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Old 07-08-2011, 16:00   #16
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Why run a generator to charge your batteries? Wind and solar is a lot quitter and use a whole lot less fuel.
I was thinking similar. I can usually maintain my batts with 160 watts of solar saying this is to expensive makes no sense. I have a grand in gear little maintrance add in the inverter maybe a little more. If your doing water generation plus it probably makes sense. I'm a weekend cruiser plus a few extended trips. Way different then carribran lifer. I'm not dockside so solar makes sense for me.nice looking rig though. My disclaimer I have generator envy.
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Old 07-08-2011, 17:14   #17
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Re: DC Generator - The Smart Way to Go

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I was thinking similar. I can usually maintain my batts with 160 watts of solar saying this is to expensive makes no sense. I have a grand in gear little maintrance add in the inverter maybe a little more. If your doing water generation plus it probably makes sense. I'm a weekend cruiser plus a few extended trips. Way different then carribran lifer. I'm not dockside so solar makes sense for me.nice looking rig though. My disclaimer I have generator envy.
Thanks. Yep heading south , in about three years , will live aboard for as long as my body and wallet lets me . I want a freezer and cold drinks so solar won't cut it . plus if im in a little place that I want to stay for awhile it would be nice to have hot water. So I would have to run the engine or generator for that any way. The fuel will go . Hey the Yanmar burns a gallon an hour. If I run it for an hour every day, thats 4 bucks . Cheaper then being home thats for sure. More likely run it every second day, what will I do with all that water , hey maybe I could sell it to people on solar .

Can't make to many sacrifices, or the woman won't come .

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Old 07-08-2011, 17:49   #18
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Re: DC Generator - The Smart Way to Go

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. . . plus if im in a little place that I want to stay for awhile it would be nice to have hot water. So I would have to run the engine or generator for that any way. . . .
Can't make to many sacrifices, or the woman won't come .
Regards
Hot water normally is only available using an engine fresh water cooling system through hoses to the water heater - or - electrically heated by 120VAC (just like household water heaters). So how are you going to use the DC generator to supply 15 amps of 120VAC for the average water heater?
- - As to the sacrifices and the little woman - a very savvy wise assumption there.
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Old 07-08-2011, 18:41   #19
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Re: DC Generator - The Smart Way to Go

One small note about the difference between dc generators and alternators. Back before the 1960's most cars had DC generators for charging. The problem with DC generators is they present the same load to the engine weather they produce max current or minimum. Going to an alternator allowed the alternator to unload or control shaft loading with the field current. So when the batteries are full the alternator goes to no load and reduces engine fuel consumption. Plus it was easier to get more amps from a smaller case size with an alternator...Just FYI
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Old 07-08-2011, 18:49   #20
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Re: DC Generator - The Smart Way to Go

We had motor generators on tugs. DC motor powering as 110 volt alternator
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Old 07-08-2011, 20:02   #21
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Re: DC Generator - The Smart Way to Go

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Hot water normally is only available using an engine fresh water cooling system through hoses to the water heater - or - electrically heated by 120VAC (just like household water heaters). So how are you going to use the DC generator to supply 15 amps of 120VAC for the average water heater?
- - As to the sacrifices and the little woman - a very savvy wise assumption there.

Plumb the hot water hose to the generator instead of the main engine .

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Old 07-08-2011, 20:05   #22
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Re: DC Generator - The Smart Way to Go

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One small note about the difference between dc generators and alternators. Back before the 1960's most cars had DC generators for charging. The problem with DC generators is they present the same load to the engine weather they produce max current or minimum. Going to an alternator allowed the alternator to unload or control shaft loading with the field current. So when the batteries are full the alternator goes to no load and reduces engine fuel consumption. Plus it was easier to get more amps from a smaller case size with an alternator...Just FYI
It really isn't a dc generator in the actual sense. I am using an alternator. I just call it that because im not using an AC setup.

