Generator advice please (1 Viewer)

[The Millenium Falcon]

Hi all. Virgin motorhomer here. I would appreciate any down to earth advice on the purchase of a generator. Our young man has autism and whilst the acquisition of our first van is a getaway for all, there are times when we will welcome the opportunity to amuse him with his tv and playstation. As contradictory as this seems if we have any chance of success we feel this is our eay to go. In the hope of experiencing wild camping we thought a generator will assist in running everything we would need. So, to the question at last - can anyone recommend a reasonably priced reliable 'silent' case-sized generator I think around 2kw please? Thank you

 

[Southdowners]

Hello and welcome.

I'd get a couple of solar panels and an inverter fitted.

We have a 'silent' generator - a Honda suitcase type. The thing is that it might be a lot quieter than normal generators the sound will still travel. Unless you're really out in the wilderness you might find it a problem - or perhaps more accurately... other people might find it a problem.

If you do decide to go down the generator route ours is a Honda which runs on LPG. From memory it cost about £1,200

 

[andy63]

Ive only ever had the honda... never let me down yet..
But there are a load of the inverter generator sets on the market if you dont want to spend the sort of money on a honda...
Google is your best bet and get a comparison on prices..
Dont know what loads you intend runni g but remember that most sold at 2kw are in fact about 1.6kw continuous... and a nice feature on some like the hondas is the eco switch so on lighter loads it does quiten it down..
Andy

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[two]

I have the Honda 2kW with LPG conversion. Seems quite quiet but does make more noise when fully loaded. I wanted something reliable and that would run for long times. With LPG you don't need petrol (or its associated fumes) and a full bottle will run it for longer than a tankful of petrol. Having said all that, I've changed my needs and hardly ever use it now. It's a bit bulky and heavy.

 

[stewartwebr]

You will get the opinion of the generator haters soon enough

I would suggest what has already been suggested by Southdowners being that you look at the installation of solar panels and good batteries. Of course this will only be of benefit if the sun is shining for long enough to recharge the batteries

We have two generators (sound of horror from the haters

We have a Honda i20 which is capable of around the 2kw mark. We very rarely use it and it has been in the house garage for quiet sometime. We also have an amazing little Honda EX500 generator. It ways around 7kg and is brilliant for taking over from the solar panels when we have no sun. I connect it to a CTEK 25 charger which can supply the batteries with 25amps of charge. I have had this set up for a number of years and it works very very well. However, we only have a need to use it a handful of times a year as solar normally does a great job.

Unfortunately, the Honda EX500 was only made in very limited numbers The more common EX350 was not true inverter power and as such is no good for charging batteries, it is also lower powered. They were made around 1996 but you do find them sometimes on the likes of ebay.

Here is a picture from the web showing the size of the EX500

 

[Jim]

Generators, once common, have fallen out of favour with many campers over the last few years. They are expensive, heavy, and need securing safely in the van, you need to carry smelly petrol too, and there is no such thing as a quiet genny, so even if you find yourself on a place they are allowed, you won't make friends of your neighbours when you run it. Even if you buy themost expensive quietest....There is no such thing as a quiet genny when it's under load,

These days there are lots of better options. Most campers use an inverter so they can use 240v appliances via their leisure batteries, they can keep those batteries from going flat by adding extra ones which is the cheapest option and or adding solar panels. (Which don't annoy anyone)

If you cannot get enough power from extra batteries and the sun, there are other quieter options like Battery to Battery chargers but most of don't use enough power to need one.

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[Abacist]

I had a Wolf Generator which I used to use when desperate but even I couldn't stand the noise and took to loading the roof with solar panels, extra habitation batteries and a Battery to Battery charger and have not looked back since! Peace and Quiet - Lovely and I don't disturb the neighbours any more!

 

[138go]

If you want to upset the neighbours get your generator out. Don’t be surprised if someone walks round and tells you to p..s off and annoy someone else. You may think it’s quiet but sound travels and a constant motor running can get on peoples nerves. If you MUST have power join one of the clubs and use the CL or CS sites with electric.

 

[Pausim]

An expensive but silent alternative is a fuel cell such as an Efoy. Low output but you can run it day and night to make up for it.

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[peterc10]

There is no such thing as a quiet generator when it is started up in a nice tranquil environment.

I would recommend that you get a 12v TV, there are many about. And then fit as many solar panels as you can plus an additional leisure battery. We have 250W of solar plus a couple of AGM leisute batteries and can watch TV all evening for most of the year without being on EHU.

The purchase price will be no more than a decent generator, the running costs will be next to nil, and you will not p**s off your fellow campers.

 

[faraway]

Have you considered a Goal Zero Yeti? It can be charged when on electric or you can get a small portable solar panel to charge it when you don’t need it and the sun is shining. You can also get a 12v adapter to charge it whilst on the move. You can get a 400w or 1250w depending on your requirements. Not cheap but absolutely silent. I run my TV on it when not on EHU. It’s also small in size.

 

[Mr Chrysalis]

Another way of looking at the need of the OP is that the Playstation is essentially a computer, so although it plugs in to 240V ac, the first thing that it does is convert that internally to 12V and 5V. So it may be possible for someone who knows what they’re doing to convert it to run on 12V. Of course 12V TVs are also available.

