Chris Greens generator (1 Viewer)

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pappajohn

pappajohn

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That looks impressive pappajohn, what are your thoughts?

seen Chris's in action (same thing, different design) and it does what it says on the tin.
not sure but i think Chris's is 70amps

could do with a better silencer on the Honda 50cc engine but can be sorted and not too loud as it is.

i wouldn't want to use it all the time as i think it will eventually kill your batteries charging too fast, but in an emergency situation it will get you out of the brown stuff pretty damned quick :thumb:
 
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Fitting 3 more solar panels on Sunday so hopefully I won't need it, however it looks really good and would be great for getting a vehicle started if battery was flat.

The pictures a bit blurry but I expect the label says 'Chris Green Enterprises' or similar.:ROFLMAO:

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pappajohn

pappajohn

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Fitting 3 more solar panels on Sunday so hopefully I won't need it, however it looks really good and would be great for getting a vehicle started if battery was flat.

The pictures a bit blurry but I expect the label says 'Chris Green Enterprises' or similar.:ROFLMAO:
close :winky: 'the super charger .co.uk'
 

Douglas

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seen Chris's in action (same thing, different design) and it does what it says on the tin.
not sure but i think Chris's is 70amps

could do with a better silencer on the Honda 50cc engine but can be sorted and not too loud as it is.

i wouldn't want to use it all the time as i think it will eventually kill your batteries charging too fast, but in an emergency situation it will get you out of the brown stuff pretty damned quick :thumb:

I agree John and at £400 plus its a bit of a luxury plus the temptation to use it may just be a little more that the batteries could stand, especially if its someone that not too familiar to the needs of a battery, I.E. electrolight, If I was asked I would say stay away, spend the money on solar panels.

Doug...
 

chrisgreen

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I agree John and at £400 plus its a bit of a luxury plus the temptation to use it may just be a little more that the batteries could stand, especially if its someone that not too familiar to the needs of a battery, I.E. electrolight, If I was asked I would say stay away, spend the money on solar panels.

Doug...
1st point doug!! i was at the whenbury meet over the new year,and all the van's fitted with solar panels had to use a genny to keep the batteries charged:Doh:solar is ok in the summer:thumb: but winter?????????
2nd point!! an alternator charger will not damage the batteries,they are regulated as the batteries need less charge the alternator will adjust itself and drop down to a trickle charge,you could leave it running 24/7 with no damage to the batteries.:thumb:
a battery on a car can happily last 6 years with a alternator as its sole chargeing method,yes it will need topping up with electrolight,but dont all open vented batteries need it now and again?the battery on my car is seven years old and charged by a 140amp alternator and still good:thumb:

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scotjimland

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totaly correct:thumb:

good article,

if you read advice in Christie engineering they say about 12v generator chargers, (and I agree)
Note, some wet cell deep cycle batteries will not accept a fast charge & may require trickle charging for a long period of time. For an efficient system with faster recharge times AGM or cranking batteries can be used.

Long term continual use may shorten the life a a deep cycle battery as it will never be fully charged .. this can only be achieved by using a three stage charger..

On balance, provided you understand how they work, the drawbacks and limitations .. :thumb:

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chrisgreen

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cut and paste from
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Of course if you are plugged into the mains 24 hours a day, then providing your battery charger can supply say 5 amps you don't have a problem. The same is true if you drive for say two hours a day. However if there is no mains supply and you are not moving then you have to rely on solar power, a generator or you will have to run your vehicle engine for a couple of hours each day:Doh:
and by doing so you are chargeing off a alternator,the same as i do with the 12v genny:Doh:
 

chrisgreen

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good article,

if you read advice in Christie engineering they say about 12v generator chargers, (and I agree)

Long term continual use may shorten the life a a deep cycle battery as it will never be fully charged .. this can only be achieved by using a three stage charger..

On balance, provided you understand how they work, the drawbacks and limitations .. :thumb:
the reason i use cheap wet cell batteries:thumb:
 

Jim

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I think this type of charger is the future. Especially for off-grid full timers who can get a full charge in 100 minutes rather than 12/16 hours from a 1kva Kipor.

If a manufacturer can make one that is quieter than a Kipor (can't be that hard) I would definitely want to own one.

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hilldweller

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I would not like to push 50A into any of my batteries on a regular basis, it will surely reduce their life.
 
