www.iFourWinns.com

Hello everyone,
I'm a newby here and I have a question.
I have a 2005 298 without the factory equipped gen set.
I am looking to buy a small 2000kw portable generator to run a few lights and the fridges when anchored.
Has anyone here done this and is a generator of this size large enough?

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"ROCKHOUND"
2005 Vista 298
Georgian Bay, Ontario.

I used a Honda EU2000i for two years with my 248 Vista. Ran the 5000BTU AC, and charger/refrig circuits just fine. About 5.5 hrs per tank.

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Jvalich
http://www.badcock.com

'04 FW 288 Vista "Mental Floss"

Thanks, thats the unit that I've been thinking about.
I figure thats the next best thing to having a built in gen set.
Cheers.

Planealternative.

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"ROCKHOUND"
2005 Vista 298
Georgian Bay, Ontario.

Just remember to keep it out of the engine space as it vents gas vapors and the results wouldn't be fun. We stored ours in the cockpit. While in use, it set either on the swim platform or the foredeck, depending on where we were or the activity at the time.

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Jvalich
http://www.badcock.com

'04 FW 288 Vista "Mental Floss"

Saw the EU2000i on sale for $860 including charging cables via the "Hull Truth" website. Called up and ordered one and it arrived the next day. Unbelievably fast. Contact ED at Wisesales: 1-800-916-9473 service and mention the Hull Truth to get the sale price. No taxes and delivery was free.

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Arn
2002 Vista 268
Ontario

Awsome price, thanks for all your help.
Cheers,

Planealternative

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"ROCKHOUND"
2005 Vista 298
Georgian Bay, Ontario.

Arn, Great Info! That's the best price I have seen! I really have been thinking of purchasing the Honda 2000 and a price like this really helps.

planealternative: I have been looking at this "alternative" to the $6,000 factory install for a long time now, and although it is an explosive subject on many messageboards, I agree with Jvalich that if you use common sense the Honda 2000 can be a good choice for a small boat, although your's is larger than most here!

I truly believe that the objections raised by many of the folks with factory installed genny's is that they are upset that they could have gotten pretty close to the same functionality with only a fraction of the cost!

Having said that, when I move up to a boat that I can do extended cruising and live aboard for weeks at a time, then the built in definitely makes sense. In the meantime, $860 definitely sounds better than $6,000.

Arn, Thanks again for the info!!

Ciao!

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'04 FW 268Vista "Andiamo"

Truly believe? Puh-leeze. I greatly prefer a built-in unit mainly because it's not in the way. While the Honda portable's a nice unit it's one more thing to have to find space to stow it. On a small boat that's not exactly something you've got a lot to spare.

That and not have AC wires running all over the deck to it. Water, wet people and AC voltage aren't my idea of effective boating safety. But overall if you're going to use a portable one the Honda does seem to be the most popular choice.

Just make SURE you have, or ADD, working carbon monoxide sensors wired directly into the boat's 12vdc system. Many boats put one in the forward and another it he mid cabin. That way you're covered in the event one fails or the fumes start accumulating in one place sooner than the other.

Agreed, the factory equipped unit is better however, I bought my 298 at a boat show as a "new non current" model and unfortunately, it was not equipped with a gen set.
The cost to purchase and install an aftermarket unit is huge.
I was quoted $10,000.00 Canadian..... OUCH!
So I feel that my only alternative is the portable unit... until I win a lottery.
Many thanks to all for their input.
Cheers,

Planealternative

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"ROCKHOUND"
2005 Vista 298
Georgian Bay, Ontario.

wkearney99, O/K I guess I deserved that! I actually agree with what you have said. My only point is that on a small boat where the amount of time spent actually living aboard w/o shore power is limited, the price of a built in is not justified. Storage is a problem, but the Honda2000 is small enough to store in my lazarette and the only cord I was planning on using with it was the shore power cord connected directly to the receptacle on the outside the boat. I already have the adapter to connect the shore power cord to a standard 110V Receptacle. I definitely agree that running extension cords all over the boat would be a dangerous situation. My plan would be to either use the portable generator on the swim platform w/ only the shore power cord draped along the gunwale during the evening (but certainly not all night) when not using the swim platform for swimming, for things like blenders or even the small microwave, or the coffee pot, or up on the bow if during the day when folks are getting in and out of the water, although I do not think I would have much use for the generator during the day while we were in the water, except for maybe brief emergency use like using the blender!!