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[Ivory55]

Yes there is other options to a generator but all require being fixed in the van . As it your first van I would go the 2nd hand generator route and see how much power you actually need. You might find that this first motorhome is not the one for you and you will want to change or not even like it full stop. In which case you can sell the generator separate but solar panels etc will stay with the van and you would not get your money back on what you have spent.

 

[Nasher]

Have a look at the Clarke pure sine wave generators

They offer a variety of outputs at reasonable prices & aren't too noisy

I have a 800w one that I use at motorcycle events, so no-one complains about the noise!

Following others advice re Solar:

Try a generator, if it works fine, if not you can sell it on gumtree/ebah & not lose too much on the deal
After that, once you are happy with your van, then lash out on solar.

 

[138go]

Yes there is other options to a generator but all require being fixed in the van . As it your first van I would go the 2nd hand generator route and see how much power you actually need. You might find that this first motorhome is not the one for you and you will want to change or not even like it full stop. In which case you can sell the generator separate but solar panels etc will stay with the van and you would not get your money back on what you have spent.

Hope OP has a thick skin ...

..

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[Ivory55]

If they run a generator and someone moans. Ask yourself do you know them, will you see them again, are they on your Xmas card list, will they cough up and buy the solar panels etc for you.

 

[Neckender]

I don’t have any trouble with the noise from our Genny as I just remove my hearing aids.

John.

 

[WillH]

Go solar.

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[gus-lopez]

 

[tonyidle]

Many quiet and out-of-the-way CLs & CSs have EHU these days.

 

[ambulancekidd]

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[TerryL]

Before you go down the generator (or indeed solar panels etc) road take a careful look at just what electrical power you're likely to need, also make sure you have as many energy saving fittings as possible e.g. LED bulbs for all the lighting. Modern TVs run happily off 12v (the 240v connection is simply a converter) and as already mentioned it should be possible to power the playstation from 12v with a suitable converter - try Amazon. You may well find a generator is not actually needed, or you can achieve what you want with maybe a second leisure battery - which is always a sound idea anyway, doubling your "off-grid" capability - and maybe a small inverter. You'll need, of course, to confirm the van charging system will look after both engine and leisure batteries.

Once you've got these basics sorted you can be better advised on just how to achieve your requirements. It will also depend on your style of motorhoming - are you mostly on the move (so the engine can recharge the batteries) or will you be happy to stay put where you can get EHU - many CL's and CS's now offer electricity, although be mindful of the costs.

My advice would be to see how you get on before investing in anything, be it a gennie, solar panels or whatever. With the experience of a few trips you'll get a better idea of what you need and can then make a better informed decision. I'm not decrying the advice already given, it's just that there are so many different, and quite valid, opinions it can be very confusing for a newbie.

With some secondary experience of autism, I appreciate your worries but a bit (more) careful planning beforehand should provide just what the youngster needs. You've made a great decision so now go out and enjoy!

Oh yes, and

 

[martin1485]

I had a new Honda generator for a while but, as mentioned previously, the smell of petrol fumes in the van can be a problem. If you consider the extra batteries and / or solar panels options, then the attached video is well worth a look as it could help to make a proper decision based upon your own calculated needs. The relevant part starts at around 3 minutes 40 into the video. As with all aspects of motor homing, the more you know about a subject before you part with your money, the better your solutions will be. One of the best ways forward is a full membership of this forum which will repay itself many times over.

 

[Doctor Dave]

If you do go down the generator route then I would strongly advise getting one that is converted to run off gas, and if you have an external barbeque fitment you can just plug it into that. Saves having to carry another (smelly) fuel.

Dave

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[Cheshirecat57]

ditto the above

 

[Feltwell]

A not dissimilar problem here with an autistic child - albeit mildly so - but I really don't think you need a generator at all.

We have a 12v TV with built in DVD, which came with the van but we rarely use it. A handheld gaming console, like a 3DS, is great for a kid in the van and charges from USB - very easy to fit some USB sockets in your van - and a console will be a lot less than a generator. We've also got a cheap 12v DVD player & screen, a little self-contained portable unit, for if one of the kids wants to watch a film in peace - they can retire to their bunk with it.

If you really want to use a playstation then it's not going to use much power anyway, a small inverter should be enough to feed that - a generator sounds like fairly extreme overkill. As others have said, it really won't endear you to your neighbours either, there's no such thing as a silent generator. You may well find your child doesn't like the noise of it either.

Vast majority of sites have mains hookup anyway - but we rarely bother, we just don't need it. If you're the kind of people who must have a hairdryer, a coffee maker, and lots of other power-sapping gadgets then you will, but if you don't then you may well be OK, especially if you drive the van most days.

Why not try without at first - go to a site with hookup but don't plug in, so if you run out of power all you've got to do is hook up. Then you can review your options - replace old leisure batteries if they're getting tired, add more batteries, add solar but I'd really treat a genny as a last resort.

 

[The Millenium Falcon]

Hi all. Virgin mo ho again. Firstly, a BIG thank you for the warm welcome to your gang ... I think I will be very happy here!!! And thank you all so much for your views and advice. Lots of food for thought and much entertainment. Happy travels to all, whichever universe you are exploring. May the force be with you.

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[LoraMoser]

I have a Yamaha EF3000iSEB for several years - since the initial spell of load shedding started. Used only as a standby. I guess its run about 200 hrs in total. No problems so far. Change the oil approximately once a year and clean and re-oil the air filter. We use it for our office, boreholes, lights, tv and fridge & freezer. No heavy work such as geyser which is solar.
As a standby its done its job.