Is a generator a good idea? Plse help... (1 Viewer)

Robert 314

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Oct 15, 2015
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Converted van. 5 yrs exploring.
I will soon be living full time in a MH and travelling. On recent trips around France I have seen many people using generators to provide power to their MH.
While I fully understand the noise problem to others, but how do I work out how big a generator do I need to power my motor home.
I use very few electrical items but I do enjoy listening to music on my Robert's Sound 200.
Any advice on generators will be greatly appreciated.
 

Vlad The Impaler

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Generators = ignorance .
No need for them nowadays there are loads of other options!



Vlad

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GJH

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Some things for certain about generators:
1. They are noisy.
2. They are smelly.
3. They are heavy.
4. They are bulky to store.
5. You have to carry petrol and replenish it regularly.

It will pay to work out battery consumption first and then look at the various alternatives for replenishing the battery. Things like:
1. What proportion of time will you be on EHU?
2. Can you install multiple batteries?
3. Can you install sufficiently large solar panels to cope?
4. Being full time might an Efoy fuel cell be a viable alternative?
 

jollyrodger

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As above solar eg.80/100 w.plus a couple (maybe) decent aux batteries ,maybe small inverter and still have change for what it would cost for a decent Genny and you won't need to carry extra fuel:)
 

Allanm

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We have a 1kva suitcase generator. It fits under one of the side sofas. We keep it in a zip up cover, so no smell in the van. It weighs about 20kg.
It is a bit noisy.
It can be smelly if you are downwind of the exhaust.
We also have 3 x 110 ah batteries and 110w of solar power.
We rarely use the generator, but it's there if we need it, I'd rather have it than not, but of course, everone is different.

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Robert 314

Robert 314

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Oct 15, 2015
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35
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Thank you all...you,ve really given me alot to think about and probably saved me alot of money as I'm in the preperation satge. Thank you.
GJH what is a EHU please? (I'm new here) Thank you.
 

injebreck99

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Electric Hook UP, plugging into a 240 v supply via your mains hookup lead.

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hilldweller

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I use very few electrical items but I do enjoy listening to music on my Robert's Sound 200.

That is totally insignificant and well within the capacity of a solar panel.

Best solution, if possible, suck it and see. Might have to use campsites to do some charging 'till you find out how long your battery lasts.
 
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Bacchus

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Generators = ignorance .
No need for them nowadays there are loads of other options!



Vlad

I LOVE my generator!

I (almost) never use it, but I love it, wonderful piece of gear, especially when on a boat which is surprisingly difficult to bump start...

I've had it for about seven years, it's probably done fewer hours, but I cherish the security it offers for never, ever, running out of electricity!
 

Vlad The Impaler

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I LOVE my generator!

I (almost) never use it, but I love it, wonderful piece of gear, especially when on a boat which is surprisingly difficult to bump start...

I've had it for about seven years, it's probably done fewer hours, but I cherish the security it offers for never, ever, running out of electricity!


:doh::doh::doh::doh::doh:


I know it's Friday night and mushroom season but your comparison with boats and motorhomes has me somewhat confused ?
If your having trouble bump starting your boat I suggest a a full course of steroids a wetsuit and flippers !
I've had my van a few years now and it's never let me down yet ,but then again it's set up right ,can you believe I've never had to put it in the water and attach it to a generator to start it .


Vlad. :wink:
 

Bacchus

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comparison with boats and motorhomes has me somewhat confused

'twas just an example of when the gennie is indespensible, don't let it worry you.

Key point is that I love the security it offers. A big fat solar installation is good until you have a flat battery at night.

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mjltigger

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I'm going to be honest, if I was planning to FT in the UK I would buy a Genny. I would also invest in solar and a decent bank of batteries and hope not to need the Genny. I would want it as a backup for the grey winter day when nothing is going well. Heat light and a charged mobile. Chance to recharge a dead engine battery etc etc.
 

GJH

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I'm going to be honest, if I was planning to FT in the UK I would buy a Genny. I would also invest in solar and a decent bank of batteries and hope not to need the Genny. I would want it as a backup for the grey winter day when nothing is going well. Heat light and a charged mobile. Chance to recharge a dead engine battery etc etc.
Just thinking about that point. For the odd occasion that solar and a decent bank of batteries was not sufficient wouldn't EHU at a CL be less hassle?
Full timing in the UK, for the majority of people anyway, means using a site of some description from time to time.
 

Judge Mental

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Don't listen to the neighsayer solar lobby! They are clueless regards the sheer pleasure of a smelly loud diesel genny throbbing away! Handy for power cuts at home as well? not only fellow motorhomes will be dead jealous your neighbors at home as well!:)

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Bacchus

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BTW, if anyone is thinking of getting a generator after reading this thread, and deliberating about which make, this is a picture of mine* in the garage (circled) during the 2014 flooding:-

garage.jpg


Honda EU20i

dried it by the radiator for a few days and it started third pull...



