Portable Generator on Boat

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by 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

That's a really good idea.

[Chief Engineer]

One more question....How do I determine for this guy how many KW I will need to start up his A/C unit? Thanx

[Beausoleil]

Originally Posted by Chief Engineer

One more question....How do I determine for this guy how many KW I will need to start up his A/C unit? Thanx

Typically, the A/C manufacturer will spec the startup current and the locked-rotor current. As long as the generator can handle the peak startup, he should be fine.

For example, my Westerbeke 7.6kW 7.6-BTD is rated for 63.3A @ 120Vac, 31.6 @ 230Vac. It's equipped with a 60A breaker (2x30).

I'll summarize what they say in the operators' manual:

Split-phase AC motors may require peak currents up to 5-7 times the running current; induction motors require about 4 times. A 1hp motor's startup draw will peak anywhere from 26 to 52A, while drawing only 13 amps under normal running conditions.

[Strygaldwir]

I believe if I put Air Conditioning on my boat (Not a portable, hatch based affair) I would install a permanate Genset that was diesel driven. I love my portable generator as a bridging, inexpensive solution, but I would not view it as appropriate for the loads required for an A/C compressor.

[beau]

I put in a 9,000btu Panasonic air conditioner which has an inverter type compressor. very low start up current necessary.
the whole system works off my batteries pack.

[Cowboy Sailer]

Quote by Beau, "I put in a 9,000btu Panasonic air conditioner which has an inverter type compressor. very low start up current necessary.
the whole system works off my batteries pack."

My questions:
a) What is an inverter type compressor?
b) Is it operating off of your batteries at 12 Vdc or is an inverter being driven by your batteries and that powering the air conditioner?
c) why does it have a very low start up current?

I looked at some Panasonic ads and did not see anything about low start up current or an "inverter type compressor".

[GordMay]

An Inverter Air-Conditioner works by changing the frequency of the power supply, altering the rotational speed of the compressor.
It uses an inverter circuit (frequency changer), to regulate the rotational speed of the compressor, matching the output of the compressor to the cooling pump load.
This reduces the number of times the compressor stops and starts as the load varies, so saving on electrical energy consumption, and reducing noise levels compared to non-inverter models.

The amount of cooling or heating required by an air conditioner will vary depending on the outdoor temperature and the amount of heat in the room.
Conventional air conditioners operate their compressors at a fixed speed and therefore deliver a fixed amount of power. As a result the compressor must continually stop and start to maintain the desired room temperature. Inverter driven compressors, on the other hand, vary the speed of the compressors, delivering precise cooling or heating power as required.
When the compressor operates at a high speed, the amount of refrigerant flow through the system increases, increasing the cooling or heating capacity. Conversely, when the compressor operates at a low speed (during moderate outside temperatures for example), the amount of refrigerant flowing through the system decreases, thus decreasing the capacity.
When the inverter air conditioner is switched on, the compressor operates at a high speed in order to cool or heat the room quickly. As the room temperature approaches the set temperature, the compressor slows down, maintaining a constant temperature and saving energy. If there is a sudden fluctuation in the room temperature, the air conditioner senses this and instantly adjusts itself to bring the room temperature back to the set temperature.

Main Advantages
1. The selected temperature is reached up to 30% faster (at the high speed level of the compressor)
2. There are energy savings (up to 70%) with the compressor at low speed.
3. "Reduduced-Voltage "Soft-Start" options are easily adapted to Inverter technology.
4. Avoiding compressor cycling means that there are no voltage drop peaks.

[beau]

A panasonic CS-E9FKR, I have been told that Panasonic are the best model to choose from because they have the lowest energy use per btu.
I have a 3000 watt inverter (overkill) and a 600 amp /hr AGM battery pack. The system runs well. It use 50 amps at startup less than my microwave.
I have split unit with the evaporator in a small bedroom cabin with the compressor outside. (very quiet) The system heats as well as cools.

[dvdcnl]

How about mating a small lawn mower type engine with a car alternator feeding the batteries?

[Pete the Cat]

I carried a Yamaha 1000 eui on a two year cruise through Central America. Weighs about 29 pounds, drives my 40 amp shore charger. Very very quiet--several times when on a neighbor's boat I had to go back to my boat to see if it was running and even then get to within a boatlength. Uses very little fuel. In terms of bother to others, much less than the guys who pull in beside me and have a diesel generator roarng all night. Or the helicopter whine of the wind generators. If you do not need 2000 watts, I am not sure why you would carry the larger generators if you can drive your shore charger with half that.

