Generator advice please...

sparrks said:
What benefits would an Electrobloc have over a B2B? they look like totally different beasts.
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Quote" The Battery-to-Battery (B2B) charger is a sophisticated, multi-stage charger that connects between the vehicle battery and the leisure/auxiliary battery. It charges the leisure battery to the maximum capacity possible as fast as possible, using surplus power taken from the alternator, via the vehicle battery."

An Electrobloc -and most other German MH units- does exactly the same thing, but takes a little longer as it doesn't belt 50 amps into a little 85Ah battery. It looks to me like the B2B was invented to compensate for the shortcomings of certain British MH and caravan systems.

I might add that I have a lot of respect for Sterling products: I have their Digital Alternator Controller on my boat which does much the same thing as a B2B, feeding a 400Ah bank, and I've just fitted Sterling 1600W PSW inverter in Hugo.
John
 
Bought a Kipor 1KW suitcase gennie. Think they use Honda engines.
Used it a little when we go to festivals and camp ion a field for 5 days, about an hour or two every other day just for confidence rather than need, although when at a festival not a lot of time is spent in the van. Just used the hook up lead to plug it into the van. People commented on the low noise level. Also used it direct on the mobility scooter charger. Probably a dear way to charge but when we were in France the place we had to walk to was uphill all the way and didn't want to end up pushing the scooter.

We put 120W solar on the roof in October and haven't had to do the usual fortnightly 20 mile run to charge the batteries since. Not been far to see how much better that is yet.

The solar is fine but won't provide me with a 240v source if needed, unless I plug an inverter into the 12v.
I now also have a 12v - 24v charger for the scooter, so all bases should now be covered.

The gennie is more of an insurance policy for us, but have been glad of it on occasion.
 
GRWXJR said:
Biggest problem with poor starting after standing is the unleaded fuel. It goes off and can evaporate and leaves a varnish like residue behind. The galleries and jets are so small in these little engines that it gums up the works so they either wont start or stutter and hunt badly.

To prevent this turn off the manual fuel tap while its running with no load on, and let it run the carb dry. If no tap, drain the tank and then do the offload runout.

It'll make it a hell of a lot easier to start next time you want to re-commision it into service.

Or.... simply start the thing up for a few minutes regularly instead. Just dont leave it with juice in the carb!
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I put additive into my unleaded and to date no issues with starting. I've left it 6 weeks and it still started after 4/5 pulls.
 
siimplyloco said:
Quote" The Battery-to-Battery (B2B) charger is a sophisticated, multi-stage charger that connects between the vehicle battery and the leisure/auxiliary battery. It charges the leisure battery to the maximum capacity possible as fast as possible, using surplus power taken from the alternator, via the vehicle battery."

An Electrobloc -and most other German MH units- does exactly the same thing, but takes a little longer as it doesn't belt 50 amps into a little 85Ah battery. It looks to me like the B2B was invented to compensate for the shortcomings of certain British MH and caravan systems.

I might add that I have a lot of respect for Sterling products: I have their Digital Alternator Controller on my boat which does much the same thing as a B2B, feeding a 400Ah bank, and I've just fitted Sterling 1600W PSW inverter in Hugo.
John
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Maybe I wouldn't want to 'upgrade' from a Electrobloc to a B2B, but if starting afresh I would stick with the B2B with a couple of solar panels
 
Several years ago I did a course on Suzuki outboard motors, both 2 stroke and 4 stroke and up to 225hp.
We were told then that unleaded petrol starts losing it octane value and going stale 6 weeks after it is refined.
I have worked on outboards, lawn mowers and generators and frequently get them in with bad fuel in their tanks which makes them a pig to start, if and when they do there is a horrible smell, very like burning varnish coming from them.
As someone already said, it always wise to run the carburettor empty if not being used for a while and also to drain the whole tank if not getting used for months on end.
 
This is probably another of my 'stoopid questions' but--------------------would connecting jump leads from the van battery to the leisure one and then running the engine provide sufficient charge for the more cash strapped among us ?? eg me !!
 
oppy said:
This is probably another of my 'stoopid questions' but--------------------would connecting jump leads from the van battery to the leisure one and then running the engine provide sufficient charge for the more cash strapped among us ?? eg me !!
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Most jump leads are thicker than the average split charge cable and if the leads are secure (low resistance) with good connections you should get a better charge for an equal amount of time than using thinner cable. However, the positive cable (jump leads) should be fused at either end just in case you get careless with one of them and I guess it's not very practical either.
 
Genny or Jumpstarter

siimplyloco said:
Screwfix sell a small and light gennie at sensible money. It gets great reviews.
BTW the Electrobloc controls the alternator feed to both hab and starter batteries, so there is no need to worry if you haf vun of zees!...
John

Impax IM800I 700W Inverter Generator 230V | Generators | Screwfix.com
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Genny OK for emergency especially if cheap such as this one. but all the usual disadvantages

AS others say solar is best
ALSO for emergency I have one of these
5 in 1 Power Station with Air Compressor | Maplin

Brilliant as backup as it will start my Diesel engine if main Batttery is low
Also Worklight and air
Invertor needs to be used with care but will be OK for mobile phone
Also has 12v output (cigarette lighter socket)
 
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Gennie? It's like everything else it all depends what you do with your van. I have a Honda i20 it's brilliant and does a great job of providing 240v whenever I need or want it, and for me more importantly charges the system when skiing with little sunlight and deep snow on the roof. ps you use a lot of power at -10 when it's dark at 4.45pm.
 
Indeed

phillybarbour said:
Gennie? It's like everything else it all depends what you do with your van. I have a Honda i20 it's brilliant and does a great job of providing 240v whenever I need or want it, and for me more importantly charges the system when skiing with little sunlight and deep snow on the roof. ps you use a lot of power at -10 when it's dark at 4.45pm.
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For prolonged use in winter then EHU or Genny
EHU at say £4 a (winter day) for 100 days =£400 That is just for 1 year
Obviously I have not taken into account Fuel for Genny but If thats your camping style then payout for a medium plus genny
 
If you do decide a generator is the ay to go then I would advise one thing above all others.
Do NOT buy a 2 stroke one.
 
shortcircuit said:
As I understand it once the starter battery is charged the alternator reduces its output so very little charge to leisure batteries needing engine to run for a long time and therefore very inefficient.
A small generator can either be connected direct to the leisure battery or to the far more efficient on board charger.

Have you any idea what you wish to power from the generator?
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On tickover our alternator puts between 30 and 100 amps into the leisure batteries.
 
My Honda EU20i has the same setup. If low on oil it will stop / not start. An easy check is when attempting to start when low on oil a small warning light switches on when the starter is pulled.
Mine appears to use very little oil and never requires topping up between services.
 
Obanboy666 said:
My Honda EU20i has the same setup. If low on oil it will stop / not start. An easy check is when attempting to start when low on oil a small warning light switches on when the starter is pulled.
Mine appears to use very little oil and never requires topping up between services.
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Its a HONDA. :cheers:
 
Our eu20i Honda runs up to 18hrs a day under load when working shows and never requires oil between oil changes.
 
Charlie said:
We rare new to "wilding" and the other half wants to buy a small generator in case we get stuck somewhere...any ideas guys?
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Is she thinking about her hair drier and curling tongs.presuming you're other half is female
 
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