Generator and power max size??

[Mallardman87]

I have a 15 ft flat bottom boat with 8 50 watt led lights and a 45lb minn kota troller on it for bowfishing. It is currently hooked up to 6 batteries to run the whole system. I want to go to a 12v system and only run from two batteries with a generator and a power max. What size generator and power max will I need to power my lights and troller

 

[NYBo]

Welcome to iboats!:welcome:

What is the actual power consumption of those lights? They may be rated as 50 watt-equivalent, but that would be the light output; no way they use 50 watts. What are you trying to accomplish? You wan to run a generator? What is a "power max"?

 

[Mallardman87]

Powermax is a converter and a battery charger. I'm not sure about the power consumption of the lights I bought this boat used and just want to get it going.

 

[Mallardman87]

According to the allmigty internet the Amp draw for the lights is just over 1 amp for each light

 

[NYBo]

Are the lights 120VAC or 12VDC? It seems that a Group 27 or 31 deep cycle battery (bigger is better, if you can spare the room) for the TM would keep you on the water for 4-6 hours, with intermittent trolling motor use, much less with constant full-power use. The lights could be powered by a Group 24 battery for a similar period. Are you planning on running a generator aboard to run indefinitely? Figure 45 amps x 12 volts for the trolling motor at full speed, which equals 540 watts. Factor in an efficiency of maybe 80% for the charger/converter yields 675 watts. If you can find a generator with 12VDC output, so much the better.

 

[Mallardman87]

Yes I plan to have the generator on the boat to run constantly. We usually fish all night and my current setup with the batteries only lasts about 3-4 hours. The troller is almost always in use because we troll the banks but rarely is it on a high setting. Would a 2000 watt generator be sufficent?

 

[Scott Danforth]

yes, a 2kW genny would be fine. however it will be louder than simply running a 3hp outboard idling along for trolling. then you could use the battery for the LED power.