Lets talk small generators!
- Thread starter TantoTrailers
- Start date
dreadlocks
Well-known member
I'd not buy a super small genset with the current situation with Lithium breaking ground quickly, anything you build today should really try to hope to expand into that later.
You also dont want to run a genset over more than ~25-30% load if you wanna keep it quiet, so a Honda 2.2k Genset is good for a good 40-60A charge @ ~25%, and can still run air conditioners and stuff (not quietly tho)
I justified the camping GenSet as emergency backup at home too, if you live in a place with hurricanes/ice storms/tornados/flooding/etc its great insurance knowing you can keep the furnace going in the dead of winter, or the fridges and some fans going in the middle of the summer.. I'm in colorado so I wired a transfer switch up to my furnace and ran a plug off the back of the house I plug genset right into a dedicated circuit in basement for the furnace and deep freezer, runs em great.
You also dont want to run a genset over more than ~25-30% load if you wanna keep it quiet, so a Honda 2.2k Genset is good for a good 40-60A charge @ ~25%, and can still run air conditioners and stuff (not quietly tho)
I justified the camping GenSet as emergency backup at home too, if you live in a place with hurricanes/ice storms/tornados/flooding/etc its great insurance knowing you can keep the furnace going in the dead of winter, or the fridges and some fans going in the middle of the summer.. I'm in colorado so I wired a transfer switch up to my furnace and ran a plug off the back of the house I plug genset right into a dedicated circuit in basement for the furnace and deep freezer, runs em great.
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Photobug
Well-known member
Thanks I am considering a small Honda or Yamaha Generator for camping, boating and as a back up to my home in case of a power failure. I would probably convert it to triple fuel gas/propane and natural gas for the home but want to figure out how to fit it into my trailer. I guess if I leave it dry and rely on propane on the road it would work at any angle I can fit it into. Not sure a 1000 watt would work for my home backup, so considering a 2000 or 2400.
Photobug
Well-known member
Yep my trailer has a 13 high by 17 wide compartment that would love to hold a generator. Could store a Honda 2200 sideways and turn it up to run it. Figuring I could add as much fuel daily to charge the battery and shut if off when near empty, to store sideways.
ebrabaek
Adventurer
I have had the yammy 2000i for 3 years now.
Full tank is 1.1 gallon i think.
It will run a very long time.
@15% I ran it in eco mode and after 8 hrs it had still only used a bit over 1/4 tank.
I was considering both the 2k honda and yammi.
Yammi won due to the ability to switch off the gas thus drain g the carb for storage and a fuel level gauge.
They were equally quiet.
Just different frequency response.
You really can't go wrong with either.
Full tank is 1.1 gallon i think.
It will run a very long time.
@15% I ran it in eco mode and after 8 hrs it had still only used a bit over 1/4 tank.
I was considering both the 2k honda and yammi.
Yammi won due to the ability to switch off the gas thus drain g the carb for storage and a fuel level gauge.
They were equally quiet.
Just different frequency response.
You really can't go wrong with either.
TantoTrailers
Well-known member
For science, I went with the small 1000/800W Sportsman Inverter which matches the color of my trailer. I will break it in and give it a good run this weekend at camp. From the reviews and videos I have watched, people have run entire 30+' RVs off of this little thing (minus their AC). I intend to ONLY run my IP67 charger which should draw 3-4A when charging at full blast from what I have read but I am not an electrical engineer so maybe someone can correct me. Anyway, I have no use for a Honda, nor the funds. My buddy has a nice 2000W Honda that I can test this out next to and maybe do a side by side comparison video. Light, portable, cheap, and it fits the need without overkill. Long term review to come.
BritKLR
Kapitis Indagatoris
FWIW.....Honda 2000. We've had it for 17 years. it's lived in 5 different rigs and one mountain cabin. It's run everything from A/C, microwave, tools, charged batteries, fridges, charged phones, lights, power outages, jackhammer for breaking up granite.... etc and the notorious wife's blow drier (those things will kill a small gen). It currently lives in our ATC event trailer and powers our entire event stand and Tiger camper at the Overland Expo events across the country. It may run for upto 10 hours a day if our solar panels cant keep up. It gets a new plug, synthetic oil and fresh gas every year and hasn't had a single problem. The newer model has the fuel switch to turn of the fuel for storage. You'll always find a use for a good quality gen. As with life, buy a little bigger then you need since you will grow into it......Good luck!
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hour
Observer
Yes and I used to carry it for the same purpose of keeping an aux battery topped off. Generator -> 24v 600w power supply -> MPPT PV input (anderson connectors). I don't carry it anymore because solar is enough and always was really. Just another screwing around project to do while drinking in the boonies.
I ran it for 3-4 years on trips before I went to everything being basically DC. And when I killed my camper battery every year and wanted to run the campers furnace in the evening, until generator ran out of gas. Inefficient, yes, but solved the issue. Used it mostly above 8,000 feet and never had issues. I know its power output is reduced at elevation but it still did what I needed. It eventually acted like it was seized when I tried to start it some time this spring after sitting for months. Pull cord got stuck sticking out. I just threw it away and bought another identical unit.
TL;DR yes those work good for this purpose and are cheap enough that you may as well give it a shot. If you want one generator to rule them all and run a >5kbtu AC, your home fridge, etc.. get something nicer.
TantoTrailers
Well-known member
Well I'm putting the small Sportsman generator through a real world test. I ran my battery down to 70% (69 actually) and I'm leaving things on inside the trailer as they would be on a typical day at camp. That basically means the fridge is running and a light from time to time. In 45 mins the generator produced 15% battery charge.
First screen shot is when the generator first kicked on and i plugged in the IP67, getting 25A from the charger as expected.
With this load I think the gen is at about 50-60% capacity. Its right in the sweet spot for its intended purpose.
First screen shot is when the generator first kicked on and i plugged in the IP67, getting 25A from the charger as expected.
With this load I think the gen is at about 50-60% capacity. Its right in the sweet spot for its intended purpose.
