A marine generator gives you air conditioning, cooking and full AC power away from the dock. That matters on a hot July weekend at anchor off the Chicago lakefront. BoatWired handles the electrical side of generator installs and replacements, so the generator integrates safely with the boat's AC system.
What a generator install involves
- Load planning: we size the generator from the loads you actually want to run (air conditioning, water heater, galley and charger), including startup surges.
- Transfer switching: a proper selector or automatic transfer switch, so shore power and generator power can never feed the boat at the same time.
- AC panel integration: wiring into the AC distribution panel with correct breakers, wire sizing and labeling.
- Grounding and neutral bonding: set up to ABYC standards, so ground-fault protection behaves correctly and the system stays safe.
- DC connections: starting battery, cabling and controls, with correct overcurrent protection.
We work with you, or with your yard, on mounting, exhaust and fuel, and we make sure the boat has working carbon monoxide detection. CO alarms are essential on any boat with a generator.
Install it in the off-season
A generator installation is a big project that can take a boat out of use for a while. In Chicago it fits naturally into fall layup or winter storage, so the boat comes out of the shed in spring with the new generator installed, tested and ready.
Replacing an older generator
If you're replacing a generator, we check that the existing AC wiring, transfer switching and panel suit the new unit, rather than just reconnecting old wires that may not be up to it.
Request a quote and tell us about your boat, the generator you're considering, and what you want to run.