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generator for motorhome its a minefield


ernst

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hi all

anyone bought a generator for there motorhome,looking to buy one not to exspensive

around 2.5 kw i think should be ok we have a bailey approach 740,it has a good solar panel but in the uk

it wont keep the battery topped up for a full weekend with heater on ect

there are so many different brands out there its a minefield,

anyone recomend a good one

thanks ernst :-)

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We would suggest you don't go for a big Generator as the noise, weight, fuel consumption, etc is so much higher.

 

A 2,500watt generator is going to be big to find space for and heavy to haul out/set up every time you want it to use it. You will find yourself making excuses not to bother setting it up.

 

Our suggestion would be you think of a Motorhome generator as a 'Battery booster' rather than have the ability to run a 3kw Welding Set.

 

A Honda 1000w EU10i is quiet, especially if you site it in a Hedge with a Rain Cover on it. A 2,500w gen will draw complaints, have more smoke, fumes, etc.

 

Although it's only 1,000w, it will drive some Microwaves and Kettles, but as we say above it is best regarded as a 'battery booster'.

If you fit a second, efficient Battery charger (Victron Blue Energy recommended) the two chargers together will be able to charge the batteries in half the time of a single charger, meaning you save fuel and don't need to have it running for a long time annoying anyone else. They can bring up a 180Ah battery bank to near full charge in under 2 hours, depending on the chargers.

 

With you only needing a 'small window' to recharge the batteries, you can run it at times when people near you are not around. A 1 hour generator session will give the batteries a significant 'emergency' boost, up to 30Ah put into the batteries.

 

We like the Honda Eu10i generators, don't make the mistake of thinking the likes of the Hyundai come even close, because they retain value, move with you to the next Motorhome, provide real power in the middle of December when Solar gives nothing, very efficient clean burn exhausts, quality 240v power system and electronics, etc.

In our opinion a Honda eu10i (not generators in general) are a better, cheaper, all year round option than Solar.

 

But whatever you get, it must be a Pure Sine wave/Inverter type generator for sensitive electronics.

 

 

 

TIPS :

1. Isolate the Solar and mains RCD (just flick the main breaker down) before starting the generator and only reconnect the RCD once the generator has warmed up and is running smoothly.

 

2. Very important to 'isolate' the RCD before turning the generator off, as the 'lumpy' running during the slowing down process can create some erratic mains 'pulses'.

 

3. Don't let it run out of fuel while connected to the Motorhome, as again the erratic up and down running can cause issues.

 

4. Suggest you investigate making a specific 13amp 'Honda' plug to Motorhome16a EHU cable, rather than using an adapter as there will be fewer places for water ingress into the cable connections

.

 

Hopefully other people would add more positives and helpful hints on usage and you won't need Grandads Tin Hat to protect you from the 'Flak' of the '"I was once next to a generator the size of a Fairground Lorry and it kept me awake all night, hate em'." responses.

 

Just in case you are thinking it, we don't sell generators or have shares in Honda.

 

 

Archiesgrandad has actually raised a good point about the SOG. You could collect the 'gas' from the SOG to run the generator? :D

 

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I fitted a Telair 2500g to my last two Motorhomes 2003 Bessacar 765 and 2008 same model.

I was able to bolt it to the chassis in the gas bottle locker and fitted a LPG tank. The Motorhomes had lots of use 2003/2008 74000 miles 2008/2012 62000 miles. In all that time genny only ran for 174 hrs, true when need great but anything other than battery charging quiet loud this was in a soundproofed locker and extra silencer. So having lugged 60 kilos plus around for nine years did not fit it to our new 2012 Elddis. Can't say we have missed it. I run a 2000 watt inverter form the engine battery this will run the microwave for 15 mins without effecting the starting. Any long which is rare I just run the engine. If needed I will put the mains charger on whilst the engine is running, not the most efficient way of charging the batteries but works for me. To avoid any electrical problems the lead fron the inverter has a female blue trailing socket and goes in the ehu socket so there is no possibility of having mains and inverter on at the same time. The Elddis 240 socket is in a locker so lead inverter lead lays there so not weather problems, just remember to turn the onboard charger Orr and the ses fridge to gas.

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I have a Honda 2Kw 20i which I find very good as it does all I need and is quiet. I fitted the adapter so that it can work on petrol or gas.

 

I only use it when I know I'm going to be off mains for a few days, so not used much.

