Portable generator any good

[garry63]

hi funsters
What generators do you use and recommend and are the any good
got solar and big battery but looking for something to supplement in winter months when our gold friend in the sky isn't playing out much

 

[headlight]

Hi I have if on site use ehu I want something for when wild camping. Summer months not a problem battery never below 90% now its darker sooner looking for back up incase prob only use a couple of time through wintet

I had a 60 amp B2B fitted, bit of driving keeps my batteries topped up when I'm using the van in winter as I don't use hook up.

 

[Richard n Ann]

Not when not on ehu

No DC to DC chargers use the alternator power when the engine is running to charge the batteries much faster than normal.

 

[headlight]

DC to DC charger also known as a B2B.

 

[15isto2]

People can sleep though being robbed in their van at night but are woken by a 65db generator running

Thats because they have been gassed

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[BouncyBoatFolk]

Thats because they have been gassed

Gassed? They could have been goosed as well from some of the accounts.
Mike.

 

[dawsey]

If you absolutely must, as others have said the Honda generators are the best, but they are not silent. Any generator will be an irritation to anyone else. For the money you will spend on a decent honda generator (£1k) , I would instead invest in 200ah of lithium and a 50A B2B. Depending on how you use your energy, which means how heavy you are with your invertor, you will get around 3-10days of power from 200ah of lithium in winter, a little more if you also have some solar. A 3-4 hour drive will then see you fully topped up. You can add more lithium for more reserves. It’s a way way better and more socially responsible solution than some crappy noisy, very old tech, and very likely to get kicked over or even stolen generator.

 

[L' Hobo]

The strange thing is, I thought when I was at the Country & Western show this year, there was a Warner installed generator running all night near the Fun area to serve the toilets. Did anyone complain about that one?

 

[PP Bear]

You could investigate quiet boxes, lots of videos on YouTube and Dewalt does quite a good one. Not for site use, but if out wild camping and you don’t want to disturb the peaceful nature around.

 

[meanders]

I agree that the big trailer or floor standing events generators can be annoying. Especially if you end up being parked near one. However, careful siting and making sure all the covers are properly closed makes it very tolerable especially seeing most are diesel powered and running at 1500rpm. Most are 60kVA or above. Noise levels are still better than 65dB at 7 metres.

When we are marshalling we try to avoid putting anyone closer than 20 metres unless it is completely unavoidable.

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[haganap]

Your choice and depends what reaction you want.

Years ago when we started motorhoming generators were really common. Who can forget the KIPOR scandal.

The best we had and the quietest was the Honda eu10, great little bit of kit that we mainly used when on airs skiing .

However, times have changed. There's barely a need for them nowadays as technology has moved on. Even in ski Aires they are much fewer.

Solar, lithium, b2bs, increased battery banks, its all out there if you need to avoid a genny.

We haven't now used one in about 7 years and ski for weeks in the winter.

Good luck

 

[Johnny Be Good]

Think it depends where you are and what you do, we live and travel a lot in Scandinavia and for the past 20 years always have a portable geni with us, we have a US RV but took out the onboard as it was too noisy and greedy and actually purchased a Kipor 3kW which as served us well. Only 4 weeks ago we were stuck at a ferry port due to bad weather for several days, again lucky we had the geni as there was no EHU. Trucks, cars and 5 more motorhomes ended up having to run their engines due to the cold weather, we also get mountain passes closed which again cause issues. To charge our batteries and run the gas heating we can run the Kipor 10+ hours on under 5 liters of petrol. Guess in our environment it is a good investment.

 

[ceejayt]

I have on onboard Dometic generator - 2,4kw I think, petrol. In four years have probably used it 10 times - it is definitely a very nice to have emergency back up but with 300amps of Lithium plus solar there is no use for it in Summer.

In winter we are probably moving most days so alternator charges the batteries and if staying anywhere several days we probably have EHU.

We really only have it because it comes as standard on the vehicle

 

[Hymerboy]

Electric ones are very quiet

 

[ceejayt]

Have only just seen the Ecoflow Max - how would you use it? Plug your electric hook up lead into it? How many amp hours does it deliver - is it worth it?

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[pappajohn]

I've seen so called silent ones advertised

'silent' ones are tested at around 7mtrs and ¼ throttle so completely irrelevant in the real world.
Better spending your money on more solar for poor sunlight days.

 

[Langtoftlad]

On a THS at Abingdon, I found my neighbour's use of one annoying.
Not exactly intrusive but annoying.
I think it was the pitch, the drone rather than the actual volume.

 

[enark]

Honda are probably tne best and quiet too, seems many are overly sensitive to use near them….bit nimby ish imo….

if well installed, with good shocks and exhaust, barely noticeable, and much quieter than a vehicle engine etc

a quiet purr of a genny puts you to sleep anyway…

 

[meanders]

.bit nimby ish imo….

