clarke generator any good ? (1 Viewer)

happytraveller123

Free Member
May 18, 2009
40
0
Funster No
6,771
has anybody got or had a clarke ig 1000 suitcase inverter generator, as sold in machine mart for approx £250. if so what did you think of it ? i know honda are the best and quietest but £700 seems a lot of money just to watch the occasional bit of tv and charge up my leisure battery whilst parked up off sites . i have had clarke badged compressors before (made in italy i think ! ) and always been able to get spares etc , but never anything electronic . it seems everything is made in china now and the after sales backup from that part of the world leaves a lot to be desired ! i have read some of the previous posts on the kipor generator but i havent found anything on the clarke !
 

Peter James

Free Member
Dec 5, 2009
259
2
Funster No
9,573
link to it below. I don't know much about them, but notice from that link the 12 volt output is only 5 amps. The output from the standard alternator on my standard Sevel (Citroen Relay/Peugeot Boxer / Fiat Ducato) van is 160 amps. So I think I'll stick with running the engine to charge the batteries.
I wouldn't want to only charge the leisure battery without topping up the main van battery anyway.

Link Removed
 

dellwood33

Free Member
Apr 25, 2009
0
877
Newcastle
Funster No
6,426
MH
italian crap
Exp
too long
I have a Clarke Suitcase generator. Starts 2nd pull and charges through the hook up OK. Weighs about 17Kg and is about the same sort of dimensions as the Honda or Kipor genies. Stores OK in my smallish garage in the van.:Smile:
Haven't stood next to a Honda when it's been running, so cannot comment on the noise levels, but on the eco setting it seemes quiet enough. Haven't tried it for charging a battery, but as stated, it would probably take some time using the 12 volt leads.
Have a look at the Planet range of generators if you want to see the Clarke with a nice Blue, instead of Red casing - and then compare the prices :RollEyes::Smile:

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

hilldweller

LIFE MEMBER
Dec 5, 2008
605
36,108
Macclesfield
Funster No
5,089
MH
Zilch Mk1
Exp
From Aug 2007
but notice from that link the 12 volt output is only 5 amps.

Almost irrelevant. You use the 240V for charging normally which gets you up to 1000W or 83A if your on board charger is up to it ( which is probably isn't, more like 20A ).

Still nothing like your alternator.
 

hilldweller

LIFE MEMBER
Dec 5, 2008
605
36,108
Macclesfield
Funster No
5,089
MH
Zilch Mk1
Exp
From Aug 2007
has anybody got or had a clarke ig 1000 suitcase inverter generator, as sold in machine mart for approx £250.

Looks identical to the one we have apart from ours is blue.

Does what it says on the tin.

I'd say it's noisy but we hardly ever use it so that does not matter.

Inverter/sinewave output so safe to use.
 

kennygd

Free Member
Dec 1, 2009
197
9
Anywhere in the UK
Funster No
9,532
MH
Coachbuilt
Exp
Starting out fulltiming
:Smile:Just had an email from Machine Mart technical who stock Clarke Generators and I am told they they do not have pure sinewave.:whatthe:
Kennygd

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
OP
OP
H

happytraveller123

Free Member
May 18, 2009
40
0
Funster No
6,771
re clarke generator

that must mean then, that their own advert that says it has "pure sine wave technology" is a false trade description ! they better watch out for the summons from the trading standards office eh !
 

hilldweller

LIFE MEMBER
Dec 5, 2008
605
36,108
Macclesfield
Funster No
5,089
MH
Zilch Mk1
Exp
From Aug 2007
:Smile:Just had an email from Machine Mart technical who stock Clarke Generators and I am told they they do not have pure sinewave.:whatthe:
Kennygd

I wonder if they are covering their backsides. The case says "Inverter Technology" now that could be anything from a crude square wave to a pseudo sinewave.

All MP3 players generate sinewaves we think are real by sending out very high frequency pulses that act on the earphones to produce effectively a sinewave.

This is what good quality inverters will do, not "by the legal book" a pure sinewave but a synthesized 50Hz good enough for delicate equipment.

If I can find the time I'll stick a scope on ours.
 

hilldweller

LIFE MEMBER
Dec 5, 2008
605
36,108
Macclesfield
Funster No
5,089
MH
Zilch Mk1
Exp
From Aug 2007
If I can find the time I'll stick a scope on ours.

Just did.

Mine is identical in looks to the Clarke one.

It is not pure sinewave. It's synthesized sinewave. Very good though, the revs were all over the place but the voltage was steady.

It's not been run since Valentine's Day and now it won't off choke and petrol is leaking from the bottom - time for a carb clean :Sad:. The biggest pain with generators is gunge in the carb due to microscopic carbs and little use. And, yes, I did run the carb dry last time it ran.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
OP
OP
H

happytraveller123

Free Member
May 18, 2009
40
0
Funster No
6,771
re clarke generator

thanks for taking the time and trouble to do that brian . can i take it though that even though not 100% pure sinewave , it would still be ok for powering a tv and sat receiver ?
 

hilldweller

LIFE MEMBER
Dec 5, 2008
605
36,108
Macclesfield
Funster No
5,089
MH
Zilch Mk1
Exp
From Aug 2007
thanks for taking the time and trouble to do that brian . can i take it though that even though not 100% pure sinewave , it would still be ok for powering a tv and sat receiver ?