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Old 07-08-2011, 20:34   #23
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Re: DC Generator - The Smart Way to Go

I caught that after I posted. As I sometimes say Blonde happens.. Nice set up really!
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Old 07-08-2011, 20:40   #24
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Re: DC Generator - The Smart Way to Go

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I caught that after I posted. As I sometimes say Blonde happens.. Nice set up really!
Hey Im blonde too , you should have my first attempt at this thing LOL

Big boom !!! LOL
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Old 08-08-2011, 05:32   #25
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Quote:
Originally Posted by osirissail

Hot water normally is only available using an engine fresh water cooling system through hoses to the water heater - or - electrically heated by 120VAC (just like household water heaters). So how are you going to use the DC generator to supply 15 amps of 120VAC for the average water heater?
- - As to the sacrifices and the little woman - a very savvy wise assumption there.
Wouldn't be a problem with any sort of decent investor

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Old 08-08-2011, 05:48   #26
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Re: DC Generator - The Smart Way to Go

We have refrigerator, freezer, ice maker, 37" TV and all the goodies. Everything gets the power from wind and solar charging.
Even installed solar hot water, not high volume but it does the job..

Personally, as above, We're sailing and don't want to listen to a generator.
But it looks like a good setup if that's the way you want to go.
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Old 08-08-2011, 05:52   #27
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Re: DC Generator - The Smart Way to Go

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Plumb the hot water hose to the generator instead of the main engine .
Regards
That works . . . I use two ball valves on my engine coolant to water heater hoses. One for the supply line to the water heater and one for the return line. The theory is that if a hose or tube in the water heater fails I can shut off the coolant feed and not lose the engine coolant system.
- - In practice, I have ended up using the valves to turn on and off the coolant feed to the water heater because the water in the water heater gets too hot. The engine coolant runs at about 180 deg F which is a bit too close to the relief valve setting on the water heater and way too hot for anybody to use in showers, sinks, etc.
- - I also found that it was better to turn on the engine to water heater valves when about one hour from the new destination anchorage. It only took an hour to heat the water and if I turned on the system earlier I invariably forgot to turn it off after an hour and ended up with too hot water in the water heater.
- - With a couple of hose tee's and valves you could have both the main engine and genset engine plumbed to the water heater so either was available to heat the water.
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Old 08-08-2011, 06:53   #28
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Re: DC Generator - The Smart Way to Go

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Everything gets the power from wind and solar charging.
Beautiful.
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Old 08-08-2011, 06:57   #29
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Re: DC Generator - The Smart Way to Go

There was a tug I worked on that had a genny that ran pretty much 24/7..... For the FOUR years I knew that boat! That's like 35k hours! As I understood it, it was not "fresh" when I came to the boat. Lube oil was shared with the mains and was continuously filtered and centrifuged, topped off as necessary, and spectroscopically analyzed. It was a Detroit 671 IIRC.

On my Bertram 28, I have a Kubota based Phasor with about 3500 hours... Still runs strong
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Old 08-08-2011, 07:35   #30
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Re: DC Generator - The Smart Way to Go

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Originally Posted by Unicorn Dreams View Post
Why run a generator to charge your batteries? Wind and solar is a lot quitter and use a whole lot less fuel.

UD:

Well, nothing makes me smile more than sailing nicely along and making fuel (energy) at the same time using just the solar panels and wind generator:
THE BIANKA LOG BLOG: HAPPY AT THE HELM!
The problem is it is hard to beat the energy in a gallon of gas. I could charge my batteries using solar and wind only but, it would take some time depending on how much I have discharged my propulsion bank. On a cruise I don't always have the time or the space for more solar panels to speed things up. So I use the generator for the bulk charge phase. It is also best for the batteries to be charged up ASAP after a discharge. So after a extended use of EP I like to charge up after the anchor is dropped and be done with it. After the bank is charged up I usually don't need to fire the generator up again until I up anchor letting the solar and wind keep things topped up in between. Another good reason I like to have the generator availible is for those rare days when the wind just does not show up at all as happened recently and I had to electro sail for 37 nm:
THE BIANKA LOG BLOG: A FINE DAY FOR AN ELECTRO SAIL
Another reason I have the generator is when using the the electric windlass to raise the anchor. It helps make sure I don't discharge the house bank doing it and/or replenishes whatever amps I used pretty fast.
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