UKC

Not exactly gear I know but didn't really know where else to put this.

Anyone out there with any knowledge on portable or suitcase generators??

Planning a trans euro crush fest and need a suitable power supply when we're off grid. Been advised that I'll need 2000watt output (or something like that) and Honda are by far the best but you'll pay for it.

As you can see I have little knowledge on the subject so any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you please.

In reply to bobstones:

Why do you need a generator, what are you planning on powering ?

I have a leisure battery in my VAN for when off grid that runs the fridge, lighting, mobile phone charging etc. i only use the hookup if staying in one place for multiple days, the battery will give me 2 days running a fridge

In reply to bobstones:

Why on earth would you need 2kWe for what is presumably a Euro car camping trip?

Lights: <10W
Phone charger: <10W
Laptop charger: <100W

Car electrical system: ~1.5kW
jk

In reply to Dark-Cloud:

I need something that going to last more than 2 days powering all those things. We're going to have 2 leisure batteries in ours but have been advised to get a generator as we'd like to be able to be self-sufficient for reasonable periods say 2 weeks if possible.

In reply to jkarran:

Like I said I don't know, that's just what I was told.

What do you think I'd need then?

In reply to bobstones:

Honda are certainly the best but do you really need one?
My parents have one and it never gets used, the van batteries are normally adequate, a lot of campsites don't allow them and loads of places have electrical hook-up available. Some of the small Aires have parking meter style system for the electric, you pay for a night and plug in to charge everything, wash and dry everything, cook a load of meals and then you're good for days.

In reply to bobstones:

What exactly do you want it to do, I'm still not clear on that?

It seems an absurd (and intrusively noisy) extravagance to me given you'll be dragging it around in a big generator you already own!
jk

In reply to jkarran:

Have you investigated solar panels? 200w of solar on the roof and a couple of big leisure batteries (which can also be recharged whilst the engine is on) will see you through most eventualities. And they're silent.

In reply to Siward:

It's not me that's after the generator and renewables are always worth a thought but in this case adding solar to a van makes little sense. The capital investment is relatively high, it doesn't work at night when it's most needed so it comes with battery requirements adding weight. All in it will likely cost more energy in increased fuel use (weight & drag when driving) than it will make back so it's costly and unless done extremely carefully, not even 'green'. Same goes for lugging a genny around for that matter.

Fixed solar collectors are environmentally worthwhile.

Just run the van occasionally to charge an appropriately rated leisure battery.
jk

In reply to bobstones:


Surely the easiest answer is to start the van up?

In reply to timjones:

But that all depends on how long you need to run the engine to charge the batteries up? Any ideas?

I would've thought it'd be easier to run a little generator to produce some power and charge batteries etc it's no more noisey then turning the engine on.

In reply to bobstones:

How long is a piece of string, how much energy will you be using, what's on and how long each day? The point is you already own the van. Think of it as a high quality mobile generator with similar capacity and efficiency as the Genny but none of the hassle and you're not adding to the van running cost by lugging 25kilos of surplus kit across Europe.

Not sure what someone dislikes about my reply re solar, perhaps they could explain?
Jk

In reply to bobstones:



It shouldn't take too long to recharge with the engine running. I'd in doubt you can always upgrade the alternator.

I can't quite see how it can be easier to set up and run a generator than it is to quite simply turn a key to start a van.

In reply to bobstones:

You can buy a dedicated 12V generator or a normal 220V one and a battery charger. Either way you´re unlikely to produce as much power as using the (modified) alternator already on the van and it costs a lot more. There´ s loads of charge controllers available for yachts which have the same issues with power, Sterling and TWC being the ones I´ m most familiar with installing. Generators are generally a pain in the butt, use shedloads of fuel and don´ t provide hot water either.

In reply to jimtitt:

Its all irrelevant until he tells us what he's running really, if its a big camper then the fridge will possible be gas, the heating diesel or gas, so all that's left on electricity is the essentials like lights and pumps, if he has 2 x 110Ah batteries that will last for many many days.....

In reply to bobstones:

If you're in a van I can't imagine any need for a generator short of wanting to make a lot of noise or running a laser weapon that exceeds the vans spare electrical capacity.

A couple of decent leisure batteries in parallel and some high current split charge or DC-to-DC charge system (depending on the van electrics) should see you right. Perhaps add a mains powered30A intelligent charger if you'll be passing mains hooks ups occasionally. Although if you're doing that you're either on the mains or driving regularly and split charging.

If you're going to have long periods without running the van up, stick a 100W-150W flexible solar panel or two to the van roof or the ground when parked up (they're 2.5mm thick and bendy so stow much more easily than normal panels) and get a cheap PWM charge controller for them to connect to the leisure batteries. With fuses etc.

Even if you do end up needing a genny (taking an inefficient fridge, microwave and big plasma TV?) you almost certainly want to buffer it via a battery bank to avoid keeping yourselves and everyone else up at night.

In reply to Dark-Cloud:

Sounds more like setting up a rave than a camping trip to be honest

In reply to bobstones:
Your original post is unclear on wether you are using a car, campervan or van for your trip but here goes..
We have a small(ish) motorhome which we use a lot in the UK & abroad. We lugged a generator around for many years but used it little. It was a Clarke IG 2200. 2200w of power seems excessive but think hairdryer for the missus etc!! It was a big lump but worked well. Quiet running, pure sine wave etc & about a third of the price of the equivalent Honda models. However we have recently fitted solar to the MH roof plus a hard wired 3000w inverter. Much better option in my opinion. Solar ensures both the pair of leisure batteries plus the road batteries are always at optimum charge, & if charge is taken out of the batteries from lighting (use LEDs) or inverter use it will start to be replenished as soon as it gets light.
So from using both I would say if you have a camper or MH I would go solar & inverter or if it's a car road trip use a generator. For quality kit the outlay will be similar. Hope this helps!

In reply to jkarran:

I have a campervan and have it kitted out with a solar panel and 2 leisure batteries.
it is wired in such a way that the solar will keep both the starter and leisure batteries topped up when not being used, which is very useful. The solar also extends the time I can use the van off grid, which seems to be virtually indefinitely given that actual power consumption (no electric fridge, for example) is very low.

In the context of a great big van, aerodynamic drag is not much of a problem but I installed a sloping front edge ahead of the panels anyway.

I used this website a lot when sorting out the van which persuaded me of the benefits of solar:

http://deepredmotorhome.com/solar.php

In reply to Siward:


It really depends how far and fast you drive it but small changes, even if just to the frontal area let alone to the drag coefficient which most additions are unlikely to decrease can make quite a big difference over a long trip. No big deal if it lives on the drive and you take it to France once a year plus a few weekends camping locally but over a lifetime mileage and small losses add up.

I can see the appeal convenience but to my mind running the engine for an hour here or there isn't inconvenient.
jk