Back-up generator

[griffo]

With a trip to the outer Hebrides planned, I decided it might be wise to buy a small generator to allow me to recharge my leisure battery in the absence of hook-up. I bought a very basic 2 stroke 750 Watt machine on ebay. Problem is when I hook it up to my 240 volt input I get the reverse polarity light illuminating, on the van control panel. I suspect this may be more to do with the waveform of the output rather than an actual polarity issue. Question is, is this likely to do any harm to my control panel if I try to use it ?

 

[Davesport]

A (cheap) genny that does'nt keep tight control over output voltage, frequency & wave form could do damage to any connected electronics, not just your control panel.

I know of one person who's had to replace the panel in his Niesmann & another who fried the board in his fridge. Both were attributed to the output of the connected genny.

Dave.

 

[merlin wanderer]

generators

With a trip to the outer Hebrides planned, I decided it might be wise to buy a small generator to allow me to recharge my leisure battery in the absence of hook-up. I bought a very basic 2 stroke 750 Watt machine on ebay. Problem is when I hook it up to my 240 volt input I get the reverse polarity light illuminating, on the van control panel. I suspect this may be more to do with the waveform of the output rather than an actual polarity issue. Question is, is this likely to do any harm to my control panel if I try to use it ?

Fellow campers dont get bogged down on generator issues
the best way and probably the cheapest (unless your driving a six ltr monster) is just to run the engine and charge with your onboard zig units
modern alternators have a very good output for doing the job if anything
add another battery

 

[janeandbob]

RE Generator

Problem is when I hook it up to my 240 volt input I get the reverse polarity light illuminating


Hi griffo I have the same with mine its called a floting EARTH. What you need to do is get an earth stake and bang it in the ground tnd earth the generator I Dont alway bother everything is still OK. Good Luck Bob.

 

[wildman]

Hi, firstly A/c means alternating current, electrons run one way then another. what matters is the earth. If you are really bothered about the van electrics use a change over switch to isolate the vans electrics and add extra 240v sockets then add a seperate 12v battery charger for generator use only. See below for link to automatically switch power. Good luck

http://www.kampenwagen.co.uk/power_selector.htm

 

[shortcircuit]

Before you connect to van, let generator run for a bit to settle down. Purchase a Surge Protector, which is plugged between the generator and the van.

 

[Don]

I go with Janeandbob, and that iswhat the manual states as essential, Place a steel rod into the ground and connect to the earth point on Genny.
I went Solar and made the genny redundant.

Don

 

[tresrikay]

Genny,s are outdated dirty technology, they are heavy, extremely annoying to your neighbour's ( Easter at bakewell when the site electrics failed they nearly drove us to leave, because of the incessant monotonous drone of those using genny's) You have to carry an extremely volatile, smelly fuel and a decent one costs more than a solar panel, which works all hours of daylight, is silent lasts indefinitely, needs no substitute fuel and can keep you topped up year round whether you are on the van or not.

 

[tresrikay]

I have had a geny for 2 years and it has been used for less than 10 hours, but it is a real good piece of kit and will power anything that I would ever want to use and is a very powerful piece of mind
You cannot blame the geny for other campers total disregard for fellow campers, just like a gun, it is the person and not the tool
Maybe green issues cloud an objective view
Everybody to their own.
I know that I am happy to carry a geny, but I wish that I had purchased a Kipor and not a Honda as much cheaper and will do the same job

Iknew I would wind you up with that post But honestly why carry all that weight around for two years just to get 10 hours use, when if you had a (very light) solar panel on your roof it would have been putting amps in your batteries every hour of daylight?

 

[tresrikay]

No, I was not wound up at all, but I do get a little fed up with all the Green Issues
Regarding Solar Panels. They just will not do what a generator will
on call when ever you need it, spontaneous
I just like my geny for piece of mind and self sufficiency.
Solar panels are also good, but it is horses for courses and if we were all the same, we would have the same M/H, same car, same clothes etc boring boring

When I was fitting out Boats, I worked from a van, Mobile lugged a Genny around (honda) for 6 years, It was brilliant as a tool to serve my business. However the noise I hated, The exhaust fumes I hated, The weight I hated, The pulling on that starter, I hated, leaking petrol, I hated. but it served me well and didnt break down too often. But boy was I glad to see the back of it, in fact i gave it to another boater, and swore I would never give another one house room. That is why I have made my van low draw L.E.D and put a solar panel on so the worst i will ever need, is to run my engine (already on board) So I cant think why I would need the use of a genny. Been M/Hing now for over 5 years and never needed one yet. There was no Solar panel or l.e.ds on my last van and I didnt need one for that either. Its not so much about green, as convenience.