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Archiesgrandad - 2017-10-09 12:12 PM

 

I'd look out Grandfather's old tin hat if I were you, and for goodness sake don't tell them if you have a SOG fitted.

 

AGD

:D :D Could do with a like button here. I have a Honda EU2 (2kw) which is a bit over the top and not that quiet under load, not many are and it doesn't get much use when I'm away, just 5 mins for the microwave etc. I carry The little Honda EU1 in my little camper/day van which is much quieter. It just depends how and what you want a genny for, or indeed a SOG :-D
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Mike88 - 2017-10-09 8:44 PM

 

Generators are for inconsiderate campers. They are useful when nobody else is around but that is not very often.

 

They are for use in appropriate circumstances eg at agricultural shows where up to 50 gennies might be in use. Nobody bothers.

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Before you go spending your hard earned might I suggest you take a look, phone around regarding the restrictions on genny usage.  Usually it is restricted to an hour or two in the mid morning and late afternoon if at all.  On sites where there are hookups I would venture a guess that they are not allowed at all.  Other sites I know of, for example Camping in the Forest have strict rulings on permitted running times.  Some however do not allow generators at all.

So the bottom line is take a good look before spending your £'s.  There might be other ways of obtaining the elektrikery you feel you need.
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Mike88 - 2017-10-09 8:44 PM

 

Generators are for inconsiderate campers. They are useful when nobody else is around but that is not very often.

 

How can running a whisper quiet Honda EU10i for just 2 hours every 3 to 4 days to fully charge your batteries be called unsociable or inconsiderate?

 

 

 

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ernst - 2017-10-09 11:25 AM

 

hi all

anyone bought a generator for there motorhome,looking to buy one not to exspensive

around 2.5 kw i think should be ok we have a bailey approach 740,it has a good solar panel but in the uk

it wont keep the battery topped up for a full weekend with heater on ect

there are so many different brands out there its a minefield,

anyone recomend a good one

thanks ernst :-)

why wont your solar panel do the job for a weekend?

many van ers last a weekend on site without ehu and dont even have a solar panel, just relying on a fully charged battery....

after all. what are you going to be running?

unless ypu are thinking of using an incerter for hsirdryers etc...itll be a bit of telly and the heater fan/pump plus water pump....

none of this is going to seriously drag your battery down....is it?

perhaps fit a second leisure battery as a different option....most SPs add a small charge back in via daylight rather than 'hot sunshine'.....which isnt required.

have you actually tested the effect of a weekends camping on ypur batteries?

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Only one really quiet generator the Honda suitcase one even then you need to park at least ½ mile away from anyone else.

 

Why not fit more batteries and solar, I have 3 x 80 a/h Gel batteries and 200 watts of solar and cand last quite a few days in the winter.

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aandncaravan - 2017-10-10 8:39 AM

 

Mike88 - 2017-10-09 8:44 PM

 

Generators are for inconsiderate campers. They are useful when nobody else is around but that is not very often.

 

How can running a whisper quiet Honda EU10i for just 2 hours every 3 to 4 days to fully charge your batteries be called unsociable or inconsiderate?

 

 

 

Because the original poster is looking for a cheap (or "not too expensive" to quote him) generator and cheap can mean noisy and certainly doesn't mean a Honda. Also if campers used these things at sociable hours that would be fine. However many of these things are often used at night for TV watching purposes. Honda's are fine but I have been next to some noisy smoky things on Aires in France and Spain and racecourses in the UK which certainly were anti social.

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aandncaravan - 2017-10-10 8:39 AM
Mike88 - 2017-10-09 8:44 PMGenerators are for inconsiderate campers. They are useful when nobody else is around but that is not very often.
How can running a whisper quiet Honda EU10i for just 2 hours every 3 to 4 days to fully charge your batteries be called unsociable or inconsiderate?

Answering that is quite easy.  A quiet genny run considerately is not the problem.  However 'running properly' is in my experience a rarity.  The usual problem is people underestimate the power output they require and buy one that is advertised/sold as quiet and can run this that and the other appliances.  Unfortunately they run appliances that draw more power than the genny can comfortably provide and the result is 'hunting genny ' syndrome.

I have experienced the 'underpowered/over demanded' genny hunting on a few occasions, thankfully genny running is a rarity.  The worst offenders have been at Camping in the Forest sites where peace and quiet is the order of the day.....apart from the occasional bark and happy children playing which is a welcome sound these days of kids whining/screaming or stuck heads into their phones/game players.

