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07-23-2014, 05:53 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 23
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generators -- the more I read, the more I ?
We mostly boondock camp and use very little power -- furnace fan a few times a night, water pump, few other vampire draws. Don't use the lights, the refridgerator or any appliances. Still, I suspect that one 12 volt battery isn't going to last a full five days. So I want to get a generator. Researched, researched and researched and I"m more confused than before.
All I simply want to know know is how small of a generator can I get to hook up to my battery every couple of days to charge? And do I need some kind of charger between generator and battery?
Anyone?
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07-23-2014, 06:16 PM
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#2
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Plain Old Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Full Timing in South Louisiana
Posts: 1,938
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Can't go wrong with a Honda EU2000 inverter generator. You can charge directly from the generator. Pricey, but worth it to us. We run 2 in parallel with a piggy back tank. Don't use it very often, but with our set up, can run 30+ hours without refueling.
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At least in Heaven, RVs will be perfect, and I won't have to keep fixing them.
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07-23-2014, 06:20 PM
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#3
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Shenandoah Valley of Virginia
Posts: 9,280
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With just charging the battery, the OP may get by with a 1000 watt inverter generator.
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07-23-2014, 06:20 PM
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#4
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 23
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BigJohnD
Can't go wrong with a Honda EU2000 inverter generator. You can charge directly from the generator. Pricey, but worth it to us. We run 2 in parallel with a piggy back tank. Don't use it very often, but with our set up, can run 30+ hours without refueling.
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John,
thanks much for responding. Can you tell me, how long does it take to charge up a battery with something like that? Couple hours?
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07-23-2014, 06:23 PM
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#5
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Plain Old Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Full Timing in South Louisiana
Posts: 1,938
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I wish I could tell you the answer to that, but don't have much experience on that portion of the generator. I don't know the exact charge output. MtnGuy mentioned probably getting by with a EU1000. Probably so after rereading what you need to run. Might research the Honda site on the specifics of the generator and it'll probably tell you. Someone will probably chime in shortly that has more experience in that area.
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John and Rebecca Dickson
Emma-7 / Little John-5 / Iva-1
Full Timing Again, Rev B
2013 Ford F-350 Lariat CC LB PSD
2015 SOB TT - With OC's Awning Poles (#8)
At least in Heaven, RVs will be perfect, and I won't have to keep fixing them.
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07-23-2014, 06:31 PM
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#6
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Plain Old Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Full Timing in South Louisiana
Posts: 1,938
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John and Rebecca Dickson
Emma-7 / Little John-5 / Iva-1
Full Timing Again, Rev B
2013 Ford F-350 Lariat CC LB PSD
2015 SOB TT - With OC's Awning Poles (#8)
At least in Heaven, RVs will be perfect, and I won't have to keep fixing them.
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07-23-2014, 06:40 PM
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#7
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 23
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BigJohnD
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So that would be 8 amps an hour at that rating?
mbm
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07-23-2014, 06:43 PM
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#8
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Site Team
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Louisville, KY
Posts: 10,518
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Cheaper option is 1000 watt genny. (Some are more quiet than others.)
With a 25 amp automatic charger plugged into it the genny would be loafing.
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2017 Nissan Titan 5.6L King cab 4wd
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07-23-2014, 07:08 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 7,916
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Battery amperage/charger output. I would not charge more than 10 amps per hour on a battery I cared about.
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07-23-2014, 07:42 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Ventura
Posts: 166
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If its an AGM battery you can charge it faster and at a higher amperage. like 20 - 25 amperage. We have both Honda and yamahas and run both of them, tell the wheels fall off.
The Yamahas are a little better built.
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07-23-2014, 10:24 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 599
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Y no solar?
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07-23-2014, 10:50 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 1,428
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An EU1000 is about $750, the EU2000 is around $1050, YMMV. Spend the extra and get the 2000.
Charging time depends on the size of the battery, how discharged it is and how much battery charger it has. If you use 10 amp hours of battery capacity, it will take one hour at a 10 amp charging rate or 10 hours at a one amp rate.
Me? I'd top it up every day to reduce run time, in other words, don't wait until it's dead then charge it for six hours. Depending on use, an hour of generator time should be more than enough.
The charging output is 8.3 amps but isn't regulated if I recall correctly, I'd use a good dedicated smart charger.
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07-24-2014, 02:39 AM
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#13
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Site Team
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Goodyear, Arizona
Posts: 33,602
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agree that the 2000w is the better choice. more versatile, not much more money and will run everything for sure, except maybe the a/c.
our Honda 2000w will run the a/c but that's near sea level.
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07-24-2014, 04:48 AM
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#14
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Corner Brook, Newfoundland
Posts: 79
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I have had a Honda EU2000 for 6 seasons. Great quiet genny. 2 Years ago I added a 123 watt solar system with 2 - 6 volt golf cart batteries. Now I only start the genny when AC power is needed for the microwave, hair dryer or toaster. i believe solar is the perfect solution
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07-24-2014, 06:37 AM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Maryland
Posts: 713
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Your 12v battery will not last 5 days.
If you don't mind noise get the smallest generator you can get. Harbor Freight has one on sale around $200 + a 25% off coupon & a free gift make it reasonable. If noise is an issue (it is for me) get a small Honda or Yamaha, some like Generic. Run your generator about 1/2 hour each day & you will be OK.
You could also add a 2d 12 volt battery which might work depending on how often that furnace is on. I prefer 2 matched 6v golf cart batteries. They have never let me down & the 1st pair lasted 10 years.
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07-24-2014, 07:05 AM
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#17
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Site Team - Lou
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: South Eastern PA
Posts: 23,268
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Quote:
Originally Posted by troutstalker
So that would be 8 amps an hour at that rating?
mbm
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If you have a 75 amp hour battery, and you completely discharge it before recharging, and then you only charge it a constant 8 amps per hour it will take a LONG time to recharge it. Worse, as the battery charges, the charging current needs to be reduced to avoid damaging the battery.
Better to run the charger every day for a few hours to replace what was used at night and during the morning to have a fully charged battery when you got to bed.
Here is an AWESOME article on battery charging and you should become familiar with the process to avoid permanent damage to your battery.
Battery Chargers and Charging Methods
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2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
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07-24-2014, 07:10 AM
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#18
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Site Team - Lou
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: South Eastern PA
Posts: 23,268
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lswartz
Run your generator about 1/2 hour each day & you will be OK.
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I think you will find that this is not true. 1/2 hour will only give your battery a "flash charge" and it may appear to have 12 volts, but as soon as you put any load on it the surface charge on the plates will deplete and your battery will be dead again.
Typical time to replace "most" of the the charge on a 50% depleted battery (depending on whether you use the 12 volt charger on some generators, a dedicated charger connected to the 120 volt duplex, or plug the camper into the generator) will take between 4 and 10 hours depending on method chosen.
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Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
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07-24-2014, 07:28 AM
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#19
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Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 98
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kuba
Y no solar?
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I agree. Could you not just hook up a solar panel and leave it connected during your camping?
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07-24-2014, 07:32 AM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 599
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Yup, clean, quiet, will last longer, no maintenance etc....
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