Generators again

[emiller]

Has anyone checked into the Craftsman 2000 watt generator set
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1260 ... generators
seams to have good reviews.

[mikeschn]

We finally fired up our little 1200 watt generator this weekend (because we lost power while working on the teardrop).

My reaction is, "that is too noisy for a campground".

So I am back to thinking about batteries and a solar panel.

Mike...

[MOKI SEAKER]

I also have a 1200watt genset. I think I could only use it in the backwoods when no one else is around ( to charge the battery's) it is nosiey enough to scare off the snakes and other bad critters. Jim G

[Alphacarina]

The Craftsman isn't an 'inverter/generator' so that means it runs at a constant 3600 RPM's - Probably a little noisy for campground useage

Don

[kartvines]

I bought one of those small 1200 watt generator, 2 cycle loud, but it is my opinion that I will only use it during the day to recharge my battery if needed, and being it only runs a few hour on a tank of mixed fuel, that is all that it is good for, I will admit that I have dragged it out a couple of time when I wanted to run my hand tools and I did not want to drag a cord. the are very loud, but I think they are tolerable noise wise during the afternoon.

I would never consider running it for anything else and it cost only a hundred bucks

[Arne]

A high quality gen runs at 1,800 rpm... cheapies run at 3,600... the honda uses both, depending on load, but is well muffled...

At campgrounds, you usually don't need it... when there is no power and big rigs are there, they will run their gens all night..

[Alphacarina]

A high quality gen runs at 1,800 rpm... cheapies run at 3,600... the honda uses both, depending on load, but is well muffled...

The 'quality' doesn't have much to do with it at all

I'm not aware of any small 4 pole (1800 RPM) aircooled generators made by anyone . . . . probably because most small aircooled single or twin cylinder engines only produce about a third as much power at 1800 RPM as they do at their designed speed of 3600 RPM

Honda (and others) do make inverter/generators which generate 3 phase AC, rectify it to DC and use that to power a 60Hz inverter so that the engine can run at only the speed needed to achieve the desired output - The speed is completely variable . . . . at low loads the engine runs at a fast idle and increases speed as the load increases

Larger, heavy duty generators do come in the 4 pole variety, running at 1800 RPM, but they use considerably larger engines than their 3600 RPM counterparts. My home standby genset is a 16KW unit, which would probably use about a 25 HP 2 cylinder aircooled engine if it was a 3600 RPM unit, but mine is a 2.7 liter Mitsubishi watercooled 4 cylinder . . . . which makes about 30 HP at 1800 but it would probably be rated at 90 HP or so at 3600 RPM - As you can see, 1800 RPM ain't the cheap way to make electricity

If anyone knows of any small, lightweight, aircooled 1800 RPM gensets, post a link - I wouldn't mind finding something like that myself

Don

[Arne]

There are other manufacturers of generators, too. Be careful in your selection to find a machine that runs at 1800 RPM in generator mode. Many run at 3600 RPM all the time. There are other gasoline-powered, 1800-RPM, industrial-quality just-plain-generators available, and they will usually be powered by Onan, Kohler, Wisconsin Robin, or possibly Briggs & Stratton “I/C” Series engines. Onan makes an excellent 4.5 kilowatt unit designed for mobile applications, like utility vehicles and motorhomes. It is well suited to permanent installation, and sells for about $2600. . . . and better diesels

But there’s always a catch. The catch is that diesel-powered generators in the small sizes required by the average homestead are expensive. Onan has recently introduced several versions of small diesel generators. They come in sizes from 4.5 KW on up, and are powered by Onan or Kubota engines, depending on the model. They all run at a leisurely 1800 RPM.

Our local generator dealer says that he doesn’t even stock diesel generators any more, because people are so blown away by the prices that they run to their nearest discount store to drop $2000 or more for a garden-variety, light-duty, 3600 RPM gasoline-powered generator of the self-destruct persuasion.

[Q]

Every generator is too loud for my camping style. Even the little Honda inverter units are annoying when camping in a quiet place, as I always do. Solar panel/battery/inverter is the way to go if it fits your needs.

Q

[mikeschn]

Q,

What size inverter do you use?

Mike...

Every generator is too loud for my camping style. Even the little Honda inverter units are annoying when camping in a quiet place, as I always do. Solar panel/battery/inverter is the way to go if it fits your needs.

Q

[dguff]

Every generator is too loud for my camping style. Even the little Honda inverter units are annoying when camping in a quiet place, as I always do. Solar panel/battery/inverter is the way to go if it fits your needs.

Q

I agree with Q

Jerome

[Alphacarina]

Every generator is too loud for my camping style. Even the little Honda inverter units are annoying when camping in a quiet place, as I always do. Solar panel/battery/inverter is the way to go if it fits your needs

I agree as well - What size inverter and battery runs your air conditioner . . . . and how many solar panels does it take to get it ready for a second night?

Don

[Arne]

I have little problem running the gen when I need to.. at night, if the a/c is on, I hardly notice it.... I don't use it at night for the heater, I add another blanket.. and when I need the microwave, or whatever, I just run it for the period I need it....

Over the 2 weeks in Gettysburg, I burned 6 gallons of gas, or about a 1/2 gallon per day, average... some nights it did run all night with the a/c, but I had big rigs around me who were also running theirs.. biggest problem was diesel smell from some when the wind blew the wrong way.

[bdosborn]

Has anyone checked into the Craftsman 2000 watt generator set
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1260 ... generators
seams to have good reviews.

Eddie,
Don's right, that generator will be too loud to use with anyone else around. They don't even publish a sound level for it on the web site so that's probably an indication that it will be loud. I'd look at the Champion generator from Checker or any of the other big auto part stores. The guys on RV.net are buying them - they're not as quiet as a Honda but they're about a third the price. Heck even Cabelas carries them now. Check out the specs, its a good starting point to compare to other generators. I've seen the 2000W Champion go for $200.
Bruce

[bdosborn]

Eddie,

I've got one of these:yamaha EF1000ISC

Its very quiet and it will run a Petcool but not a windowshaker. Works great for battery charging on those cloudy days. I got mine used on ebay for about $400. Ran it for 6 hours over Labor day to charge my battery (I was parked in the shade) and a friend's. It only used about half a tank of gas.
Bruce