100 ah or 200ah LiFePO4 batteries

[Alan de Enfield]

Just now, MrshappyH said:

We won't be cruising much over next couple of years . Noted about generator weight . What about wheels and ramps? Can't afford an inboard so presumably everyone has this problem? Tbh I doubt we would take our generator on cruises . .. as always appreciative of experience. 

 

Please do not take offence, everyone is new to boating at some time and struggles with some of the concepts and cannot understand why something can be a 'problem'.

 

In all seriousness, the answer is to learn to live with what you have - a boat is not a house and you have to adapt and compromise in so many ways - no long showers (water limited by tanks size), electricity is limited by battery size (and solar in Summer). Space (and no doors to slam when you have a falling out)

 

Yes you can have a smallish 1kw or 1,6Kw generator that is like a small suitcase weighing 20kg or less and can be easily picked up and carried on & off the boat. This can sit on the bank and can be almost 'silent' and quite capable of running a 50 amp / 70 amp or maybe even a 100 amp battery charger. 

The higher the load the higher the noise.

 

 

 

You only need a monster 'building site' generator if you are planning to cook-electric and use a 2.2kw Kettle, or a 3kw immersion heater, or Toaster, etc etc

 

My generator is a Kipor IG2000 which is 2000 watt peak and 1600 watts continuous (watch out for the peak and continuous figures for any generator you look at) and you can pick one up for £300-£500 secondhand.

Weight is about 22kg

 

 

 

[nicknorman]

The thing with the suitcase generators is that they are good for lead acid batteries in that these batteries need to be charged for hours at a low current. So the genny spends most of its time idling and fairly quiet. Presumably with Li batteries it will have a big load placed on it all the time and so that gentle and relatively innocuous burble that we so often hear, will in fact be a frantic roar as the genny struggles to satiate those ever-hungry Li batteries!

[Sea Dog]

9 hours ago, nicknorman said:

so that gentle and relatively innocuous burble that we so often hear

Hmm. I'd possibly give you "annoying drone" for the quietest ones, but have to say I'm struggling with "gentle and relatively innocuous".

[nicknorman]

40 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

Hmm. I'd possibly give you "annoying drone" for the quietest ones, but have to say I'm struggling with "gentle and relatively innocuous".

“Relatively” is a relative term! Compared to same generator running flat out!

[Sea Dog]

3 minutes ago, nicknorman said:

“Relatively” is a relative term! Compared to same generator running flat out!

Also relatively more sociable with increasing distance though, eh? 

[TheBiscuits]

1 hour ago, Sea Dog said:

Hmm. I'd possibly give you "annoying drone" for the quietest ones, but have to say I'm struggling with "gentle and relatively innocuous".

 

That's usually preceded by a loud splash when an irate neighbour kicks it in the water ...

[nicknorman]

For the avoidance of doubt, I hate hearing generators of any sort and we don’t have one. My point was given the choice between a suitcase generator idling putting 10A into lead acid batteries, Vs same generator thrashing flat out putting 100A into Li batteries, I strongly prefer the former! Unfortunately it is a fact of boating that we have to tolerate some generator running at reasonable times of day.

[Tony1]

17 hours ago, MrshappyH said:

Tbh I doubt we would take our generator on cruises . ..

 

I think you've found the solution here- if you get a 30kg genny, don't take it on cruises (assuming there's a secure location you can leave it).  

When off cruising, you'll be running the engine a lot more often anyway, and that will be charging the batteries (if you've got a decent charging system)- so the genny won't be needed as often.

It may be that an EU10i (or a Kipor) could tide you over nicely when out cruising, and at 15kg you can lug it on and off the boat with much less risk than a 25kg model.

Or- maybe save yourself some money, and just rely on running the engine for charging when you go cruising? It sounds like you wont be cruising too often, so the winter charging (when you're cruising) won't be putting hundreds of additional  running hours on the engine. 

 

Edited August 26, 2023 by Tony1

[Guest]

Thank you everyone for your thoughts, tips and general advice ! Just embarking on calculating the draw over 24hrs ... 

Have a great weekend x

 

[cuthound]

On 25/08/2023 at 18:39, magnetman said:

If you are on the River please try to be quiet. A lot of people like it here when it is quiet. 

 

It is part of the point. 

 

I don't want to have to warm up the torpedoes. See

 

 

I like the Bee Gees and Bob Dylan a lot and they are on my play list but it is not appropriate in a pleasantly quiet area to assault other people's ears with things they may not like. 

 

Here lie problems and resentment. 

 

 

 

Indeed, if I want to listen to loud music when boating (I usually do), then I use ear phones. 

 

It avoids this!

 

 

Edited August 27, 2023 by cuthound
To add photo.