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Submitted: Tuesday, May 01, 2007 at 15:46

geralee@tadaust.org.

we are looking to buy a generator to take with us , my husband has a cpap machine and we would like to keep out of caravan parks as much as we can, can generators be used in many places , i believe they are banned in national parks but are there places they can be used .
ThreadID: 44973 Replies: 8
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AnswerID: 237144   Submitted: Tuesday, May 01, 2007 at 15:51

Member - Troll 81 (QLD) replied:

are you planning on running anything else of the generator? if not then a invertor might be a better option. Those machines can't use that much power and a geni might be a overkill

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Reply 1 of 8
FollowupID: 498320   Submitted: Tuesday, May 01, 2007 at 23:40

disco1942 posted:

Some CPAP machines are heavy on power, especially if they have a humidifier as well. A neighbour of mine is using one that is too power hungry to run from a 100S/H battery with an 80W solar pane. He is not prepared to get a 12V model and so has decided to only stay in caravan parks.

PeterD
FollowUp 1 of 1
AnswerID: 237154   Submitted: Tuesday, May 01, 2007 at 16:19

geralee@tadaust.org. replied:

possibly a tv occassionly air con in summer, we have a battery system so dont need lights .
Reply 2 of 8
AnswerID: 237155   Submitted: Tuesday, May 01, 2007 at 16:24

ross replied:

I never heard of them being banned in national parks. I have stayed in camping areas where they have to be turned off at 9pm.
It maybe easier/cheaper to buy a portable cpap that can run off a 12v battery.
Reply 3 of 8
FollowupID: 498168   Submitted: Tuesday, May 01, 2007 at 16:38

Member - Cruiser (NSW) posted:

"I never heard of them being banned in national parks. I have stayed in camping areas where they have to be turned off at 9pm."

What planet have you been living on ?

I may be wrong, but I dont think there is a state in Australia that allows generators to be used in their National Parks, and if there is that state would be in the minority.

Generators simply dont fit into the equation as far as National Parks operators are concerned.

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FollowUp 1 of 6
FollowupID: 498214   Submitted: Tuesday, May 01, 2007 at 18:55

ross posted:

Well I guess Ive been to a few more planets than you .

I just went and searched and it seems different parks have different rules
For eg Fraser Island says they must be under 65 decibels ,other parks have time limits and others have a complete ban.

I imagine the more islolated the park is the more acceptable generators are.
FollowUp 2 of 6
FollowupID: 498229   Submitted: Tuesday, May 01, 2007 at 19:36

Member - Cruiser (NSW) posted:

Did I or did I not say "and if there is that state would be in the minority".

Fair enough, you have found 1 park in Qld that allows them under certain conditions, namely being, and I quote "Generators no louder than 65 decibels can only be used in informal beach camping". The NPWS of QLD go on to say that generators are not allowed in formal camp sites on Fraser Island.

The fact still remains that the vast majority (closer to 100%) of NP in Australia do not allow generators and your original reply would give the original poster the impression that its OK in any NP in Australia.

Now if they went out and used a generator based on your advice and were subsequently fined and then sent the fine to you because you misinformed them, are you going to pay the fine for them.

I thought not.

People ask questions here and expect to get factual information in response.

1 park that you have found out about (and it wasn't the park they asked about, it was a general inquiry about all parks in this fair land) does not make for a factual reply.

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FollowUp 3 of 6
FollowupID: 498300   Submitted: Tuesday, May 01, 2007 at 22:25

BennyGU posted:

Another three places (or planets): that allow them
Great Sandy Nat Park (between 7am - 9pm) - Teewah Beach and inland
Mt Mee National Park
Sundown National Park

Surely we can find a few more...........wonder if pluto will get classified as this time?
FollowUp 4 of 6
FollowupID: 498318   Submitted: Tuesday, May 01, 2007 at 23:34

ross posted:

Well you are wrong and on top of what BennyGU found I have found another half a dozen or so that allow generators before I got sick of looking.

I suspect the rules may change with the small ultra quiet generators becoming more common.
I think that answers the originator of the post adequately: )

For gods sake Cruiser, pull your underwear down before you choke yourselfLOL

FollowUp 5 of 6
FollowupID: 498357   Submitted: Wednesday, May 02, 2007 at 08:24

Member - Cruiser (NSW) posted:

OK, concider my head pulled in and my undies pulled down, but I still say that what you are finding is the exception and not the rule.

Enjoy your gennies, I will stick to my solar.

