# Portable Generator Things



## 90740 (May 1, 2005)

Anyone got one of those portable generators, the red Honda thing shown at the top of the page (or equivelant) 1 to 2 kw or thereabouts
I'm thinking of getting one but......

- do they make a lot of noise? 52 dbs at 7 metres means very little to me.

- if you have one do you use them on campsites? Are there restrictions
as to when they can be used 

- are potential neighbours likely to look skyward when the machine 
comes out of the 'cupboard?

- anyone know if generators are a common sight in Europe, specifically
in the 'Aires?

- if there are restrictions to the use of generators, or not considered
socially acceptable, how do you get best use out of the machine?

I was thinking of getting a solar panel but my roof space is a bit limited. Next best thing would be a generator. Maybe I'm wrong but I would like some direction from generator users as to what to expect and how to make the best use of them.
Thanks,
J
Should I erect a 7 metre radius fence around our mh??


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## 88905 (May 10, 2005)

May i suggest you ask yourself the question.....If someone parked next to me and left his engine running for a long time would I be happy. If the answer is yes then go ahead but expect some foul looks and possibly adverse comments from your neighbours (especially Continentals), but if the answer is no then you already have the answer to your queries.
How long do you propose stopping without driving on...If for only a couple of nights then you probably do not want a generator anyway as your driving will top up your domestic battery as you go. If for longer than a couple of nights then go back to the beginning and ask yourself the questions again.
nobby


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

Jon,

I wouldn't bother with a generator just yet, you should have a leisure battery fitted to your van and it's suprising how much use you'll get out of it before it needs recharging. Also if it doesn't last long enough for your needs then consider upgrading the battery to a higher output (100amps should suffice). A lot cheaper than a genny and alot quieter!

pete


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## 89425 (May 23, 2005)

Hi,

If you read through previous posts on generators and solar panels. As Peejay has pointed out, you need to clearly establish why you think you need a generator or solar panel. Solar panels are expensive for the power return. Good generators are expensive too, but produce more power. You've already probably got a good system on your van, but just needs making more efficient and perhaps more storage.

After you've read all the posts you'll be able to come back with specific questions.

I think you may get sufficient power from camp site hook-up not to necessitate the running of a generator, however if your power consumption is high and wild camp you may have justification for a generator.

____________________________________________________
*Steve 
aka A very wild....wild camper*
.
Click here for my van website!
.









_I do like a bit of feed back to my posts please_
____________________________________________________


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## Anonymous (Nov 10, 2000)

My genny is collecting dust in the garage, comes out roughly every 3 months run for 5 mins (just to turn it over) and goes back in the garage again.

I have two 110AH leisure batteries on board and have no problems, I do not use electic on site normally.

My advice would be save your money and wait to see if you really need it if not it will only be another big boys toy in the cupboard ( and we got those haven't we) 

Ken S.


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## 90740 (May 1, 2005)

I've gone for the extra battery instead. Two 85a/hr should give us the freedom.
However if anyone starts up a generator next to us, or indeed near to us, I will refer them to this forum,
Thanks,
Jon


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## 89335 (May 20, 2005)

I only wish I'd known about this forum before I made my purchase. I rushed rather too quickly into buying a so-called suit case generator (although it's about the size of two large ones).

I bought it for our second outing because we knew that it was very likely that we would not be able to get onto a site with a hook-up and we took our youngest son who would have gotten much to bored if he didn't get at least two hours of telly each day (erm... the telly is another story BTW). Having done a little bit of investigation, I quickly realised that in order to get a genny that would run a kettle or microwave or reasonable hair dryer was going to cost around a grand so I went for a cheaper model that generates enough to drive 750 watts. I only reallised my folly too late that I could have gone for an even less powered genny if all I'm going to power is a TV and DVD but it's too late for that now.


So, I now have this genny in the shed that generates 750 watts and 60dB @ 7 metres... mmm... 

It will get used I'm sure but I also ask myself the question " would I like it if someone started it up next to me when all I wanted was to read my book or sit back and relax. I consider myself to be quite a reasonable person (s'pose we all do) and I intend to always ask around my MH neighbors if they would mind me creating a bit of a din in the vacinity.

When we stopped at our first CL in Lincs (no hoop-up) I first asked the site owner if we could run a genny (answer = yes). Fortunately, it was quite a large plot of land and there were two caravans and a motorhome on one side of the field. So we parked on the opposite side... around 50 metres away from t'others. I powered up the genny and walked away from the van and the further away I walked from the van the sound level dropped off quite rapidly (the scientists here will know why) so om this occasion I didn't ask the other camper (perhaps I should have).

Must admit that ours may spend more time in the shed than out but I've made the purchase now and every noew and then I'm sure we'll get some use out of it.


andy


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## Anonymous (Nov 10, 2000)

A question for Steve and all the technical thinkers out there - how complicated is it to fit a second leisure battery?


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## 89425 (May 23, 2005)

stormywhether said:


> A question for Steve and all the technical thinkers out there - how complicated is it to fit a second leisure battery?


Just connect it up in parallel to the first one using a cable at least the same size as the ones used for the first battery.

Just in case I have confused anyone, parallel is connecting the positive ( + ) terminal/post to the same on next battery, and connecting the negative ( - ) terminal/post in the same manor. Colour codes are probably red for positive and black for negative, or even brown for positive and blue for negative.

Any more questions do get in touch.
____________________________________________________
*Steve 
aka A very wild....wild camper*
.
Click here for my van website!
.









_I do like a bit of feed back to my posts please_
____________________________________________________


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

Stormy wrote;



> A question for Steve and all the technical thinkers out there - how complicated is it to fit a second leisure battery?


Now i'm no expert when it comes to electrics but i think i read somewhere that if youre gonna fit 2 batteries in tandem they have to be of the same output or one will 'feed' off the other, also dont put an old battery with a new one. Perhaps steve could confirm this?

pete


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## nobbythehobby (May 9, 2005)

If you are fitting a second leisure battery in parallel, be particularly careful to fit the same type. I think it makes sense, as Peejay says, that they should be in the same condition also. 
Many recent campers have a 'gel' battery fitted as standard and my understanding is that you should not fit a lead acid battery in parallel with it as they work at slightly different max voltages. As charging is fairly critical (and fairly technical), this would seem to me to be very relevant here. Steve may be able to further advise on basic guidelines but I think a basic rule will be, that if you are thinking of changing your existing setup, you should ask lots of questions first - but not from me please. I've seen technical articles on these issues and lost the will to live while reading them. 

Caution - If your original battery is a gel battery and you wish to add another, be prepared to extend your mortgage!

Steve


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## Anonymous (Nov 10, 2000)

*genarator's*

in 25 year's of motorcaravaning i have never had the need of a genny,two batteries have been more than enough for all our power need's and we stop on cl's most of the time, personaly i feel genny's are anti social.most van's seem to locate them on the off side of their van's so if you want to sit with your door open on the nearside you get all the noise. :roll: 
pete


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

General conclusion then.....

Batteries - 1 Generators - 0

Solar panels - hmm... too expensive.

The batteries have it then (?).


pete


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## 88838 (May 9, 2005)

'course, you could always rig up lotsa kids windmills round the van  
all in different colours of course, and if you got slightly different sizes then you would get a different noise, you could try and tune them up for a sing song  


8)


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## 89425 (May 23, 2005)

Hi Guy's,

Been a bit busy to sit down to answer questions, but here goes.

Pete is correct by saying, fit like against like batteries and ideally the same age. Steve C. also correctly points out the technicalities of batteries and their welfare can give you a real downer. I've actually witnessed a forum come to blows over batteries, not very nice.

Now we all live in the real world and like information in relation as to how it will affect us as motorhomer's. First of all there are different types of batteries and its not sensible to mix them as they all have different characteristics. Most batteries are wet acid based and require regular checks to top up the acid level with distilled water, there are also so called 'maintenance free' ones which are liquid sealed and of course the 'gel' batteries as mentions by Steve C. For further information on batteries there is an excellent web site at http://www.batteryfaq.org.

