Jump to content

LPG Generator


Tractor

Featured Posts

1 hour ago, Tractor said:

Standby LPG generator, 2kva, sat on the bank, off the boat that is; to run this from the gas supply in the gas locker. What do I have to be aware of to make a safe installation?

You need to make sure that your gas hose to gas locker, and gas hose to generator are BSS compliant (ie bayonet, plug-in or screw in types)

7.10 Portable appliance connections
7.10.1
Are all portable appliance connection points provided with an isolation valve? 
Identify all portable appliance connection points and check for the presence of an isolation valve.
Apply the checks at 7.11.2 and 7.11.3.  

All portable appliance connection points must be fitted with an isolation valve.


7.10.2
Are portable appliance hoses connected with bayonet, plug or screwed fittings, complete
and in good condition?

Identify the type of appliance hose connection to the isolation valve.
Check all connections for completeness and condition.
All hose connections to the isolation valves of portable appliances must be made with a bayonet, plug‐in or screwed fitting.
All bayonet, plug‐in or screwed fittings must not be missing any components and must be free of corrosion, signs of damage or
deterioration.

 

Edit to add :

Make sure your generator is downwind of the boat and away from any hull or cabin openings - see the leaflet produced by the BSS folks for more tips.

Image result for boat safety co leaflet

Edited by Alan de Enfield
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for this, I am looking for a feasible and predictable power source, 2kva Honda from LPG seems to be right. Excluding solar, petrol, and running the main engine that is.

The ideal would be a 12Volt LPG generator, 4 stroke, yes secured to the bank with a large picketing screw, the noise 70/80db, I can deal with.

Thanks again for the response, if a 12 Volt device is available, this would be good to know about.

Thinking on though, this would mean the generator is a bit of a lump, and I nee something light and portable....

Edited by Tractor
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, Tractor said:

Thanks for this, I am looking for a feasible and predictable power source, 

Ideally you would install a 'fixed' diesel powered 5KVA (or greater) water cooled generator on (in) the boat. This is the normal method of power generation on river & sea boats but is very expensive at around £10,000.

The inland waterways boaters rarely use these, relying more and more on solar power and the engine to produce the power needed.

What are your reasons for wanting a generator and why on earth would you want a 12v one ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Running the main engine for hours is not recommended, moored up for a couple of days needs some ready power.

Solar is ok when the sun shines.

Petrol on a boat is not good.

12 Volt would have lower losses, and would connect directly to the DC Bus, but supplying a useful current would make it a heavy thing.

So, a 2kva unit, 230V 1 ph, on LPG plugged into the gas supply, seems about right, but I have not been a ‘boater’ for long, and I have a lot to get up to speed with..

Edited by Tractor
Link to comment
Share on other sites

25 minutes ago, Tractor said:

Thanks for this, I am looking for a feasible and predictable power source, 2kva Honda from LPG seems to be right. Excluding solar, petrol, and running the main engine that is.

The ideal would be a 12Volt LPG generator, 4 stroke, yes secured to the bank with a large picketing screw, the noise 70/80db, I can deal with.

Thanks again for the response, if a 12 Volt device is available, this would be good to know about.

Thinking on though, this would mean the generator is a bit of a lump, and I nee something light and portable....

Hi

One consideration you need to make is can you comply with the 8 till 8 running times n your lifestyle? If you can then it shouldnt be a problem. However if you intend running it anywhere near any other boaters they may unlike you be able to or wish to deal with the noise. There was someone running one on the Oxford and  found it didnt float!! when a certain boater launched it into the cut due to the noise and it was a honda SUPPOSED silent model.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

31 minutes ago, Tractor said:

...the noise 70/80db, I can deal with.

How about your neighbours? Can they? Should they have to? Is it reasonable to expect them to? For me, this would be a very early consideration. The argument that you'll not be moored near anyone is flawed when you take into account how far the noise carries, particularly of an evening.  

I see Mrsmelly has made a similar point. There is an 8-8 rule, but it's also still possible to really ruin everyone else's day in that window too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My intentions were to enquire about a safe method of operation, and try to obtain some experience from people who know about these things; clearly the noise is an issue which I can ‘eliminate’ I know how to do this

The trend of the conversation is getting a bit difficult, so think best to close this ‘thread’ now.

Thankyou.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, mrsmelly said:

Hi

One consideration you need to make is can you comply with the 8 till 8 running times n your lifestyle? If you can then it shouldnt be a problem. However if you intend running it anywhere near any other boaters they may unlike you be able to or wish to deal with the noise. There was someone running one on the Oxford and  found it didnt float!! when a certain boater launched it into the cut due to the noise and it was a honda SUPPOSED silent model.

A number of boaters do seem to think that these generators are quiet enough to run after hours-i disagree. Some of the most annoying noises are not particularly loud, tapping a pencil for instance is barely audible but will drive you nuts quite quickly.

On the op, I doubt having a gas connection from boat to onshore generator would be considered safe by any standards. In the event of a theft you would be left with an open, leaking gas pipe. A dislodged mooring pin would cause similar carnage. 

  • Happy 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Friends of ours have a Honda generator modified to run on LPG. Suggest you talk to a Honda agent about such conversions. They run theirs on the bank with a suitable pipe from the gas regulator. And yes it has been in the cut after somebody going too fast past them pulled the mooring pins and it lived to work again!!

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, Tractor said:

Standby LPG generator, 2kva, sat on the bank, off the boat that is; to run this from the gas supply in the gas locker. What do I have to be aware of to make a safe installation?

 

First, you'll need to define what you mean by "safe".

I doubt you can, once you think about it properly. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, roland elsdon said:

There used to be a continuous moorer near brinklow who had a sign on their boat basically saying I run my generator till midnight every night if you don't like it move.. They shouted at us for going past at 6.00 am.

I wonder how it would go down if someone moored close by and put up a similar sign saying they run their generator from midnight till 4 - an equal amount of time between 8pm and 8am.   :icecream:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

General idea, is to remove the gas cylinder from boat, attach close to generator on bank.  Both well chained to an immoveable object!

Smaller 11kg cylinders, are easier to carry than the 13kg ones.

Forget using the 12v take off, the amp rate is to small to be of any use, use the 240 vac and a decent battery charger.

 

Bod

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We ran a honda ex 650 for years on propane on our butty. However it was on the front deck with the deck board behind it and exhausting over the side.  Clothed up boat side cloths and top  cloths. No way for fumes to get in. Cylinder in gas locker armoured pipe to generator. Locked with long cable to a point. Even then some days the  burned propane smell was apparent. We never ever went to bed with gennie on.

It was very inconvenient to charge you had to get it all out to stow let it cool turn of gas and put away. We had no choice though no solar in the 80s . We lost one through theft after leaving it out ironicaly on our bwb mooring amile from the nearest road.

doing it safe is very hard and costly, by the time you have lockers etc you are close to build in cost. On a modern id  spend money on have big alternators and good quiet silencing. ( and oil changes) some modern  boats are quieter than honda gennies.  the  2 kva  inverter ones on full load are way noisy. They use them here in aus at bike race finishes to run data transmission timing and coms and they bellow under load.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.