Onboard vs Portable Generator

[bluepill]

Originally Posted by maxjr758

OK a newbie question?
Could you not plug a battery charger into your generator, keeping your battery charged and power your AC appliances/AC through the inverter? I've never tried it. Or will the AC only work with power through the shore power ? I bought a Champion 3100 when I had a 30 amp TT, now i,have 50 amp. 5er.

In theory, with components of adequate size, you could do it. But it makes no sense to take 120 volts from a generator, then convert it down to 12 volts for the batteries, only to re-convert it back up to 120 volts again. The power losses with all those conversions could well amount to over 40 %.

[bluepill]

I have used the Honda EU3000 for 10 years with no problems. It acts as emergency power at home also. It is heavy enough (130 lbs.) that I use a winch to load it on my camper. A pair of EU2000's together would be easier to handle (about 50 lbs. each), but they only hold about 1/4 of the fuel that the 3000 does.

[kimbashaw]

Originally Posted by DJNCJ

This is my setup. Just bought them this week. Cheap units, have the ability to parallel, can use elsewhere, quiet as the expensive brands, I can lift into the bed by myself and should run both A/C's.



$1223.00 for both including the parallel kit...otd.

Nice Setup. I have a couple questions. How much do they weigh? Does the parallel kit provide a 50 amp hookup? How quiet are they compared to Honda/Yamaha inverters?

[twinboat]

Originally Posted by maxjr758

OK a newbie question?
Could you not plug a battery charger into your generator, keeping your battery charged and power your AC appliances/AC through the inverter? I've never tried it. Or will the AC only work with power through the shore power ? I bought a Champion 3100 when I had a 30 amp TT, now i,have 50 amp. 5er.

A rooftop air conditioner uses about 16 amps running, more to start.

That alone is 160 amps 12 volts, so you would need a big charger to keep the batteries up. It also would require a large ( 2500 and up ) inverter for it alone.

Like someone else stated, the effencey of converting, would be a waste of energy.

Most ACs and other high draw items are not wired thru the inverter.

[charliez]

"Could you not plug a battery charger into your generator, keeping your battery charged and power your AC appliances/AC through the inverter? I've never tried it. Or will the AC only work with power through the shore power ? I bought a Champion 3100 when I had a 30 amp TT, now i,have 50 amp. 5er."

Is the Champion the Harbor Freight brand? I do believe wherever they are from, they are very loud. One of the first things to consider, is does your neighbor want to listen tho that for two or three days, and then do you want to listen to that for three days. And do you want to smell the lawnmower engine exhaust all weekend. I tell people to try this. At home, place your generator close to your rv. Start it up, then go lay down in the bed. See if you want to listen to that for several days strait. Like being in a casino, that sound gets stuck in your head.

One thing you can do, is not run the generator all day long. Run it as needed. You can charge the batteries for a time with a good charger plugged into it, but it can take some time to fully recharge a low battery/batteries. I've heard people having some good success with a solar trickle charger. Making sure the people in your group understand the power conservation that is needed so they don't go in to get something and leave the lights on

You also have to factor in power loss. Especially the louder the generator, the further away you want it so there's loss in a longer cord. Then there's power that your generating that is running the charger and inverter. Kinda like a perpetual motion machine. Just no such thing. I've seen people ask if they can get an inverter, plug a battery charger into it to keep the battery that they are using from charged and run lights or a few small things. No, you can't. I would think if you have a generator it would be most efficient to just us it as a generator.

There's a reason the better generators are more expensive. The phrase you get what you pay for goes a long way in shopping generators. The cheap ones are very loud and stinky and drink fuel and they don't last. Alot of the cheap ones, the capacity rating advertised really means "just for a brief moment in time". And ignore the decibel rating. There is no industry standard regarding how far away. Sure it's quiet, from the next county over.

I think we paid more than $4k for our big diesel generator. Every time I use it I change the oil and way the outside. I keep it covered when stored. There is also the subject of securing it. I've heard of stories when the people woke up because it's hot because the generator ran out of gas, so they get up in the middle of the night to go add gas to a generator that has been gone for two hours.

All that said, the few times we used ours for camping, we were at places we really enjoyed, and we want to go to more places that will require a generator.

[twinboat]

1, The Champion generator is not a HF, loud generator. It is reasonably quiet. Google it.

2, Is the smell of diesel exhaust any nicer then the smell of a gas generator ?

3, There is no attempt of perpetual motion when using an outside source of electrical power.

