Travelling with Jenny

True you may recoup the outlay on a solar pv setup. More likely as time goes by and it gets cheaper, but you take my point the fairly measly electrical output is not the main reason why we buy them, it's the way it makes the electricity, all pluses?
Caspar I'll concede that it is the inconsiderate use by some that spoil it for the rest of us. I'd think it reasonable if somebody topped up their batts for an hour or 2 during the day with a genny......and then relied on the batts at night.
But what I've found occuring more and more is that some wildcampers are using their batts (usually just one 110A batt) to power their 240v powered gear eg hair dryer in the morning and the microwave in the late afternoon.... result flat battery. Solution..... power up the genny for 4 hours to power the 30W TV and recharge the battery!
As Bigpeetee says a genny to power a TV!!!!!!!!!! I added a few more !!!!!!s. What about the bod who camps up and charges the batts by running the van engine every day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
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We travel with our Kipor in the shower cubicle.

No is the answer to fumes, there are none that we are aware of.

We wild camp so site ourselves away from houses and other vans, as in miles of distance and the only ones that can hear the Jenny are us, and tbh it is useful to have her in earshot so we can hear if there are issues. We run a 20m lead.

We had her on for four hours a night on this last trip and it was great, everything on mains until bed time. :)

Kind regards

Julie and Pete
 
I think we must be lucky in our love of out of the way places, as usually there's nobody else there. If there is, as already mentioned, we make a point of going around them asking them to come and tell us if the noise annoys them - we too go out of our way to mask the noise as far as possible.

I don't accept the argument of this is Britain we're talking about as many of the people have become lifelong friends and we go camping together - I doubt they'd do that if the jenny really annoyed them! lol

We'd love solar panels to be honest, but we simply cannot afford them. On paper we shouldn't be able to afford a motorhome at all, but it's our only realistic way of getting a family holiday and we've had and continue to have great times all year round in it. In terms of our jenny usage we are one of the annoying ones who will occasionally put it on at night to watch TV, but a gallon of fuel lasts us about 2-3 weeks even if we use it a lot.

I still maintain consideration and responsibility is the key issue here. A little common sense and courtesy goes a very long way.
 
caspar said:
We'd love solar panels to be honest, but we simply cannot afford them.
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Why not flog the generator and buy a panel instead?

I know that modern generators are very quiet - but harking back to my narrow boating days, there was nothing worse than mooring up for the night in the middle of the countryside, and then being joined by another boat and its attendant generator.

I'm impressed that you ask people to let you know if the noise bothers them - but I for one would never complain if I were approached in this way. I'm probably not alone ...
 
You can get a DIY solar installation with a couple of decent panels, say 70-80W, for around £300 now because the price of panels has come down.

That's comparable to the price of many cheapo generators and certainly far less than one of the nicer Honda quiet ones which are the only ones really worth getting.

In my opinion the decrease in the price of solar panels has really tipped the balance in favour of a solar installation. A year or so ago I was all set for a small generator. Now, I've already got my panels installed.

(Sorry, didn't answer OP, Q at all! But I can't imagine getting a Genny now solar is up and running)
 
We have an Hyundi 1000 watt generator which we carry in the van. Firstly I'ts not too noisy but we carry a long hook up lead so for our own comfort I place it away from the van. There is VERY little smell of petrol fumes from it. After use I shut it down and let it cool whilst taking the dog for her last run (no jokes here please). If you get close to it within 10 - 15mins then you can indeed smell it but after it has cooled the smell disappears. With regard to use.... We use it for a microwave, a jug kettle, a TV, a vacuum and a hairdryer. However 80% of the time I use 12v and gas. Usually we have the genny on from about 6pm untill 10pm when we stay in. With regard to others around.... we just don't have any others around; I nearly always get in places where there are no other campers. I have to say that Honda are the best and quietest but! Honda = £700 plus: Hyundi = £300.
 
Interesting...thanks all....it seems to be the opinion that Honda is the best make....inference being uses superior parts,
and quieter....lots to think on. I like the idea of the Aspen Fuel even if a bit more expensive as Jenny will only be working
for about an hour at meal times, unless really needing a charge up.
 
bopper said:
With regard to use.... We use it for a microwave, a jug kettle, a TV, a vacuum and a hairdryer. However 80% of the time I use 12v and gas. Usually we have the genny on from about 6pm untill 10pm when we stay in. With regard to others around.... we just don't have any others around; I nearly always get in places where there are no other campers.
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Yer having a laugh, "just don't have any others around" and not likely to no wonder. It's a good idea though even if you don't use it and just leave it outside.
I'm giving serious thought to just putting the easily identifiable packing box of a cheap genny outside my van, that should put them off.... ah the solitude!!
 
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Viktor said:
Interesting...thanks all....it seems to be the opinion that Honda is the best make....inference being uses superior parts,
and quieter....lots to think on. I like the idea of the Aspen Fuel even if a bit more expensive as Jenny will only be working
for about an hour at meal times, unless really needing a charge up.
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Then get a Kipor as that is a Honda in a different colour. They actually make genis for Honda. Honda took them to court some years ago for painting their gennies red. Honda won and Kipor have to paint them yellow but there is no difference what so ever between the two except the price. And Kipor still have the Honda contract.
Also when I take my genny to use to charge a powerchair, I strap it in a box and chained to the back step of the van. travels OK there.
 
