Generator for '82 SRV

Club Sea Ray is not the safest place to have generator conversations. Other forums, such as the hull truth, have a more diverse and sometimes accepting (or less informed?) view of such sensitive topics.
 
If you mean a portable generator for the weekend, you will get a ton of advice recommending against it due to the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. If you want to get one installed properly and safely, yes, you will get good advice here, I'm just not sure if that is possible on your boat.
 
If you mean a portable generator for the weekend, you will get a ton of advice recommending against it due to the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. If you want to get one installed properly and safely, yes, you will get good advice here, I'm just not sure if that is possible on your boat.
Well, obviously (or not so obviously?) I'm not going to use it inside the boat.
 

I assumed you were talking about portable generators on the swim platform. Which it looks like was a safe assumption. There are considerable safety risks associated with operating a portable (nor marinized) generator in this manner. The members of this forum tend to be very vocal in highlighting those risks, especially between the months of October and March each year.

I do apologize for not being more explicit in my first post. Do a search here for "honda generators" and you'll get a better feel for the landscape.
 
I assumed you were talking about portable generators on the swim platform. Which it looks like was a safe assumption. There are considerable safety risks associated with operating a portable (nor marinized) generator in this manner. The members of this forum tend to be very vocal in highlighting those risks, especially between the months of October and March each year.

I do apologize for not being more explicit in my first post. Do a search here for "honda generators" and you'll get a better feel for the landscape.
Ah. Gotcha. I understand. I'm interested in all inputs. If there was an official generator I could have installed, I'd be happy to do it. My owners manual talks about a generator, so I'm assuming there was an option for one at one time.
 
Ah. Gotcha. I understand. I'm interested in all inputs. If there was an official generator I could have installed, I'd be happy to do it. My owners manual talks about a generator, so I'm assuming there was an option for one at one time.

A proper marine generator install would be ballpark $15-20k. Hence the popularity of the Honda discussion :)
 
I assumed you were talking about portable generators on the swim platform. Which it looks like was a safe assumption. There are considerable safety risks associated with operating a portable (nor marinized) generator in this manner. The members of this forum tend to be very vocal in highlighting those risks, especially between the months of October and March each year.

I do apologize for not being more explicit in my first post. Do a search here for "honda generators" and you'll get a better feel for the landscape.
8FF52775-F8E8-42FE-B44A-27C6641BD586.jpeg

Why mount it on the swim platform?? :D
 
@M Simpson what are seeking to power over a weekend? Given the high cost of generator installs and the "fun" of older boat wiring and space (mine is an 85) perhaps the newer technology battery banks may be an alternative to a generator.
 
@M Simpson what are seeking to power over a weekend? Given the high cost of generator installs and the "fun" of older boat wiring and space (mine is an 85) perhaps the newer technology battery banks may be an alternative to a generator.
Just want to run basic items, as needed when sitting at anchor, nothing fancy. Battery Charger, Water System. Don't even care about the fridge, we'd use coolers mostly anyway.
 
That's exactly what we were thinking. There is a "spot" for it under the cockpit. I was thinking I could also mount it behind the Flybridge ladder, I would only use it when on the hook, for basic stuff, when we can't be at a marina hookup.

Shenanigans was joking. That photo was posted in jest. Running portable generators on the swim platform is controversial in and of itself. Running them inside the engine room is actually quite terrifying. It's joked about around here because we don't generally think anyone would be so under-informed as to actually do it.
 
Shenanigans was joking. That photo was posted in jest. Running portable generators on the swim platform is controversial in and of itself. Running them inside the engine room is actually quite terrifying. It's joked about around here because we don't generally think anyone would be so under-informed as to actually do it.
I've been around boats most of my life and just haven't run across this issue and thought I'd quickly get some thoughts, just as a let's see what other people do and I'm happy to do nothing and live with it, as is as an option. I thought I was asking a reasonable question and trying to "get informed" not trying to give you a "Gotcha" moment. Not everyone has your vast years of experience, and instead of spending 5 minutes typing a reply to inform me as to why not or other alternatives, you spent those 5 minutes to post something you can wink at each other with and say watch this. I certainly won't be putting a generator under the cockpit, in case you're worried (or not) that I might. From now on I'll just search, since everything that could ever be asked has already been asked, and not interact directly on the forums. 'cause what's the point apparently. Thanks for the warm welcome. You got me.
 
