Is a generator a good idea? Plse help...

[Robert Clark]

Future tech available now

around £15 per kw/h once you've paid the three or four grand to install it... not for me I'm afraid however good

It would be cheaper to park on a campsite and charge your batteries up - and get your washing done at the same time

 

[Bacchus]

It would be cheaper to park on a campsite and charge your batteries up - and get your washing done at the same time

It would be cheapter to get your butler to do the washing (c:

 

[yodeli]

Well, tis true it's a bit smelly when still warm after use, but indeed, I was so very happy to have an alternative to my "feeling poorly"leisure battery last summer!
Quite a few times I had noticed my leisure battery wasn't in a super duper health, going down very quickly.
Fortunately...JJ ... had given me a nice (ok a tiny winy little bit noisy but do not tell him I said so, he'd kill me!!!) and well working genny! It really helped! I could charge up all my devices, and felt freed and relaxed!

I have now JJ's solar panel fitted on Max's roof, (after a roof leak, I took the opportunity Max was in the dealer's hands to have it fitted on).
At the moment, my leisure battery is still charging quite properly , but slowly dying. After one single flush , it goes down to 9! Solar panel keeps it charging , when no dull weather!
I would not leave for a long time without my genny aboard. Mind you last week end, I took it for 2 days only as I wasn't sure about the EHU on the chosen Aire.
Not that heavy if you take a small one. All you really need is a charged up device in case of emergency (phone or computer), et some light may be? Just to give you some time to sort your problem out.

Amicalement

Frankie

 

[rickwiggans]

The practical alternative is a B2B charger.

Presumably you need to be running the engine for this to work? How about staying in one ski centre for several days before moving on, as we do? In which case, you are effectively running a generator.

 

[Robert Clark]

Presumably you need to be running the engine for this to work? How about staying in one ski centre for several days before moving on, as we do? In which case, you are effectively running a generator.

The idea is that you use Solar Panels to charge the battery when stationery, a B2B charger when moving between sites, and EHU, or running the engine when all else fails. Having plenty of battery capacity is also a primary consideration, so you can store all that lovely free electricity that Solar and B2B gives you

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[Jim]

In which case, you are effectively running a generator.

I suppose you are, but an engine ticking over is much less obtrusive than even the quietest ginny, (unless it's my 6L lump) And with a B2B or an A2B you'll be charging many times quicker than a genny.

 

[MR. FUSION]

Diesels like to work.

The worst thing you can do to a diesel is leave it ticking over for an hour with a very low load IMHO

Aside from the issues below the DPF will soot up, you may as well paint a sign on your van 'I am just waiting for expensive trouble'


Overall idling guidelines
The Oak Ridge National Laboratory Operations Best Practices Guide: Idle Reduction provides medium- and heavy-duty idling guidelines:
Medium-Duty Idling Summary
• Avoid excessive idling (Idling beyond 5-15 minutes is
excessive)
• Extended idling wastes fuel and causes reduction in fuel
economy
• Excessive idling can create engine wear and carbon soot
buildup in the engine and components
• Idle time at cooldown is only required if vehicle operated
under extended, high power conditions (as recommended in
manual)
Heavy-Duty Idling Summary
• Avoid excessive idling (idling beyond 5-15 minutes is excessive)
• Avoid idling for more than 3-5 minutes at start-up
• Extended idling wastes fuel and causes reduction in fuel economy
• Excessive idling can create engine wear and carbon soot buildup in the engine
and components
• Idling produces sulfuric acid which can eat into engine surfaces and
components
• Idle time at cooldown is only required if vehicle operated under extended, high
power conditions (as recommended in manual)
Engine manufacturers on idling fuel economy and engine wear
• Caterpillar Inc. "How much is idle time costing you" document states, "Turn off trucks that are waiting more than 5 minutes to load or unload." and
"Restrict morning warm-ups to 3 to 5 minutes."
• Caterpillar Global On-Highway representative states, "There is no additional wear when shutting the truck on/off several times a day. There are
benefits in fuel economy and wear/durability when shutting the truck down rather than idling."
• Cummins Inc. MPG Guide states, "...avoid unnecessary engine idling. The vehicle gets its worst mpg when the engine runs and the truck doesn’t
move. Every hour of idle time in a long-haul operation can decrease fuel efficiency by 1%."
• Daimler Trucks North America/Freightliner Trucks: "The belief that idling a diesel engine causes no engine damage is wrong. Idling produces
sulfuric acid, that is absorbed by the lubricating oil, and eats into bearings, rings, valve stems, and engine surfaces."
• Detroit Diesel notes that along with other fuel-efficient habits, it’s critical to educate drivers on the role of shorter idle times. “Optimizing driver
habits alone can improve fuel economy by up to 30%”.
• IC Corporation's engine manual states that "...Excessive idling reduces fuel economy, and may decrease oil life."
• Kenworth Truck Co. representative states, "Starting and stopping the engine is actually easier on the engine than prolonged idling."
• Navistar/International Trucks: "When a truck is stopped and idling, it is achieving zero miles per gallon. In fact, it burns through about a gallon
per hour, decreasing overall fuel economy by 1 percent." "Unnecessary idling increases cost of ownership and also results in excessive engine
wear and additional pollution."

http://www.idlefreevt.org/how-long-should-a-vehicle-idle.html

 

[jonandshell]

One can argue about the possible harm that can be done to an idling engine until you are blue in the face.
The problem is, that unless someone has actually experienced the problems presented in using a motorhome in extreme cold environments, the arguments count for nothing.
A daily run of a vehicle engine has more benefits in such environments than disadvantages.
Daily charging of the starter battery both warms and destratifies it. A stratified electrolyte mix can can partial freezing of a battery when the acid falls to the bottom of the cells. This will cause loss of battery capacity and possible failure to start, especially in the cold.
The heat from the engine melts ice formations and keeps the engine bay clear.
Breakages of timing belts and drive belts have been reported due to ice buildup around an engine.

This experience gained from vehicle operation in Norway and the UK biggest freezer!

 

[Zigisla]

Ice Road Truckers dont switch off!!!!

 

[2657]

Pardon me for being a bit thick but the last true campervan/motorhome that I owned was pre EHU, why does running the engine not automatically charge the leisure battery. Why the need for A2B, B2B, is this the case for all motorhomes or do some manufacturers actually realise that leisure batteries need charging.

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[Robert Clark]

Pardon me for being a bit thick but the last true campervan/motorhome that I owned was pre EHU, why does running the engine not automatically charge the leisure battery. Why the need for A2B, B2B, is this the case for all motorhomes or do some manufacturers actually realise that leisure batteries need charging.

Some manufacturers fit a B2B as standard. Others don't

 

[Robert 314]

Thank you all for your comments and ideas. Defiantly look into getting one.

 

[PeteH]

Ice Road Truckers dont switch off!!!!

At Those temperatures. They have to Heat the Engine first JUST to get a start. I watched one episode where the Mechanic put a Fire in a cut down oil drum under the Sump!, before they fired it up!!. Outside of that. A Diesel at idle does not create sufficient heat in the gas` to make sure that any Sufuric acid produced actually exits the system. When it gets into the Lubrication system (which it will) it accelerates the wear on Bearings and Moving Psrts.

Pete.

 

[Bill and Shell]

Unless you really need mains power, then for recharging batteries in winter in the UK, if solar won't do then this is a better option.

Broken Link Removed

Running a "mains"generator to charge batteries is very inefficient.

I like the idea of this, anybody here had any experience with them?