Portable gennies

[flicka]

I realise this is a love or hate topic, but I don't want to provoke arguements for & against their use.

 

We need a Portable Generator for use on sites where EHU is not available, to charge my wife's Electric Wheelchair batteries.

 

I have explored the Solar Panel route & it is simply not a suitable option for 24v Batteries.

 

I've curently been looking at:-

 

Honda EU10i Petrol Suitcase Generator @ 54db (? Load)

 

Hyundai HY1000Si 1kw Digital Inverter Generator @ 58Db (no load)

 

Yamaha Portable Generator EF1000IS: Silent Portable Power @47 to 57db

 

SDMO Booster 2000 Inverter Generator @69db (full load)

 

Clarke IG1000 1kW Inverter Generator @ 64db (1/4 load)

 

Clarke IG2200 2.2kW Inverter Generator @ ?db

 

The Clarke Generators (Machine Mart) are very competitive & appear to be very similar to the Honda/ Hyundai / Yamaha models, but there are very few reviews available on-line.

 

Comments for or against any models by owners / past users would be appreciated.

 

[colin]

flicka - 2012-03-23 8:30 PM

 

I have explored the Solar Panel route & it is simply not a suitable option for 24v Batteries.

 

 

 

I can understand that Solar may not be suitable for charging the wheelcair batteries due to them being in use and therefore being disconnected when panels are producing best charge, or even not being able to produce enough charge at a sensible cost for panels, but theres plenty of options for 24v solar charging.

[flicka]

Hi Colin

I should have explained the Solar Panel situation better.

It is as you say, when the Panel is producing, the Wheelchair will be in use.

When the Wheelchair batteries want charging, the Sun's gone down.

 

BUT - that does not mean I intend running Genny late at night.

[Guest peter]

You could always fit another battery with a solar panel and charge the wheelchair batteries at night through a small inverter. That way the habitation batteries get charged during the day to supply you with the power you need at night. Job done. :D

[kenso_ukyahoo.co.uk]

Hi, Would it not be easier to buy spare battery/s and then change over as required when charged.

[Guest peter]

Have you seen the price of traction batteries.

[Syd]

 

In most cases these batteries are difficult to remove also being well protected from accidental damage

[hallii]

I charge my two electric bike batteries at night from my 600w inverter. My two 80 Ah gel lesiure batteries hardly notice, my meter reads about a 1volt drop from 13.5 to 12.5v.

 

There is still plenty to run my TV and lights etc. and the solar panels will charge the leisure batteries back up by tea time.

 

All this assumes the sun will shine!

 

Charging wheelchair batteries is a reasonable use for a genny, and I can't see anyone objecting to that.

 

However, I have just got back from a trip "down south" and was subjected to 4 hours for the two evenings I stayed at a CL site of non stop generator noise. I suppose the 40" TV and microwave take a bit of current!

 

As to what to buy, it must surely be the quietest? they all quote noise levels in Db so a comparison should be possible.

 

H

[ips]

I have a Clarke 1000 investor not used it much to be honest but when i have its been very good. Also very light and quiet. Think i paid around 250 from cpc on my company account. Defo recomend them oh and seems very well built.

[Brian Kirby]

John.

 

How many Ah do you need to get into the wheelchair battery/ies to fully charge it/them?

 

Seems a useful place to start.

[Corky 8]

Hi Flicka,

We bought a Honda EU20i and had it converted to propane, so we didn't have to carry Petrol around with us,I know its bigger than what you stated but I find it doesn't labour when were connected to it/under load, so it tends to be a bit quieter and it has been alright up to now running on auto-gas,( which I,m given to understand is a propane butane mixture,??.)  we have 2 x 11kg gaslow cylinders,   We went for Honda purely for the reliability factor.

[Mike B.]

flicka - 2012-03-23 8:30 PM

 

I realise this is a love or hate topic, but I don't want to provoke arguements for & against their use.

 

We need a Portable Generator for use on sites where EHU is not available, to charge my wife's Electric Wheelchair batteries.

 

I have explored the Solar Panel route & it is simply not a suitable option for 24v Batteries.

 

I've curently been looking at:-

 

Honda EU10i Petrol Suitcase Generator @ 54db (? Load)

 

Hyundai HY1000Si 1kw Digital Inverter Generator @ 58Db (no load)

 

Yamaha Portable Generator EF1000IS: Silent Portable Power @47 to 57db

 

SDMO Booster 2000 Inverter Generator @69db (full load)

 

Clarke IG1000 1kW Inverter Generator @ 64db (1/4 load)

 

Clarke IG2200 2.2kW Inverter Generator @ ?db

 

The Clarke Generators (Machine Mart) are very competitive & appear to be very similar to the Honda/ Hyundai / Yamaha models, but there are very few reviews available on-line.

 

Comments for or against any models by owners / past users would be appreciated.

 

 

I've got a Clarke IG1000 bought from Machine Mart and it has worked perfectly from day one. I suppose it is a bit noisier than some of the Hondas but it isn't a problem.

The one problem I did have was, if I had the TV on with the old Status aerial, I had to move the gennie away from the van or I got interferance on the screen. Don't get this problem with the satelite though.

Are you ok weight-wise? They are not the lightest on the market.- Otherwise no problems

 

Mike

[Merle]

Without doubt if cost is not a consideration the Honda is the way to go, 5 year warranty if serviced by an approved dealer. I have a Hyundai which is a couple of kilos heavier than the Honda and a little noisier but not much in reality which comes with a 3 year warranty but dealers are thin on the ground. Size wise again the Honda is a touch smaller but very little in it. The big difference is the cost, Hoda rrp around £700, Hyundai about 1/2 that. As a matter of interest the Hyundai 1000 copes with our microwave without any problem and if using it for battery charging can be set to on a low load setting when it is quite quiet, I have never used it to run the TV simply because we are happy to sit and read. Merle

[flicka]

Hi all, thanks for the info so far.

