Generator - inverter or standard?

[Johny London]

I want to buy one of these...

http://www.justgenerators.co.uk/stephill-ssp2000-generator.html#.WfSSqDe1vnM

but I'm wondering if it will give a well enough regulated output for most "sensitive" equipment. I can bolt this to the stern deck, run it off lpg and leave it all hooked up as the case is weatherproof as well as offering some noise reduction.

Or would I do better with a kipor inverter generator or similar? Downside being it cannot be secured and will need setting up every day.

The supply will pass through my Victron3000 but I don't think that does anything other than add power from the batteries if needed. Mostly it'll  be going the other way ie charging but I would be running everything from a washing machine to laptop off it at one time or another.

[nicknorman]

A standard generator has to run at a set speed, for a petrol one typically 3000rpm. This is so that the power comes out at 50Hz. An inverter generator can run a any speed within reason, depending on the load. So normally the latter can run at a fast idle whilst producing not that much power, which helps a lot with fuel consumption and noise. Since boat generators spend a lot of time at fairly low power (the last half of battery charging) it makes a lot of sense to have an inverter type. You don’t really want the engine thrashing away at 3000rpm just to put 10A into the batteries.

[Sea Dog]

1 hour ago, nicknorman said:

 You don’t really want the engine thrashing away at 3000rpm just to put 10A into the batteries.

And his neighbours won't thank him either!

[Flyboy]

1 hour ago, nicknorman said:

A standard generator has to run at a set speed, for a petrol one typically 3000rpm. This is so that the power comes out at 50Hz. An inverter generator can run a any speed within reason, depending on the load. So normally the latter can run at a fast idle whilst producing not that much power, which helps a lot with fuel consumption and noise. Since boat generators spend a lot of time at fairly low power (the last half of battery charging) it makes a lot of sense to have an inverter type. You don’t really want the engine thrashing away at 3000rpm just to put 10A into the batteries.

Do inverter generators all have pure sine wave outputs? 

[nicknorman]

3 minutes ago, Flyboy said:

Do inverter generators all have pure sine wave outputs? 

Mine certainly does. But no doubt someone makes one that doesn’t so always check the spec. The one linked to by the OP doesn’t mention the waveform so I’d be suspicious.

Edited October 28, 2017 by nicknorman

[Flyboy]

13 minutes ago, nicknorman said:

Mine certainly does. But no doubt someone makes one that doesn’t so always check the spec. The one linked to by the OP doesn’t mention the waveform so I’d be suspicious.

Thanks for that, I wasn't sure if that was always the case.

[Tony Brooks]

Did anyone notice the one linked to is petrol?

Not the brightest idea for boat use, especially when permanently fixed. I foresee BSS problems.

[Johny London]

I'm intending to lpg it. It is suitable for conversion according to the manufacturer.

[Alan de Enfield]

1 hour ago, Tony Brooks said:

Did anyone notice the one linked to is petrol?

 

4 hours ago, Johny London said:

I can bolt this to the stern deck, run it off lpg and leave it all hooked up as the case is weatherproof

I think the OP has plans.

[Rick-n-Jo]

If you follow the link, it says that the output is inverter.

 

[nicknorman]

16 minutes ago, Rick-n-Jo said:

If you follow the link, it says that the output is inverter.

 

It does. But it doesn’t say whether pure or quasi sine.

[Rick-n-Jo]

2 minutes ago, nicknorman said:

It does. But it doesn’t say whether pure or quasi sine.

True. The only other thing that I can usefully add to the conversation is that Victron combis seem to be pretty sensitive to frequency and waveform. While my old cheap Wolf frame Genny would work the charger and pass through 230v, two more powerful and expensive ones I've tried recently would not.

[WotEver]

16 minutes ago, Rick-n-Jo said:

True. The only other thing that I can usefully add to the conversation is that Victron combis seem to be pretty sensitive to frequency and waveform. While my old cheap Wolf frame Genny would work the charger and pass through 230v, two more powerful and expensive ones I've tried recently would not.

Even with the Bad Waveform switch?

[BWM]

I have also found non inverter generators don't work with a victron.

[Johny London]

Thanks all. I'm going to give one a try out and see how I get on, so will report back. The one I'm getting is a slightly older model, so we will see.

[Bewildered]

If you have room to bolt that unit down why not get a suitcase genny with gas conversion and have a metal box built to enclose it with one end open enough for it to exhaust and breath