 

[Journeyman]

Gene V Site Electrics

Genny,s are outdated dirty technology, they are heavy, extremely annoying to your neighbour's ( Easter at bakewell when the site electrics failed they nearly drove us to leave, because of the incessant monotonous drone of those using genny's) You have to carry an extremely volatile, smelly fuel and a decent one costs more than a solar panel, which works all hours of daylight, is silent lasts indefinitely, needs no substitute fuel and can keep you topped up year round whether you are on the van or not.

Looks like the site electrics went down and your fellow caravanners did exactly what the original post was asking about. They used their genes for Backup.
Ach well if you must stay on a caravan site what do you expect. Now if you were a true Wilder you would have more than one facility as backup:
Engine, batteries, solar and a gene and even a wind(dare I say it) GENE!!!

 

[lenny]

Now there's a good point, Wind Generators, not seen much on these things but believe they are expensive,.
All the wind we've had lately you could power a small village with one

 

[tresrikay]

Looks like the site electrics went down and your fellow caravanners did exactly what the original post was asking about. They used their genes for Backup.
Ach well if you must stay on a caravan site what do you expect. Now if you were a true Wilder you would have more than one facility as backup:
Engine, batteries, solar and a gene and even a wind(dare I say it) GENE!!!

Thats why I have a solar panel, low draw lighting, refillable gas bottles.......... and thats what I was using while they could not exist without......... halogen heating in the awning, electric kettles, microwaves, toasters, hairdryers, Irons.............. " Well we wanted a home from home". We disconnected and sat back and watched the fun as people wandered about with torches, knocking to ask if you had lecky... " don't need it mate"

 

[tresrikay]

How about this for a slogan.
Get a life, get a geny

OR, ruin someone elses peace, get a genny

 

[tresrikay]

Got yah mr Greeny

UHH!

 

[Belgian]

Let the wind blow

Now there's a good point, Wind Generators, not seen much on these things but believe they are expensive,.
All the wind we've had lately you could power a small village with one

I allways wondered why we don't see small windgenerators on MH's
They exist for yachting. Isn't there any wind on land ? And why is the price of the smallest model so extremely high ? All by all it is mainly a propellor and a dynamo connected together. I guess it could be sold 10 times cheaper than they do now - (or am I so naive ?)

 

[Trevor]

I allways wondered why we don't see small windgenerators on MH's
They exist for yachting. Isn't there any wind on land ? And why is the price of the smallest model so extremely high ? All by all it is mainly a propellor and a dynamo connected together. I guess it could be sold 10 times cheaper than they do now - (or am I so naive ?)

If i remember right someone was selling the plans to make a wind generator.
Could probably make one with a alternator from a scrapyard

 

[Trevor]

I could even paint my geny green will that count

Not green camo would be good then you might loose it when wilding

 

[mlynnf50]

Help !!!

I have just read all the replies on generators and am now totally confussed
We are in the throws of buy a generator as we are going to Greece for 6 weeks and would like to take a portable generator with us to run the mobile air conditioner off, and am now not sure, we were looking at a Honda Cassette 2000 kw, it says it is very quite, HELP dont know now what to do.
it is very expensive 1300 euros this seems to be the only type we can buy here have looked around for different types but the dec seems very loud.

 

[tresrikay]

I have just read all the replies on generators and am now totally confussed
We are in the throws of buy a generator as we are going to Greece for 6 weeks and would like to take a portable generator with us to run the mobile air conditioner off, and am now not sure, we were looking at a Honda Cassette 2000 kw, it says it is very quite, HELP dont know now what to do.
it is very expensive 1300 euros this seems to be the only type we can buy here have looked around for different types but the dec seems very loud.

Look at this site www.moore-power.co.uk . They do a system with a solar panel, inverter, controller etc to power most needs from £899. If you are in Greece Solar will provide optimum QUITE reliable and FREE power. The Greeks are massive users of Solar power, so they must know what they are doing.