Solar vs Generator use

[adventureduo]

Me too. Some of the newer portable generators are very quiet. My eu2000 is not much louder than a group of people chatting around the campfire.
R

The Eu2000i is 53-59 dB. About as much noise as a TV set at normal volume. Quiet.

"ECO-Throttle" - Runs up to 15 hours on 1 gal of fuel. Efficient.

Im still undecided what i will choose for the SMB.

 

[peekay]

Robert,

Please do not take offense, but I'd rather not camp next to you. You'll have a noisy, smelly generator going and I just can't stand those things.

I have a solar panel that keeps my Engel and electrical stuff going without a sound, and has zero impact on the environment.

Perhaps you hang out when on an expedition with folks who make lots of noise, but I can say unequivocally that I get away to get away from that attitude and it's accompanying noise and pollution.

Again, I don't mean to offend you or any others that take the same approach, but if you see my rig & trailer out there sometime, somewhere, please don't camp next to me...

Regards,

Kevin

sorry, but I don't think you've ever seen/heard a late model Honda/Yamaha inverter generator. A 50' extension cord along with a large rock or bush, and you wouldn't even notice that my Yamaha generator is on. Besides, it may only run for 1-2 hrs per day to charge up the batteries.

 

[Tucson T4R]

I am interested in a solar option but I do use a Honda generator when out for long periods. An example is my last trip of 7 days. I ran the generator during daytime hours only twice over the 7 days. With it on a long extension cord just over the edge of a canyon, no one in camp could even hear it and most of us were out hunting all day. I would turn it off in the late afternoon to ensure total quiet in the evenings and over night.

Here's a picture of where my generater is sitting behind my KK trailer. The gen is circled with a fine yellow line.

In the right conditions, the sound is almost inaudible.

That being said, having a good solar option to keep my batteries topped off without the generator would be a nice set up. Then I would only run the generator when my wife wants to run her blow dryer.
:yikes: :xxrotflma

 

[IH8RDS]

If you do a little lateral thinking there would be hundreds of ways of collecting energy from a solar panel while traveling. I think it's well worth mulling over.

Dont get me wrong Martyn. I think solar is the cats meow, but while I travel I trickle charge off the alternator. Most of the places I camp at are tree covered with no direct sunlight.

 

[elcoyote]

It is not important for the panels to be in use while you are in transit. You vehicle alternator should be used for that purpose. Panels are are for when you stopped and in base camp. If you battery system and appliances are not compatible for a 2-3 day base camp without recharging, then a system redesign is in order IMO. Panels make the most sense for the well designed low consumption system that needs to last beyond the 2-3 day base camp. Generators make sense for high draw conditions such as power tools, well pumps etc.

Example: System in place on my Jeep MJ:
Appliances
LED interior & exterior lighting, intermittent usage, 3000 mA
Water Pump, intermittent use, 1.2 A
1800 watt inverter, rare usage
Targus 12V laptop power supply, intermittent usage, 2.5 A
Casio Camera charger, intermittent use, 5.8 mA
National Luna Fridge, continuous usage, 1.75 A
Sirius XM radio, intermittent usage, 1 A

Power Supply
Stock Bosch 90 A
Vehicle Starting Battery, Optima Group 34, Red top, 55 A/h
House Batteries, Two Sealed Deka Group 31, 210 A/h total
Carmanah GPR-20 Solar charge controller & monitor
Marinco Guest split 10/10 house battery charger
Powerfilm 60 watt folding panel

Length of base camp stay: indefinite

 

[Robthebrit]

I have loads of batteries (6x group 31) and solar and a wind turbine and I can stay in one place for days and days, but I still have a generator. My primary reason is the block heater on the truck. If after a week without starting the truck I am out of battery juice and its really cold then I fire up the generator for a couple of hours to run the block heater (directly from 110). I can run the block heater from the inverter so if we have enough battery I'll do that but having the generator is a good backup (it takes about 900W). Camper mog uses an outside RV power socket so I can plug in to available power or I can connect the generator.

One thing to consider when camping with a generator is how are you going to use it? Most people who camp from vehicles are set up to camp using 12v so you'll need some sort of power converter. Camper mog has a 90A IOTA power converter (not light weight) which runs on the house circuit along with the group 31's, I also have a small battery charger on the starting circuit so when I am plugged in or running the generator the starting battery is charging too. Camper mog has two completely independent circuits and two alternators.

Whether I am running on house battery, solar, wind, hook up or generator nothing inside the truck changes, the 110v sockets in the kitchen are still coming from the inverter. The external power simply recharges the batteries. I do this mainly because all the wiring is fitted, the only item I can easily move is the block heater.

