Generator question

[rgrugg]

I'm probably going to buy a Honda 2000 watt generator. I'm planning on doing some primitive camping. Because I use a cpap overnight I'll need to keep my battery charged. Which is more efficient: charging through the converter or connecting directly to the battery? I also am thinking about a propane kit for the generator. Anybody know about or have experience with those? Thanks

[Darwin Maring]

Last year BJs wholesale had a small 4 cycle generator for sale that would keep your battery charged. It will not run your air conditioner but I doubt the Honda 2000 would either and it will save you allot of money.


http://www.bjs.com/powermate-gas-por....286752?dimId=


I'm going to purchase one this year.

[Yvon Chayer]

Charging through the converter is the best , if you charge your battery direct to the generator you have only 8 amps
If you charge through the converter you have the full capacity of you converter

[Timber Wolf]

If you are talking about the going from the 12V receptacle on the Honda straight to the battery then the converter is probably best, if you have a decent charging converter that is. A separate "smart" battery charger plugged into the Honda may be better still. I happen to have the Honda 2k genny, and a small, light battery charger and would go that way unless I wanted to also use 120V power in the trailer while charging. I hope my solar keeps up and I never have to use the genny for battery charging.

[FlaGman]

I have the Honda 2000 with a propane conversion kit from propanecarbs.com. It will run my 13,500 btu Mach 8 air conditioner, at least here at sea level. It will also run on natural gas which I already have at home, so makes an excellent emergency back up generator for the house. It is easy to transport, quiet, and powerful enough for my needs.

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by rgrugg

I'm probably going to buy a Honda 2000 watt generator. I'm planning on doing some primitive camping. Because I use a cpap overnight I'll need to keep my battery charged. Which is more efficient: charging through the converter or connecting directly to the battery? I also am thinking about a propane kit for the generator. Anybody know about or have experience with those? Thanks

Bob, your profile indicates you have an Escape 19 but it also lists Egg Camper. If you have an Escape and it has an A/C, the A/C is a Dometic Penguin 11,000 BTU unit. The Honda will run it, but if you have the built in surge protector, you will have to either switch the surge protector off or fool it into thinking the generator is grounded. There are threads on the Escape Owners Forum that will explain how to do this.


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[Jack L]

Propane does offer some advantages, but to generate electricity you need horsepower and an engine running on propane has less power than the same engine running on gasoline. Going up in elevation also reduces horsepower on any gasoline or propane engine. A 2000W generator converted to propane and operating at 8000 feet in elevation will no longer produce 2000W.

[honda03842]

Originally Posted by rgrugg

I'm probably going to buy a Honda 2000 watt generator. I'm planning on doing some primitive camping. Because I use a cpap overnight I'll need to keep my battery charged. Which is more efficient: charging through the converter or connecting directly to the battery? I also am thinking about a propane kit for the generator. Anybody know about or have experience with those? Thanks

We bought a Honda Generator, a Honda 1000 for our trip to Newfoundland. Our goal is not to run an air conditioner (certainly not in Newfoundland) but to have a source of AC power. Our 100 watt solar panel keeps the battery charged. Of course when the generator is running it will charge the battery thru the converter.

We choose the 1000 because we still want to be able to lift it with ease when we're 85.

In support of buying the Honda 2000, two different dealers did not have the 1000 in stock. They both stated that the small difference in price, everyone buys the Honda 2000.

[Carl Pa]

I just recently bought the 2000 Smart tools Gen. It has the Yamaha motor in it. They also advertise that fact with point of sale material attached. The motor is stamped yamaha from factory. It has all the options that come with gen. Gas shut off, 12v cables alligator clips, so on. It cost $600.00. I did not use it yet. I am hoping to use it soon. It weighs 47 lbs. It won`t run my air but on those days i will seek out an electric site in a campground. Carl

[Yvon Chayer]

Me to , i have 2000 w honda and it run my coleman 9200 btu AC and also my microwave
A 1000 watts make the job to charge battery but a 2000 watts for spare power , power tool etc
, rv and home is a great thing

[rgrugg]

I don't expect to use it for ac. I no longer have the EggCamper but do have the Escape 19. I thought about solar but decided that wouldn't work well in the woods or after dark.


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[Casita Greg]

Originally Posted by Darwin Maring

Last year BJs wholesale had a small 4 cycle generator for sale that would keep your battery charged. It will not run your air conditioner but I doubt the Honda 2000 would either and it will save you allot of money.


http://www.bjs.com/powermate-gas-por....286752?dimId=


I'm going to purchase one this year.

My Honda 2000 runs my A/C just fine.

[Mike Magee]

Originally Posted by Darwin Maring

Last year BJs wholesale had a small 4 cycle generator for sale that would keep your battery charged. It will not run your air conditioner but I doubt the Honda 2000 would either and it will save you allot of money.


http://www.bjs.com/powermate-gas-por....286752?dimId=


I'm going to purchase one this year.

71 decibels? That thing is loud! Ok if you are alone in the boondocks, but in a CG the other campers won't appreciate it.

[Darwin Maring]

In a campground, just plug into the available power.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Darwin Maring

In a campground, just plug into the available power.

That is assuming that all campgrounds have power.... here for example few of our Provincial campgrounds do.

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by Darwin Maring

In a campground, just plug into the available power.

Not all campgrounds have power and not all sites in all campgrounds have power either. Just ask some of the folks camped this passed weekend at the Spring NOG.

[War Eagle]

Ditto others. Our little Honda 2000 generator runs our EggCamper's air conditioner just fine when needed. Dale

[KenjiFox]

My all time favorite generator is this;
IG800W

I have the re-branded version;
IG800W2

This thing is awesome. It runs my 5,300 BTU and 5,000 BTU AC units just fine, as well as all the other things I want to run in my Scamp. Best of all, it's darn near Honda quiet, it's pure sine wave, and it only weighs like 23 lbs. You just can't beat this.
It is sold out at the moment for the re-brand one, but look for a price of about $250.

Of note, if you get one of these do NOT fill it with the amount of oil they tell you to.
It is dead wrong. Start with 200cc of oil and then check with the dipstick where it is, or visually look and fill it until it just touches the bottom threads for the fill port. NO MORE. If you look at reviews of these on Amazon you will see people talking about it blowing smoke and quitting. They overfilled it, no exceptions.

I tested it and got the same result.

Anyway for those who need supplemental power but don't want to have to wear ear plugs/ piss off other campers, there's nothing better IMO. And I doubt if it will ever be too heavy for anyone. My girlfriend can pick it up without issue, and she's tiny.

[KenjiFox]

Oh I forgot to mention, you should charge through your power converter in almost all cases. For example, on the generator I just posted the 12v out is both unregulated, meaning with eco mode off the voltage is higher, and that if you leave it connected too long it will not stop charging which is bad. As well as limited to only 4 amps. that means it's putting out less than 1/10th the power that way.

If you have a nice power converter with multiple stage charging definitely use that on the 120v out of the generator.

[Bill Nolen]

I have owned a 2000 w Honda Generator for several years. Never had a bit of trouble with it, and it is quite for a generator.

However, if keeping my Scamp's battery charged was my only interest....I'd just hook up my auto to the trailer and let the auto's alternator charge the battery rather quickly. The auto;s alternator will charge a battery much faster than an generator I have owned,

Bill