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lp5151 · 10-27-2012, 05:29 PM

We have a 2012 anthem....was wondering if a Honda 2000 gen will create enough power to recharge the batteries on our coach? anyone using an alternative generator to run the on board battery chargers for the 8 batteries (two banks of 4 batteries)?

TerryO · 10-27-2012, 06:54 PM

Hmmm. What are you trying to accomplish? Set your gen control on auto and let the generator take care of the batteries. When you drop below 12 volts the generator starts and shuts off as soon as you hit 13.5 volts. I really like the auto start.

Ann n Gene · 10-27-2012, 08:12 PM

Me too, we love the ags. Why carry another generatir???

TerryO · 10-27-2012, 09:58 PM

Is there a way to program the ags to stay on all the time? In other words not turn off when you turn the key on. That way even while you're driving the generator would start up when there is a call for cooling from one or more of the a/c's and when it cools off like this time of year late in the afternoon the generator would shut off automatically.

lp5151 · 10-27-2012, 10:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lp5151

We have a 2012 anthem....was wondering if a Honda 2000 gen will create enough power to recharge the batteries on our coach? anyone using an alternative generator to run the on board battery chargers for the 8 batteries (two banks of 4 batteries)?

so i guess no one has tired this or know if it's possible?

TerryO · 10-28-2012, 07:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lp5151

so i guess no one has tired this or know if it's possible?

OK, no I have not tried that but I'm assuming a Honda 2000 is a 2000 watt generator. If that's the case you've got just over 16 amps which should be more than enough to supply your batteries unless you are running the max output of both of your inverters continuously. I guess I'm just curious as to why you want to carry another generator. I'm sure you've got a good reason. Care to share it?

MSMatt · 10-28-2012, 08:19 AM

I have a buddy who does this with his country coach when we boondock. Much quieter and more economical than running the big gen. Needless to say it works, keeps batteries up and runs the fridge.

The Driver · 10-28-2012, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MSMatt

I have a buddy who does this with his country coach when we boondock. Much quieter and more economical than running the big gen. Needless to say it works, keeps batteries up and runs the fridge.

Your buddy runs the Honda constantly when parked? Cost of little genny, connection to coach (dog bone for 50 amp cable), gas can, hassle of gas. Carrying it all in the basement.Sheesh, to save how much?

MSMatt · 10-28-2012, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Driver

Your buddy runs the Honda constantly when parked? Cost of little genny, connection to coach (dog bone for 50 amp cable), gas can, hassle of gas. Carrying it all in the basement.Sheesh, to save how much?

Yep, he has 4-5 year old batteries that arent quite as sharp, so running a quiet little gen to keep it topped up is his preference.

Not saying its the best plan, but it does work, wanted the op to get this feedback. Also we camp on dirt in the desert so not like its an rv park setting and we fuel all kinds of toys through the day. When you run a trailer with a fuel station its not that big a deal.

lp5151 · 10-28-2012, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TerryO

OK, no I have not tried that but I'm assuming a Honda 2000 is a 2000 watt generator. If that's the case you've got just over 16 amps which should be more than enough to supply your batteries unless you are running the max output of both of your inverters continuously. I guess I'm just curious as to why you want to carry another generator. I'm sure you've got a good reason. Care to share it?

THANK YOU TerryO, that's the kind of info I was expecting, again, thank you. as for why.......we spent over a week boondocking this past September. there were 4 of us parked in a tight "homey" circle. the others all had 5.5K to 7K Onan gas generators. theirs were very quite and for most part, odor free. our 12.5K diesel gen was annoyingly noisey and to many times the wind was blowing the wrong direction or not at all, which created a bit of a smelly problem. so whenever our gen came on, it was "oh no, plug your noses and speak a littler louder". I have a honda 2000 at home and thought that if it had enough wattage to just run the battery chargers, that I would use it next time that situation ever arose.

by the way, if anyone was wondering... we have had the gen checked out (twice) to make sure it was operating within tolerances and noise levels. but the noise level is a bit above noticable and we found ourselves having to speak louder when it was running. the other gens, of those who were camping with us at that time, were a whole lot quieter and didn't interrupt normal conversations and didn't notice a bad smell.

v8dave · 10-28-2012, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lp5151

We have a 2012 anthem....was wondering if a Honda 2000 gen will create enough power to recharge the batteries on our coach? anyone using an alternative generator to run the on board battery chargers for the 8 batteries (two banks of 4 batteries)?

Not sure how you want to hook the Honda Generator up. Use it as shore power to feed the inverter/charger? Or just hook up the 12 V DC from the Honda to the batteries?

The EU2000i Honda only puts out 8 Amps at 12 Volts. That is just a bit shy of 100 Watts. It isn't a lot to run much continuously but it will keep the batteries on a float charge which is what you want. If you want more DC battery charging buy a 120 Volt AC heavy duty battery charger and plug it in the Honda generator and then connect the charger directly to the batteries. But realize the Honda (working with the heavy duty battery charger) will work harder and will make more noise.

Using the Honda by itself may not be enough to act as sufficient shore power. But, there is a way to make them work. My brother already had one of these and like it so much he got a second duplicate Honda generator. He connects the two together with a Honda cable for this purpose. He runs the pair for shore power instead of the built-in gas gen-set in his 5th wheel gargantuan toy hauler. He says it is a whole lot quieter than the built-in gen-set.

Bee950 · 10-30-2012, 11:54 AM

I have a 6K Honda Inverter generator, and I can tell you that it burns as much fuel per hour as the 8K diesel Onan in the coach. The Onan at idle burns .3 gallons per hour, and at 50 percent .6 gallons per hour. It doesnt make much sence to spend money on another generator when the one in the coach does the job and only costs $1.50 to $2.00 per hour to run. Your inverter charger limits how fast the batteries charge, so it doesnt matter if you are running a 2000 watt or an 8000 watt generator. From the numbers I have seen when running the coach off the 6K Honda you will only pull around 500-750 watts to charge the batteries. The Onan generator in your coach will outlast everything in the coach, so why not run it? The Onan Generator also comes with a 3 year 3000 hour warranty as I recall, so use it!

I have the Honda to run my shop trailer, so when I have it running, its just as easy to plug the coach in in lieu of running two generators.

lp5151 · 10-30-2012, 01:01 PM

My original post was to see if anyone had any experience running a Honda 2000 to see if it will run the battery chargers on a 2012 Entegra Anthem, to reduce noise and smell of the Onan 12K the coach has. Money is not a concern, only some way to reduce the noise and smell levels of the 12K gen. so most of you can save some time and put away the calculators to figure out if it's cost effective or not to run a Honda 2000. I'd better call Entegra to see if it's possible.

Bee950 · 10-30-2012, 10:10 PM

Your charge controller should tell you how many amps its pushing to the batteries. If you break out the calculator you can answer your question based on what it says.

Test question. In my previous post, how many watts does the charger draw?

Test question 2
If your charge controller is pushing 100 amps to the batteries, how many watts is that based on 13 volts?