[lostsoul]

Hi i was reading many many posts about the generators mostly honda2000.
(funny thingin the 80's I worked in a honda shop and repaired them-well changed the oil mostly)
Look people post and say the honda 2000 is used for charging. now I guess that you are inplying that you also have an inverter charger when you say I can charge at 40 or 60 or what ever the number comes up. Right????
also it seems that the 2000 has a 12 volt out put for battery charging but at about 10 amps? ( i remember some models having a feature like that 25 yrs ago.
so what I get is that a sailor runs the generator for 110 volts and could plug in his onboard (regular) 10 or 20 or 40 amp battery charger. i have a xantrex truecharge 20 (20 amps max) . but as I understand it the costly inverter charger units get plugged in and charge the 12v batteries. and when no 110 v is available then they make 110 for use from the batteries.
Right so far here. (I think my father has a similar system in his motor home.)
I have seen ads for small engine driven generators-where a gas or diesel engine is belted to a 12v generator and maybe a watermaker. these adds seen less lately.
I like the idea of the 2000 generator but then it seems the bigger cost comes with the inverter charger-its sailing! I live here in the oven of sw florida and have thought about a/c.
I am trying to figure out the best way to go with having a/c and being able to charge my batteries. But I only get 3 days at a time mostly so for now a generator and a/c might be the first prioroty before buying a invertercharger. I only have a tartan 34 and just want a/c to sleep. I probably could rework a 5000-10000 btu unit to cool my vee berth and just charge my batteries at 20 amps.
Does anyone know of a quiet small engine that i could use to power a 12 volt alternator-Honda make on? I still have an atomic 4 and have a balmer 100 amp alternator mounted on the crank PTO my seawater pump is in place or the original alt (for fresh water cooling). I hate florida but we get some really great wind for a few days over a couple of months. It blew 25 last weekend. I sailed to key west over christmas and new years-got back 2 hours before the cold front hit with 35 knots from the north. what a trip full moon but no damn wind mostly.

[Haefen]

Lots of info here!

A 12volt generator like a honda can be made but I have not seen any for sale. I'd buy one as I'm looking at buying the 2000i later in the month.

[Cowboy Sailer]

We have a 16,000 BTU/hr air conditioner-heat pump and a Honda 2000i generator. The generator is capable of powering the air conditioner if I turn off the economizer function, that is run it fast all the time. It will last about 5 hours on the built-in fuel tank at that setting.
We also have a thermostaticly controlled small portable heater. The Honda will power it at the economy setting; the generator speeds up when the heater goes on and slows to idle speed when the heater goes off. It will last about 7 hours per tank of gas doing that.

Our boat has separate inputs for the air conditioner and the rest of the house needs. If I connect the Honda to the house circuits I can turn on the battery charger and keep the batteries charged and run the 120 Vac things like the microwave at the same time.

We also have a large inverter but I nearly always use the generater for 120 Vac loads unless the diesel engine is running. I have used the portable heater in the cabin while motoring or turned on the microwave for a few minutes while motoring and used the inverter for 120 Vac for a short time.

I like the Honda. I set it on the helmsman's seat with the exhaust facing aft and you can't hear it over the tv or the heater fan noise with the boat closed up.

[Zydeco]

We just installed a new 8,000 BTU Marine Air Systems AC/Heat pump and we can run it on our Honda 2000i in the economy setting. The Honda runs just a little above idle and runs the heat pump for about 8 hours on one tank of gas. It should run the air conditioner a little longer. The air draws less amps than the heat.

[Dbuettell]

Have anyone been stopped or questions by the Coast Gaurd regarding air cooled generators? I was told by an A.C. guy that they are not allowed. (I found nothing on the USCG site about it). And that water cooled was all that was acceptable. Seems to me that both produce CO.

I have a large low swim platform on the back of my boat, three feet below the coaming, where it coud sit and provide power for HEat and AC ( with a soft start in front of the conpressor, the 2 and 3 K units WILL NOT start the compressor without the soft start also called smart start. it reduces inrush by about 60% ) for anchoring.

Sails Call