I used this for an hour or so just to top up the batteries at the last meet. The battery charger works just like a TV or sat receiver power supply so it should be.

This is not a flexible way of working for you. Personally I'd run the TV/Sat off a sinewave inverter ( same old problem rears it's head ) so you watch TV in peace and quiet then boost the leisure battery when needed. Better still a 12V TV and receiver, no inverter needed.
 

wulfric

Free Member
Feb 7, 2013
1
1
southampton
Funster No
24,591
MH
renault
Exp
1990
Clarke inverter generator, 1000

Hi there I am compelled to answer with my experiences. I have had 3 of these generators, I started using leisure batteries wirth an assortment of charge methods including wind. and a 1000watt inverter, I have found that most products these days, the batteries and the inverters, last for the guarantee period plus about forty seven seconds!!!! If the product breaks within the guarantee period most company's make it very difficult to do anything about it. If you pursue this through trading standards, well, I have never had any success, my thinking is that in this day of consumerism and recession, it is required for us to spend money on products. Again, and again. Anyway, back to the issue. Honda or Clarke. I have found that if you are religious with oil CHANGES, spark plug changes and air filter cleaning, the generator will run well and economically. I stopped using leisure batteries and inverter as the leisure batteries did not last well, and I found that in fact the genertor is economical so I now run off genny all the time with a couple of 12volt sealed lead acid 32 amp hour batteries from RS components as back up, I get about 4 hours using a cheap 75watt inverter off those each. One for telly or puter, other for lights. The genny I find will last for about 8 months using a tank full of fuel a day, this can be up to 12 hours running, STOP the genny after 6 hours, give it a break for ten minutes or so. 2 of the genny's I have had faiiled the same way, the crank busts and the valves no longer work, I have yet to see if I can repair this. The valves are intact, as are the push rods. You may need to de coke the exhaust after a few months heavy use. Machine mart have recently started warning customers about "excessive" use of the genny, I think this might be because of the stink I kicked up after my first failure. I had an absolute battle with Machine Mart over this, and eventually could only prise a credit note from them. As I was happy with the way the genny functioned, I bought another with the credit note and found I got the service I described above. The problem is after sales service. Machine mart do not give a s***. Also, be carefull you get one that is boxed WITH the straps on, they are happy to try to fob you off with a returned item as they know how hard it will be for you to get money back. The company machine mart in my experience are an absolute nightmare. Make sure when you get it that the revs settle well, and it does not "hunt" all the time, the control mechanism will go on the blink in this case. If you have ANY issues with it, deal with them IMMEDIATELY, within the first 24 hours if possible, then you may get cash back, but be warned, they will want to send the machine away, for up to 2 weeks. Personally I would not trust them, and am convinced they will try blame you for any problem. Above all make sure you EMPTY and REPLACE the oil every 2 or 3 tank fills of fuel. Like you say though, with the honda at nearly 3 times the price... The Honda is also more likely to be stolen, a 300 quid loss is better than the 800 that the honda is now. As for pure sine wave, I have never had any electronics problems as a result, I use telly, dvd, computer, intelligent battery chargers, never a problem. Good luck, feel free to contact me. RubenWulfric@gmail.com.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Feb 27, 2011
14,671
74,884
UK
Funster No
15,452
MH
Self Build
Exp
Since 2005
I have had one for two years. As most people know I am a fulltimer.
It has worked flawlessly. It does seem to eat oil though but I am happy with it for the price.
 

stcyr

Free Member
Apr 11, 2011
1,765
1,160
Normandie
Funster No
16,005
MH
A class
Exp
On & off, since 1966 - fulltime since 2005
We have one of these, identical to the M/Mart one but blue.
Bought new from Gédimat, with 2 year guarantee, for 185euros a couple of years ago.
Only had one hiccup with it so far: the rather flimsy plastic fuel filter split. I replaced it (with a Honda one, not because it was a Honda part but because it was the first one I could get locally the same day)) and it works fine.
It's had quite heavy use, between fairly long idle periods, using laptops, tv etc.
It is very quiet too, virtually inaudible from other side of van. When inside we have to listen carefully to tell whether it's still running or not - as in when needing refuelling...
:Smile:

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

bmb1uk

Free Member
Jan 1, 2010
253
144
LEICS
Funster No
9,767
MH
coachbuilt
Exp
3
Hi sorry to drop in on the thread ,but where do you keep the petrol can, for me it would have to be under the seats, or is it okay to carry on the back of mh
 

darklord

Free Member
Apr 28, 2011
1,241
1,230
essex
Funster No
16,191
MH
coachbuilt
Exp
three years
I looked at a van the other day, that was running a second alternator JUST for the lesiure batteries (they were not les batts, but similar), the original belt was retained, and minimal wiring.............when I get the time....................
 

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Funsters who are viewing this thread

Back
Top