Bill,
Most AE (alternate energy) setups incorporate a generator as a
secondary source of power to supplement the solar or wind system. I'm
not sure that one of those Honda generators is cheaper than solar, but
it's cheaper than a LOT of solar and a LOT of battery storage. (enough
to take care of all contingincies)
I believe that those generators have a 12VDC output, which will be much
more suitable for battery charging than using the 12VAC into a standard
converter (UniVolt). As discussed here many times, most converters are
very poor at battery charging, so you'd have to run the generator for
hours on end to recharge a depeleted battery bank. If you're serious
about boondocking, you should wire in a 12VDC connector to hook up the
generator for battery charging. Use wire of #10 in size. Alternatively,
invest in a good 3-stage charger and power it from the 12VAC from the
genset.
<<Jim>>
Bill Scott wrote:
>
> Joy, IMHO, using a small Honda generator, with a weight of 29 lbs, an
> output of 1000 watts, and a noise level of 57 db, would be PERFECT for
> most boondocking situations. This generator would just keep your
> batteries charged. It is lighter and cheaper than solar, and it can run
> , in any weather, day or nite. Since 60 db is the sound level of
> normal speech, 57db is the sound level of a bedroom, at night.
> That's quiet! As a matter of fact, you could probably buy two of those
> generators, for the price of all those batteries, solar panels,
> regulators, and hooking up. A small quiet generator, is the best
> alternative idea for our lack of power. If you need more "Juice",
> Honda also makes a 3000 watt generator, that is only 58 db in noise
> level ( close to a soft whisper) which will run an Air Conditioner, and
> a micro wave oven, and charge your batteries. Alas, it is quite
> expensive, about, $1800. I truely admire solar panels, and all that
> they do, but they are limited, and a "Quiet", lightweight generator,
> that puts out clean inverter technology, computer quality power is a
> real alternative for us boondockers.
>
> -
--
<<http://www.oldengine.org/members/jdunmyer>>
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<<lower SE Michigan, USA>>
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