martin4310 Posted August 13, 2018 Share Posted August 13, 2018 I am new to Motorhoming and was thinking about getting a Generator to keep batteries charged up and run computer and bits while were are wild camping. The Van is fitted with a solar panel, I assume that is enough to keep the batteries top up. So the Question what sort of Generator and what sort of power output will I need to run the Motorhome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sshortcircuit Posted August 13, 2018 Share Posted August 13, 2018 First is to calculate your energy needs then decide if you need a generator. An extra leisure battery may be sufficient. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted August 13, 2018 Share Posted August 13, 2018 Without knowing what panel you have and what power you use it's not easy to give any advise, what I can tell you is we have no need of a generator for a large part of year as driving the van and/or solar keeps the batteries topped up. I would note one thing, I run a netbook from a 12v adaptor/charger, this appears to be much more efficient than a 230v charger as there is little warming of the charger compared to 230v one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stvekay Posted August 14, 2018 Share Posted August 14, 2018 martin4310 - 2018-08-13 7:54 PM I am new to Motorhoming and was thinking about getting a Generator to keep batteries charged up and run computer and bits while were are wild camping. The Van is fitted with a solar panel, I assume that is enough to keep the batteries top up. So the Question what sort of Generator and what sort of power output will I need to run the Motorhome I have been looking into this purley for winter off grid camping, my thread is somewhere below. Before I started looking I thought a generator was a generator. I looked at an inverter one from screwfix £169.00 9.5kg. Honda £800 apprx 12.5kg. Screw fix reviews were mixed re noise. I haven't read reviews on Honda. I would only ever use it if completely alone so the only person it would be annoying is me. When people have used one near me the "quiet"buzzing drives me mad. Still not sure what to do. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will86 Posted August 14, 2018 Share Posted August 14, 2018 I bought one years ago then found it was not necessary so quickly removed it and adjusted my stopovers accordingly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted August 14, 2018 Share Posted August 14, 2018 Unless someone was living full time, totally off grid (stationary in the woods etc) and/or had a really pressing "need" for reliable back up power- eg a professional photographer, out in the wilds and needing to constantly recharge umpteen camera and laptop batteries for work etc?(in which case it'd probably be a 1000 quid plus *Honda genny anyway?), then I'd say just manage your usage and factor in a "campsite" with EHU every 3-4 days.. Most folk will be needing to take on water and dump water/waste by then anyway, and probably do some washing at some point, so why scrat about playing at being Ranulph Fiennes, by avoiding an equipped camping location, just for the sake of it. You'll be "holidaying" in mainland Europe, not crossing the Mongolian Steppe ;-) (* some time back I did post up a link to a company that sold refurb'd Honda gennys...but I've just had a quick look online and nothing looks familiar..) I would certainly steer clear of any of the cheapie "Honda look-a-likes" (..." but it's only a few dBs louder than the Honda...." Oh dear! *-) ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevec176 Posted August 14, 2018 Share Posted August 14, 2018 Another thing to remember is the extra weight you'll have to haul around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted August 14, 2018 Share Posted August 14, 2018 martin4310 - 2018-08-13 7:54 PM I am new to Motorhoming and was thinking about getting a Generator to keep batteries charged up and run computer and bits while were are wild camping. The Van is fitted with a solar panel, I assume that is enough to keep the batteries top up. So the Question what sort of Generator and what sort of power output will I need to run the Motorhome I suspect you'll run out of water or the cassette will need emptying before the battery runs flat, if its in good condition :-S ......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgnbuk Posted August 15, 2018 Share Posted August 15, 2018 I recently purchased a Lidl Parkside Inverter generator as insurance for a no facilities (i.e. a field) long weekend - I had experienced habitation battery charging issues while abroad which couldn't be investigated prior to going away. Having a van with an electrically operated drop-down bed & table and a flat habitation battery is not great, so a backup plan seemed like a good idea. I already had one of the 650W two stroke generators but was wary of using it on a modern van that is still under warranty, as the output voltage on these is not supposed to be that stable. The Lidl unit is a 4 stroke, compact (about 400mm square side to side by 450 deep to the handle) and light at 13.5kg fuelled & oiled (7Kg lighter than the two stroke unit). The same unit is badged by other manufacturers, including Hyundai. Noise levels when I tried it were similar to the two stoke unit -maybe a bit harsher as, unlike the two stroke that is governed to 3000 rpm regardless of load to get 50Hz, the inverter unit revs higher with increasing load. It is not quiet - while I didn't need to use mine on site, there was another van (about 25 metres away, downwind, with the generator behind a windbreak) using one of the same type & it was noticable inside our closed-up van when it was running - not particularly annoying & the user was considerate in when it was used, but still noticable. The biggest issue I found, though, is with petrol fumes while it is being transported. I carried it in the garage, wrapped in a plastic bag inside its original box which was wrapped in two bin bags. The carburettor had been run dry & petrol turned off, but there was a smell of petrol in the garage on arrival on site. As the wardrobe is above the garage & turns out not to be well sealed from it, there was a also a (less strong) smell of petrol here as well. This style of generator does not have a closeable breather in the fuel filler cap and the tank breaths through the cap all the time. The cap doesn't leak liquid petrol, but it does allow vapours to pass. The suitcase style units have a closeable vent on the filler cap to help stop this, though I don't know effective this is. I am currently looking for a snap-top storage container of suitable dimensions to carry it, though it is still possible that the fumes will permeate the walls of the container (plastic vehicle fuel tanks are a multi-layer construction with a membrane to stop vapour loss). Nigel B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weldted Posted August 15, 2018 Share Posted August 15, 2018 I fitted an onboard LPG generator to my 2003 Bessacar 765 in 2005, transferred it to my 2008 765. In 2012 changed van generator still on work bench. Have 300 watts of solar panels via. Voltronic 350 Mppt regulator. This takes care of most of our needs. Also have a 2000 watt ps wave inverter connected to my ENGINE battery, this I can use to run the onboard charger as well as the ses fridge when driving. Generator had only run 176 hours from new found in practise it wasn't worth the extra, weight expense and effort to fit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted May 7, 2020 Share Posted May 7, 2020 The last posting above is from a Manchester-based forum member who registered on this forum in late-April and has recently posted on the Chatterbox former under the kuriisenbo user-ID (and under the ivashevyaropo user-ID) . Their modus operandi is to resurrect an old thread and comment on it, presumably in the hope that this will provoke a response. I’ve frozen this thread and shall report both user-IDs to the forum Administrator as spammers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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