps.

i use the last method.
onestepcsy37 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-11-2008, 21:47   #5
Registered User
 
Stillraining's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Puget Sound
Boat: Irwin 41 CC Ketch
Posts: 2,878
What he said but I would use the first method..simplicity of having a shore power charger pre wired is bliss.
Stillraining is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 20-11-2008, 02:10   #6
Senior Cruiser
 
GordMay's Avatar

Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Thunder Bay, Ontario - 48-29N x 89-20W
Boat: (Cruiser Living On Dirt)
Posts: 49,082
Images: 241
Quote:
Originally Posted by onestepcsy37 View Post
... You can connect it to your onboard charger by making up or buying an adapter plug that plugs into the 120 outlet on the honda and your shorepower inlet and then use your onboard charger...
Much preferred.
__________________
Gord May
"If you didn't have the time or money to do it right in the first place, when will you get the time/$ to fix it?"



GordMay is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 20-11-2008, 04:16   #7
Moderator Emeritus
 
Pblais's Avatar

Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Hayes, VA
Boat: Gozzard 36
Posts: 8,700
Images: 15
Send a message via Skype™ to Pblais
Quote:
Hey, do I get a free cruisersforum hat or t-shirt when I hit 100 posts?
You made it! Sorry, we don't have any free stuff to give out. We don't even have pay stuff either. But you do get answers to 100 posts.

From the other responses I would agree with everyone and go with the shore power connector. Just consider that converting gasoline into electricity is not the most efficient process. You don't get much for the effort in the case of a small Honda generator. They do work well for what they are but they don't put out much power. As a primary charging system it's not a wise choice for extended charging. They tend to work better if you need to operate AC devices for moderate periods of time where an Inverter would drain the bank too much.

On a boat with a typical fridge you'll need 60 to 80 amp hours per day for a modest fridge. The poor little Honda needs to run a very long time to make even that amount up.
__________________
Paul Blais
s/v Bright Eyes Gozzard 36
37 15.7 N 76 28.9 W
Pblais is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 20-11-2008, 04:35   #8
Senior Cruiser
 
skipmac's Avatar

Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: 29° 49.16’ N 82° 25.82’ W
Boat: Pearson 422
Posts: 16,306
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pblais View Post
From the other responses I would agree with everyone and go with the shore power connector. Just consider that converting gasoline into electricity is not the most efficient process. You don't get much for the effort in the case of a small Honda generator. They do work well for what they are but they don't put out much power. As a primary charging system it's not a wise choice for extended charging. They tend to work better if you need to operate AC devices for moderate periods of time where an Inverter would drain the bank too much.
Absolutely. I kept a small Honda on board (back in the days when inverters were not readily available or affordable) for running small power tools and backup power. They just aren't a practical or cost effective way to charge or supply AC on a long term basis. Sure are handy if you inadvertantly run down all your batteries and can't crank the engine (yes, been there, done that).
skipmac is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 20-11-2008, 05:31   #9
Registered User

Join Date: May 2008
Location: daytona beach florida
Boat: csy 37
Posts: 2,976
Images: 1
not defending my position, just explaining it. yes, using the shore connector to run the onboard charger is the best - and easiest - solution.

i used the automobile charger for different reasons (read $$CHEAP$$). my onboard charger is an old 10 amp unit and would hardly be any better than the 8 amps coming out of the honda. rather than replace the onboard charger with a suitable one i chose to go the cheap route and bought a 'smart' charger at walmart for $70 which puts out 35 amps initially.

charging time. my primary draw, like many of us, is the adler barbour fridge. i'm guessing about 60 amps a day. my morning routine consists of running one quart of gas through the honda which runs it for about two hours and brings the batteries up for the day. and yes, it's a pain in the neck to hook everything up but that's what being cheap gets you.....
onestepcsy37 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 20-11-2008, 05:53   #10
Registered User
 
Pete the Cat's Avatar

Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Maine and California
Boat: Tartan 37 "Velera"
Posts: 406
Whoa

I took a 1000 watt Yamaha generator on my two year voyage through Central America and found it worked spectacularly in charging through my 40 Amp shore charger into 440 Ah of golf cart batteries. It had to run a few hours a day, but it saved running the diesel or fooling around with wind machines. In efficiency mode (it provides only the electricity that is demanded) it could run all day on a tankful of fuel but that was unnecessary. It made a lot less noise than my neighbors' helicopter windvanes--in fact I could not hear the thing from more than two boat lengths away. A number of times I had to row my neighbors over to my boat to prove to them that the thing was working. This powered my ancient Adler Barbour refrigerator with a stock ice box in the tropics as well as all my other electrical needs. I complemented this with a 65 Watt solar panel, but that only gave me 3.7 amps at max during daylight.

