What size Gas or Solar Generator Required

[stopngo]

I am basically clueless on this topic so forgive me if my question sounds silly or maybe I am dreaming in Technicolor here.

What is the lightest and quietest Generator I can buy that is powerful enough to be run inside my 12 ft aluminum boat

which when connected to a 12 v battery will maintain that battery at a sufficient rate to run my Electric Trolling Motor.

In other words I want to be able to troll all day long and then some on one single battery without setting foot on shore.

Either a gas or solar Powered Generator.

Any Ideas??

Thanks

 

[Georgesalmon]

Re: What size Gas or Solar Generator Required

I wouldn't think running a gas generator in a 12' boat is a very good idea. You would have to have a pretty big one to keep a trolling motor running. Almost any small gas trolling motor would be quieter.

 

[agallant80]

Re: What size Gas or Solar Generator Required

I am not going to comment on the generator being a good idea or not, you figure that one out for yourself. The Honda Eu1000i is amazingly quiet puts out 1000W of power at 110V is measures in at 17.7" x 9.4" x 15.0" and 30lbs.

 

[Georgesalmon]

Re: What size Gas or Solar Generator Required

1000 watts is about 8amps. Half load on a 55lb thrust is in the neighborhood of 20 amps, with full speed around 40amps. Think about it.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: What size Gas or Solar Generator Required

if you want to troll all day in a 12' boat. get a 2hp gas motor. Generators are at best 80% efficient. you would use much less gas putting along on a 2hp kicker then you would attempting to keep a battery charged with a genny, and it will weight about 60# less (battery plus genny)

plus I avoided the whole carbon monoxide issue and you potentially dieing

 

[stopngo]

Re: What size Gas or Solar Generator Required

Thanks Y'all

Im glad I covered myself with potential to be dreaming in Technicolor particularly in light of the comment of 1000 watts being 8 amps and a 55 lb thrust motor requiring 40 at max. So I guess I must be.

Guess Ill stick to my 9.9 Merc and use the Electric as a trolling motor for as long as it lasts. No free lunch anywhere I guess.

Ohhh wait.......Im really piling up the pounds now.

A 9.9 Merc..........(the older I get the heavier it gets)

A Battery and the Electric......Not to mention me lol:

 

[KD4UPL]

Re: What size Gas or Solar Generator Required

1000 watts is about 8amps. Half load on a 55lb thrust is in the neighborhood of 20 amps, with full speed around 40amps. Think about it.

You're completely ignoring the voltage. Yes, 1000 watts is about 8 amps at 120v AC. However, the trolling motor is 12v DC. So, if it's drawing 40 amps wide open at 12 volts that's only 480 watts.
Basically, a 1000 watt Honda operating a 40 or 50 amp battery charger should be able to keep up with the trolling motor just fine.
So, the 1000 watt gen. and battery charger idea works perfectly on the electrical math side.
On the practicality side I would think a small gas powered outboard would be a better set up.

 

[agallant80]

Re: What size Gas or Solar Generator Required

1000 watts is about 8amps. Half load on a 55lb thrust is in the neighborhood of 20 amps, with full speed around 40amps. Think about it.

1000W ac = 9 amps @110V which translates in to about 92amps at 12V DC

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: What size Gas or Solar Generator Required

your old Merc 9.9 2-stroke is 65#

 

[stopngo]

Re: What size Gas or Solar Generator Required

your old Merc 9.9 2-stroke is 65#

No my 9.9 is 26 years old and Im 66 and it feels twice as heavy as when I bought it in 89. Now you can figure out how old I was when I bought it.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: What size Gas or Solar Generator Required

its still 65 pounds. a small 2hp is in the 30# range

 

[stopngo]

Re: What size Gas or Solar Generator Required

Thanks Y'all

You talked me out of it. No point burning Fossil fuel to create clean electrical energy. Like burning coal to generate Electricity

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: What size Gas or Solar Generator Required

the cleanest power is still a pair of oars...

 

[stopngo]

Re: What size Gas or Solar Generator Required

the cleanest power is still a pair of oars...

Depends...........If I really wanna get somewhere in a hurry I produce a lotta Carbon Dioxide:lol: