Generator for 25ft...

[kindtampa]

If you had a 25ft sailboat with an outboard without a alternator for charging the batteries.. How do you go about keeping them charged?

This a good option?
Colman Portable Generator

[BC Mike]

The B&S motor may be noisy but it will be cheaper than a Honda.
I would get theEU1000 Honda.
I do not think you need a larger unit than that for your needs.
1000 watts is 83 amps. The Honda weighs 29 pounds. If you purchase a quality product, you may only have to purchase it once in your life time. I used to sell Honda products.
Michael

[ssullivan]

I 2nd Mike's reply.

[kindtampa]

The Honda looks to be only $50 more than the B&S of the same type. I'm gonna take your advice and go with the Honda. Thanks!

[chucks]

Dockside use shore power and charger. Anchored use a solar panel.

As much as I support the solar panel idea, my blender is only good for a couple of Margaritas on solar. Gotta have a few more watts.

[BC Mike]

On 25 foot boat there is not a lot of room for solar panels, but one 45 watt unit connected while the boat was parked could trickle charge the battery.
Michael

[kindtampa]

Thanks everyone.. Anymore suggestions beyond solar, wind, shore power, or generator please let me know.

Could I assume that an electric start ob motor has an alternator?

Again thanks!

[Alan Wheeler]

A very long extension cord??

[BC Mike]

What I meant to say above was one 15 watt solar panel on a 25 foot boat to trickle charge the battery. 45 watts should be almost 3 amps.
Michael

[nadahappycamper]

Interesting subject, I was wondering if a wind powered generator would be sufficient to keep the battieries charged, also would a wind powered gen set be alot more expensive than a Honda generator?


NadaHAppyCamper

[s/v 'Faith']

At the risk of sounding like a safety Nazi, there is an important consideration with a generator on a 25' boat.

I am sure no one would run it in the companionway, but when I went to figure out where to put one on my boat I could not find a single location onboard that could not fill the cabin with carbon monoxide under the right circumstances.

About the only thing I could come up with was putting the gen in the dink, and then only if the dink was anchored away from the boat. I know this sounds extreme, but keep in mind that you don't have to smell the exhaust for it to kill you.

Just ask a whole bunch of folks who almost survived hurricanes.

FWIW, I wound up going with a solar panel from these folks;

Link to Alt Energy store, kinda a hippie outfit but really good prices on solar stuff

[swagman]

kindtampa once whispered in the wind:
Thanks everyone.. Anymore suggestions beyond solar, wind, shore power, or generator please let me know.

Could I assume that an electric start ob motor has an alternator?

Again thanks!

Yes - you are right to assume a larger electric start outboard will generate electricity - but unless newer units are much improved - you may need to introduce a regulator as the outputs used to be very spikey.

Regards
JOHN

[Talbot]

most of the modern elec start outboards have a regulator, but a lot of the manual ones dont ,, however power output from a petrol outboard is quite low (abt 6 amps max) so you will need something else.

I have a diesel outboard which has a 10 amp output - hence the 180w solar panel.