I am sure someone will think this not possible, but that was my experience.
__________________
Ray Durkee
S/V Velera
Tartan 37
Castine, Maine
Pete the Cat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 20-11-2008, 16:21   #11
Moderator Emeritus
 
Boracay's Avatar

Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Sunshine Coast, Qld, Australia
Boat: CyberYacht 43
Posts: 5,174
Images: 19
12 Volt DC Honda Generator...

Has anyone tried a 12 volt DC Honda Generator.

Christie Engineering makes a range of them for what looks to be a reasonable price.

Maybe not full time but for intermittent use they look interesting.
Boracay is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 20-11-2008, 23:03   #12
Registered User
 
Stillraining's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Puget Sound
Boat: Irwin 41 CC Ketch
Posts: 2,878
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pete the Cat View Post
I took a 1000 watt Yamaha generator on my two year voyage through Central America and found it worked spectacularly in charging through my 40 Amp shore charger into 440 Ah of golf cart batteries. It had to run a few hours a day, but it saved running the diesel or fooling around with wind machines. In efficiency mode (it provides only the electricity that is demanded) it could run all day on a tankful of fuel but that was unnecessary. It made a lot less noise than my neighbors' helicopter windvanes--in fact I could not hear the thing from more than two boat lengths away. A number of times I had to row my neighbors over to my boat to prove to them that the thing was working. This powered my ancient Adler Barbour refrigerator with a stock ice box in the tropics as well as all my other electrical needs. I complemented this with a 65 Watt solar panel, but that only gave me 3.7 amps at max during daylight.

I am sure someone will think this not possible, but that was my experience.

Sounds right to me..their capable of puting out 166 amp hours I think
Stillraining is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 21-11-2008, 07:57   #13
Registered User

Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Southbound
Boat: Pearson 31-2
Posts: 303
166 Ah ? What generator is that? I'm considering the iu 1000 or 2000 and leaning towards the smaller lighter one.

So, help me get my brain straight. I'm thinking 2 house batteries of the largest capacity I can fit in the compartment. An Engel or similar cooler which I'll say is 4 Ah so almost 100 a day if it runs 24 hours (which it wont). If everything else uses another 100 (which I hope it wont) then thats 200 a day total. To replace that in a 400 Ah bank in two hours, I'll need a 100 Ah shore charger, link 10 or similar, the batts and the gen,and a 15A to 30A cable. Simple, right?

How large of a charger is the iu 1000 capable of running? Or is that the 166Ah figure from above?

On a side note I just discovered that Harbor Freight is carrying a 2.5 HP 1000 watt 4 cycle gen for $199 and a 4hp 1500 watt for $299. I doubt if I'll take the chance on a cheap generator, but I'm going to go check them out before buying a Honda. I've bought alot of stuff from there over the years and some of it is total crap but a surprising percentage of it is very reasonable quality.
Aquah0lic is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 21-11-2008, 08:11   #14
Registered User
 
Vasco's Avatar

Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Toronto
Boat: CS36Merlin, "La Belle Aurore"
Posts: 7,557
I suggest getting the EU2000i. Everyone I know that got the 1000 regretted it and some traded up to the 2000. Of course it depends on the size of your charger. I have a 100 amp charger and the Honda will put out 96 amps or so. That's about maximum. Spend the money and get a Honda. No one has a bad thing to say about them. Just clean the carb every year or two. You can tell when the carb needs cleaning because it won't run without a bit of choke.
__________________
Rick I
Toronto in summer, Bahamas in winter.
Vasco is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 21-11-2008, 08:19   #15
Registered User

Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Lakeland, FL
Posts: 1,296
Also, a lot and probably most of the cheapo brand generators are LOUD. Kind of like running a lawn mower onboard.
__________________
"There's nothing . . . absolutely nothing . . . half so much worth doing as simply messing around in boats."

Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows (River Rat to Mole)
slomotion is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
generator, honda

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Honda 2000 Generator MoonDancer Electrical: Batteries, Generators & Solar 34 06-11-2008 13:12
Honda Generator(EU2000i) Parallel Power Kit dworkman Classifieds Archive 0 17-09-2008 13:29
Cheap generator alternative to Honda EU2000i? speedoo Electrical: Batteries, Generators & Solar 17 11-08-2008 03:56
Honda Generator Excitement SkiprJohn Auxiliary Equipment & Dinghy 16 16-06-2008 10:50
isolating / charging batteries? Doghouse Electrical: Batteries, Generators & Solar 5 09-08-2006 13:08

Advertise Here


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 20:24.


Google+
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Social Knowledge Networks
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.

ShowCase vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.