battery charging with generator

[npangler]

I want to buy a generator to charge the batteries in my boat but I dont know which one is powerful enough
to do the job the charger in my boat is a 15/15/15 all the genertors seem to be rated by watts.

[whazup]

I recommend the Honda 2000. Relatively light with plenty of power to do the job. I charge the batteries on my RV with one.

[Brian D.]

I want to buy a generator to charge the batteries in my boat but I dont know which one is powerful enough
to do the job the charger in my boat is a 15/15/15 all the genertors seem to be rated by watts.

A Honda or Yamaha Gen Set with a minimum of 2000W will work for your set up.

[N.A.R]

All you need is a 1000w Generator. Yamaha or Honda and your set. But for the money you can't beat the Lifian 1000w from HomeDepot.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid= ... =1&theater

(tip) fire that bad boy up and fish ALL day on high 36....

[hasetak]

A good QUALITY 1000 would probably do what you want. I would stick with a Honda, you will pay more but you get more power from a quieter unit. I don't have much experience with Yamaha, but if you are out and your generator gives up on you it is going to be a lot easier to find a place that can get parts for a Honda than a Yamaha. If you jump up to the 2000w you have the opportunity to get a kit and a second generator later so you could plug 2 2000w gens together and get 4000w out of them.

The 2000 is going to weigh about 20 lbs. more but it is twice as much power for about $200 well worth it especially since you have the ability to add another one to make 4000w.


I would stay away from lesser expensive brands, they are louder, make less power, and are typically only $200-300 less than a Honda. And just to be clear I have referred to them as generators, but they are actually inverters, they make power a different way and that is one of the things that makes them as quiet as they are.

I had a 3200w inverter of another brand (neither one named here) that would not run the same things that a 2000w Honda would. They were both new and both plugged in to the same travel trailer.

Find your local Honda dealer, call them and ask them if you brought your boat down if they would plug them in for you so you know it will do the job. You shouldn't have any problem getting one to do that for you. If you do let me know and I will find one that will do it for you, as long as you are in some civilized part of CA.

Sorry for the long post but Power Equipment is what I do.
.

[npangler]

thanx for all the input, I feel I can make a much more informed choice now. sounds like the honda may
be the way to go. how much should I expect to pay for the honda 2000 ?

[whazup]

They are not cheap. Shop online..some dealers will ship free.... It will somewhere in the neighborhood of $900.00.

[Rich hamilton]

http://www.electricgeneratorsdirect.com Same price as costco with many more choices. Sorry local business, I deserve the bashing!

[hasetak]

If you choose to buy power equipment online be carefull. Unlike cars and trucks CARB has differnt regs than the EPA for emmitions and there are some pretty hefty fines for bringing non CARB complient stuff in to CA if you get caught.

I buy a lot of stuff online so by no means am I bashing online shopping, but I would be careful about buying anything with emmitons regs online.

[eagle123777]

I want to buy a generator to charge the batteries in my boat but I dont know which one is powerful enough
to do the job the charger in my boat is a 15/15/15 all the genertors seem to be rated by watts.

the watts is just how much stuff the generator will run without overloading...like all the stuff in a RV...15 amps is alot for a on board charger to draw but they may have never checked they may draw less and then up it to 15amps...anyway 1000 watts is way mor then u need for running the charger....i decided on champion myself...
as was mentioned make sure it is CARB rated, when i was searching the online stores wouldnt send a non CARB to CA.

[fishinman]

Harbor Freight Tools sells a genarator for $100 that will do the job. All generators are loud. Never heard a quiet one that people will put up with after 11pm.