Lookingat this in more depth, I think I need the larger models to give me the Amperes needed.

 

Syd

Not a problem to remove the Batteries (when you have the instructions) on my wife's chair.

 

Brian

Batteries are 2 x 24v x 44Ah, Charger (dual outlet) is rated at 6Amp max output.

So I guess from fully discharges, approx 14/15 hours for full recharge.

But they have a very good range (50km/30m) & they do regenerate when going downhill (similar to KERS system on F1 cars) so I don't envisage needing to fully recharge daily.

Motor output is 240w normal running, 750w peak running.

 

Corky

The LPG kit for the Honda's are shown as being for Propane on the sites I have viewed. So should not be a problem, but it does make the Honda's even more B****dy expensive against the other makes.

[Robinhood]

flicka - 2012-03-24 8:59 PM

 

Hi all, thanks for the info so far.

Lookingat this in more depth, I think I need the larger models to give me the Amperes needed.

 

 

 

....I don't follow this?

 

The DC output of (say) the Honda EU10i is limited to 8amps, but as this is a 12V DC rating, you are unlikely to be using it for charging 24V batteries.

 

I would assume you will be using a standard mains charger, which, if the output is 6amps at a nominal 24V, is only 144W output.

 

Even allowing for gross inefficiency in the charger, there is nothing here to challenge the continuous rating of the EU10i of 900W at 230V.(near enough 4 amps)

 

Have you got a 230V input rating for your charger (I wouldn't expect it to be particularly high). Alternatively, it should probably be fitted with a protection fuse in the input side - I can't really see that being more than 2 amp. (My 16amp 12V charger on the 'van, for instance, is rated at 250W input, 86% efficiency, and protected at 2 amps on the mains input)

[flicka]

Hi Robin

I'm still trying to get my head together on this, as it's a German origin mains charger.

Details on Charger are:-

TYP 6Amp, UE 230V AC 50Hz Ue 115V 60Hz, U 24V ---, Battery type OPEN/GEL/AMG 10 - 50 Ah, Pnenn 174VA

Mains Amps does not show on the unit or in the literature, but plug has a 3A Fuse.

 

I assumed max charge rate 6Ah @ 24V, so 2 x 44Ah Batteries would require 88Ah divided by the 6A. giving a 14/15hour full charging time.

 

The Honda EU10i shows an output of 900w & I understood this to be just less than 4A ????????????

Kva: 1.0, Rated Watts: 900, Voltage: 230V / 12V DC, Engine HP: 1.8

 

The Honda EU20i shows an output of 1600w & I understood this to be 7A

Kva: 2.2, Rated Watts: 1600, Voltage: 230V / 12V DC, Engine HP: 5.5

 

i.e. dividing Watts by Volts to give Amps.

 

Any help appreciated.

[Robinhood]

John,

 

the EU10i is rated at nearly 4 amps at 230V (i.e. a 900W continuous output)

 

If it is (plug) fused at 3 amp (not surprisingly as this is the "standard" plug fuse for low-demand items), it cannot draw more than 3 amps at 230V without blowing the fuse.

 

It will draw much less than that.

 

The charger appears to be rated at 6 amps at a nominal 24V (really somewhat higher to provide an appropriate charging voltage - let's assume 27V) so the max output is 162W (not far from the Pnenn figure, which I suspect is really the max output).

 

The charger will probably convert and transform the input voltage/current to the output demand at someting greater than 80%, but if we take this as being the benchmark, then the output of 162W relates to an input of 162/.80W, which is 202.5W.

 

This means that the EU10i is more than 4 times the ouptut you require.

 

Now there are some (very realistic) assumptions in there, but the margin is huge. (and the fuse in the plug is the real limiting factor)

 

Essentially, you need to work out the wattage on the output side, convert to to a wattage on the input side (at a nominal 80% efficeiency) and Bob's your uncle. Believe me, 900W is easily enough.

 

[flicka]

Thanks for the explanation, Robin.

That means I can look again at all the lower output models.

 

If I go with the Honda EU10i I can save myself around £400 & 9kg, being the difference in price & weight between the Honda EU10i & EU20i models

[lennyhb]

If you don't want to annoy the neighbours too much it has to be the Honda, every 6db increase is double the noise.

[Guest peter]

Why not look at Kipor, they are very good and are Honda copies at way less than half the price. I've got the 2600watt version, which is bigger than you need, and me as well as it happens, so I'm going to sell it on fleabay and get the 1Kw one.

[BGD]

For what it's worth, I heard a Honda "10i" ( I think that's what it's called....it's the 1kw version) suitcase generator in the flesh whilst wildcamping a couple of weeks ago.

 

Relative to any other genny I've heard it was MUCH, I mean MUCH less noisy to my ear.

 

I was very impressed with it.

Under load the revs, and thus noise, go up, but still I thought it was a LOT quieter than any other genny that the owner has made me suffer, by operating it within 300 metres of us.

 

If noise - as in, not getting brake fluid or dog poo thrown over your van by neighbours who've been driven to utter distraction by the constant noise - is an important consideration, then these Honda gennies seem to me to be the way to go..........at a high purchase price of course though!

[cerro]

I had a Kippor 2.0 It was heavey didnt always start first time was noisy, so i sold it and bought a honda 10i and the differance is unbelevable very quiet starts fist time very light, very good bit of kit , you gets what you pay for.