Honda BF50 alternator upgrade options?

[glambx]

Hi everyone!

I've searched around but I can't seem to find much of anything on the subject.

I've got the Honda BF50 (pre-2008) with an alternator output of 10A. It's proving problematic as between laptops, fans, and other loads, I'm having a hard time keeping the batteries charged.

Apparently the 2008+ BF50s include a 22A alternator (17A output) which would just about do it; does anyone know if they're compatible? Alternatively, does anyone know of a rebuilder who could improve my existing one? Any other options?

Cheers,

Gord

[Phil M]

The Honda parts people won't sell me anything unless they are told the serial number of the motor, let alone different years. And then there is another obstacle. Honda parts are incredibly expensive. If I paid $85 for three small carb gaskets, they will charge an arm and a leg for an alternator.
I would look for another solution.

[kevinnem]

Have you considered useing solar? depending on use age patterns and time, it might be a good solution.

[glambx]

The Honda parts people won't sell me anything unless they are told the serial number of the motor, let alone different years. And then there is another obstacle. Honda parts are incredibly expensive. If I paid $85 for three small carb gaskets, they will charge an arm and a leg for an alternator.
I would look for another solution.

Well that's frustrating. I suppose I'll find a local Honda marine dealer in Montreal and give them a call. Maybe they'll be more helpful.

I quite expected outboard motor parts to be nearly as common as car parts, but apparently that's not the case!

Have you considered useing solar? depending on use age patterns and time, it might be a good solution.

I do have an 80W panel, but even under full sun it only averages about 65W. Any kind of shadow (ie. the main sail) and it drops rapidly. I haven't had a chance to really use it as it's been rainy here almost every day for the last month, but I suspect I'll only average around 200-300Wh/day, which would definitely help, but still isn't enough headroom.

I was really hoping for more like 25A from the engine so that in a pinch I could run it for a couple hours to recharge a good chunk of my 160AH.

I'll post updates here as I make progress in case anyone else runs into a similar problem with the BF50.

[Tony E]

I did the solar panel part also. I put 2 - 20 watt solar panels on my 2 batteries. I let the panels take care of the batteries and the engine just worrying about running well and adding a charge if needed to the batteries. Even on a cloudy day the two panels will keep up with my computer, a cell phone charge, etc. Honda parts are way wayyyy too much money so if you can find an alternate it would be better than buying an original Honda part. Does OEM make any Honda outboard parts? Have you tried Ebay? Good luck!

[Hammer24]

I do have an 80W panel, but even under full sun it only averages about 65W. Any kind of shadow (ie. the main sail) and it drops rapidly. I haven't had a chance to really use it as it's been rainy here almost every day for the last month, but I suspect I'll only average around 200-300Wh/day, which would definitely help, but still isn't enough headroom.

My philosophy is that the mix does it. Have you considered combining the solar system with a wind turbine and/or water charger?

[glambx]

Well, I have 5 day trip coming up, so I can put my 80W panel to the test. Maybe it'll do better than I'm expecting.

My loads are:

Laptop: 3A x 12h = 36Ah (working from boat some of the days)
Lighting: 1A x ~10h = ~10Ah (all LED; cabin / anchor / masthead light)
Fans: 1A x 8h = 8Ah (mostly while sleeping when it's hot)
Coffee: 130A x 5m = 11Ah (5 tassimo coffees/day)
Refrigeration: 2.5A x 24h = 60Ah
Misc: 10Ah (instruments, water pressure, VHF)

~100Ah/day, which is roughly what I've been seeing. When running the engine all day, it's been fine. Under sail, though..

I guess if I can average 300Wh/day from solar, I might be able to get away with 2-3 hours on engine and recharge at a marina one of the nights.

[Hammer24]

No one tried one of these? Even doubles as a wind generator:
http://www.ampair.com/yacht-generators/ ... #technical

[Tomfoolery]

Coffee: 130A x 5m = 11Ah (5 tassimo coffees/day)

Perhaps you can save those 11 Ah by using an LPG- or alcohol-fired stove and either percolate or boil water for a manual drip unit instead. That would save something like 140 Wh out of the 300 Wh you put back with solar.

I would also add a backup battery or two, with charger, so you can get more days in before you need a marina shore power charge. And more solar capacity, if feasible. And use manual water pumps to save both water and electric energy, use the VHF only when you need it, and the same with instruments, as long as there aren't safety issues.

Augment the refrigeration with bagged ice - I used to load a few bags of ice into my cold plate ice box to save battery power while on long sailing trips in my last boat. It would stay cold if I ran out of ice, with the refrigeration system active but not kicking in until it warmed up enough to trigger it, and the ice would last a few days at least. By that time, I was somewhere that I could reload with ice.

Just some stuff that comes to mind. I'm sure you've already considered most or all of it, but I though I'd toss it out there anyway. I must be bored at work.

