MacGregorSailors.com

So Kevin, starting over .... would you buy a Honda 1000 again?
What about the Kipor 1000 Ti clone - about $500 vs. $800 for Honda?
That light 30 lbs. is nice ... or would you go for an EU-2000 at ~50 lbs?

Frank C wrote:So Kevin, starting over .... would you buy a Honda 1000 again?
What about the Kipor 1000 Ti clone - about $500 vs. $800 for Honda?
That light 30 lbs. is nice ... or would you go for an EU-2000 at ~50 lbs?

Hmmm.. hard choice. The 2000 does have a higher capacity for 110v (13.3 amps) but, surprisingly, the 12v charging power is the same as the 1000 (8 amps)... so, I guess I'd still take the 1000 since it does pretty much all I need and weighs less. I'd *really* rather have a unit that puts out around 15 amps at 12v... the batteries would charge a lot faster.

Not sure I'd want a clone - I keep stuff forever and I maintain it all myself, so the availablity of parts is important to me... a clone would have virtually zero parts availability.

I bought my Honda on eBay for around $620 (new, in box), so that's pretty close to the clone price anyway.

Interestingly, there's even a Yahoo Group for the Honda EU2000i generator:

http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/Hon ... enerators/

kmclemore wrote: I'd *really* rather have a unit that puts out around 15 amps at 12v... the batteries would charge a lot faster.

My Honda eu1000i puts out 20 amps charging, and even runs in the eco-throttle mode... at least when my dedicated onboard 20amp charger is plugged into it...

I believe the 8 amp @12v output is just a dumb constant current. So, you could theoretically overcharge the batteries with it... My charger is a permanently mounted marine-type, so I can't see me ever using the dedicated 12v output on the generator itself... I just plug it into the shore power and then my 120v system is hot, complete with Air Conditioner, Microwave, coffee pot, etc...

20 amps DC equates to about 2 amps AC. With inefficiencies, figure ~ 2.5 amps. I can run the microwave, coffee pot, or the AirCond with the rest...

DLT,

VERY interesting! Have you posted anything in Mods to illustrate how you marry the Honda to your AC shore-power system? Do you keep the Honda at the transom? (Sounds as if you're plenty satisfied with just the 1000 watts.)




Note to Moderator: these last few posts could rightfully be split to a separate thread titled "Generators onBoard." Kind of a misguided vector from the Hot Showers topic . . .

Yeah, I tried to run a conventional Sears car battery charger off my EU1000i and it wouldn't work... not sure why... I'd love to know how you set it up.


As for splitting this thread off, I agree, Frank.

My shore power is all home-made.

Its basically a power strip, with an integral circuit breaker, 5200'd to the hull under the dinette seat.

I carry two cables. One is just an extension cord, for those places that don't have true shore power plugs. The other is a commercial grade outdoor extension cord with the business end changed out to a marine 30A shore power plug (maybe 20A, I don't remember right now).

I have not yet actually mounted the external receptacle, which in my case is like this:

My charger is this one:

I don't know why yours wouldn't work... Maybe something odd about the other charger. What happened? Did the Honda choke? Its been a while, but as I recall it all worked fine... My Honda will even run the AirCond, Microwave, or Coffee Pot, but not in eco throttle mode.

Kipor 1000
For $325. brand new in the box at an auction seen them for $850. at the boat show special price

As for repairing after say 5-10 yrs the parts & your time are usualy worth more than replacement on sale ? and theirs usualy newer technology by then . other than minor repairs & maint. as for parts their is a Kipor dealer not to far from me 1hr drive north of me

same goes for bush wackers their not even worth repairing a carb kit & new spool cost more than one new on sale I just buy the small cheap one's after 8-10yrs toss them

John

same goes for bush wackers their not even worth repairing

now there is a long shaft dinghy outboard conversion project that is just waiting to happen..........

