Bohans
Veteran Member
Hi Everyone
Was hoping to find out your thoughts and clarify my thinking also.
I have researched other posts and I know a few of you use small portable gensets either to save fuel or because you do not have a large gen or to save your big gen from not loading up fully.
My situation is this.
I have two large 20kw Northern Lights gensets in separate engine rooms. Both run perfectly well. I also have a 400amp hour 24 volt inerter bank which powers everything except hot water system and Air Con. We never use Air Con when away from dock. I also have a 12 volt system for lights (LED) and head pumps. Not much demand on these batteries.
The inverter bank will last 24 hours but that draws it down to 50%. It powers a very efficient domestic fridge a separate chest freezer, the mains water pressure and TV's, sound system. I have the inverter running from the moment we leave the dock as I have the PORT motor charging this bank via a 100amp alternator.
After sitting at anchor over night, we need to recharge the inverter bank via a 30amp 24 volt Victron Charger. SO this charger is powered by the big genset. At the same time I switch all electrical loads to Genset and leave this on for about 6 hours for the day.
When on the dock, my boat and the loads (not including air con) are run on one 15amp power cord and dock supply.
So my question is can I just get a 2500 watt portable genset to charge the inverter bank, 12 volt bank and run the basic fridge and freezer loads instead of needing the big generator.
The big genset will use about 5 litres an hour. over 6 hours this is 30 + litres. A portable genset will use about 6 litres.
Seems like the way to go for me.
Can you tell me your thoughts and also if you use a portable genset, where do you put it and do you just plug your shore power cord into it.
Thanks for your comments.
Bo
Was hoping to find out your thoughts and clarify my thinking also.
I have researched other posts and I know a few of you use small portable gensets either to save fuel or because you do not have a large gen or to save your big gen from not loading up fully.
My situation is this.
I have two large 20kw Northern Lights gensets in separate engine rooms. Both run perfectly well. I also have a 400amp hour 24 volt inerter bank which powers everything except hot water system and Air Con. We never use Air Con when away from dock. I also have a 12 volt system for lights (LED) and head pumps. Not much demand on these batteries.
The inverter bank will last 24 hours but that draws it down to 50%. It powers a very efficient domestic fridge a separate chest freezer, the mains water pressure and TV's, sound system. I have the inverter running from the moment we leave the dock as I have the PORT motor charging this bank via a 100amp alternator.
After sitting at anchor over night, we need to recharge the inverter bank via a 30amp 24 volt Victron Charger. SO this charger is powered by the big genset. At the same time I switch all electrical loads to Genset and leave this on for about 6 hours for the day.
When on the dock, my boat and the loads (not including air con) are run on one 15amp power cord and dock supply.
So my question is can I just get a 2500 watt portable genset to charge the inverter bank, 12 volt bank and run the basic fridge and freezer loads instead of needing the big generator.
The big genset will use about 5 litres an hour. over 6 hours this is 30 + litres. A portable genset will use about 6 litres.
Seems like the way to go for me.
Can you tell me your thoughts and also if you use a portable genset, where do you put it and do you just plug your shore power cord into it.
Thanks for your comments.
Bo