Its important not to mix lead acid batteries with gel batteries, and good practice to have matching batteries, when I say matching, I'm talking about their basic type, Ah rating, age etc. Now if you've already got one type of battery and want to up rate your capacity, but unable to get another battery the same, or perhaps you don't have space for another identical battery, or even your first battery is several years old. What the battery techies would want you to do is do away with the first battery and bu bu bu buy (that hurt) a pair together. Okay some people will, but I'd retain the original battery. If they were more or less the same I wouldn't get excited about it, I'd connect them up in parallel. However if they were quite different, I'd alter the wiring slightly. Don't panic, I'm not going to say you need to rewire the whole van. The important thing is to make sure all your batteries are being charged when the engine is running (no point paying for hook-up electric if you can use the engine whilst travelling). Your existing charge system is most likely going to have a split charge relay/circuit (Others can quite possibly have electronic charge systems) which basically connect up your 'house' battery to the vehicle battery/power system when the engine is running. The term split charge relay sounds very technical, but all it is, is a relay (electrically operated switch) which is fed from the red charge light (some people refer to it as the ignition light) on the dash board, when activated as pointed out earlier simply connects house and vehicle systems together. This little circuit prevents the house draining the vehicle battery when the engine is not running. With the fitment of a second house battery (non matching) its best to fit another relay to charge the additional battery. Now before you say why not use the first relay, I would like to explain that by using the extra relay, you are actively disconnecting all the batteries from one another when the engine is not running. You will now also need to fit a two way switch capable of handling a large current (at least one big enough to handle the combined load of all your 12v equipment). You need to identify where the 'house' system is connected to the battery, or at least separate it from the charge circuit. The house supply is taken to the common terminal on the two way switch, then the other two terminals are taken individually to each battery. On completion, your two way switch will be used to draw power from either (not both) of the house batteries, again keeping them isolated from one another to avoid one dragging the other down. If you find the two way circuit too difficult, you can fit a single switch to link both batteries whilst drawing power. But remember to switch it off afterwards (or at the end of the evening). The problem with having a link switch is, remembering to operate the switch, or if failing to operate it and the primary battery is almost flat, by operating the link switch will give you power again, but a lot of power will be drawn into the primary battery in an attempt for it to recharge itself.

Please remember the above is a 'work about' to overcome the differences in using 'odd' batteries. I would also recommend your alternator being fitted with a smart or advanced regulator to give a more efficient charge.

I'll leave it at that for the moment to allow you all to inwardly digest and get back to me with further questions.

____________________________________________________
*Steve 
aka A very wild....wild camper*
.
Click here for my van website!
.









_I do like a bit of feed back to my posts please_
____________________________________________________


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

Thanks Steve,

I knew you'd come up with the goods, even I can understand it!

Getting my new van soon, it's only got an 85 a/h battery so i plan to fit another in paralell before anything else, so much easier & cheaper than fitting solar panels.

pete[/u]


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## 89425 (May 23, 2005)

If most of your touring is in the UK, I would be very reluctant to fit solar panels, my reasons
A, Their high cost,
B, Poor sunlight
C, Ultra long payback

However if you park your van up for say a week at a time, low power consumption and tour mainly during the summer or countries where bright sun is the norm, perhaps they would be cost effective.

A more cost effective method of charging your batteries is to invest in a more efficient charging system to get the maximum use out of your existing set up. With discounts, these start of at about £100. Charging then becomes an ever so small incidental use of running the engine whilst travelling, so much so that your not going to be able to measure any increase in MPG.

BTW I should add that my wife wanted me to get solar panels (some people buy them on the basis of them being the motorhomer's equivalent of the 'must have' item, bit like un-used bike racks, but my wife's angle was the green issue) but after explaining the above she dropped the idea.
____________________________________________________
*Steve 
aka A very wild....wild camper*
.
Click here for my van website!
.









_I do like a bit of feed back to my posts please_
____________________________________________________


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

Steve wrote;



> BTW I should add that my wife wanted me to get solar panels (some people buy them on the basis of them being the motorhomer's equivalent of the 'must have' item, bit like un-used bike racks, but my wife's angle was the green issue) but after explaining the above she dropped the idea.


I think solar panels are bought on the 'keeping up with the jones' basis rather than a practical nature and like you say, the latest must have. As for bike racks though, we are always using ours, so disagree on that one.

pete


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