Generators
- Thread starter Donnay
- Start date
Jim
Ringleader
Hi Donnay, most people don't bother with genny's these days. OK if in the wilderness on your own, but around others They are quite anti-social. Most get by with an extra battery and solar panels, with no need for a noisy genny
Go camping with what you have and see if you need extra power. Most people find they don't.
Meanwhile.. welcome to the fun
Go camping with what you have and see if you need extra power. Most people find they don't.
Meanwhile.. welcome to the fun
Petrol generators have fallen out of favour mostly. This is due to them being noisy, [ yes even the alleged quiet ones], and solar & a B2B linked to a lithium battery is silent, and free once the purchase price is fronted up.
Mike.
Mike.
tonka
LIFE MEMBER
Use the van and work out what you really need to use first.
Some people want / expect to use things just like at home and aim to plug everything in to mains.
Others can get by with very little power.
We almost never stay on campsites, prefering meets, rallies and other no site stayovers.
In 20 years never needed a generator, cooking and heating via gas. Wife had a small hair dryer and we used an inverter for that when needed. Tv operates off 12v.
Recently i have upgraded to Lithium batteries which are lighter and you can drain more power than the old lead acid ones.
Have solar on the roof and that keeps things all charged up.
Some people want / expect to use things just like at home and aim to plug everything in to mains.
Others can get by with very little power.
We almost never stay on campsites, prefering meets, rallies and other no site stayovers.
In 20 years never needed a generator, cooking and heating via gas. Wife had a small hair dryer and we used an inverter for that when needed. Tv operates off 12v.
Recently i have upgraded to Lithium batteries which are lighter and you can drain more power than the old lead acid ones.
Have solar on the roof and that keeps things all charged up.
chesterfield hooligan
LIFE MEMBER
I have carried a generator all over Europe and have only used it once found solar to be a lot better option.
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As you can see from the responses, generators are not flavour of the month around here. Nowadays there are many other options.
A generator is used to recharge the 12V leisure battery if it gets too low, or to run mains voltage appliances like a hairdryer, coffee machine or microwave that can't run from the 12V battery.
An alternative is to double up the leisure battery, and add solar panels - 200W to 300W is usually very easy to fit. With that setup you can use all your 12V stuff for several days, except maybe in dull winter weather.
Another popular option is to fit a Battery-to-Battery charger (B2B) - also called a DC-DC charger or Booster. This charges the leisure batteries from the engine alternator while driving. A good 50A charger will fill them much faster than the usual 'split charge relay' arrangement, which usually gives 10A to 20A if you are lucky. You are effectively turning your engine into a generator for charging the leisure batteries while driving.
If you want to run mains 230V appliances, then you can fit an inverter, which converts 12V DC power from the battery into 230V AC mains power. Usually that means adding extra batteries, or changing the lead-acid leisure battery for a bigger lithium battery. Lithium batteries cope with peak demands from an inverter much better than any lead-acid batteries. They used to be very expensive, but are increasingly less so.
With solar panels and a B2B many people stay off-grid indefinitely apart from winter. Maybe add a lithium battery and inverter for luxuries like a hair dryer and coffee machine, maybe a microwave or air fryer.
Another option is to get a special cable or adapter, and recharge the batteries from an EV charge point. There are plenty of low-power EV charge points all over the country. You could for example stop at a supermarket for an hour or two, and charge while you are shopping.
So nowadays there's much less need for lugging a heavy generator and can of fuel around.
A generator is used to recharge the 12V leisure battery if it gets too low, or to run mains voltage appliances like a hairdryer, coffee machine or microwave that can't run from the 12V battery.
An alternative is to double up the leisure battery, and add solar panels - 200W to 300W is usually very easy to fit. With that setup you can use all your 12V stuff for several days, except maybe in dull winter weather.
Another popular option is to fit a Battery-to-Battery charger (B2B) - also called a DC-DC charger or Booster. This charges the leisure batteries from the engine alternator while driving. A good 50A charger will fill them much faster than the usual 'split charge relay' arrangement, which usually gives 10A to 20A if you are lucky. You are effectively turning your engine into a generator for charging the leisure batteries while driving.
If you want to run mains 230V appliances, then you can fit an inverter, which converts 12V DC power from the battery into 230V AC mains power. Usually that means adding extra batteries, or changing the lead-acid leisure battery for a bigger lithium battery. Lithium batteries cope with peak demands from an inverter much better than any lead-acid batteries. They used to be very expensive, but are increasingly less so.
With solar panels and a B2B many people stay off-grid indefinitely apart from winter. Maybe add a lithium battery and inverter for luxuries like a hair dryer and coffee machine, maybe a microwave or air fryer.
Another option is to get a special cable or adapter, and recharge the batteries from an EV charge point. There are plenty of low-power EV charge points all over the country. You could for example stop at a supermarket for an hour or two, and charge while you are shopping.
So nowadays there's much less need for lugging a heavy generator and can of fuel around.
prb
LIFE MEMBER
I still have the generator that I bought 10 years ago when I thought it would be needed for our motorhome. Probably used it four times - all in the paddock at motor racing, back when I could afford to. We now cope perfectly well with solar and a regular lead acid leisure battery on the odd occasions we attend weekend race meetings off-grid.
I Freedom Camp a lot and have a generator that I use and I like it!
Yes it makes noise, but how much?
Not for on a crowded campsite!
One an open space I feel that it is prudent to evaluate each and every occasion.
Most use here, with the farmer's permission;
With the generator 'behind' the van;
10 mtrs away easy to hear.
25 mtrs kids playing is noisier.
50 mtrs noise fades away.
If anyone arrives nearby, I walk over and ask!
Never run it after dark, usually mid morning and early afternoon.
Yes it makes noise, but how much?
Not for on a crowded campsite!
One an open space I feel that it is prudent to evaluate each and every occasion.
Most use here, with the farmer's permission;
With the generator 'behind' the van;
10 mtrs away easy to hear.
25 mtrs kids playing is noisier.
50 mtrs noise fades away.
If anyone arrives nearby, I walk over and ask!
Never run it after dark, usually mid morning and early afternoon.
- Apr 6, 2019
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Our B2B charges as fast as a generator and being a petrol engine is less intrusive to neighbours noise-wise.
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