Generator

[mrsmelly]

Hi Peeps

 

Going to pick my mates fab old barge up 2morrow. One job is leccy power plant, what would you fit ? There is a proper engine room so space available. Any one out there want to sell a fischer Panda or someting else in good nick they no longer need ? Or what would you fit ?

 

Cash available

 

Cheers

 

Tim

[Robbo]

No names to recommend, but the 1500rpm ones will be quieter and cheaper to run.

[Albion]

Not cheap but I can thoroughly recommend an Onan 7kW 1500 rpm gennie. It is beautifully smooth and quiet with excellent voltage and frequency stability. Less transmitted vibration than the equivalent Beta too.

Roger

[Ex- Member]

Hi Peeps

 

Going to pick my mates fab old barge up 2morrow. One job is leccy power plant, what would you fit ? There is a proper engine room so space available. Any one out there want to sell a fischer Panda or someting else in good nick they no longer need ? Or what would you fit ?

 

Cash available

 

Cheers

 

Tim

 

If you've got plenty of cash fischer Panda or silent generator sets could be the way to go, but you're looking at 5k plus even with a second hand unit from Panda or cheaper built in generator systems.

 

Of course it all depends on what your power requirements are, but with solar power now very reasonable that kind of money would be much better spent on solar assuming you have the room for panels. Even with 2kw of solar on he boats roof fully fitted with charger and cabling, you'll get a lot of change from 5 grand

 

For our requirements we have 500 watts of solar easily upgradable if required, and rather than run a 2.5 litre boat engine for charging 12 volt batteries, I bought a small Kubota diesel engine which will run 1 or 2 alternators from that are dedicated to charging batteries, which will be mounted in the engine room properly fuelled and exhausted. Engine alternators and wiring will come to under £500 and would be used to charge up batteries when solar isn't producing. Ok not super silent or remote control but does the job for a fraction of the cost of expensive on board generators.

 

 

 

[mrsmelly]

If you've got plenty of cash fischer Panda or silent generator sets could be the way to go, but you're looking at 5k plus even with a second hand unit from Panda or cheaper built in generator systems.

 

Of course it all depends on what your power requirements are, but with solar power now very reasonable that kind of money would be much better spent on solar assuming you have the room for panels. Even with 2kw of solar on he boats roof fully fitted with charger and cabling, you'll get a lot of change from 5 grand

 

For our requirements we have 500 watts of solar easily upgradable if required, and rather than run a 2.5 litre boat engine for charging 12 volt batteries, I bought a small Kubota diesel engine which will run 1 or 2 alternators from that are dedicated to charging batteries, which will be mounted in the engine room properly fuelled and exhausted. Engine alternators and wiring will come to under £500 and would be used to charge up batteries when solar isn't producing. Ok not super silent or remote control but does the job for a fraction of the cost of expensive on board generators.

 

Hi mate

 

Thanks, I know you love solar I agree it is brilliant BUT in reality in dark grey winter it is of little use and would not charge a liveaboards batteries and run the washing machine when and if needed at a partiicular time. Also a large and expensive and easily knackered battery bank would also be needed at regular intervals but thanks for the input.

 

Tim

 

ps. Have you got a mac computer ?

[Ex- Member]

Hi mate

 

Thanks, I know you love solar I agree it is brilliant BUT in reality in dark grey winter it is of little use and would not charge a liveaboards batteries and run the washing machine when and if needed at a partiicular time. Also a large and expensive and easily knackered battery bank would also be needed at regular intervals but thanks for the input.

 

Tim

 

ps. Have you got a mac computer ?

 

I wish

 

 

 

[Ex- Member]

Hi Tim

 

I did a lot of searching around for generators but did concentrate on diesel versions. Depending on budget there are some pretty good 4/5 KVA units about but still between £1500 and 2 grand. I particularly liked Parmac generators and this Hyundai generator which could be adapted to fit in an engine room.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hyundai-DHY6000SE-5-2kw-Silent-Diesel-Generator-home-office-standby-/290626094249?pt=UK_BOI_Industrial_Tools_Generators_ET&hash=item43aaaa44a9#ht_1362wt_919

 

It depends on budget hough and how much power you require.

