Portable Generator Options

[The Gravy Boater]

Thanks for the comments.  I'm not about to do anything involving flamables without seeking advice, which is why I'm here.  Skim reading, someone said that the generator itself also needs to be kept in a suitable locker even when not in use and drained of fuel.  If one cannot be kept in the well deck I think that rules one out for me.  There is space to build up another locker on my semi-trad stern but I don't really want to do that.  Thankfully I've had some great tips about what to do with my solar today which, along with a new alternator, should sort my power needs until the winter, when I rather suspect a winter mooring beckons.  It's just not worth the grief of trying to be yearlong liveaboard on a boat with my specifications.

[OldGoat]

9 minutes ago, The Gravy Boater said:

Thanks for the comments.  I'm not about to do anything involving flamables without seeking advice, which is why I'm here.  Skim reading, someone said that the generator itself also needs to be kept in a suitable locker even when not in use and drained of fuel.  If one cannot be kept in the well deck I think that rules one out for me.  There is space to build up another locker on my semi-trad stern but I don't really want to do that.  Thankfully I've had some great tips about what to do with my solar today which, along with a new alternator, should sort my power needs until the winter, when I rather suspect a winter mooring beckons.  It's just not worth the grief of trying to be yearlong liveaboard on a boat with my specifications.

The best plan - a new alternator...  You'll soon get fed up with putting a genny on the towpath, fiddling about with petrol, plus the inherent  dangers of explosive fuels.

[Parahandy]

21 hours ago, RufusR said:

By the way run my Honda on LPG loads cheaper to run and less stress storing fuel 

Doesnt that invalidate the warranty Rufus ?

[RufusR]

2 hours ago, Parahandy said:

Doesnt that invalidate the warranty Rufus ?

 Not if you buy the official dual fuel version , I think it is done by the official dealer rather than Honda but it’s Honda approved and they honour the warranty if officially done . 

 

Downside ? Again as it’s Honda they add a sizeable premium for dual fuel version. 

 

 

[Parahandy]

13 minutes ago, RufusR said:

 Not if you buy the official dual fuel version , I think it is done by the official dealer rather than Honda but it’s Honda approved and they honour the warranty if officially done . 

 

Downside ? Again as it’s Honda they add a sizeable premium for dual fuel version. 

 

 

I never knew that Honda now did an official duel fuel conversion , many years ago I purchased from a fellow boater who was packing it in a " EU 3.0 is " which was fitted with an aftermarket gas conversion . Although the Generator had only been used twice I decided to have it converted back to Petrol and fully serviced . I took it to a Honda Generator Agent over by Waddesdon and he told me that the Conversion at that time invalidated the Warranty which was why I asked . Thanks for your kind reply .

[RufusR]

18 minutes ago, Parahandy said:

I never knew that Honda now did an official duel fuel conversion , many years ago I purchased from a fellow boater who was packing it in a " EU 3.0 is " which was fitted with an aftermarket gas conversion . Although the Generator had only been used twice I decided to have it converted back to Petrol and fully serviced . I took it to a Honda Generator Agent over by Waddesdon and he told me that the Conversion at that time invalidated the Warranty which was why I asked . Thanks for your kind reply .

Interestingly I think we may have got it from that exact dealer . 

Edited May 27, 2020 by RufusR

[The Gravy Boater]

Some months later...

 

What's changed?  Well, the solar is going on at the end of next month.  Large four panel array. 

 

Batteries are... coping - probably only because I have been cruising non-stop - but are likely on their way out. 

 

The alternator is actually a 95 amp model, not 50 amp.

 

And... I am getting a generator:

 

https://www.energygeneratorsales.co.uk/honda-generator-sales/product-detail/honda-eu22i-22kw22kva-dual-fuel-lpg-inverter-generator

 

There is the option to get a second 95 amp alternator fitted but it would be murderously expensive (Vetus) and I'm also likely to switch boats in a year or two.  The benefit of a generator is that you can take it with you and it's a third source of power.

[Grassman]

 

 

This is probably a silly question, but rather than having highly combustible petrol, if you are a 'gas free boat' are there diesel powered generators available? It seems to me that everybody only talks about petrol driven ones.

[BEngo]

Diesel generators are available.  Even the boxed ones are quite noisy and the open frame type are very unsociable.  Most of them thrash round at 3000rpm all the time.

For a fairly quiet diesel generator you need a built in cocooned device and that starts at lots of money.  Expect to pay £10k for a decent job and to need quite a lot of room.

 

N

 

[Tony Brooks]

7 minutes ago, Grassman said:

 

 

This is probably a silly question, but rather than having highly combustible petrol, if you are a 'gas free boat' are there diesel powered generators available? It seems to me that everybody only talks about petrol driven ones.

Yes there are. Smaller ones are usually built into the boat and its not only very expensive but can be difficult to find space on many narrowboats. The "portable" ones will be heavy site generators so not very practical. The petrol generators are air cooled and if you made a small air cooled diesel one I suspect the noise would be unacceptable. So the real answer is not that practical.

[Grassman]

 

 

Thanks BEngo and Tony. That all makes sense and I've learnt something there. 

 

 

[The Gravy Boater]

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Edited September 7, 2020 by The Gravy Boater
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