Sleeping with generator on.
07-02-2019, 08:08 PM
#1
Admirals Club
Thread Starter
Sleeping with generator on.
We would like to anchor out but in the NC summer heat we need AC. We have a Kholer 7.3e 2 hard wired CO detectors and two battery powered ones. I’m still not 100% comfortable sleeping with it running. Is there anything I can do to make it safer or just not do it at all?
07-02-2019, 08:18 PM
#2
Senior Member
Originally Posted by Lorne Greene
We would like to anchor out but in the NC summer heat we need AC. We have a Kholer 7.3e 2 hard wired CO detectors and two battery powered ones. I’m still not 100% comfortable sleeping with it running. Is there anything I can do to make it safer or just not do it at all?
07-02-2019, 08:24 PM
#5
Senior Member
Originally Posted by tad117
Did you ever try running up until you are going to sleep to see if it might stay cool enough till morning?
07-02-2019, 08:31 PM
#6
Admirals Club 
Originally Posted by Lorne Greene
We would like to anchor out but in the NC summer heat we need AC. We have a Kholer 7.3e 2 hard wired CO detectors and two battery powered ones. I’m still not 100% comfortable sleeping with it running. Is there anything I can do to make it safer or just not do it at all?
diesel and having a few CO detectors on-board makes me less worried
also my genset is about 40 feet away from where i sleep in a completely separate compartment with exhaust going out the back of the boat
07-02-2019, 09:01 PM
#7
Admirals Club
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by NC_Native
Where is the exhaust directed? Can you put it on a platform on the stern such as a swim platform or on the gunwale with the exhaust directed away from the boat? If you've got CO detectors, I wouldn't worry about it wherever it is.
07-02-2019, 10:02 PM
#9
If your AC will keep up with the extra demand, open the hatch a small amount over your berth and another down stream.
The generator is running all the time anyway, so if your AC has to work a little harder you are not going to burn that much more fuel.
You can never be too safe, but I think you have it covered with multiple detectors and a proper generator installation.
The generator is running all the time anyway, so if your AC has to work a little harder you are not going to burn that much more fuel.
You can never be too safe, but I think you have it covered with multiple detectors and a proper generator installation.
07-03-2019, 01:46 AM
#10
Admirals Club
I have done it, Make sure you have at least 1 carbon detector located in the same compartment as you. Also make sure there is another one working on the boat in the main cabin area.. That said,
My geni was a fixed install, exhaust vented out the stern, and the cabin door was shut.
My geni was a fixed install, exhaust vented out the stern, and the cabin door was shut.
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07-03-2019, 03:08 AM
#11
Admirals Club
Opening hatch is useless. CO is heavier and comes from below. Detectors should be mounted lower and not up high.
Diesel has little to no CO. Like you can’t die from it even if you tried to plumb it in to your enclosed space
Diesel has little to no CO. Like you can’t die from it even if you tried to plumb it in to your enclosed space
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07-03-2019, 03:14 AM
#12
Its your boat and your life but there is exactly zero chance I'll ever sleep with a gas genset running. My advice - get a diesel or sleep in the heat. An uncomfortable night's sleep that you wake up from is still better than one you don't wake up from.
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07-03-2019, 03:19 AM
#13
Senior Member
Originally Posted by anthem-00
Opening hatch is useless. CO is heavier and comes from below. Detectors should be mounted lower and not up high.
Diesel has little to no CO. Like you can’t die from it even if you tried to plumb it in to your enclosed space
Diesel has little to no CO. Like you can’t die from it even if you tried to plumb it in to your enclosed space
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07-03-2019, 04:44 AM
#14
Senior Member
Originally Posted by anthem-00
Opening hatch is useless. CO is heavier and comes from below. Detectors should be mounted lower and not up high.
Diesel has little to no CO. Like you can’t die from it even if you tried to plumb it in to your enclosed space
Diesel has little to no CO. Like you can’t die from it even if you tried to plumb it in to your enclosed space
07-03-2019, 05:11 AM
#15
Senior Member
Originally Posted by Bayou Dularge
So the CO2 detectors I have should be mounted about 5' from floor and NOT on the ceiling where smoke detectors are typically mounted? ? Thanks.
Last edited by NC_Native; 07-03-2019 at 05:21 AM.
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07-03-2019, 05:15 AM
#16
Admirals Club
Originally Posted by Bayou Dularge
So the CO2 detectors I have should be mounted about 5' from floor and NOT on the ceiling where smoke detectors are typically mounted? ? Thanks.
07-03-2019, 05:18 AM
#17
Admirals Club
Originally Posted by mattttt25
That’s not true. Yes, they produce much less CO than gas engines. But diesels can produce enough to be fatal in an enclosed space. Don’t want someone reading your response and doing something really stupid.
07-03-2019, 05:24 AM
#18
Senior Member
I saw a YouTube video once where some guy was doing an experiment with a portable Honda generator by running it inside of an enclosed garage and measuring the carbon monoxide levels. After running it for several hours, the co levels were barely measurable and certainly not at a level that would be harmful or deadly. I understand that a garage is different than the cabin of a boat, but the fact is, those small generators don't really produce enough CO to fret so much about if you taken reasonable precautions.
07-03-2019, 05:30 AM
#19
Admirals Club
With your marine setup and a CO detector/alarm, I wouldn't be concerned at all. We've had a gen and AC running days at a time and never had an issue.
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07-03-2019, 05:47 AM
#20
Admirals Club
Originally Posted by airbrush
With your marine setup and a CO detector/alarm, I wouldn't be concerned at all. We've had a gen and AC running days at a time and never had an issue.
And to the comment regarding diesel wont kill you with CO, I wish that was true, lost a loved one to suicide with a running truck in a garage.
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