irvinparrett
Cadet
- Joined
- Apr 13, 2012
- Messages
- 7
1997 33' Searay
New to boat and am wondering if its ok to run generator while cruising.
New to boat and am wondering if its ok to run generator while cruising.
Onboard generators can run 110V devices such as A/C, Heat, Freezer, Fridge, hot water heater, and battery charger. This can reduce the amp hour draw on the house battery bank for 12v devices as well, even while underway.
1997 33' Searay
New to boat and am wondering if its ok to run generator while cruising.
I don't have a genny, but many of my friends do, and running it while underway isn't a common practice. There's nothing on that list that can't be serviced just as well by the engines' waste heat (water heater) or the alternators, which charge the batteries at a higher rate than any of those appliances can discharge them. And on my boat, the A/C thru-hull water intake would be out of the water if I was running at planing speed.
I'm just debating this with you. I don't see the point of using the genny and additional fuel to do what's being done by the engines anyway.
My .02
If your boat had a jenny, the builder would have put the water intake at a point on the hull where that wouldn't happen. I am sure the your hull is in the water at some point.
I was talking about the water supply for the A/C, not the genny. Yes, if I had a genny, it would be near the stern, and so would the water intake for it.
Shrew, I get it. Surprised yours is fitted so far aft. My A/C seacock is directly below the mid-cabin, along with the seacock for the head, and would be out of the water or sucking 'spray' if I were on plane. Also, I have a Perko switch on my boat, so I can charge whatever combination of batteries I want to off the engine alternators. I'm sure the OP does, too.
rbh, I'm not opposed to using appliances at low speed in good weather, either, but the OP was asking about running the genny when 'cruising', which is a pretty broad term. A 33' Sundancer isn't a trawler- typical cruising speed for the OP will be something like 25 mph. So, I'll stick to my opinion that running the genny when cruising isn't typical, and there's generally no reason to use it when the engines are providing all the power needed.
Enough of this frivolity- bring on the the dancing girls!
Yes, it is OK to run underway with a genset. I am willing to wager that any factory installed raw water intake for genset pickup is the 'scoop' style, which allows water to be pulled in, even on plane. I have seen over 100 large boats out of the water and they have all been equipped with that.
As far as the other poster saying there's no reason to have the genset on, I heartily disagree. While underway, the family can be in the salon with the A/C on, a television/DVD going, food on the stove or in the microwave, the ice maker dumping another batch of ice, and the water in the heater warming up for a shower. None of these items on my boat are 12v powered.
JoLin.....Not knowing which A/C unut you have, but the low pressure switch should shut the compressor off and save the unit.
JoLin, thanks for the clarification, To me, cruising means not anchored. I rarely run on plane anymore, except to clean out the engines or to get past a long, boring area. Burning 45 GPH will take the fun out of being on plane VERY quickly!![]()
The beauty of a boat like yours is that I'm sure it's a lot more efficient at sub-planing speeds than mine is. Last summer I got hung up behind 2 trawlers in a narrow channel for nearly an hour. They were running merrily along at 9 mph. That's where a boat like mine just falls to pieces- for me to keep up with them I was turning 2300-2400 rpm, and plowing to beat the band.
In my boat, a 50% rpm increase (to about 3500), TRIPLES that speed and I'm using 16(?) gph. I really hate having to run slow, unless it's at idle speed through a no-wake zone. That's where I can run all day at 600 rpm / 4-5 mph burning 1 gph per motor.