The other thing I kind of like about the portable generator is to have it aboard in case the batteries went dead for some reason and I needed a jump start. The Honda does come with an accessory jump start cable. THe alternative to that would be to keep one of those 12V power supplies on board, but they need to stay charged as well and take up almost as much storage room as the small Honda.

The objections many raise about safety is good advice, but with common sense, and courtesy to others anchored nearby, I think the portable can be a real viable solution for me with this boat.

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'04 FW 268Vista "Andiamo"

Heh. you mean someone can actually read a message posted to an online web forum and not take it as an insult? Excellent! I'm really glad we've got a better crop of users here than is typically found online. No, really, I mean it. Thanks for adding a civil reply.

As for batteries, I think this is why boats like the 348 include THREE. One for each engine and then a third battery for all the other 12v systems. The genset starts off one of the two engine batteries (don't recall which one). And the starting circuit has a switch that lets you start from the both of them should one be dead.

We might add a fourth battery in tandem to the existing system battery as it tends to go dead in the middle of the night Running the radio all afternoon, then the lights and TV, along with the chartplotter for anchor position seems to be just a wee bit too much drain. This as opposed to being tempted to pull "just a bit" off the engine batteries. I can live without the accessories but if we woke up in the middle of the night and needed to get the heck out of there I'd really rather have engine cranking power. That and cranking up the genset or engines for the hour or so it takes to recharge it is a rather noisy way to celebrate the sunset.

But for A/C. blender drinks and the all important morning coffee maker it's really tough to beat a generator, either portable or built-in. Sounds like you're prepared to make good (and safe) use of it. Good luck with it!

It's sad when I start answering my own posts! I had one more thought on the whole generator issue that I forgot to mention. I think a lot depends on where you do most of your boating. If I did my boating in warmer climates than NY where the Air Conditioner would be used often then a built in would make a lot more sense.

Planealternative, the AC Output of the HondaEU2000i at the max rating of 2,000W is 16.7 Amps and at the 1,600 rated W is 13.3 Amps. I think that most of the appliances aboard can be run with this, although not at the same time. I believe that a typical 5,000 BTU A/C uses approx 530W and draws approx 5 amps. Other appliances approx usages are:
Small 1.7CuFt Fridge - 200Watts - Under 2 amps
Fan - 200W/2amps
TV - 100W/1amp
Coffee Maker - 900 - 1000W or approx 8 amps!!
Laptop Computer - 20W
Cell Phone Charger - 5W

Appliances that would be a problem with the portable generator:
Microwave - Close call at 1,000 to 1,500Watts - Check your model
Hair Dryer; Portable Heater; Toaster Oven, etc all around 1,500Watts &up

As you can probably see, to figure out Ampere Usage divide the total Watts by the voltage that the appliance is rated for like 115V or 120V. As an example if the appliance uses 6,000Watts, then it probably draws approx 5Amps.

With the Honda EU2000i rated at 13.3 amps, you can quickly figure out what will and what will not work with it.

Hope this helps with your decision.

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'04 FW 268Vista "Andiamo"

"Giaccamo" That definately helps.
I don't plan on using A/C or heat when anchored so they won't be a problem. Items mostly used will be the 2 fridges, stereo, some lights, recharging of ship systems battery, and of course..... the all important blender. We'll use the BBQ for all cooking.
I too plan on setting it up on the swim platform or if we're close enough to shore, why not set it up on land. Less noise and fumes. We generally boat in the northern end of Georgian Bay where 99.9 % of the land is government owned so shore set up won't be a problem.
Cheers,

Planealternative :

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"ROCKHOUND"
2005 Vista 298
Georgian Bay, Ontario.