Portable Generator Query

Robert, put your hard earned cash into a solar setup instead.

The intrusive noise is the reason that generators are banned from National Parks and any area where people go to enjoy the quiet environment.

Solar will " be perfect for camping when all your set up is run off batteries " and without the ongoing fuel cost and noise.

Tuco

Thanks for the response. I realise that they may be a bit noisy, but I heard a honda gen. set at the bris. show and it was extremely quiet. The Christie set runs off a 50cc honda motor, and if it delivers 55amp and is as quiet as the honda I heard, then it should only run for two/ three hours, and on a long extension lead it should be ok. This would only be done when there are not any other campers around obviously. If we are by ourselves it would be a good excuse for a two hour walk. I understand the problems with gen. sets re: noise, fuel, Nat. Parks etc, but I have also seen campers go flat because the sun won't shine for three days. Without getting into that argument I have decided on a gen. set and thought this might be the way to go as the noisy bloody thing will be running for the least time.

Hey Robert

I have both solar panels and the les christie machine. I sold my EU10i to fund the cost of my purchase of two BP solar panels that i have hinged together (not as easy as some have said - where the f$#* do i get suitcase hinges from ? tried bunnings, hardwhere house, etc just had to do with these enormous f$#@ door hinges).

That said, the les christie machine is fantastic when the sun is not out. That said it is exactly the same engine as the can't hear HondaEU10i except that the quietness in the Honda is from the insulation not the engine so the les chrisite machine can be extremely noisy at 55 amps and almost jumps around. So definitely no go in a nat park. Ring les, he is the first to acknowledge that and is working on insulation, but the Honda only puts out a regulated 8 amps so maybe Les machine will never be that quiet, a compromise worth living with if you have decent solar panels. I know few people have the cashola to get both.

One thing i can suggest is that you can buy solar panels, the biggest you can afford with your budget, and if the sun is not out use decent jumper leads straight to your non-starting set up and just run the motor for half an hour or so. Keep of lights, air-con etc and the excess amps from the vehicle's alternator will serve to recharge the battery, just like Les christie's set up (though less the digital amps read out so you know when to disconnect - the worst thing you can do to a battery is to overcharge it).

How much ? uhm, can't remember, about $900 i recall. Reliable ? bullet proof. What can you do about noise ? I had braised onto the exhaust an extenstion set that i can turn into the ground, makes a big difference.

There is also the Light Horse generator, delivers 350 watts of 240v. plus 12 volt battery charger.

It retails for $550, just over half the price of the Les Christie.

It weighs only 7kg - about half the weight of the Les Christie.

Am I missing something???????

With the charging charactristics of a car altnernator, the Christie generator screams it head off for very low charge after the first 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the size of the battery and the state of charge.
If you buy the GX100 2.5hp Honda motor and connect it by direct coupled or belt drive to a Lucas C20 22 amp generator and 3 barrel regulator, you can run the motor at around a third throttle which is fairly quite, and it will charge your battery in a superior way and in the same amount of time. Why, well an alternator charge rate decreases very quickly from the max 55 amp as the voltage rises. The generator charges continuously at 22amps till the battery is fully charged. A GX100, Lucas C20 generator and three barrel regulator will cost you less than half of a Christie unit, and then you will need a coupling, base plate and few other bits and pieces. I have a Honda WX15 water pump that I use for gold mining which is fitted with the GX100 motor, and it is just great.
Honda have a new GX25 available and should just about be available in Australia:
http://www.honda.co.jp/engines/products/gx25.html
Presently no idea of price, but you can see it on the their new model brush cutter. This GX25, should be sufficient to give you 20 amps from the C20 generator. It would make a very small and light package considering the motor only weighs 2.78 kgs.
Pesently I have a Honda G100 the previous model to the GX100 running a Lucas C20 generator, and on the same small frame, a high pressure water pump which allows me to pump water up to the camp and fill the tanks. I have not used it for ages, as I have 2 x SX75 solar panels and a Jabsco 12v impellor pump that I now use, but still carry my little Honda with us just in case.

Ozi,

I have often thought of doing something similar and very basic: getting such a small motor and an old alternator with built-in regulator, securing them to a small frame or piece of solid board, joining them with a short belt. Perhaps something like the rubber belts used on washing machines.

Thought it would make a good little charger for fridge batteries, etc.
Just haven't got around to trying it out!

you will find les chrities machine to be very reliable.
What some people dont seem to realise is that as the load drops off during charging you can reduce the revs of the engine to suit which then obviously reduces the noise. Have a talk to Les re an idea of reducing noise using an exhaust extension.
He is good to talk to and wont feed you any crap about his machine.
Depending on your load you will probably only need to run the machine for 1 hour a day.

Thanks for all the responses. I will speak to Les to-day but if they are as noisy as some say then it will be a no-go. I like the idea of making my own set up with the Honda motor and alt. thanks all.

Whats wrong with just charging your fridge battery directly off your vehicle battery using jumper leads ? Obviously you would need to have your car started & running for a while !

Hi all

Have heard the Les Christie is noisy, so for the extra $3-400 would buy the EU10. We have an older Honda EX360 (360w 2 Stroke) unit that is relaay great. Can run 2 40L Engels and 2 4A battery chargers on the 180w setting, so the EU10 should be more than enough.

After reading so much about power systems on this and other forums, we are going to keep the EX360 and buy a 60W Solar panel and Regulator. Between these two sources, and a nice 80AH battery in the caravan/camper, I can't see that we, or any one else for that matter, would need any more. Both options are quiet.

Often wondered why they stopped making the EX360, great little unit. Probably the air pollution stuff I guess, but then 3hrs on the 180w setting using .8L of fuel has to be economical.

Anyway, my 2c

Have a great New Year all.

MikeF