Generators

[GordMay]

A 3HP Watermaker Pump Motor would draw nearly 200 Amps at 12VDC (20A @ 120VAC).
(± 800W/HP x 3HP ÷ 12.7V = 189 Amps)
At 30 GPH your Watermaker would be consuming about 80 Watts per Gallon of water produced.
(3HP x 800W) ÷ (725 GPD ÷ 24 Hrs) = 2400W ÷ 30.2 Gal/Hr = 79.47 W/Gal.

Something doesn't compute, as this seems rather inefficient (to me). I would have expected a larger unit to be more energy-efficient ( Watts Power Consumed per Gallons Output). Are you certain the pump is actually 3 H.P.?

ie: My little "Power Survivor 35" produced about 1.5 GPH at 5 Amps (12VDC)
64 Watts ÷ 1.5 Gal. = < 42 Watts / Gal.

Of course, no reasonably sized Solar Array is going to produce the kind of power you’ve specified.

Regards,
Gord

[irwinsailor]

I am at a disadvantage because I'm going from memory but if I remember correctly my pump motor draws 13amps on 110 volts and if I change it to 220 is would 6.5 amps. It is a very large unit.

[CSY Man]

725 gallons a day....?

That would be 100 showers per day, and a bunch of ice cubes.

Stay away from Fisher Pandas.
Just read a horror story on the internet...Some guy set up a web page about his negative experience and lack of support from Fisher Panda, it pops up on Google when ya search

[irwinsailor]

If I order a genset it will be a Westerbeke 8 kw. There is a place here that has a Phasor 6.5 on display that I will try one more time to make a deal on. The reason I don't buy the Phasor is that it is a little smaller than I would like. But for the right money I would make do. Like I said my boat is a power hungery vessel. I took a 20 kw out of it.

[irwinsailor]

Well I spent part of my day looking at the 6.5 kw Phazor. It is a display model that must be 4 years old. I can't get him to move off his price. It looks like a great unit but just a little smaller than I would like. For about $1boat unit more I can have just what I want.

[irwinsailor]

Now I'm swinging toward Phazor. I wish I could make up my mind.

[irwinsailor]

I still have not made up my mind. I now know that my watermaker is a 1.5 hp. The electricion tells me that I need a 8 kw genset.

[Alan Wheeler]

We are in the same ..huh.. Boat. We are buying a 5KW hopefully. I have my eyes on two new ones that have had major woopsies. One has an oil leak around the motor and the other has a Generator problem. I ma hoping to take Gen off the leaky motor and fit to the good motor. The good motor is made by the same crowd that made the Yanmar motors for Yanmar and by all accounts IS a yanmar, but with a different name.
However, we won't be in a mission critical environment for a few years yet, so it will be a good cheap experiment with no major colamity should the thing fail.
Oh and the water maker, it's good to have a big one. You don't have to run the thing so long to make your daily/weekly requirements. And if you can make an abundants of water, it makes cruising so much more pleasurable. It's wonderful to have long showers when ever you want.
Wheels

[BC Mike]

Tell us about the water in the sound. BC Mike C

[JusDreaming]

We found the best prices at Americas generators. The one we got was the 4.3. And ave had no problems with it at all. As far as annoying others, which I am very sensitive to, I installed an inverter for the tv. We only used the generator once or twice on the latest trip. Once for battery recharge and once when Diane didn't feel well so I cranked up the A/C.
Here is a link for the company. Keep in mind you have to install your self or find someone to help!http://www.americasgenerators.com/

[Alan Wheeler]

Hi Irwinsailor,
8KVA is a big puppy. Do you need this big. For your water maker, you have 1.5HP. Thats ruffly 1100-1200W. The hard part is getting a motor started. This will take three times it's normal run current. So lets say at wors't, that will be 3600W. Now I presume that it would be 24V or even 12V, (although the start current would be horrific at 12V. ) However, that start and run current is provided via the batteries. The Geny is going to be maintaining the batteries. So you don't actually need something so big to start the watermaker. Then lets say while the water maker is running, you run Microwave, a few lights and a TV. Add another coupla KW and you still only get to 5KVA. Now if you don't have an issue with fuel, then 8KVA is proabaly not a major issue. But for cruising when fuel conservation is an issue, then I would be looking at as small a generator as I could get away with. Just a thought.

Oh and BCMike, if the "water in the sounds" question was for me, it is just palin beautiful. Wind can be an issue with hills around. It changes direction often, in lighter airs and can be a frightening experiance in gail force conditions, with catabatic type gusts coming down on top of you. They have been know to lift small tinnies clean out of the water. But the sceanery is stunning and when conditions are nice, it is the 8th wonder of the world.

[BC Mike]

Yes Alan the question was for you. I have not been there but my brother has. He is in Browns Bay just North of Auckland and has a Lotus 10.6 I have been told that the top 10 feet of water in the sound is actually fresh, and drinkable, from all the rain and runoff.
BC Mike C who lived in Auckland and Tauranga for 20 years.

[Alan Wheeler]

Lucky Brother. That area of NZ was just made by God for sailing. Unfortunatly, you have to share that piece of water with 1/3 of the entire population of NZ.
No you are slightly off geographicaly. The Marlborough sounds are at the top of the South Island. It has consistantly the highest sunshine hours. UInfortunately it rains and blow's also. Something to do with a lot of hot air coming from some Island off our West coast. I think they call it Australia;-)
I think the sounds you are refering thinking of is an area at the bottom west corner of the South Island called Fiordland. Now that is the 8th wonder of the world. The average rainfall is 6.5M/yr. Yep thats something like 22ft for our imperial friends. It is the only place in the world that I know of, that can look spectacular when it's sunny and can look spectacular when it rains. The top 10 inches of water is often fresh and clear and although 10" doesn't sound much, it is considering these sounds are open to the Ocean. When Diving, you go through this layer just below the surface of where the fresh floats on the salt and creates a thin diffusion zone. The Salt water below is anbelievably clear and deep and ofcourse, cold. The fish life is truely stunning. IT is an untouched part of NZ because of it's extreme remoteness and ruggedness and few people get to see it. I have seen only a smal part of it, but hope to sail to it sometime soon. It is one of those trips of a life time.
For anyone that maybe interested, here is a link to the place I sail in and as from this coming October, am returning to live.

http://www.thenewzealandsite.com/art...lboroughSounds

Sorry, someday I will learn how to post a link.

[BC Mike]

My mistake I should have looked a little closer. You are in grape country, top left of the South Island and I was thinking bottom left. The local plonk master ( wine maker ) is from Marlborough area. BC Mike C

[Alan Wheeler]

Local plonk master from Marlborough Eh! What's his name. I know a few in the wine industry there. Hey, it's a small place.
Maybe I am a little Biased, but I reckon it's the best wine in NZ and maybe some of the world from that part of our country. Although a Brown brothers Red is still my Favourite.
So may I ask, where exactly are you?