We all have different interpretations of different situations and its best left there. End of discussion, truce, OK. Its just not worth it


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FollowUp 6 of 6
AnswerID: 237169   Submitted: Tuesday, May 01, 2007 at 17:17

Ron George replied:

Hi geralee, mate a couple of considerations, how long would you be staying in one place? do you have a secondary battery system? & does your CPAP machine have a 12v system? I will address the Qs in order, if you are static for more than approx 2 nights with no recharging that will be about your limit, either on 12v or through a 240v inverter & that`s without running anything else, lights etc. Some CPAP machines have a secondary/backup 12v system, I couldn`t say what system is the more efficient, but in your situation the 12v system if you`ve got it would be the go. With an inverter you have to consider that it also draws current to operate approx 4 amps for a 300w job depending on load so your actual CPAP running time will be affected again. If you have a 12v secondary battery system & you intend running your CPAP off it make sure you have a low voltage cut off switch to eliminate excessive discharge ( a surefire way to bugger up a battery)
Just to add food for thought I`ve successfully operated a CPAP in the bush for a few yrs now, my system consists of a 12v system running a 300 w 240v pure sine wave inverter with a Honda 20E gen set, with that system you can cover all bases. If you get an inverter make sure it`s a pure sine wave job, they cost a bit more but i`m sure your CPAP requires no less & the Honda produces sine wave electricity so there are no worries there, they make a nice little 750w unit which would more than cover all your requirements. I hope this is of some help.
Good luck. Cheers Ron
Reply 4 of 8
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AnswerID: 237178   Submitted: Tuesday, May 01, 2007 at 17:55

geralee@tadaust.org. replied:

thanks for the info it is good to have some one who can talk from the same experience it gives us some thing to look for.this is our first time to go on the road so we are raw recruits to all things travelling in caravans. we were told by the RAA in SA that generators are not allowed in National Parks that is the reason we are querying other methods.
Reply 5 of 8
FollowupID: 498323   Submitted: Tuesday, May 01, 2007 at 23:50

disco1942 posted:

The CPAP machine will be a small load on an alternator and thus it would not be good to run it overnight. Also their fuel tanks are not big enough to give you a full nights sleep.

If you can read the power requirements off the machine or the specifications in the handbook and let us know what they are then we can assist you with the size battery, charging system and inverter to keep you going. This could be specified for 1, 2 or three nights use without recharging. We would also require information as to what else you intend to be powered by the battery.

PeterD
FollowUp 1 of 1
AnswerID: 237204   Submitted: Tuesday, May 01, 2007 at 19:01

Hopper51 replied:

If you do decide to go ahead and buy one, play it safe and buy a Honda EU20i or a Yamaha EF2400iS. Both of these will run you A/C and smaller appliances at the same time. We have the Honda and it is very quiet and always reliable.
Have a look at http// www.awardrv.com.au for the Honda and http// www.discountcamping.com.au for the Yamaha. Both are under $1800.

Chris W
Reply 6 of 8
FollowupID: 498304   Submitted: Tuesday, May 01, 2007 at 22:27

BennyGU posted:

The yamaha is very noisey compared to the honda. When I got my new outboard I was considering do a deal on the EF2400 as well but not after they started her up. Paid the extra and got what I paid for.
FollowUp 1 of 3
FollowupID: 498319   Submitted: Tuesday, May 01, 2007 at 23:35

disco1942 posted:


The motor in a generator will glaze the cylinder bores if it is run continuously with a light load. Do not get one that is too big.

PeterD
FollowUp 2 of 3
FollowupID: 498364   Submitted: Wednesday, May 02, 2007 at 08:57

Hopper51 posted:

You won't be able to run the A/C with anything less than a 2kva generator.
FollowUp 3 of 3
AnswerID: 237311   Submitted: Tuesday, May 01, 2007 at 22:57

Motherhen replied:

We have used the Honda in parks as we weren't within cooee of anybody. I have heard of officials turning a blind eye to the Honda as they couldn't hear it - or should i say a deaf ear? Some people have had problems with it stopping in extreme heat, otherwise it is quiet, lightweight and easy to start. It will not run all night without the tiny fuel tank being refilled. If you need to use it for the cpap - you could cry discrimination if anyone tried to stop you. Best advice is if bush camping is just stay out of earshot of anyone else and no-one will object.
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Reply 7 of 8
AnswerID: 237320   Submitted: Tuesday, May 01, 2007 at 23:51

Shaker replied:

A friend of mine ran his CPAP machine easily with a Honda 1KVa.
Reply 8 of 8