Generator Size?

[John Nardi]

What size Next Gen Generator do most of you use on the 31's?? 3.5 or the 5KW?? Any thoughts?? Thanks, John

[Navatech]

What size Next Gen Generator do most of you use on the 31's?? 3.5 or the 5KW?? Any thoughts?? Thanks, John

It rather depends no what you're going to use it for... Let's assume the following:

• On board battery charger...
• AC...
• Refrigerator...
• Single or dual burner electric range...
• Microwave...
• TV...
• Hot water heater...
• Coffee machine...

That would be the max that I can think off... Look at the items you have or are thinking of getting... List the Amps (or Watts) and calculate your total maximal load... Add 10% and you'll be good since it will be extremely rare to have everything running at the same time...

Not that it matters but I have a 17KW MASE generator... But my boat isn't a 31... It's a 46-6 and it has 3 AC units, a full sized refrigerator/freezer in the galley, a 3 burner + stove range in the galley and a freezer as well as an ice maker in the cockpit... Add to that the hot water heater, espresso machine, 3 flatscreen TV's and various other goodies... Once I add the washer and dryers and all 3 AC's kick in I'll be pretty close to the max on my generator...

[CaptPatrick]

John,

3.5kw is what Bruce and I have been installing... Has worked fine up to and including 12btu heat exchanger.

[buzzk]

On my old boat I had a 3.5 with 16btu and never had a problem. I never tried to run the stove, refrigerator and H2O heater and the A/C at the same time. But I did run the A/C, refrigerator and H2O heater at the same time.

[Wursty]

I have a 4.0 Fischer Panda and can run A E/C; Hot H2O heater, battery charger and if needed block heaters without any problems. Expensive geni but it fits port outboard side of Cummins 6BTA 330 hp.

[John Nardi]

Thanks all!

[bob lico]

john i have a Mase 4.0 with every conceivable electrical device listed by other plus fresh water domestic pump,electric toilet, and fold out flat screen tv with X-box ,electronic games for grandchildren . 4.0 is to big for job 3.5 is more then adequate.

[Hueso]

Guys, what kind/brand of H2O heaters are you using in your boats?

[Navatech]

Guys, what kind/brand of H2O heaters are you using in your boats?

Right now I'm using what was in the boat... A 10 gallon unit located in my engine room... Hooked up to 120 volt and to my port engine...

When (if?) I do redo the electrics and change over to 240 volt I'll get an "on demand" unit... 10 gallons is kind of small if the whole crew (Admiral, 4 mates and myself) are on board...

[Yannis]

Dont be surprised, but I was thinking for next year to install a propane superfast heater, the one that is activated when you turn the hot water tap on. No pilot light, just two D batteries that make a spark each time. There are modelr that supply something like 2-3 gallons a minute, which is more than adequate.
I constantly refuse to have to hook up at a marina, i also refuse to buy a gen. All solar plus propane.

[Navatech]

Dont be surprised, but I was thinking for next year to install a propane superfast heater, the one that is activated when you turn the hot water tap on. No pilot light, just two D batteries that make a spark each time. There are modelr that supply something like 2-3 gallons a minute, which is more than adequate.
I constantly refuse to have to hook up at a marina, i also refuse to buy a gen. All solar plus propane.

I certainly wouldn't be surprised... I like propane... My forklift in the warehouse works on propane... And I have it at home too... So I have considered propane for water heating and cooking on the boat... I just don't like the safety issues with propane... It's safe enough around the house but on a boat things are different... To start with a proper stowage location for the tanks... They can't be in the house... They have to have a way to allow the (heavier then air) gas to flow overboard...

[Yannis]

Yes, you're right, but all those rules/laws are made just to make our lives yet more difficult...
I have my 5kg propane bombola under the bathroom sink...no way out for overflowing gas...I find it extravagant to consider this as a potential danger. I would NEVER put propane in a gas boat though.

[Navatech]

I have my 5kg propane bombola under the bathroom sink...no way out for overflowing gas...I find it extravagant to consider this as a potential danger. I would NEVER put propane in a gas boat though.

Extravagant or not, that's not according to code... You could get in trouble if the brown stuff ever hits the oscillating thingy... Back home in Israel we live in a house (i.e. not a condo a.k.a. flat) so basically the gas pipes are in the wall and we have two big private canisters on the rear side of the house... One is being used and the other is spare... When one runs out somebody goes around the house, closes the valve on the open canister and opens the valve on the spare canister... Then we call the gas guy and he brings a new canister, installs it and takes the empty... It's a pretty cheap service...

As for condominiums (apartment buildings, the building code requires a common tank in a reinforced location and each individual apartment is fed through a meter and pipes that run in a utility shaft until the right floor at which point they run in through the wall... You either contact the company servicing the system and request a hookup or you go electric... New housing developments are now done like condominiums... The Homefront department changed the code due to the danger of individual canisters getting hit by shrapnel...

[Tony Meola]

I think we left Huesso hanging here.

Huesso sorry I do not have hot water on mine. Sun shower always worked when we spent the night offshore in the canyons. I would say Bruce and Lilco are the best to tell us what works best.

[bob lico]

hueso i have a all stainless hot water heater in five gallon size ,perfect for 31 Bertram .the heater goes under the counter in galley directly behind refrigerator on a wooden shelf glass to hull . heater operates on 110 volts from dockside electric or generator,it also works for free with a internal heat exchanger that take 180 degree water from starboard engine that has two hoses to operate in line with engine coolant driven by the engine water pump to circulate hot coolant/water thru the heat exchanger and provide hot water while engine is running thru thermostat when engine shuts down will go back to electric power.seriously no thinking it work well. i have no idea how to ship a heavy package to PR. i suppose UPS but not sure.

[Navatech]

i have no idea how to ship a heavy package to PR. i suppose UPS but not sure.

There is no "Ground" level service to PR... That means airfreight or "Express" level service... The shipping will cost more then a new unit at one of West Marine's PR outlets...

It's possible that I will be shipping (ocean freight) some stuff to PR... If that happens and hueso wants to have it I can add it to my shipment (at cost)...

[bob lico]

when i mention UPS i assumed they had air freight like Fed-ex . i would think a container like navatech mention would be best. the water heater is free on my end just a donation to site if anyone else needs one.

[Dug]

Bob, Hueso, I may be able to help. If it can get to me here in Worcester, I probably can ship it to PR. Maybe I could meet you on LI Bob and pick it up?

Let me know if I could help.

Dug

[Hueso]

You guys are the best. Don't worry, I just wanted to know what you were using. I'm thinking of modifying a "MIni Marey 110V" (now sold in Home Depot in PR) shower direct heater.

[bob lico]

basically the women use a hand held sprayer attached to garden hose threaded end on head sink faucet. the water goes into box mounted under floor in head that has pump to allows water to drain and pump and exit boat by way of thru hole.they shower with warm water.changing from bathing suits etc. men take a walk to public facilities / outside showers. this unit is in perfect condition draws 1500 watt at 120 volt. or as stated free with one engine running.