Highlander wrote:Kipor 1000 @ $325 ... brand new in the box at an auction ... seen them for $850 boat show special price

I've never seen a Kipor 1000 Ti for less than $450 on eBay, plus a minimum $50 for shipping, Total cost $500. The model Kipor 1000 TC is cheaper, but not producing sine wave and not nearly as flexible or useful.

I've never seen the Honda 1000 for much less than $800, either? Anyone want to link to their favorite sources for Honda or Kipor?

I've had the Honda EU1000 generator for the past 3 or 4 years now and I'm very pleased with it. I've selected appliances for my galley (microwave, espresso machine, toaster oven and cabin heater) that individually require less than 950 watts. When not in use, the generator is stored under the forward dinette seat. When in use, it is set in the cockpit or on a special mount above the Nissan 50 outboard motor and plugged into the vessel’s shore power plug. If you can safely mount it to the top of your motor, the generator controls will face the cockpit and the exhaust goes out the back. This arrangement keeps it outside of my full cockpit enclosure and there is less noise because the heavy outboard engine absorbs a lot of the generator vibration. I would only recommend this setup if you are in port or swinging on the hook, never underway. A safety cable to prevent the generator from going in the drink would be wise. The EU2000 would be nice but in my opinion it's a bit large and heavy for the 26X. Here’s some pictures.









~~~~~~~~_/)~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rich Plumb, "Plumb Crazy"
26X, Covington, WA

Folks interested in this issue may want to check our mod which uses the EU2000, however, our configuration would also work with the smaller generators. Hope the site cops won't see this giant link....
http://www.macgregorsailors.com/cgi-bin ... record=653
Jack

That's a pretty slick mounting, Rich. I usually mount ours on a large, soft rubber pad (the kind you use in the garden for kneeling on) and it sits under the transom seat (same place as Jack's), but as you noted, even with that mounting it transmits a fair amount of vibration through the hull... I'll have to try your method to see if it's less.

EDIT: Off-Topic vector by Site Cop

Tahoe Jack wrote: Hope the site cops won't see this giant link....
http://www.macgregorsailors.com/cgi-bin ... record=653
Jack

WADR, Jack's above joke misses the point about long links, so this post is a "Site Cop vector" for benefit of new members who might be puzzled. Long links are only a problem because the Forum software cannot "wrap" them onto two lines. But they're not a problem until they extend beyond the normal line length for "wrapping" a standard SVGA (800x600) display window. Jack's link, at about three-quarters of a line length, doesn't come close to exceeding the normal SVGA wrapping point.

Long links cause the Forum software to "expand the discussion panel" beyond the right side of your display monitor, or your browser's window, since the software is "too dumb" to understand how to split a long-link onto two lines. Predominant displays are still providing XGA (1024x768) page width, and our Forum software is displaying about 800 pixels wide (SVGA) within the "discussion panel," excluding the left margin reserved for member name & avatar. When links are especially long, we suggest using BBcode to embed a "short name" within the URL. The above 3/4-line link to Jack's Generator Mod could be shown as Jack's Mod.

Here's a link to the tutorial for BBcode http://macgregorsailors.com/phpBB/faq.php?mode=bbcode , but with an embedded short name it might look like: BBcode Tutorial.

You'll also see here that the forum software downsizes images when they exceed SVGA width. When you see the dotted-surround, you can click on the image to gain full-sized perspective.

Display Standards for Computer Windows or Screens (Wikipedia link)

Rich, is that lonnnggggg bungee enough to hold the generator in place mounted on top of your outboard? I would think it could fall right off if someone's wake came thru the anchorage to fast/high. Or do the rubber feet 'lock' somehow? Please advise.

Yes, security of the generator is a concern. It's been OK so far, and I use a "safety" cable from the generator to the backstay. The four rubber feet of the generator, are hollow and fit over the four coned feet screwed to the outboard motor cover. I think that I will replace the two bungies with a ratchet type cargo strap.

~~~~~~~~_/)~~~~~~~~~~
Rich Plumb, "Plumb Crazy"
26X, Covington, WA