Rob

 

[NikonRon]

Honda EU1000 generator

I have a honda eu1000 generator if anyone is interested in one. Has about 8-10 hrs. run time on it. I used it just for charging batteries when I pulled a Chalet pop-up camper. Ron

 

[VikingVince]

How long does it take to get an auxiliary battery back to full charge using a Honda generator? Does size of the generator (like Honda 1000 or 2000) make a difference? Amp hours of the battery or batteries? Somebody said 1-2 hours...is that accurate?

I frequently basecamp in the primitive campgrounds along the California Coast...lots of RV's so generators are everywhere. I've thought about getting one for these situations.

When out in the wilderness I tend to agree with the point of view of not wanting to hear a generator. I'm out there for the peace and quiet, the sounds of nature, the wind, the birds/animals, etc. I KNOW they're quiet, but even at the level of a normal TV set, I'd really prefer not to hear it in that situation.

 

[Tucson T4R]

The length of time it take to recharge your batteries is more dependant on the battery charge controller size and the toal AH capacity of your batteries than the generator. The current draw is so low, even the smallest generator will supply way more power than required to max out the charge controller.

For me, I have 2 105 AH group 31 Deka batteries with a 20 Amp Xantrex smart charger. If the batteries are low enough, the charger starts charging at the 20 amp rate then ramps down as the total charge comes up on the batteries.

I have found it can easily take 6-8 hours to get my batteries back to a full complete charge if I have been running on them for few days. It would take the same amount of time even if I was attached to my external 110VAC at home in the garage.

 

[Robthebrit]

charging directly from the 12v outlet on the Honda generators takes a while because its only something like 8 amps.

To charge quickly you want a 110v charger/converter. The one I have will spit out 90amps, however an eu1000i will not power the converter, a 2000 is running near full capacity.

90amps is overkill for most of the trucks out there because a single battery cannot consume that much current - I have 6x group 31's which together can easily consume all 90amps. I can charge all 6 batteries in a few hours with an eu2000i.

Rob

 

[Tucson T4R]

charging directly from the 12v outlet on the Honda generators takes a while because its only something like 8 amps.

To charge quickly you want a 110v charger/converter. The one I have will spit out 90amps, however an eu1000i will not power the converter, a 2000 is running near full capacity.

90amps is overkill for most of the trucks out there because a single battery cannot consume that much current - I have 6x group 31's which together can easily consume all 90amps. I can charge all 6 batteries in a few hours with an eu2000i.

Rob

Agreed, I have never used the 12V output on my Honda EU2000i. Your on the high end of battery bank size. My poor little system would cook if I tried to feed it 90 amps. :Wow1: :elkgrin:

 

[VikingVince]

Brad and Rob...thanks for the responses. I was under the incorrect assumption that you could charge directly from the generator...but, if I understand what you're saying, that takes a lot longer...maybe not good for the system? My aux is Lifeline Group 31, 105 amp hours...so a 20 amp charger/controller is the other component I would need? And it really wouldn't matter whether it's a Honda 1000i or 2000i? thanks

 

[Tucson T4R]

Brad and Rob...thanks for the responses. I was under the incorrect assumption that you could charge directly from the generator...but, if I understand what you're saying, that takes a lot longer...maybe not good for the system? My aux is Lifeline Group 31, 105 amp hours...so a 20 amp charger/controller is the other component I would need? And it really wouldn't matter whether it's a Honda 1000i or 2000i? thanks

Yep, you want a charge controller, especially for AGM type batteries to ensure you don't damage them by overcharging. I have had good luck with Xantrex battery chargers. A 20 Amp one would be a logical size for a group 31 105 AH battery. The Honda 1000 would cover your set up fine. The only reason I went for the 2000 was to cover it when my wife wants to fire up her 1500 W blow dryer. :xxrotflma

 

[adventureduo]

Yep, we have a full setup for plugging into shore power with smart charger and all. So if we go the Honda EU2000i route we'll just plug into it. Like above said, you can't just run the generator straight to your batteries.

 

[Whoknows]

solar, other factors

Going solar has one addt'l advantage for some; it's just fun. For some reason, I find powering off the sun's rays pleasing. I guess it harkens back to childhood fascination with the sun and electronics. Like Martyn said, it is really about having a plan--and that can be fun too.

I have 2 group 31 AGM's and a smart charger
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=20061
for keeping batteries all juiced up and well conditioned --back up #1 is shore power. With the loads we use (LEDs for camp lighting, Engel, and swamp cooler) we have more than enough reserve -- back up #2. So I'm just playing around with keeping ahead of it with my 80-watt panel . And, with one exception early on, I always have. I had fun learning from that experience--tweaking my system and adjusting my routine. I like monitoring the amps generated and how that varies depending on ambient temp and altitude. Now it's like a sub-hobby within the whole camping experience. I love going out for a day of exploring and coming back to camp with two fully charged batteries ready to go each evening. If it's rainy or cloudy, I know I have the reserve to handle it until a sunny day. :victory: