Author Topic: To Generator or not to Generator (Read 10267 times)

MarkVS · « **on:** April 07, 2016, 08:53:12 AM »

Am interested in how many people have generators, and those that do, are glad you do, or wouldn't get one again (not enough use).

I don't need one to run things (e.g.. Air conditioning), but only considering as a stand by for low power.(many overcast days, shady camping spots and dont want to move etc).

I just spent 4 nights away, found the new camper uses a bit of power, and because of the amount of shade, the 300w on the roof hardly produced much, and my 150 portable hardly did anything because it was shade for quite a distance around. I ended up running the car twice to boost the charge in the batteries (car puts out 22 amps to the batteries so its good that way)

Now this is something I will take into account in future when picking a spot, but it did get me to thinking, and the low power consumed my mind while we were camping (something I don't want to have to worry about) but I was interested in how many others have found them useful.
( hate the thought of something else taking up room, as well as having to carry a can of fuel for it as well as everything else is diesel).

MarkVS

chester ver2.0 · « **Reply #1 on:** April 07, 2016, 08:55:24 AM »

Never used one

The van fridge is 3 way so we run it on gas when stationary for a while

The car fridge gets topped up as we are going sight seeing most days and the foldable solar panels do the rest

Desert lover · « **Reply #2 on:** April 07, 2016, 09:07:26 AM »

We have a 1Kva Honda. Had to choose between two solar set ups(camping and fixed to the boat) or a generator which would do both tasks nicely. Chose the generator as a financial consideration.... and it doubles as being able to run the drill /power tools at times we are away from 240 V...... and will run a fan heater of 750 watts both on the boat and in the camper.....
Would I do it again.....absolutely. Has made life very easy.

Green rv · « **Reply #3 on:** April 07, 2016, 09:16:43 AM »

I have a generator but only really use it on long trips or large group camping.

more often now i find i'm running the 80dz waeco of the 4wd. have been setting to -18 deg and turn off overnight (as i don't have a dual battery kit) and have been doing this for trips up 10 days

pack freezer section with frozen goods( lowest morning temp ive had was -7), towards the end of the week i can start raising the temp as the meat can now start to defrost on last day cook everything and have leftovers for trip home.

i do also have batteries/solar in the camper and use a 12v extension lead to fridge if required (depends on what's in the fridge)

austastar · « **Reply #4 on:** April 07, 2016, 10:15:28 AM »

Hi,
I got the smallest I could find, 700W.
I can now camp in shady spots on hot days and not worry if solar access is poor.
It has also charged the starter battery a few times when it failed to start in remote areas.
If we are camping - it goes with us.
Cheers

Sent from my GT-N5110 using Tapatalk

Bird · « **Reply #5 on:** April 07, 2016, 10:16:17 AM »

Don't park so much in the shade?

cetacean · « **Reply #6 on:** April 07, 2016, 10:26:54 AM »

We have a small 700 W generator that we carry with us in the camper. We rarely use it because generally our 180 watts of solar is enough to keep the 240 Amp hour of batteries in the camper topped up. We run a 40 Engel freezer, 35 litre Waeco fridge and our lighting needs off the batteries.
BUT there are a few occasions when a number of consecutive cloudy days will mean that we struggle to fully charge the batteries using solar. That's when the little genie and Projecta charger come into there own. Doesn't happen too often and we don't really like camping with generators, but it's certainly better than the alternative of warm beer and defrosted food !!
I've always wondered about the logic of solar panels on the roof of your camper or caravan as we always try and camp in the shade wherever possible.??

jk · « **Reply #7 on:** April 07, 2016, 10:40:07 AM »

As said above, we have a EU20 Honda that we take with us when we think we may need it. This last xmas on Straddie we camped for 15 days, it was very hot but at the same time there were quite a few cloudy days, we run 1 x 75l Engel and 1 x 40l Engel as well as lights and a water pump. The gennie hooked to the 30amp Projecta battery charger ment we could maintain 13v + in our batteries (220amp ) for the whole time.

On a weekender trip it's not needed so it's left a home, but on a trip like Cape York we use the gennie because by the time you stop each arvo there's not much sunlight left for panels ( we have 260w ), and one gennie can power a lot of camp sites. Last time we were running half the camp on the one gennei each night, we switch the fridges over to 240v for the night and give the batteries a rest and in the morning everyone is good to go

Hope that help Mark !!

Cheers
John

4wd26 · « **Reply #8 on:** April 07, 2016, 10:43:26 AM »

don't have a generator and had an experience this easter trip to confirm to me and my mates that we will never require one

The redarc 1225 stopped working at Haddons cnr, well before but that night we discovered as the fridge was in fault mode.

Big BUGGER as the fridge was full and we were heading for the desert the next day

SO

we isolated the dual battery system and charged up the aux battery using another vehicle and jumper leads.
seriously most people have jumper leads (well I do with a auto vehicle) and it took a bit over an hour to charge up from 10.2 volts to around 12.5 volts (no load) enough to run the fridge for the rest of the night and next day into Birdsville to fab up a "hot wire" to eliminate the redarc (failed) unit from the aux charging circuit.

ok so noisy cumbersome way to recharge batteries, BUT if you only use this irregularly same as what you plan to use a generator why spend $$$ and have to carry fuel and a generator around to do what a vehicle can do?

traveling solo and battery in the rear of the vehicle might be a different choice, but charging the campers battery banks using the tugs battery this would work

was certainly good to confirm that this process would work

time · « **Reply #9 on:** April 07, 2016, 10:46:49 AM »

I have a 1kva Yamaha, only take it on the longer trips where I will spend more than 2 nights in any camping spot. I have 410ah of batteries in the tug and camper, 225w of solar and need to run 3 fridges, 1 x 40l Engel, 1 x 50l Waeco and 1 x 80l Waeco up rite. The only time the generator would be used is if there are consecutive days of no sun. Too much food and drink that would spoil so the genny is my insurance. It also runs 240v power tools if needed.

Rumpig · « **Reply #10 on:** April 07, 2016, 11:34:41 AM »

I have a 2 KVA Honda that I bought as new secondhand many years ago before solar was cheaper like now. I used it heaps on Fraser before I got solar, now I pretty much never use it / can't recall the last camping trip it was used on. We took a mates 1KVA Honda down to Tassie last year as back up and used it one day out of a 6 week holiday due to bad solar conditions over a few days.
Would I get one now if I was starting out again?...I'm not sure to be honest, but won't get rid of the one I own as they are handy to have.

UIZ733 · « **Reply #11 on:** April 07, 2016, 12:31:07 PM »

Quote from: austastar on April 07, 2016, 10:15:28 AM

Hi,
I got the smallest I could find, 700W.
I can now camp in shady spots on hot days and not worry if solar access is poor.
It has also charged the starter battery a few times when it failed to start in remote areas.
If we are camping - it goes with us.
Cheers

Sent from my GT-N5110 using Tapatalk

Same here. Ebay jobbie weighs 8.5 Kg, 57Db noise and $215 delivered.

achjimmy · « **Reply #12 on:** April 07, 2016, 12:53:58 PM »

Keep using your car in a jam. I have a eu20 and it gets used to make coffee that's it. I am always concious of the noise. Going to get a big arse invertor and do with out. That just lives the AC and If you run a gen to run an AC you should be staying in hotels rather than campers and vans.

stephenh1235 · « **Reply #13 on:** April 07, 2016, 02:17:55 PM »

Have gradualy set up with solar to charge 2 x 110amp batteries to run 2 x engels,lights & pumps comfortably, but have now permanently mounted genset to run 240v x 40 litre air compressor,due to having to air up 6x truck tyres,also gives piece of mind in weather fails.

Jeepers Creepers · « **Reply #14 on:** April 07, 2016, 03:36:43 PM »

We carry a Honda EU10 on the boat, as we can fire up battery chargers if we've run the batteries low.
We carry a Honda EU20 for camping, as we can run damn near anything with it, regardless of shade, cloud or rain.

If we do an extended stay on the boat in the summer months, I chuck the EU20 on, as I can run the air conditioning with that.

Beachman · « **Reply #15 on:** April 07, 2016, 03:46:04 PM »

I’ve never been a fan of them until our last beach camping trip. It was very hot but we managed to snag this perfect spot in the trees. Downside was we only got about 2 hours of usable solar per day.

My mate fired up his Generator each arvo and charger and our low battery problem was solved. Seeing it was a good brand Generator you hardly heard it running.

McGirr · « **Reply #16 on:** April 07, 2016, 03:56:59 PM »

You know you want one Mark

Mark

MarkVS · « **Reply #17 on:** April 07, 2016, 04:12:03 PM »

Quote from: McGirr on April 07, 2016, 03:56:59 PM

You know you want one Mark

Mark

Stop making trouble and focus on the recon'ing......

tracker · « **Reply #18 on:** April 07, 2016, 04:26:39 PM »

I run duel batterie system in BT50.....120 watt fold up solar panels....and also a 60 amp bush power charger so if there's no sun i hook up my charger to the honda 1kva and it doesn't take long to hit up the batteries in either the back of the tug as well as the 2x 100's in the camper....but i'v never had to run the gen. set......Buttttt....it's light and don't take up much room so i have the peace of mind to have all the angles covered. i alway's carry the honda.

Cheers Tracker.