Portable Generator topic beatin 2 Death but I need some ideas

[Al B]

I HAD a Kohler 5 E gas generator
5 years of owing present boat I never used generator as intended
Started often letting it run 5 minutes but never stay on hook
Started from cabin , idling ruff , a huge mountain
of black smoke coming from under deck ,
Looked like I was on fire , Thankfully I closed in time ,
Had a tech checked out ,said windings grounded ,
Could have started a fire ,
A year later this 250 lb rust bucket sits , Making me crazy
Recent months port engine came out , giving me access too gen set
REMOVED - Happy it was gone , more storage ,
I was concerned about weight distribution but wanted
generator out ,
Either I rebuild , buy new , but never used , why spend all that money
I know some of U will respond a generator should not make all
that difference , IT DOES on my boat ,
As a temp solution I installed patio pavers , boat is level
Not leaving long term
Nothing too move from other side
I hate too spend the 4 grand rebuilding - then pulling & installing engine
for a item I never used ,
I use power inverters , coffee, tv , while under way , dockside all other times

Considering 1 lithium battery , heavy , but would need a number
too level , costly
Might as well install gen set ,
I too thought of a portable Honda if I ever needed it
Looking for ideas what too install in place of gen too give me weight
but not looking like Sanford & Son
IDEAS

[tkeithlu]

A battery bank.
A larger water tank
a larger black water tank
air conditioning
hot water heater.

[Al B]

All of those items installed all ready
A/C same side as gen set
Hot water tank only 6 gallons on other side with 2 batteries , Might be able
too pull out and in most cases destroy it cause nothing can be moved once
engines in place but a larger tank 12 gallons will give me 100 lbs.
2 batteries on same side as water tank can be moved were gen sat ,
install 4 batteries that's around 120 lbs , ,
were up too 220 , still need another 100 lbs
waiste & water under deck , centered installed
First thought was a bank of batteries but its over kill too many and look silly
But thats a start ,

[tkeithlu]

You don't have to move a tank. Connect the new one to the old one with hose, paying attention to height in the hull. Same with batteries, just get some whopping big cables to interconnect. Given your charging situation, batteries really come to mind.

Personally, I'd spend the 4 grand on a used diesel genset. Nothing quite like a self-sufficient boat- it does not have to find a marina.

[warrior 90]

Originally Posted by Al B

I HAD a Kohler 5 E gas generator
5 years of owing present boat I never used generator as intended
Started often letting it run 5 minutes but never stay on hook
Started from cabin , idling ruff , a huge mountain
of black smoke coming from under deck ,
Looked like I was on fire , Thankfully I closed in time ,
Had a tech checked out ,said windings grounded ,
Could have started a fire ,
A year later this 250 lb rust bucket sits , Making me crazy
Recent months port engine came out , giving me access too gen set
REMOVED - Happy it was gone , more storage ,
I was concerned about weight distribution but wanted
generator out ,
Either I rebuild , buy new , but never used , why spend all that money
I know some of U will respond a generator should not make all
that difference , IT DOES on my boat ,
As a temp solution I installed patio pavers , boat is level
Not leaving long term
Nothing too move from other side
I hate too spend the 4 grand rebuilding - then pulling & installing engine
for a item I never used ,
I use power inverters , coffee, tv , while under way , dockside all other times

Considering 1 lithium battery , heavy , but would need a number
too level , costly
Might as well install gen set ,
I too thought of a portable Honda if I ever needed it
Looking for ideas what too install in place of gen too give me weight
but not looking like Sanford & Son
IDEAS

Not YET
Stay tuned

[a64pilot]

You say you never stay on the hook, so you don’t need extra fuel or batteries or a generator
Just secure the patio pavers well.

[sailorboy1]

If i ever get around to removing my pos dead diesel tenerator im going ti i stall a gasoline fuel tank (correctly) in the space so i dont need jerry can of gas for the outboard and honda generator

[Tom and Maje]

We went through two portable generators before installing more solar. Hubby also changed our hot water heating system to the solar. If you want to know how he did it, PM me.

