The Chris Green Machine (1 Viewer)

Jim

Ringleader
Jul 19, 2007
36,197
128,646
Sutton on Sea, UK
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Adria Panel Van.
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Since 1988
Well I didn't see Chris at the Peterborough Show, but I saw a bloke sell a couple of machines just like Chris's ::bigsmile:

AlternatorCharger.jpg


AlternatorCharger2.jpg


AlternatorCharger3.jpg
 

haganap

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Dec 5, 2007
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I'm an oldbie MH number 9
Cough.....!!
Choke... !!
Splutter..!!

HOW MUCH....:Eeek:

I think its actually a bargain. I would buy one if I could sell teh honda eu10 :thumb:

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haganap

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I'm an oldbie MH number 9
looking again though? is it not just an alternator on an engine?

I think the Green machine's patent has been nicked. :RollEyes:
 

hilldweller

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From Aug 2007
Last edited:

pappajohn

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the seller is contradicting himself here......

study the charging times, in particular the onboard charger times.....221 minutes.

now read the bit in blue about using an inverter.....charge your battery in minutes not hours.

unless you have a standalone high output charger you will be using your onboard charger via an inverter powered by the super charger.

so......it will still take 221 minutes.


it isnt possible to charge a battery in minutes without causing irrepairable damage.

sounds to me like the seller knows nowt about charging technology.

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bmb1uk

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Jan 1, 2010
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we had a home made one in the early 70's, did a good job
 

eddie

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Oct 4, 2007
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Err, Hmmm Guys and girls

Yes it is an alternator, just like the one on your engine, just like the one on your engine that will run if you start the engine you already have:Eeek:

Want to make yours a little better? use a hand throttle or a brick on the pedal.

Change the wiring to a decent gauge and change the split charge relay to a good quality 150 amp jobby

circa 40 amps on tick over!

Or if you still have your genny, use a decent 50amp four stage charger to achieve the same results

Eddie

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Munchie

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Jul 28, 2007
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the seller is contradicting himself here......

study the charging times, in particular the onboard charger times.....221 minutes.

now read the bit in blue about using an inverter.....charge your battery in minutes not hours.

unless you have a standalone high output charger you will be using your onboard charger via an inverter powered by the super charger.

so......it will still take 221 minutes.


it isnt possible to charge a battery in minutes without causing irrepairable damage.

sounds to me like the seller knows nowt about charging technology.

Agreed John. I was an Electrician/driver in the Royal Signals and spent a lot of time charging leasure batteries for the office wagons. Banks of 50 or more. You are absolutely correct, these things are ok in an emergency but regular use will as you say kill the batteries. :Blush:
 

DP+JAY

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Agreed John. I was an Electrician/driver in the Royal Signals and spent a lot of time charging leasure batteries for the office wagons. Banks of 50 or more. You are absolutely correct, these things are ok in an emergency but regular use will as you say kill the batteries. :Blush:
OK it,s an engine coupled to an alternator, so why will it damage the batteries if van alternator won't?
 

hilldweller

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Not really. To manufacture this 700W unit in the UK in small quantities costs loads.

But in China, see Machine Mart, 1000W sinewave £286.

They do have a 720W genny for £95, you could rip the 240 alternator off it and replace with a car 12V alternator/charger.

What is wrong with the average MH use of a genny is the on board charger, just 20A, get a 50A charger and more of the gennie's output can be harnessed.
 

hilldweller

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OK it,s an engine coupled to an alternator, so why will it damage the batteries if van alternator won't?

The starter battery usually only discharges 1% (??) to start your vehicle so that 50A does not last long enough to heat up the battery and damage it.
 

jhorsf

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May 15, 2009
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The batteries will not charge continually at 50 amps as the charge increases so the rate will decrease

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chrisgreen

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Jul 26, 2009
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OK it,s an engine coupled to an alternator, so why will it damage the batteries if van alternator won't?
do not be missled by people that know nothing about alternators,believe me when i say it will NOT damage your batteries:thumb:
 

pappajohn

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OK it,s an engine coupled to an alternator, so why will it damage the batteries if van alternator won't?
one good reason.....your van battery will be at least 99% charged all the time with regular use, so the alternator will only put in what is missing and will be regulated to a few amps, not 50amps.
on the odd occasion it has gone flat it wont hurt to charge at 50amps (or more) as it is just an occasional charge.
the battery is only there for one primary purpose...to start the engine.
once running everything electrical is powered by the alternator with the battery absorbing and smoothing the output power.
a battery is nothing more than a large , slow discharge capacitor.

a 50% discharged leisure battery will take the full 50amps, reducing as it charges, but bunging 50amps at it time after time, every couple of days or so, wont do it any good at all.