Reading the following, I suspect it is not true!

Honda has seized and destroyed a further 50 Kipor generators, after discovering the products for sale on Ebay.

The Intellectual Property Department of Honda Motor Europe Ltd. recently discovered the generators for sale on the auction site. All of the stock held by the seller was subsequently returned to Honda for destruction at HLC Swindon.

The action follows a similar disposal in June 2007, when a UK company's entire UK stock of Kipor generators was seized and destroyed by Honda, as a result of an Order from the High Court of Justice restraining Procurement (UK) Ltd. from infringing its state-of-the-art generator technology with regards to the importation and sale of certain Wuxi Kipor Power Co. Ltd generators in the UK.

The ruling relates in particular to Honda's EU Series Generators, including model numbers EU10i and EU20i, which use technology so advanced it is the subject of patent protection including, but not limited to, European Patent (UK) No. 1 069 293.

Despite the Court Order-, stock of the models known as KGE980tc, KGE1000ti, KGE1000tsi, KGE1300tc, KGE1300tsc, KGE2000tc, KGE2000ti, KGE2000tsi, KGE3000tc, KGE3000ti and KGE3000thi continue to enter the UK.

Primarily manufactured in China and sold in the United Kingdom under the name of the manufacturer or distributor, these unlawfully imported- generators utilise Honda's patented technology without permission and therefore infringe Honda's UK patent.

Geoff Matthews, General Manager of Honda (UK) Power Equipment comments:

'As a leading global provider of generators and other power products, it is vital that we protect our patents in order to allow our R&D teams to continue to innovate for the benefit of our customers. Our products are widely regarded as among the best in the world, and we'll continue to take a strong line with any company which breaches the law in this way.'

For more information on Honda's Energy products please visit Energy | Honda (UK) or call 0845 200 8000.
 
Well there are an awful lot of them being used and for sale in the UK. In fact the NHS uses them on their emergency uno
its.
 
Indeed, things have changed since that quotation, but if you Google Honda and Kipor you'll find a vast number of lawsuits which would suggest the two are not made in the same place.

If I was buying one, I would buy a Kipor!
 
I myself have a honda eu20 which i bought through my company for site work 2 friends have kipors and one has sdmo generator i think if i was buying again i would go for one of the kipors or sdmo instead i could have bought 3 for the price i paid for mine .Cant say there is much difference in noise between them i use mine for backup and microwave on the odd occasion i have considered solar but cost has so far put me off .I dont get smells from the generator but do from the can which i have now secured under the truck
 
Generators

Hi Viktor

We took a honda generator with us on our tour of europe this year and had to keep it inside near step, no problems with smell, even at night.
The honda is very clean and has a cut off on the vent in the filler. They also do a lpg adapter for it .A bit pricey but you get what you pay for.
PS also needs big chain out side

Regards Snowbirds



Viktor said:
At the risk of starting up the Generator v Solar debate, I have solar but am going to buy a generator for
backup purposes. I have a suitcase type Jenny in mind, (one of the supposed quieter type ones, and yes, I've
read there's no such thing as a quiet generator). My question is, those of you who carry one, are there much
petrol fumes noticable in the Camper/Motorhome when travelling due to movement etc?
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I went for a generator rather than solar panels because I intend to go skiing for months at a time,on my only ski trip so far my alternator packed in and the generator allowed me to charge all my batteries every night,a solar panel would not have coped I believe.
 
<<you get what you pay for>>

Thanks...a universal truth....I'm very likely to go Honda now....the remote start would have been nice though.

Yes, Haaamster.....I think it wise to have one just in case especially in Winter.
 
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I always travel everywhere with Jenny - and she is very noisy and expensive to run so I prefer to use the solar panels on the roof.

(I hope she doesn't come back and read this!)

:rolleyes2:
 
***** said:
The geny has over the years got me out of trouble in more ways than you would think.
Twice with different vans I have had minor fridge problems and on both occasions I needed to kick the fridge in on mains prior to gas.
We would have been in trouble without it!
!
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I'm sorry ***** (no I'm not!) on those presumably rare occasions requiring mains power, you could have used an inverter whilst running the van engine. admittedly not practical if it was for hours and hours.
 
I don't need my Genny anymore. My 2 x 120 w panels with 4 x110AH is enough for me. It is up for sale. It is a 900w genny. 4 years old, used it max 6 to 7 times. Any reasonable offer will not be refused. Live in Cornwall. Buyer collects.
 
***** said:
You are wrong! (in this case so no need to be sorry) or not:have fun:
What you say won't work on my van and I expect many more.
The large tower fridge that we have will NOT run on gas when the engine is running. It is fully automatic with no manual overide.
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In that case I am wrong. On mine which is just the manual 3 way 12v/240v/gas, I could warm up the frdge boiler on mains via the inverter then turn off mains and switch over to gas. After a mains warm up kick start would your fridge not switch over to gas automatically when the engine was stopped?
 
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