The last instance we witnessed was another 'In the Forest' site where, as we were leaving a rather irate lady was berating the wardens to 'Please put a stop that bloody  generator that's woken me and my children every morning and been running day after day for hours, going up/down/up/down (she meant hunting) it's driving me mad and I've had enough'.  

So generators per se are not in themselves the problem......it is those using them incorrectly and inconsiderately.

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For over fifty years we lived without mains electricty hookup or generators in any of our vans and never once did we suffer because of it.

Using a combination of 12v and gas, and maybe a low power inverter for chargers etc in recent years, everything you need to live comfortably works well, as it was designed to do.

You just need to adapt your lifestyle to suit your van's environment which we found a lot easier than faffing about with umbilical mains cords or generators!

 

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ernst - 2017-10-09 11:25 AM

 

we have a bailey approach 740,it has a good solar panel but in the uk

it wont keep the battery topped up for a full weekend with heater on ect

 

I know your post is about generators, but have you explored options for reducing your power use and increasing the power storage?

I'm guessing you are talking about winter as you mention heater, a big power user can be lighting if you have halogen or filament bulbs, slightly less so for florescent, changing these to LED can greatly extend periods off grid.

How many batteries have you got, if just the one then doubling up may well be enough.

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Really interesting thread, - personally I have never got that annoyed with generators, as long as they are positioned carefully, - behind the nearest hedge, or in a ditch, failing that under the van pointing away from us, and at sensible hours, - say 10am to 4pm - then no worries.

 

A badly sited, large 2 or 3 kw generator running under load isn't a pleasant thing to be camped near for sure, comes down to consideration.

 

Using the Honda Eu10 as a battery booster, not as a generator, makes good sense, at some point we will be changing vans, and having to go through the time and cost of having solar added to the new van (again) doesn't appeal much. - Cost of 2 Solar setup's is more than 1 Honda Generator.

 

The one big draw for solar is that our van lives in a store on a farm. There is no power, and with solar I can simply leave it knowing (with caveats, understanding that it's possible to slowly discharge by not having the batteries full to start with etc) that the batteries will always be fully charged before we go out, however long we leave the van unused, - even in winter with care. With a generator I would need to go to the farm and let the generator run, or keep bringing the van back to the house and put it on hook every so often. Generally when not camping, the reason is, we are doing something else, so there is a time factor here.

 

Saying that - We are going away for 5 nights over new year, - even with my nice solar setup it wont nowhere near cover the drain in mid winter, extra heat, light's on longer TV hours etc, there is no hookup available so I am arranging with a mate to borrow his generator - which happens to be a Honda 2kw I think. See how we get on. -

 

One thing that does worry me though is having the thing stolen, not sure it's possible to chain it down while using it ? - It's a high value, portable and desirable item.

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Tall_Mike - 2017-10-10 1:02 PM

 

.. One thing that does worry me though is having the thing stolen, not sure it's possible to chain it down while using it ? - It's a high value, portable and desirable item.

 

I'd be having a poke around it, to see if you could thread a decent chain or cable lock through it somehow...and then loop it to a sturdy fence post or tree (...preferably ones that's near to your van, and not to some other poor sods'... (lol) )..

 

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thanks for everyone,s input i think a second battery may be the answer,and maybe a small geny

to charge them when needs must,

i was on a site recently were a lot of people used generators but it was during the day and i think

if you are considerate with the timing no body really mind,s,after all we are all in the same boat(mh).

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ernst - 2017-10-11 1:23 PM

 

thanks for everyone,s input i think a second battery may be the answer,and maybe a small geny

to charge them when needs must,

i was on a site recently were a lot of people used generators but it was during the day and i think

if you are considerate with the timing no body really mind,s,after all we are all in the same boat(mh).

 

Gf doesn't worry too much about them, I find even the Honda to be an irritant. A few years ago we had a bad experience at Gatcombe trials, every time we went back to van gennies where running as everyone had their own timetable to use them, not nice, we elected to drive to Minchinghampton common in the evening for a bit of peace and quiet.

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Tall Mike, A Generator Rain cover is like a mini tent, it not only keeps the generator dry, reduces noise but also provides some camouflage for security purposes.

 

 

You shouldn't need to charge batteries while in storage. Good, modern batteries shouldn't discharge over the Winter if they are isolated.

Batteries like the Varta LFD and Bosch L range stay charged for 6 months, they have one of the lowest self discharge rates of any battery.

All you need to do is fit a battery isolator to the post of the Starter battery and Habitation battery bank.