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eddie

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Oct 4, 2007
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Can you elaborate?

Yes, the sign states that the output from the 12volt Honda is about 8amp from memory.

That is 8amp DC

I will give you an example. I have just changed my motorhome, one of the first things that the workshop will be installing is a 2000w pure sine wave inverter/charger. The charger function is 100amps. Regulated, temperature controlled and monitored.

So run a genny with the 12 volt battery charger connected it produces 8amps after one hour, or in my case run the genny for the same length of time and put nearer 100 amps into the battery bank!

If you don't wish to overly complicate it simply buy a good quality 220VAC charger, plug the genny into your van, plug the charger into 220 VAC wall socket and hook up the battery!

Or run the engine:winky:

I must say having looked at the "gadget" I wonder how noisy it will be and how much it would vibrate around. Also so small a theft risk! After all no one is going to stop some one walking off with it if it is too noisy:ROFLMAO:

Eddie
 

aba

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if also at a meet like peterborough running the vans engine apposed to a generator also gives a good amount of heating into the van and in 90% i would say the vans engine will be quieter than the generators.

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chrisgreen

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Saw these at Peterborough and (as said on one of the show threads) was not tempted to buy as the solar panel put back all we used. Smug? Who me? :roflmto::roflmto:
checked my batteries today,98% charged after no solar no ehu no genny for 3 months:thumb:thats what i call good battery management:thumb:
 
Apr 27, 2008
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Eastbourne East Sussex
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the seller is contradicting himself here......

study the charging times, in particular the onboard charger times.....221 minutes.

now read the bit in blue about using an inverter.....charge your battery in minutes not hours.

unless you have a standalone high output charger you will be using your onboard charger via an inverter powered by the super charger.

so......it will still take 221 minutes.


it isnt possible to charge a battery in minutes without causing irrepairable damage.

sounds to me like the seller knows nowt about charging technology.

I read this to indicate how rapidly the batteries could be recharged if you had discharged them using the inverter, rather than suggesting you should charge your batteries with the inverter.

He's also right in his, though perhaps misleading, when he says 'in minutes' as using his example (35Ah) it will take less than an hour. However quite a lot of minutes. His calculation also assumes a constant 50A charge rate which would not happen in practice, the rate reducing as the battery charge increases. Still a useful gadget though, even if rather pricey for what it is, though I suppose less of a rip off than the Honda gennies at over a grand for basically the same thing with an inverter stuck on and a flashier box.

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Feb 27, 2011
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My ideal setup would be.
1Kw sine wave Link Removedconnected up to my ehu socket. This allows me to use the computer and toaster on 240V (£286)
A fast charger Link Removed at £331 or Link Removed at £458.

No need for an inverter.

The advantages of this setup is that it is a full 4 stage charger keeping your batteries in top condition.

No messing about with croc clips. My batteries are hard to get to.

I can power two vans chargers at once with a cheap £2 2 way mains adapter.

Anyone who uses the 12V output of a generator to charge the batteries in their motorhome would need their head examining.

In my opinion (for what it is worth) this device won't damage your batteries in one use but because it won't fully charge/condition the batteries. It will therefore reduce the lifespan of your batteries if used continuously

At that price I will give it a skip. If it was half the price I may have been tempted and spent some money adapting my power system to make it easier to connect up.
 

DP+JAY

LIFE MEMBER
Mar 17, 2010
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since 2007, 25 years tuggin before that.
one good reason.....your van battery will be at least 99% charged all the time with regular use, so the alternator will only put in what is missing and will be regulated to a few amps, not 50amps.
on the odd occasion it has gone flat it wont hurt to charge at 50amps (or more) as it is just an occasional charge.
the battery is only there for one primary purpose...to start the engine.
once running everything electrical is powered by the alternator with the battery absorbing and smoothing the output power.
a battery is nothing more than a large , slow discharge capacitor.

a 50% discharged leisure battery will take the full 50amps, reducing as it charges, but bunging 50amps at it time after time, every couple of days or so, wont do it any good at all.

Yes but thats what it's doing to my leisure batterries!
After a few days the LB's are depleated so when I drive to the next Aire they are charged by my van alternator. So what is the difference?
 

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