[FaithBowls]

Call me crazy but I went with the Honda 7000. Lots of power and can run at 25%. I don't think we use a gallon running it all evening. Very quiet and efficient. Push button start so it's easy all the way around. Built in would be nice but space, venting and cost helped me choose the Honda.

[DJNCJ]

Originally Posted by kimbashaw

Nice Setup. I have a couple questions. How much do they weigh? Does the parallel kit provide a 50 amp hookup? How quiet are they compared to Honda/Yamaha inverters?

Amazon has it listed at 84 lbs. That would be "dry".

While each gen has a 30 amp plug the paralell kit still only gives 1-30 amp NEMA receptical and 1-30 amp RV Receptical. The parallel kit is also used for the smaller 2000w gen. It seems to me that a 50a plug might work but I am by no means an expert.

Generators

They are equally quiet as the "expensive two"

Down side is, there is no electric start or remote. Also the owners manual and online information is quite vaigue. I had to figure out for myself how the fuel/on-off switch can be used to run the carb empty of fuel when finished using. There is a drain valve off the float bowl to empty it also but to accesss it the side panel must be removed (5 screws)

So far they have started on the first pull. HTH

[charliez]

1, The Champion generator is not a HF, loud generator. It is reasonably quiet. Google it.


I wasn't sure, that's why I asked. No offense intended.

2, Is the smell of diesel exhaust any nicer then the smell of a gas generator ?

I think so. I happen to like the smell of diesel. Maybe I'm odd. After three days of smelling it, it did get old. I know I don't like to run my mower inside my shop.

3, There is no attempt of perpetual motion when using an outside source of electrical power. I know. I've heard of others thinking maybe this will work.

As I said, I'm with you on rv'ing with a generator. We want to do it more.

[vsheetz]

I have a champion 3100. Well built, quiet, easy start, 30a RV plug, etc. About 90 lbs. but has good wheels and handle. I find it pretty easy to get into a basement storage compartment. Runs one air conditioner on our Phaeton without issue.

I see now they have models with electric start, dual fuel, and pairing features. Not sure i would want/need any of these features but good if you do.

There are extended run fuel tank connections available from 3rd party and DIY. But they require a bit of surgery. Would like to have something that is plug and play.

I would buy again if I had a do over. I like it.

[LETMGROW]

I have a built in 5500W. Onan in my Class A MH but we camp with a friend who has a 6500W. Honda he keeps in the back of his pickup all summer long. He pulls a large 5th. wheel camper. He runs a power cord from the generator to his camper and when he wants power he simply hits his remote control and starts the generator.
He also has a transfer switch at his home so he can plug the power cord from the switch to the Honda in case of a power outage at home. He can also use it in the field to power up tools if he needs to.
The Honda is quiet and has never failed him. They are a reliable unit for sure albeit a bit more pricey than some other brand generators.
Even though I have the onboard Onan I still carry my two Honda 2000W. generators along with me in the Class A MH. I used these in my class C which didn't have an onboard generator. I run one for making coffee or when the ladies just have to have their hairdyer. I can run both at once if I want to recharge batteries or run one AC unit which I seldom do. The Hondas are quieter than the Onan and use less gas. I use more gas in the Onan just excersising it than I do using it. I keep the Hondas outside with a cable lock attached to the generators and around the spoke wheels in my MH. I have found a lot of uses for the little Hondas outside of just camping. I throw one of the Hondas on my ATV and use it to power an electric limb trimmer, hedge trimmers and all kinds of power tools. Very handy.
Lynn

[Airmech]

Originally Posted by kimbashaw

Nice Setup. I have a couple questions. How much do they weigh? Does the parallel kit provide a 50 amp hookup? How quiet are they compared to Honda/Yamaha inverters?

If your parallel kit comes with dual plugs, you can get a y connector that has a 50 amp female end and dual 30 amp male connectors. That should allow you to utilize 2 circuits versus just 1 circuit with a straight adapter. Now this is just my understanding, I could be wrong but the 50 amp shore cords should have 2 circuits that make this possible.

[DJNCJ]

Originally Posted by Airmech

If your parallel kit comes with dual plugs, you can get a y connector that has a 50 amp female end and dual 30 amp male connectors. That should allow you to utilize 2 circuits versus just 1 circuit with a straight adapter. Now this is just my understanding, I could be wrong but the 50 amp shore cords should have 2 circuits that make this possible.

Hum... Like this?

Robot Check

[Airmech]

Yup, that should work. If you have dual 3k gens and that plug you should be able to run both AC units and anything else in the RV at the same time.