Maje

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by Al B

Started often letting it run 5 minutes but never stay on hook

REMOVED - Happy it was gone , more storage ,
I was concerned about weight distribution but wanted
generator out ,

I know some of U will respond a generator should not make all
that difference , IT DOES on my boat ,
As a temp solution I installed patio pavers , boat is level
Not leaving long term

I use power inverters , coffee, tv , while under way , dockside all other times

Considering 1 lithium battery , heavy , but would need a number
too level , costly
Might as well install gen set ,

Sorry to say, you probably killed the original generator by not running it for longer periods and UNDER LOAD... but OTOH, it may not have been just that, and it's water under the bridge now anyway...

I think you're saying generator removal has affected the boat's balance and trim, yes?

Options might be:

- Secure the pavers better
- Choose a different inert ballast (lead shot? concrete blocks? rebar? etc.)
- beef up your battery bank
- add a water tank (could be considered ballast, no need to even use the water)
- maybe a combo of some of those?

Given you've said you use inverters -- maybe you mean one or more small units for one or more individual loads? -- I'd consider the battery idea more closely. NOT lithium; too expensive.

Probably AGM (at least in my case), given you're at the dock often and recharging is easy... and that'd make the bank essentially maintenance free. Or flooded lead acid batteries would be even less expensive. Given easy access, periodic maintenance could maybe be easy enough...

Can't tell how much weight you'd need, but maybe four G31s in parallel? Or maybe four, six, or even eight 6V golf cart batteries in series/parallel... (Look up weights of Trojan T105s for an example to see how many might work; these are flooded batteries but sort of representative of 6V weights.)

And if you're using multiple small inverters, I think I'd look at replacing all that with a "whole house" approach... That wouldn't run aircons, water heaters, or electric cooktop, but it'd work on coffee makers, microwaves and combo microwave/convection ovens, maybe toasters or toaster ovens, etc...

-Chris

[NYSail]

Originally Posted by Tom and Maje

We went through two portable generators before installing more solar. Hubby also changed our hot water heating system to the solar. If you want to know how he did it, PM me.

Maje

Would love to hear about your solar h/w heater. I am in process of building one as well.

Greg

Btw sorry the ignorance but didn’t see the link to pm you...... fell free to pm me so maybe I can learn a couple of things from post!

[hpeer]

Wine cellar.

If you don’t leave the dock might as well enjoy the dock.

[Oceansailor]

You can always laminate some lead to the hull to level the boat. If you can get the lead further out than the generator you get more leverage.

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

If i ever get around to removing my pos dead diesel tenerator im going ti i stall a gasoline fuel tank (correctly) in the space so i dont need jerry can of gas for the outboard and honda generator

Hope you research that thoroughly. It is not nearly as simple as it sounds and will almost certainly be an issue for your insurance company if the installation does not meet all ABYC Standards when called out at your next survey.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

Hope you research that thoroughly. It is not nearly as simple as it sounds and will almost certainly be an issue for your insurance company if the installation does not meet all ABYC Standards when called out at your next survey.

@sailorboy
Regulations for below decks gasoline tanks (they can only be poly and do emit fumes) can be found here. Just follow the regs and be sure to ventilate the area well. Mine have been permeating fumes for 5 years now and it's annoying. Sorting out the venting issues now after not working on the boat that whole time.

Tank and plumbing:

https://www.uscgboating.org/regulati...UELSYSTEM1.pdf

Ventilation:

https://www.uscgboating.org/regulati...ENTILATION.pdf



Note:. It's VERY simple to install a gasoline tank below decks. Just follow the rules and buy approved components. The ventilation is the most difficult part.

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by Chotu

@sailorboy
Regulations for below decks gasoline tanks (they can only be poly and do emit fumes) can be found here. Just follow the regs and be sure to ventilate the area well. Mine have been permeating fumes for 5 years now and it's annoying. Sorting out the venting issues now after not working on the boat that whole time.

Tank and plumbing:

https://www.uscgboating.org/regulati...UELSYSTEM1.pdf

Ventilation:

https://www.uscgboating.org/regulati...ENTILATION.pdf



Note:. It's VERY simple to install a gasoline tank below decks. Just follow the rules and buy approved components. The ventilation is the most difficult part.

and ignition protection and grounding.