[glambx]

Coffee: 130A x 5m = 11Ah (5 tassimo coffees/day)

Perhaps you can save those 11 Ah by using an LPG- or alcohol-fired stove and either percolate or boil water for a manual drip unit instead. That would save something like 140 Wh out of the 300 Wh you put back with solar.

I would also add a backup battery or two, with charger, so you can get more days in before you need a marina shore power charge. And more solar capacity, if feasible. And use manual water pumps to save both water and electric energy, use the VHF only when you need it, and the same with instruments, as long as there aren't safety issues.

Augment the refrigeration with bagged ice - I used to load a few bags of ice into my cold plate ice box to save battery power while on long sailing trips in my last boat. It would stay cold if I ran out of ice, with the refrigeration system active but not kicking in until it warmed up enough to trigger it, and the ice would last a few days at least. By that time, I was somewhere that I could reload with ice.

Just some stuff that comes to mind. I'm sure you've already considered most or all of it, but I though I'd toss it out there anyway. I must be bored at work.

Oh, I have a bodum and standard stove kettle if I'm very low, and of course I can reduce the fridge cycle time with freezer packs.. but in my perfect world I'd be able to generate or capture the energy for those conveniences. If the solar does get me close, I probably will just buy a better panel, unless someone at Honda can help me with a bigger alternator.

[DaveB]

I do 3-5 days often and beach the boat usually 2 days at a time.
Have twin group 29 series house batteries and one group 24 engine starting battery.
Have 2- 40 watt solar panels on bimini,50hp big foot with 18amp alt.
Run lap top about 4 hrs a day, 65 quart Edgestar refig. , lighting, sterio etc.
Use a handheld vhf, recharged thru cig. socket as well as 2 Iphones .
Have a etex handheld GPS with recharge batteries.
All works fine with me and can sit on beach for 3 days without running engine and will still have about 60% left in house batteries.
The 80 watt solar doesn't keep up with demand sitting but helps about 70 % of the demand.
If gunkholeing under power there is never a issue.
I keep the twin House Batteries at foot of the Vberth.
Hint: boil water and use the coffee/tea type bags, they taste great, I use Folger.
I have two fans in boat, one at dinette and other aft on gally that directed towards Vberth. Both are the WM non protected shield type and at low draws .32 amps and at high .56 amps. Works for us.
We are in SW. FL.
Dave

Well, I have 5 day trip coming up, so I can put my 80W panel to the test. Maybe it'll do better than I'm expecting.

My loads are:

Laptop: 3A x 12h = 36Ah (working from boat some of the days)
Lighting: 1A x ~10h = ~10Ah (all LED; cabin / anchor / masthead light)
Fans: 1A x 8h = 8Ah (mostly while sleeping when it's hot)
Coffee: 130A x 5m = 11Ah (5 tassimo coffees/day)
Refrigeration: 2.5A x 24h = 60Ah
Misc: 10Ah (instruments, water pressure, VHF)

~100Ah/day, which is roughly what I've been seeing. When running the engine all day, it's been fine. Under sail, though..

I guess if I can average 300Wh/day from solar, I might be able to get away with 2-3 hours on engine and recharge at a marina one of the nights.

[u12fly]

I've never had a problem living off the batteries either, we typically go on 3 day trips but have done one or two 5 day trips. We don't have any solar power, but then again we have very little power needs. Our fridge is cooled by ice We watch movie on the laptop at night maybe 3 hours other than that we run the shower / water just a bit. We cook everything on the BBQ, have a lower current fan to cool the cabin and LED lights at night. I've often wondered on long trips how close we come to low batteries, we just have two house batteries, but they are 100 AH each. I have a volt-meter that I can reference but that is not a good indication of battery storage.

Admiral is a smart shopper and pick up a Xantrex Link Lite Battery Monitor for me.... I've not yet installed it but that will be this winters project along with a complete redo of the electrical system to support more gadgets we are planning



Here is a few things this little computer does:

Reads your battery bank like a fuel gauge
Provides critical information about the status of your battery bank
Displays voltage, current, consumed amp hours and remaining battery capacity
Dual battery support (house banks plus start battery), Programmable alarm relay

[Tomfoolery]

That's a nice little unit, and it comes with a 500A shunt. About $215. The LinkPro has temperature sensing and some other enhancements, like dry contacts or a programmable relay so it can shut something off when battery condition falls below some threshold. Just under $300. At the risk of sounding like an infomercial, of course.

http://www.xantrex.com/power-products/p ... nitor.aspx

http://www.xantrex.com/power-products/p ... nitor.aspx

[glambx]

Thanks for all the replies and suggestions everyone.

I was actually looking at that Xantrex ammeter / fuel gauge, but at $200-300.. that could buy me an extra battery.

I ended up installing one of these:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/DC-120V-200A-Vo ... 27ca85e4c6

The interface is clunky, but it actually works reasonably well (for $40, anyway).

[Catigale]

If its mostly text typing you can get rid of that computer drain by going to an ipad or droid equivalent

Full charge takes about 30 watt hours, but that will last for days depending on settings and use.