Portable Generator on Boat

[bruadair]

We got our Honda EU2000i from wisesales.com last fall for $849, shipped. Before we had the Honda we had a Yamaha 1kw but decided to upgrade to the Honda 2kw and a larger battery charger. We have a 30amp extension cord and 30amp pigtail that lets us plug it in via our shore power connector. Works great. Hardly any noise. Some of the boats in the anchorage here have big diesel gensets, they make much more noise.

Gord, I have a question. It seems that since we started using our Honda 2kw portable generator we seem to be going through zincs pretty fast. Didn't have that problem with our Yamaha 1kw (as far as I can remember). Is there a possible link of using the Honda and the quick use of our zincs, or should I look else where?

Damon
s/v Bruadair
The Adventures of s/v Bruadair
Bocas del Toro, Panama

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by bruadair

.. I have a question. It seems that since we started using our Honda 2kw portable generator we seem to be going through zincs pretty fast. Didn't have that problem with our Yamaha 1kw (as far as I can remember). Is there a possible link of using the Honda and the quick use of our zincs, or should I look else where? Damon s/v Bruadair

Yes, very possibly.
Search < corrosion survey > & < corrosion test >, and/or goto:
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...rina-8445.html
EngNate & others discuss & describe the testing procedures.

[beau]

There is a system available here in Australia where you put your Gasoline powered alternator/generator in a sound proof box.
They have a auto type 12 volt radiator fan which supplies outside air first to the air cleaner of the motor and then over the motor (air cooling) then the exhaust, though a couple of baffles and then outside the boat.

You must start the fan first or in my case I will open the lid for starting and then close the lid. It works extremely well and is VERY quiet and very Safe.
They are mainly used by Campers, RV's, Boating etc.
It is quite easy to make yourself.

[rsn48]

To Rick in Toronto from Rick in Vancouver; where can you get a Honda 2000 in Canada for less than $900, heck that's the cost of a Honda 1000 in Vancouver.

[Vasco]

Rick,

I bought mine online delivered in the States. The Canadian prices are daylight robbery. I was in Costco here (Toronto) yesterday and saw a McCulloch 1850 watt generator, same as the Honda with the inverter and it was under $500. It's a bit less powerful than the EU2000i but at that price it's quite a bargain.

[Pura Vida]

Well I went down the other day and purchased an EU1000. Probabhly a bad move since I've quit work but hey. Anyway the price was just under $700 us. What really sold me on the generator was the noise, or lack of it. This thing is easily quieter than any windmill in my marina and it is a big mariina. The size only slighly wider than my laptop case. I don't plan to run an AC on it so it is more than enough for my needs and if it is too small I'll hook another to it. So far I'm pleased.
pv

[rsn48]

Okay folks, here is a link to a very lon.......................gggggggg thread (more than 250 pages) on generators, and particularly Kipors.

RV.Net Open Roads Forum: Tech Issues: 3000W Chinese Gensets Info.

What follows is a post by a Flemish guy who translates (not so well) what he wrote on his flemish site concerning Kipors: note he is discussing the 3000 unit, if my memory is accurate (and I haven't had a seniors moment). I will now quote him directly:

"Hi
Just finished info collection because there was one Tc in the offerings at Makro. Will translate my conclusions posted a day or to ago on the Flemish site. Thanks for basic info to Kipor International for adequate and to the point info, be it that we had a bit dificulties to understand each others English, my Chinese being even poorer, and they were not particulary fluent in Flemish. Also collected some observations from Canada and US.

The Kipor lookalike from the Honda exists in two completely different versions (although the specs look that similar) en both are sold under a number of brands. Makro's version is named LoadUp, there is also Kawa, Kipor and KDE, and if you orders a number high enough you can have your own brand, even with technical modifications.

De two versions are
the Sinemaster or "i" serie en de Campermate or" c" serie.
Both series have a lot in common with the Honda: the alternator and motor built on the same axle, the safety cutouts, the econo throtle, the silencing and the general working principle. The alternator AC output is rectified filtered and stabilized, the direct current is transformed into AC again and there is the catch .

The Ti sinemaster as the Honda got a pure sine mosfet AC "inverter", the Tc Campermate has a modified sine wave "inverter" rather a square wave said my contact.

Originally what as Tc Campermate went to the US and canadian market had been developed to feed big projectors, up to several Kw, but also down to 1Kw, rated 900W, on a 1300W drive, those we get on our market now.

Even the bigger "c" range machines were not able to get running the airco's our US and Cn friends bought them for. The Chinese plainly answerred that the Tc were not meant to drive motors and that Ti should be used for that.

It is the same answer they gave me: if you want a generator to drive most applications from motors, to power tools, computer gear you should buy a Ti Sinemaster, if you need a cheaper generator that will be able to be used for some applications you can go for the Campermate Tc... what some applications are is in the first instance the projectors KDE delivers as options, but I would not try flurescent lighting as modified sinus "inverters" are noteworthy poor with capacitive loads.

