#Outboard motor vs inboard generator
#Outboard motor vs inboard series

Once you understand the history of horsepower and how that’s connected to the calculation we use today, it’s natural to wonder how much horsepower your boat needs. This is known as peak horsepower - it’s often documented as “_ HP at _ rpm.” Engines will have a point in rpm at which the power available from the engine has reached its maximum. Through using a dynamometer, you’ll be able to see the horsepower versus rpm values for the engine, which is especially important for calculating peak horsepower.

#Outboard motor vs inboard series

The divisor, 5,252, comes from a series of calculations that convert rpm to radians per second. Once the torque has been determined, you’re able to convert torque to horsepower by multiplying torque by revolutions per minute (rpm) and dividing that product by 5,252. Marine dynamometers are available, too - taking into consideration boat operation by simulating on-the-water operation. A device called a dynamometer applies a load on the engine and then measures the amount of power it produces to determine torque. In an engine, torque produces power - so being able to relate it to horsepower is critical. Keep in mind, with that calculation, you could get the same result - 100 pound-feet of torque - by applying one pound of force to a socket wrench with a 100-foot handle, or by applying 100 pounds of force to a socket wrench with a one-foot handle. You apply 50 pounds of force to that handle - when you do that, you’re applying a torque or turning force of a total of 100 pound-feet to the bold. Imagine you have a large socket wrench with a two-foot handle. Torque is easiest to explain through an example. Engineers also did calculations to relate horsepower to torque, which is especially important for boat engines.

#Outboard motor vs inboard generator

In other words, if you put a one-horsepower horse on a treadmill, it would be able to operate a generator producing 746 watts. For example, other experiments determined one horsepower equals 746 watts of energy. The measurement of horsepower was converted into other units of measurement. The relevance of horsepower, the measurement of 550 foot-pounds per second, didn’t stop with the Industrial Revolution. Comparing the power of a horse to the power of a steam engine showed Watt’s steam engine could do the work of five horses, and it went on to become an integral part of the Industrial Revolution. However, Watt didn’t let that fact bother him, and it didn’t bother his customers, either. There were a few flaws with this new measurement - the biggest being the assumption that a horse could continue to work at that consistent rate instead of tiring out. Therefore, he defined one horsepower as 33,000 foot-pounds of work per minute - or 550 foot-pounds per second.

Through his experiments, he determined one horse could do about 33,000 foot-pounds of work in one minute - meaning a horse could lift a 33,000-pound weight one foot in one minute. To market his new product to this audience, Watt knew he had to come up with a way to compare the work of horses to the work of his invention. Unfortunately, comparing the steam engine to the Newcomen engine wasn’t effective marketing, as most of the population was still using horses for mechanical work. This new steam engine could do the same amount of work as the former Newcomen engine, but used only one-quarter of the fuel. In the late 1700s, a Scottish engineer named James Watt invented the first steam engine, which improved on a design pioneered by Thomas Newcomen in 1712. Today, it applies to boat and auto engines, but its original use was to describe the power of a steam engine. With over 5000 satisfied boat sellers, We Buy Boats has been a trusted name in the industry for almost ten years! If you are interested in starting the wholesale process, fill out the form below.Horsepower is defined as a unit of power equal to 550 foot-pounds per second used to measure the power of an engine. We are dedicated to giving fair wholesale offers based on the true market value of your vessel. See which motor fits your needs best and then go from there in your buying process.

You have more control over the wake and great towing power which is essential for those activities.īoth motors serve different purposes and are a key component to what type of boat you are interested in buying. This style of motor is favored for water sports such as wakeboarding and waterskiing. These motors are built similar to car engines therefore they are very complex but prove to be a stronger engines than outboards.