I've been around boats most of my life and just haven't run across this issue and thought I'd quickly get some thoughts, just as a let's see what other people do and I'm happy to do nothing and live with it, as is as an option. I thought I was asking a reasonable question and trying to "get informed" not trying to give you a "Gotcha" moment. Not everyone has your vast years of experience, and instead of spending 5 minutes typing a reply to inform me as to why not or other alternatives, you spent those 5 minutes to post something you can wink at each other with and say watch this. I certainly won't be putting a generator under the cockpit, in case you're worried (or not) that I might. From now on I'll just search, since everything that could ever be asked has already been asked, and not interact directly on the forums. 'cause what's the point apparently. Thanks for the warm welcome. You got me.

Certainly not my intent. Best of luck to you.
 
For the cost and the safety of all onboard, we are looking at solar generators. We have room on the fore deck for at least two 100w panels. With those we were looking at charging the batteries currently and the generator to run a higher power sinewave converter for things like the coffee maker. Because lets face it, without coffee, you better get off my effin lawn. Looking at the whole set up, it would cost just a little more than the Honda but be so much safer. That and I still have the system for our fifthwheel we had years ago.
 
For the cost and the safety of all onboard, we are looking at solar generators. We have room on the fore deck for at least two 100w panels. With those we were looking at charging the batteries currently and the generator to run a higher power sinewave converter for things like the coffee maker. Because lets face it, without coffee, you better get off my effin lawn. Looking at the whole set up, it would cost just a little more than the Honda but be so much safer. That and I still have the system for our fifthwheel we had years ago.
Thanks J...This is something I can get my teeth into. I had not thought of those. We will be on a mooring most of the time and this will work very well for keeping the batteries charged, etc and not having to worry about it.
 
I've been around boats most of my life and just haven't run across this issue and thought I'd quickly get some thoughts, just as a let's see what other people do and I'm happy to do nothing and live with it, as is as an option. I thought I was asking a reasonable question and trying to "get informed" not trying to give you a "Gotcha" moment. Not everyone has your vast years of experience, and instead of spending 5 minutes typing a reply to inform me as to why not or other alternatives, you spent those 5 minutes to post something you can wink at each other with and say watch this. I certainly won't be putting a generator under the cockpit, in case you're worried (or not) that I might. From now on I'll just search, since everything that could ever be asked has already been asked, and not interact directly on the forums. 'cause what's the point apparently. Thanks for the warm welcome. You got me.
First, welcome. Second, the history here that you aren't aware of is that there has been an ongoing battle every year where people debate the safety of a portable generator used on a boat. I know the folks that commented did not mean to insult you at all. They are very helpful members. That said, if you want a marine generator installed it can be done. A used Kohler 5kw can be bought for $6K and installed for another $1500. It will run about .8 of a gallon an hour in fuel. As an alternative, your freshwater, stereo and even fridge should all run off your batteries, get a few more batteries and those should last all weekend, topping them off as needed by running your engines/alternator. If you want advice on either, plenty here will help.
 
First, welcome. Second, the history here that you aren't aware of is that there has been an ongoing battle every year where people debate the safety of a portable generator used on a boat. I know the folks that commented did not mean to insult you at all. They are very helpful members. That said, if you want a marine generator installed it can be done. A used Kohler 5kw can be bought for $6K and installed for another $1500. It will run about .8 of a gallon an hour in fuel. As an alternative, your freshwater, stereo and even fridge should all run off your batteries, get a few more batteries and those should last all weekend, topping them off as needed by running your engines/alternator. If you want advice on either, plenty here will help.
Thanks Cocktail. I understand. I just felt like I got punked, when asking a simple question is all. I hold no grudges, just trying to get back into boating after a decade break and have some fun with it. This will be a shared family boat and we're making a list of nice to haves and will implement as we need to. A previous owner did upgrade the batteries and added an extra to each bank, so we have plenty of power to play with for this season, I'm sure. I just know that as other family members get used to a having larger boat they will want to be away from home longer and we want it to be as comfortable as possible and as the resident engineer, it'll be up to me to make it work properly. Just want to ask you guys for pointers as needed. Thanks
 
Simpson, a bunch of us on here have been here for years, and have fielded this question numerous times. Sorry for being snarky. It's one of those "get the popcorn our, here we go" kind of questions. We generally do not like portable generators on boats. You can google about it and see the chances of CO poisoning with a portable vs an installed genny (which still has a risk of CO poisoning obviously) The portable down in your engine compartment also runs the risk of igniting gas fumes since it is not ignition protected. This dumbass (myself) when new to boating, carried a portable up on my bow because I didn't know any better. Luckily I learned the easy way (someone told me) instead of the hard way (dead).
 

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