How to Make a Suitcase Generator Safe for Storage Below?

[Jammer]

@Dockhead you appear IMO to have settled upon one of many choices. For what it's worth, I understand what you are doing and think it makes sense under the circumstances you face.

I offer these three observations for the path you follow. Perhaps they will be helpful.

1) While I realize you are planning for a specific short-term voyage, remember that progressive deterioration is a very serious problem with standby generators. You're fine while it's new, but over time, the same deterioration that any small engine faces (especially in a marine environment) will take place. Ideally you'd run it every 30 days, run it every year into a full electrical load, and follow the manufacturer's maintenance schedule. I would carry a spare carb kit once it is no longer new.

2) Equipment failures do not conveniently happen on calm days. It is hard to use a suitcase generator safely and reliably in heavy seas. I realize you have some battery capacity and can wait out storms to some degree, just pointing out the limitations. There are four areas to watch: how you will secure the device in place, how you will fuel it without risk of spillage or contamination, reducing risk of electric shock when using portable cords, and safe direction of exhaust downwind.

3) Though mentioned upthread, CO poisoning accidents are frighteningly common when portable generators are used on board and have happened even to people who are aware of the risk and should know better. Cold conditions exacerbate the risk because people are tempted to run the generator so they can operate cabin heat. If you do not have a CO detector in your cabin, this would be a good time to add one.

Be safe..

[NevisDog]

Originally Posted by john61ct

The death rates were 100x higher than society would accept nowadays, or many of us would be willing to risk personally.

Yes, a little tongue-in-cheek no doubt, but those death rates due to our love affair with gizzmos are also of concern - CO poisoning, electric shock, petroleum explosion, etc, already mentioned. At least we know DH is immune to the modern trend in total reliance on chartplotter nav.

[Hoosiersailor]

I know there is a fond appreciation for the Honda 2000 (rightfully so) but it is my understanding they don't have a fuel shutoff separate from the on/off switch. I could be wrong and maybe the newer models added it.

I have a Yamaha 2000 that is in all respects similar to the Honda in reliability, weight and noise but it has a completely separate fuel switch. When I am done with it and not planning to fire it up anytime soon, I turn off the fuel switch and allow it to run all the fuel out of the carb and lines. This does wonders if storing for longer lengths of time. I have had it for 6 years plus and it has never failed to start right up. Just something to consider

[sailjumanji]

We carried a Honda 2000 generator on a couple of cruises. When we went to Bahamas, I carried it as a backup - in case the solar was not able to keep up. In one case, we had started out sailing on a sunny day, about noontime I started up the watermaker, and forgot about it running until well into the evening. It turned cloudy that afternoon, and we were running all of the instruments and radar trying to avoid storms. So the solar panels couldn't keep up. So once at anchor, I ran the gen about four hours to get power back to reasonable level. That was the only time on the two-month cruise that we used it.

I have also used it on August trips in Texas, when weather can get very hot, and wind down to nothing. We used it at night to power our air conditioner. No other boats within sight. As for those fuel cap adapters to use your on-board gasoline tank, our Honda gen sits about 18 inches above the permanent tank. The gen fuel pump wasn't strong enough to pull the fuel that high.

Our next boat - Seawind 1160 Lite - has a large locker at the bow near the mast, with the fiberglass gasoline tank in it. Alongside is space for gasoline containers, Honda gen, etc. It has a drain overboard, and does not connect to the hull interior. It is also vented, and the lid has a large rubber gasket to keep water out. That is where the gen will go on the new boat. But again, I wouldn't have issue with carrying it below if that were the only choice.

[jbinbi]

Isn't there some conversion out there somewhere that connects some piping to the exhaust so you can feed the exhaust into the water?

BTW, thanks for the link on the DIY propane conversion kit.

[john61ct]

Never run these anywhere in the hull space!

In case that is what you meant. . .

[Viking Sailor]

DH,

The mod to the EU2000i to burn all of the fuel out of its carb has now be added to the new EU2200i/ic. So, now you can get the new Honda off the shelf that burns all of the fuel out of the carb.