None of the positive experiences I collected dated back furthet than six month
Noise level was judged equal to Honda, generators compared at equal distance.
No one used a generator for other than occasional backup purposes.
One used Ti for "all purposes" inclusive compressor fridge and charging batteries over an AC loader. One used a Tc but mainly for lighting, halogen an d incandescent, and heating (cooling but by an electrolux fridge) and a radiant heater with a small fan. The latter is interesting as modified sinus inverters often behave better on a capacitive or inductive load if given the major chunk of their load as resistive load.

As for me because Ti is not yet on our market but only Tc... I keep the boat off
Hope thes gives you some clues
Archi

hope not to much flemish remained interjected while i typed over my original text
.
Groetjes
Archi</SPAN>
__________________________________________________ ____________
Archimedes

[SurfNRG]

I've had great success the past three years with my Honda 2000eui. Couldn't believe how quiet they were. The eco throttle is a nice feature is fuel efficiency. I plug in at shore power inlet near my transon. Runs a 5200 btu portable windo a/c along with lights, refridge and LCD TV with no problem. Sure with it was a 3kw to run a larger mermaid a/c.

[beau]

I received a lot of advise from this forum in regard to the electrics, MOST OF IT ********, thank god for Rick how pointed me in the right direction.

I have a 13 hp Chinese Honda running at 1/2 throttle putting out 190 amps into my 800 AGM battery bank. I haver a Xantex regulator and Xantrex gauge for reading battery level etc.

I also have a 9,000 btu Panasonic air conditioner (new Inverter type) which pulls a maximum of 50 amps when the compressor is starting and running. Once the cabin temperature is "pulled down" and cooled it drops to a ten amp draw

All this with no gen set running.

More information on this forum at multilhulls /beau's boat

[forsailbyowner]

I bought a prosource from big lots. It is a 1k unit and cost $150. 4 stroke, starts on 1st pull and has been run sporadically for 2 yrs now. I usually only run it when Im sewing when I have stereo blasting fans blowing and 400watt sewing machine humming. Dont think the hondas dont make an annoying amount of noise. I was staying on hook and another cruiser came up and anchored close, the bugger would keep his generator running late into night , then fire it up at 5 am for coffee. I moved and had another 500 yards to dingy to project, other than say anything, but I think he got my point.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by beau

I received a lot of advise from this forum in regard to the electrics, MOST OF IT ********, thank god for Rick how pointed me in the right direction ...

Beau: Could you provide some examples (or links) of the misinformation (BS), and to Rick’s instructive advice? Thanx lotz.

[rtbates]

My son and I race RC dirt oval cars and one Sunday, as I was talking to a fellow racer, I could barely hear a hum during the brief periods of silence. Finally I had to figure out what that hum was. Turned out it was a Honda 1K generator sitting on the ground 6 or so feet away!! No I don't think your neighbors will be bothered!!

[rsn48]

Don't purchase the cheapy generators at Canadian Tire as they are louder than the Kippors, Yamahas and Hondas. But with the furor over higher Canadian prices than in the states, I'm willing to bet Canadian prices are going to start down.

The new Canadian class action suit against American Automakers I think will scare many manufacturers like Honda to reduce their prices. A Canadian Honda 2000 is around $1850, and American one around $1050.

Here is a link to info on the new class action suit:

Automakers to face Canadian class-action lawsuit

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by Microship

I have a Honda eu2000i, which I chose after quite a bit of research. If you already have gasoline for an outboard (which I did until yesterday, when my trimaran sale closed) then a very convenient hack is to use the same fittings with a Y-valve, allowing operation from a standard plastic tank. To stow the generator, disconnect while still running and burn the remaining fuel in the line... so explosive fumes in a locker or below are minimized.

The little Honda generators are absolutely excellent... very quiet, self-adjusting to match the load, and easy on the back (the 2000 watt unit is 43 pounds). They also have a direct battery charge output and can be parallelled for twice the power.

-Steve

I had the smaller Honda generator, and will be picking up the larger one (like yours) before I head out for the big ocean. It worked like a charm, ran like a work horse (Honda engines..), and was doing great until someone stole it from my transom in the middle of the night.

CO problems:
- Reasonable to be concerned, but using your engine produces more CO than the generator will. It's another CO generator, so you need to be careful, but not run away from one.

Carrying gasoline:
- Most boats have explosive stuff on board. WD40, cleaners, solvents, varnish, propane, etc. Again, it doesn't mean you keep it in a locker that vents to the bilge and call it done, but you also don't need to keep it off your boat entirely if you're safe. I have a deck box that holds two five gallon cans nicely.

Noise:
- The Honda generators are pretty damn quiet; especially if you're not right behind them. And we're talking a 10 degree window there where you can hear it a bit. Other than that, the wind on a 10k day is noiser. The hull slap at night is noiser than a Honda generator on your stern.


They're not for every situation, but for things like rainy days when you're cooped up in the cabin watching movies, or using a lot of power tools, they're great. And as much as some people think that every sailor should be able to spend $10K on a full solar and wind arrangement, for an occassional sailor on the hook, an $800 generator and a 5 gallon jerry can of gas is a hell of a lot more economical.

[wind rose ll]

I place my Honda 2000 in my dingy (while on anchor) and connect via my shore power cord directly to the recepticle in my cockpit, CO is down wind as is the noise, no vibration on board, no gasoline on board,when the fuel runs out (about 4 hrs) my batteries have been topped off.
Love that Honda!
Dave