If you can a do 3 month charge it would be a good idea, but not essential.

 

The isolators in the attached photo are about £4 on eBay, they just bolt onto the battery post, very easy to fit. You isolate the battery by unscrewing the Green dial, and if you then hide that Green Dial it acts as a Theft Deterrent.

 

To recommission the vehicle just refit the Green dial and away you go.

 

 

A carefully thought out generator installation is a lot cheaper than Solar. In your post you compare two Solar installs as equal to a Honda Eu10i, but there is another factor that weighs against solar.

Most Solar installs suffer almost 100% depreciation, a Honda Eu10i will be worth nearer it's full value even after 6 years, just look at their second hand value.

 

Even with the miniscule petrol costs of running it for 2 hours every 3 days, it will be nowhere near the cost of installing Solar from scratch.

 

 

Solar output during November to the beginning of February is generally a few Ah a day on the average set-up. The time when you need most power is when Solar delivers the least.

A generator gives you 100% 365 days of the year.

 

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colin - 2017-10-11 1:38 PM

 

... A few years ago we had a bad experience at Gatcombe trials, every time we went back to van gennies where running as everyone had their own timetable to use them, not nice..

 

That's been pretty much our experience when we've encountered them.

I think that anyone who "feels" that they need one whilst camping for a few days, will probably be inclined to "feel" that they need to run it periodically, "just in case".. :-S

 

..and I certainly don't recognise Allan's " ..just 2 hours, every 3 to 4 days" pattern of usage...

(the family in the caravan we were pitched next to at a festival last year must have had theirs running most of the day, everyday! ..the only time you could guarantee it wouldn't be running was when returning to our van well after midnight!..when I asked why he needed to have it running for so long, I was just met with a dismissive "to keep me batteries charged mate".. *-)

 

.. so, nor do I recognise all this, "silent" and "whisper quiet" lark. All of the generators we've come across on "sites" have been cheapie rattle boxes..and when it comes down to it, THESE are the type of units that the vast majority of "campers" will opt for, not 900-1200 quids worth of Honda! :-S

 

 

 

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There are lots of people who drive Cars irresponsibly, dangerously and at excessive speed, but we don't attack cars as being 'bad'. The approach used is to 'educate' the minority who are inconsiderate, not ban cars from being used by all.

 

Irresponsible use takes place with everything from kitchen knives to loud stereos. Generators are not unique in this respect.

 

 

Isn't highlighting that all generators are not the same, a better starting point than labelling them all as a machine from Hell?

 

 

Motorhomes are not designed to carry a battery bank of 520Ah and 500wats of Solar, just as they are not designed to have 3 extra 600 litre Water tanks added.

 

Keeping the Motorhome close to standard and carrying your own portable EHU with you is much closer to what the designer envisaged.

A Motorhome that has not been altered, is worth more and is generally more desirable.

One that has a string of electrical bodges is a generally a nightmare for the next owner.

 

A well set-up generator based solution is a more cost effective way, in almost every aspect than making modifications for extra batteries, Inverters, Solar panels, B2B's, etc.

 

One Motorhome we saw a couple of months ago was a mess of electrical changes, all 'professionally' fitted. The owner had not even considered that a small economical generator would have provided an alternative to all he wanted.

He had spent thousands on a Stirling B2B, a 300watt Solar set-up, 3,000 watt Inverter and 4 big batteries. The weight of it all must have been close on 200kg off his payload?

The batteries had a life of just 2 years because of the Inverter use, which is a running cost of £150 times 4 = £600 every two years.

He had so far gone through one Alternator at £380. In four years his running costs were £980.

 

 

If he had kept the van standard, he would have saved nearly £4,000 for all the additions, yet a Honda Eu10i would have done all he asked in the situations he used the Motorhome.

 

While he might have spent a 'few bob' on petrol, I am pretty sure that a decent set-up wouldn't have used £980 worth in 4 years!! Plus he will lose almost all the £4,000 when he sells the vehicle.

 

All that versus a Honda Eu10i at £800 that holds it's value and goes with you to the next vehicle. Virtually zero depreciation.

 

The 'Accessory' marketing machine has done a fantastic job in persuading Motorhome owners there is no other Alternative to 'Off Grid' than Solar, Inverters, big batteries and Stirling B2b's, etc.

 

Well there is, and it costs a lot less than 'Free Solar'.

 

 

 

I will now put on the Body Armour as well as Grandad's Tin Hat.

 

 

 

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