You are of course entitled to your opinion, but since when has being disturbed by someone else's inconsiderate (and as we know generally unnecessary) actions been nimbyism? Many Funsters go away to enjoy the peace, quiet and lack of pollution outside the towns and cities where they generally live. Yet by your logic, they must put up with the drone and fumes of a generator, or an engine running for hours on end! Environmentally generators are not good new. Solar is. I suspect you may be the person out of step here.

 

[bigtwin]

Have only just seen the Ecoflow Max - how would you use it? Plug your electric hook up lead into it? How many amp hours does it deliver - is it worth it?

In terms of Ah capacity, they vary but, typically, they’re equivalent to a single leisure battery. However, many are as little as 50Ah. Larger capacity models are available but you have to ask yourself why would I spend all that money on a device that requires storage space in my vehicle when the cash would be better spent on improving the onboard electrical system.

They tend to quote their specifications in Wh (Watt hours) so if you divide that number by 12 you’ll get the Ah size.

Ian

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[autorouter]

Have only just seen the Ecoflow Max - how would you use it? Plug your electric hook up lead into it? How many amp hours does it deliver - is it worth it?

The spec for these power packs will have the energy capacity of the battery in watt-hours or kilowatt-hours. To find the equivalent amp-hour capacity compared to a 12V battery, simply divide the watt-hours by the voltage. So for example a 1000Wh battery is equivalent to a 12V battery with 1000/12 = 83Ah charge capacity.

 

[garry63]

You are of course entitled to your opinion, but since when has being disturbed by someone else's inconsiderate (and as we know generally unnecessary) actions been nimbyism? Many Funsters go away to enjoy the peace, quiet and lack of pollution outside the towns and cities where they generally live. Yet by your logic, they must put up with the drone and fumes of a generator, or an engine running for hours on end! Environmentally generators are not good new. Solar is. I suspect you may be the person out of step here.

I don't think any of us can play the clean card when we all drive to these lovely picturesque spots in our dirty diesel mh a little more output from a gunny is nothing

 

[garry63]

I don't think any of us can play the clean card when we all drive to these lovely picturesque spots in our dirty diesel mh a little more output from a gunny is nothing

Sorry genny

 

[enark]

You are of course entitled to your opinion, but since when has being disturbed by someone else's inconsiderate (and as we know generally unnecessary) actions been nimbyism? Many Funsters go away to enjoy the peace, quiet and lack of pollution outside the towns and cities where they generally live. Yet by your logic, they must put up with the drone and fumes of a generator, or an engine running for hours on end! Environmentally generators are not good new. Solar is. I suspect you may be the person out of step here.

Bit idealist, guess you have a 2 litre diesel engine, maybe bigger, chugging you about, maybe a lawn mower at home, well if so a honda genny uses and emits about the same as the lawn mower.

as to noise, its just over sensitiveness, banging of doors, dogs barking, prime mover engines running, are much more inconsiderate…..

and buying new lithium batteries, when many many generators already exist, is not really been overly environmentally friendly, just a must have latest gadget fad…..

and btw you have no idea where i go, and use my generator……obviously not on a CAMC site or similar!!!!

 

[Clive Mott]

Noo to generators. You will alienate yourself very quickly. If you need emergency backup then get a 100 amp B2B unit and run your engine for 30 minutes. Or Get an Efoy fuel cell job, they work.

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[JJ]

I always have my little Honda genny on board...

...I have only needed it once in the last year to put some juice into my cab battery, in the middle of the night, after my fan belt had failed and my battery had flattened. I put in just enough so I could get "home".

I drive around often and I have a couple of solar panels but I still carry my trusty old Honda.

I don't go from site to site on holidays... I'm in my van full time, out and about, here and there, and I like to have the peace of mind I get from knowing I always have a couple of hours mains leccy with me if needed.

We don't all use our vans in the same way.

JJ

 

[Langtoftlad]

cash would be better spent on improving the onboard electrical system

not necessarily completely true - a power bank adds flexibility & options.

 

[bigtwin]

not necessarily completely true - a power bank adds flexibility & options.

Agreed. Fundamentally, they add portability; if you need portability then they have some merit, otherwise the money is probably better spent on improving your van’s capability.

Ian

 

[chippie]

Generators have a place, we rarely use sites, I have lithium and solar and B2B but there are occasions when the sun does not shine and we do not move for days on end so my £180 inverter generator from screwfix is a godsend especially during winter where it is my back up companion in the locker just incase my batteries are on there knees.

 

[TinaLes]

I don't think it somehow matters what we all think about generators, good or bad idea, sensible more considerate alternatives etc, reading his responses thus far I think garry63, had made his mind up before asking the question....He Is Having One!..End of!

LES

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[jezport]

hi funsters
What generators do you use and recommend and are the any good
got solar and big battery but looking for something to supplement in winter months when our gold friend in the sky isn't playing out much

Ive got a nice 1600w Ford one. Its quiet as gennys go. Used it around 4 times but now have a large lithium battery so its up for sale if anyone is interested