 

Just spotted this on e-bay though, could be a simple fault, brave starting price from the seller though, might be too big though, but you did mention Barge

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fischer-Panda-12000NE-PVMV-N-Diesel-Generator-Super-Silenced-Faulty-/261077965180?pt=UK_BOI_Industrial_Tools_Generators_ET&hash=item3cc975997c#ht_500wt_1167

[Justme]

I particularly liked Parmac generators

 

 

I have the P6000s & would agree with you.

 

However the importers idea of good customer service & support is way different from mine.

[GSer]

I have a kholer 7kva, its great when i'm running my big machines and supplies a seemingly faultless stable supply BUT its quite thirsty for everyday battery charging, so if i ever need to change i think i'd go for a 4kva in the hope of better fuel economy.

[Grace and Favour]

Travel Power for those brief heavy consumption times

and Solar panels feeding the battery bank the rest of the time?

[mrsmelly]

Travel Power for those brief heavy consumption times

and Solar panels feeding the battery bank the rest of the time?

 

I agree old bean BUT not realy an option on is 5.8 litre six pot engine. We tink it would be a tad heavy on fuel. You have a pm by the way.

 

Me

[Robbo]

This generator test from Victron may be of benefit.

 

http://www.victronenergy.com/generatortest/

[JerryP]

I've got a Mastervolt whisper 3.5kva ,quiet and does a great job .

[Joshua]

Hi Peeps

 

Going to pick my mates fab old barge up 2morrow. One job is leccy power plant, what would you fit ? There is a proper engine room so space available. Any one out there want to sell a fischer Panda or someting else in good nick they no longer need ? Or what would you fit ?

 

Cash available

 

Cheers

 

Tim

 

We opted for Bosch Marine 120amp Alternator with 3 stage Mastervolt regulator (on a Gardner 2LW).

 

Victron Multiplus 12/3000/120.

 

And a Fischer Panda PMS AGT* 4000 12V DC (peak charging rate 280amps)

 

All hands-off, automatically controlled and with full remote panels.

 

We also had the 240v fridge removed and installed a 12v VitriFrigo Fridge.

 

We had the 3 kw water heating element removed and replaced with a 1kw element (Water is also heated by the Gardner and by an Esse range in the winter).

 

We installed a 660amp domestic battery bank (open Wet lead acid)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This system runs the following equipment flawlessly and on demand:

 

An amplified HiFi System

 

2 laptops,

 

A full blown Apple tower with 4 hard drives and large Samsung monitor

 

Several phones and camera’s are usually on permanent charge

 

A small Zanusi washing machine

 

A small travel iron (500/760W)

 

And a Henry vacuum cleaner

 

+ all the other usual lights and pumps

 

Cooking is either solid fuel or Gas

 

 

 

 

We live on-board and never plug in to a landline.

 

 

 

 

We have been moored up for 24 hours and our bank is at 88% (we like having the boat well lit)

 

 

 

 

Rather than punish the battery bank, we use the vacuum and washing machine under way or manually turn the generator on. The Generator is currently programmed to come on at 55% SOC and turn off at 93% (Fischer Panda recommendation) but it will do anything you ask it to, it can be programmed to respond to any number of variables, SOC, TTG, Voltage of either Engine or domestic Bank etc. etc.

 

 

 

 

When the generator is running, you can stand on the towpath, along side the boat and not hear it.

 

Inside the boat it can be heard but no where, including in the engine room, where it is installed, do you have to raise your voice to be heard.

 

 

 

 

The generator is very small and one of the reasons we chose it, so that it could easily be accommodated in our existing engine room setup and still be hidden away. It is raw water-cooled so totally independent of the boat engines systems. It is one of the most fuel efficient/environmentally friendly generators currently available.

 

 

 

 

* AGT = Voltage Control Management system

 

 

 

 

That is about the limit of what I can tell you but feel free to PM me.

 

 

 

 

Joshua