[Zil]

One better thing on Honda, they have an actual fuel pump. It would be an easier enough project to have one fed from a sealed tank that would also be used on the dingy. Less troubles pouring fuel, less danger handling fuel. Your right in taking a suitcase generator. We are in safe water, and can't advise you. Safe voyage.

[Dockhead]

I think I actually have a solution to this.

It is possible to buy the Hyundai HY2000Si in a dual fuel version:

https://www.generators-direct.co.uk/...trol-generator

for about a boat buck.

If I buy a new one, then until the moment when I first pour petrol into it, there is zero safety issue storing it below decks, and zero issue with fuel gumming up the carb.

I can carry a tall bottle of propane somewhere -- maybe behind the transom platform, or in my divided anchor locker. This bottle would be ready for use with the generator, and also can be used to refill the bottles I use for the stove -- another plus.

In an emergency, I can use the dinghy fuel as well as the tall propane bottle, and I can source more petrol fairly easily, if I need to use it a lot.

Seems like a good solution for backup power.

Fair enough comment above that I am being ridiculously paranoid -- maybe I am.

I have already ordered an entire spare school bus alternator.

And I will be carrying extensive spares for the primary heavy duty diesel generator.

That's already probably enough, but what price total security?

[NevisDog]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

... but what price total security?

Aaah Dockhead, security is elusive, the more gadgets we are wedded to, the less secure we become; how did Slocum ever manage? A wood stove?

Seriously, I understand you are headed for far Northern waters. Fair winds, and give us a full report when you return to civilised climes.

[hellosailor]

Hmmm...According to Slocum, the price of security was what, about 25 cents for a big box of carpet tacks? See, you can put a price on it.

Dockhead, where you are going, there are critters that can and will hunt and eat you. Oh, and the environment itself isn't always hospitable. So it might not be paranoid to have backups and alternatives.

[hpeer]

Does anyone have a source for the “conversion” kit to fun the carb dry more easily? Maybe a link? I tried googling but came up dry.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by NevisDog

Aaah Dockhead, security is elusive, the more gadgets we are wedded to, the less secure we become; how did Slocum ever manage? A wood stove?

Seriously, I understand you are headed for far Northern waters. Fair winds, and give us a full report when you return to civilised climes.

And seriously, I do realize that this already verges on paranoia -- backup to backup -- as someone already pointed out, with some justice.

So I'm not really sure that this is really necessary when I have a well sorted high quality diesel generator with a full spares kit, and then besides that 2.5kW of generating power on the main engine, with a complete spare alternator.

But the suitcase generator is really appealing because it is totally self contained and totally independent of any of the boat's electrical systems, so usable even if some ungodly catastrophe (God forbid) befalls the electrical system. Electrical power is indeed mission critical -- doesn't have to be -- viz Slocum etc. -- but for better or worse, my boat is set up to require electrical power for safe navigation and life support. I don't even have heating without electrical power.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Hmmm...According to Slocum, the price of security was what, about 25 cents for a big box of carpet tacks? See, you can put a price on it.

Dockhead, where you are going, there are critters that can and will hunt and eat you. Oh, and the environment itself isn't always hospitable. So it might not be paranoid to have backups and alternatives.

Thanks!

[HopCar]

Dockhead, I’m a big fan of propane fueled generators. Living in Miami, I get hit by a hurricane every few years and we lose power to the house for a week or two. I have an old 6kw Tri Fuel generator that I’ve only run on propane. I start it once a year and so far it has worked every time. After last years hurricane we were without power for eleven days. The old generator sure made a difference.

I also have an old Honda 2000i that has been pretty reliable on gasoline. This hurricane I couldn’t get it to run so I bought a replacement carb and got it going. It’s actually pretty easy to completely drain the fuel system. You have to remove the side panel and back off a screw and the remaining fuel runs down a drain tube. Look on You Tube for videos on how to store a Honda 2000i.