*This kind of treatment is not recommended in the maintenance schedule
 

Portland

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Lots of for and against on this however if you can spare the weight of a genny then carry one for that once in a lifetime occasion which happen on a regular basis in motorhoming it can be a God send!! Remember it may not be you that needs it but one of your friends.(y)(y)

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dabhand

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Had an inboard genny on my last van over 14 years I only ever started it two or three times to reenergise the magnet cost me £450 in service costs and a hell of a lot more when it fried the EBL (don't ask) waist of space if you ask me.
 

teensvan99

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Hi we fulltimed for just over 7.1/2 years in our old Burstner 748-2 and always carried a 2kva genni. Used it at least twice a week to run the Micro-wave wifes hair dryer washing machine and spin dryer to name but a few. Could not have done without it as we wild camped used aires most of the summer months. In all that time we only used one campsite in France and two campsites in Germany. It must have saved us loads of dosh not having to park up on sites just to have hookup. We also have 2 x 110ah batteries 120 watt solar panel and 1000 watt inverter. Don't now carry genni as we have a much smaller van and don't do trips longer than 2 months.

I can hear all you genni haters screaming at me. Not bothered. Do as you wish not as the green party tree huggers tell you. If you full time your carbon footprint is tiny compaired to the house dwellers.

steve & ann. ------------ teensvan
 

PeteH

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Pro` and Con`s. (as In ALL aspects of "life"). We have downsized from an American R-V. because of European ageist restrictions (Rant!!!!). Where we had a 5kw Onan. Made less use of it than we expected, as we also had a 4 battery 3 solar panel driven Inverter, which having the higher payload, we could. I have a 1kw Generator which I have had for 20 years (nearly). Which did sterling service during a Self Build too!!. We tend to use it mostly to re-charge SWMBO`s Mobility Scooter, and run the inevitable hair drier without which most of the ladies seem to be unable to manage!. whilst being run it also puts a re-charge in the battery, (Bonus) max use seems to be a couple of hours when the scooter has been well used. AND we only use it Day time wherever possible.

I suppose what turns most off, are those so antisocial, who put one on and run it ALL DAY, just to watch the telly or let the kids play X-Box (when they should be outside enjoying the "outdoors").

On a far more serious note. We also have a friend who needs fully charged batteries to run his "breathing set" overnight too, so his generator is quite literally a life saver!. In his case adding enough batteries / Solar panels etc: would OVERLOAD his rig!.

Pete.

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Aug 30, 2012
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We bought a genny a kipper 750 watt 3 years ago it's been used in anger once when we first got van at Newark show when if was freezing cold for 3 days

Since then we took advice from fun members and fitted
2 120 amp battery's
280 watts of solar panels
Changed all lamps in van to led
With this set we have had no problems with power in winter in uk over a 3 or 4 day trip
In summer we have power to burn and use electric toaster halogen oven and slow Cooker regularly
Only other thing shortly is to fit is a B to B charger for use in winter just to give battery's a quick boost
 
Feb 27, 2011
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As a fulltimer my philosophy was build as good as I could and plan for the worst case.
I therefore have lots of solar, lots of batteries (need replacing atm), B2B and 50Amp Sterling charger.

I don't expect to need to use a generator but I carry one for emergencies. I have used it I believe 3 times now in the last 4 years.

I carry a spare battery charger just in case the Sterling fails. I have jump leads to connect the leisure bank to the van battery. The reason I have the 50Amp sterling charger is that is the biggest charger I could fit that the 1Kw generator would handle. Running a generator then only using a 25Amp charger or less wastes fuel and causes longer run times upsetting people. If you carry a generator purely to charge batteries can I recommend fitting the biggest charger that you can (subject to battery bank size).

Except for when I am on rallies I don't use my generator when parked near people. When I was on Aires in france for instance I would stop in a layby and run the generator there before moving onto the Aire. At Rallies I run it for a short a period as I can. I try to run it after 11am and I stop before 4pm. I know some people like a lie in and I don't want to be polluting other peoples tea time... Considerate use is preferred. 2 Hours of running my generator will put 100Amps into the batteries which is enough to keep me going for 2+ days. This is on top of any solar I get.

When I use my generator I consider this a failure on my part.

Except for medical/mobility reasons generators should in my opinion be limited to emergency use only in a well designed system.
 

Ivory55

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If the hair drier problem could be solved it would get rid of lots of gennys . Haha. Some are brave or stupid and suggest going with out a hair drier, not me.

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ceejayt

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We have an onboard genny - Dometic - delivers about 2kw and runs off the gas. As the vehicle is diesel and we have underslung LPG I didn't want to be pulling into a petrol station to get THREE types of fuel. Runs much quieter on gas than petrol.
We like to wild camp where possible and we are often without electric. Very rarely use it for more than 15 minutes to half an hour at a time and no more than twice a day and only when running high wattage appliances - hair dryer, coffee maker and microwave. We have an inverter but those three aforementioned items can chew through the batteries.
We are very careful to only run it for short periods and hate having to listen to someone else penny running for hours at a time as much as the next person. It is all a mater of being respectful and reasonable.
 

Badknee

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I've read this thread with great interest and after careful consideration trying to work out what's best for us, other MoHo owners and conserving the planets vital Eco systems I've just ordered this..................solar by day, generator at night, job done!..
image.jpg
 

SuperMike

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Generators = ignorance .
No need for them nowadays there are loads of other options
Vlad

Is this a wind up, it which case, I have fallen for it. :)

If not what a crass and indeed ignorant thing to say. :mad:

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