Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

Any ideas on the best place for an onan rv type generator? It's going on a 2001 suntracker party cruiser 32. I'm thinking the battery compartment in the port side stern, I want to limit noise and vibration as much as possible, including building a sound proof enclosure (suggestions for that?) or should I stick with an enclosure built on the roof with noise and vibration dampening? Didn't suntracker install these as an option? Where did they put them if so?

Thanks in advance for any help or suggestions!

In 2001, Tracker put them just outside of the front of the cabin across from the helm. Later on, Tracker stopped offering generators installed as an option. My 2006 didn't come factory with one installed. I used a Honda Eu2000i one the upper deck. I believe in 2008 they started installing them again until Tracker stopped producing the large pontoons (both Party Cruisers and Party Huts).

With the floorplan of a 32' Party Hut, the generator should go up on the roof for safety. You don't want any fumes to get where people are.

They used to put generators under a seat on the port side on their small pontoon houseboat.

Thanks, sounds like the roof is the best bet, badmoonrising, were you able to run the AC with honda 2000eu?

Yeah, the A/C, microwave, battery chargers, even the women using hair dryers, coffee makers...the Honda worked well. Only time I had to turn off the A/C was to use the electric stove.

Just bought a honda eu3000is. I plan on installing it on the roof of the party cruiser. I also plan on installing an ac unit. I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts on which unit is the best bang for the buck? How are you wiring the generator to the existing electrical system. I have had no luck with finding a wiring schematic for the boat. Would love to hook generator up internally through main shore power line but not sure if it is a good idea. Just bought the toon last month. Excited to find this forum. Good information and good people. Thanks.

The standard in the RV industry for years was to just plug the shore line into the genny. My old Winnebago was set up that way, had a built in 6500 Onan with a remote receptacle in the shore line compartment. I kept the plug in that receptacle all the time, except when actually using shore power. That makes for a totally isolated and safe system.

Just run a suitable sized cable (equal to your shore power cable size) from the genny to a permanent receptacle added near where the shore power enters the boat. Easy peesy

Tim

DavidSkylark wrote:Just bought a honda eu3000is. I plan on installing it on the roof of the party cruiser. I also plan on installing an ac unit. I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts on which unit is the best bang for the buck? How are you wiring the generator to the existing electrical system. I have had no luck with finding a wiring schematic for the boat. Would love to hook generator up internally through main shore power line but not sure if it is a good idea. Just bought the toon last month. Excited to find this forum. Good information and good people. Thanks.

David, the Party Cruisers have a plug in on the side of the electrical service panel. Just plug right in. My 2006 PC had it. It's well hidden, open the cabinet under teh stove and it's right there on the side of the panel facing towards the head/shower area.

I used a Honda EU 2000i and it ran the A/C and everything else (microwave etc.) fine. It's covered by a black plastic plug.

It's so cramped, I could never get a good pic of it, lol

Thanks for the input. I think for now I will just plug into the shore power but maybe when I get some down time this winter I will look at running the necessary wires. I have been doing some research with roof top AC units. I was thinking about getting an Air Brisk 2. Was curious what other party cruisers came with as mine never had one? It just has a vent installed on the roof. What options have you seen people use to protect their Generator while on the roof? Was thinking of building a small enclosure for it but I am already worried about height issues clearing some of the bridges on Hartwell when its a full pool.

Mine had a Dometic Brisk Air 2. The entire boat, even the stern sleeping area would get really cold in 10 minutes, worked well. I just put the Honda Generator on the roof on Eco throttle and you could barely hear it running. I never permanently installed it because I was afraid someone would steal it. Make sure you also install a CO detector if your boat didn't come with one stock.

Hi, We have two Honda E2000's that go together so you can make it a 4000.. I wish we knew that you could run everything on just one but they are already bought. We got a pig tail adapter that converts the shore power plug so it can be plugged into the generator while on the water. We got a shorter shore power cord that stays plugged in all the time and the end stays tied up on the roof and a 50ft cord that stays on the dock. It's a snap to switch to the generator or hook up to the dock. I think the Honda 3000 is to tall for the boat. I wanted that too but it wouldn't make it under the overpasses. I think we are at 13'8" tall on the trailer. The Honda 2000's are great and not so tall... Very quiet compared to the old genny that came with the boat. We put a mat down and chained them to the ladder and covered them with a tarp for now. They are also light enough to take on or off without killing yourself. We had to use a tractor bucket to get the old one off. We pulled one off and put it in the garage for winter if the power goes out. Time to go back on the boat!!!!

A pair of the EU2000's or the single EU3000 will push one of the RV a/c units. You don't want to go less than 3000 watt generator, however. The Onan 4000 is a cost overkill for such use--very expensive to purchase.

The benefits of the EU2000's is that you can bring them inside when you pack up to leave. And if you're not running the a/c and need electricity, you can run just one unit very inexpensively.

The EU3000 is a great generator, but it may take a little muscle to get off the roof. And unless you have a metal locker with a lock to place it in, you don't want to leave such a generator out.

There are also comparable generators made by other companies--like Yamaha.

These type of generators are expensive, but they're worth it. The juice they put out is much cleaner than all of those old Briggs powered cheapo generators on the retail market.

This is the setup I use on my Crest. It's completely inclosed in the battery compartment and with the lid shut you can't hear it much at all. It's an Honda EU2000. I have enough room in there to put the EU3000 if need be. I think you have a compartment like mine on your Tracker. It would be much cheaper than the onan and it's a Honda. Mine's been going for 5 years now and It just won't die. when I go camping for the weekend it wouldn't shut down for 48 hours. It's cooled with forced air taken from the front of the generator and forced out the back with the exhaust so fumes go out he back, not in the cabin. Just my .02

badmoonrising wrote:Yeah, the A/C, microwave, battery chargers, even the women using hair dryers, coffee makers...the Honda worked well. Only time I had to turn off the A/C was to use the electric stove.

I bought the companion model thinking when I could get the air conditioner I'd get the other generator. It really spools up when the toaster oven cycles on. It's amazing how well it runs on little more than a shot glass of oil in the crank !