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I think the best way is to use this as a backup for when the solar can't cope in the winter, and not use it routinely. Whether its worth what it costs for this purpose is another matter, even dedicated wildcampers might find it OK to compromise their principles and stay on a site for a bit to charge up on ehu, and certainly cheaper.
 

hilldweller

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who can get a full charge in 100 minutes

But can you ?

Charging lead acid is about making chemical changes, these take a certain time. Molecules have to physically move in the soup, reactions have to take place, there is only so much surface area for these changes to take place.

Similar I think, pan of soup, heat it normally 10 mins. But you want FAST, so you get out the cutting torch, "I'll show them how to heat a can of soup in 30 seconds", 30 seconds later, big hole in pan, failed.

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chrisgreen

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But can you ?

Charging lead acid is about making chemical changes, these take a certain time. Molecules have to physically move in the soup, reactions have to take place, there is only so much surface area for these changes to take place.

Similar I think, pan of soup, heat it normally 10 mins. But you want FAST, so you get out the cutting torch, "I'll show them how to heat a can of soup in 30 seconds", 30 seconds later, big hole in pan, failed.
i bet a lot of motorhomers would be happy if their solar was produsing 50amp an hour?:Smile:all year round?
 

Douglas

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1st point doug!! i was at the whenbury meet over the new year,and all the van's fitted with solar panels had to use a genny to keep the batteries charged:Doh:solar is ok in the summer:thumb: but winter?????????
2nd point!! an alternator charger will not damage the batteries,they are regulated as the batteries need less charge the alternator will adjust itself and drop down to a trickle charge,you could leave it running 24/7 with no damage to the batteries.:thumb:
a battery on a car can happily last 6 years with a alternator as its sole chargeing method,yes it will need topping up with electrolight,but dont all open vented batteries need it now and again?the battery on my car is seven years old and charged by a 140amp alternator and still good:thumb:

I don't agree, so we have to agree to disagree.

Doug...
 

Douglas

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dont agree to what???? whenbury or car alternators????:Smile:

I really don't want to get into this, I don't think there is any point you have your position and I have mine and we don't agree, I will be satisfied to let these items come on to the market and then wait for the complaints that they have shortened the battery life.

I would add that my MH has been on solar fro the last 6 years and only been connected to the mains for a handfull of days. Still on the same batteries.

Doug...
 

chrisgreen

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I really don't want to get into this, I don't think there is any point you have your position and I have mine and we don't agree, I will be satisfied to let these items come on to the market and then wait for the complaints that they have shortened the battery life.

Doug...
ok:thumb:
 

chrisgreen

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can someone on here prove to me why you cannot fast charge a 12v battery off an alternator,and by that i dont mean you think you cant,i mean cold hard fact's.
one point i will make when useing my 12v charger the batteries never get warm=fact:Smile:

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Chris

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i mean cold hard fact's.

We dont "do" Facts on here, only Fun ::bigsmile:

I dont know anything at all about batteries , alternators, generators or indeed anything electrical.

Life is much simpler that way.:thumb:
 
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When I had a flat starter battery, jump started and then put a meter on and it was initially charging at 70amps from the alternator, and kept this up for a while before gradually dropping as the battery voltage increased. I would expect this generator would do much the same i.e you would not charge at 50A for very long. The advert implies that they calculated the recharge time on the theoretical maximum output, which would not happen in practice so I would expect no damage to the batteries, but the recharge time would be longer in practice than advertised though still much faster than a Honda or Kippor.
Time will tell whether its worth £500 and the bother of carrying it and the petrol to run it.
 

chrisgreen

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When I had a flat starter battery, jump started and then put a meter on and it was initially charging at 70amps from the alternator, and kept this up for a while before gradually dropping as the battery voltage increased. I would expect this generator would do much the same i.e you would not charge at 50A for very long. The advert implies that they calculated the recharge time on the theoretical maximum output, which would not happen in practice so I would expect no damage to the batteries, but the recharge time would be longer in practice than advertised though still much faster than a Honda or Kippor.
Time will tell whether its worth £500 and the bother of carrying it and the petrol to run it.
as you say they dont charge at 50amp all the time thats the whole point:thumb:
i dont think they are worth £500 i built mine for £37.40 :thumb:

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