2 stroke genny question

[AlfromYC]

I've just managed to get a 2 stroke genny of a mate, and was wondering if it was safe to plug straight into the hook up point of the caravan to charge the battery?

Its a Peformance 850w generator, model number NLEB50PG & the van is a 1992 Elddis Wisp.

Any advice welcome.

 

[Northwood]

Al

Iv'e made up a lead that on one end plugs into the site electric box 10amp and the other end a 13amp socket. I usually charge my battery away from the awning because of the fumes, thats assuming you have a charger. Make a cover of shorts if it rains and Bob's your uncle.

Good luck

 

[Themass31]

I have one of these and when I pluged it straight in and used it on the van it blew my on board charger and the t.v started smoking, I only use it now to charge the battery direct.

Craig

 

[Damian]

Simple answer is NO it is NOT safe to plug straight in to your caravan.

Two stroke generators require very regular maintainence and can produce spikes of up to 320v or more.

If it has a battery charging take off that would be ok for occasional off van battery charging.

 

[C_374479958]

2 stroke engines are usual on small gennys, before you plug it in ensure you have 230/240 volts output. 2 strokes tend to be noisy and smelly, so if you see me can you park as far away as possible. LOL.

 

[AlfromYC]

Thanks for the replys everyone.

It has the socket for a 12volt charge lead, but didnt come with lead itself, so I'll see if I can pick one up off eBay.

Or..... would putting a domestic surge protection socket onto the genny then running the van from the that, protect the voltage from spiking?

As for the noise and smell, if the fuel/oil is mixed correctly it wont stink or smoke, and the noise........ well, you may have a point 🙂

It wont get used very often, but for the stupidly cheap price I paid for it, I just could'nt refuse it.

 

[Reg]

Thanks for the replys everyone.

It has the socket for a 12volt charge lead, but didnt come with lead itself, so I'll see if I can pick one up off eBay.

Or..... would putting a domestic surge protection socket onto the genny then running the van from the that, protect the voltage from spiking?

As for the noise and smell, if the fuel/oil is mixed correctly it wont stink or smoke, and the noise........ well, you may have a point 🙂

It wont get used very often, but for the stupidly cheap price I paid for it, I just could'nt refuse it.

Could you post where you are going to use it next to allow the rest of us to keep well away.

I personally think they should be banned on sites having suffered a week along side one.

 

[JTQ]

The domestic surge protectors you can buy would be useless in protecting your van from the two stroke genny's occasional variations to both voltage and frequency. A proper surge controller for this sort of application would cost you more than a very good four-stroke generator.

With the older van you might get away with using this genny but its far from guaranteed. What ever you do never let it run out of fuel when connected, greatly increases your risk; ideally dont make big load changes and let it warm up before connecting.

With a moderner van your are more likely to damage its electronic charger regulator which would cost you many times the gennys price.

Really they are wholly unsuitable for caravanning etc best kept for some emergency lighting role.

 

[Mikey1]

Even correctly mixed 2 stroke fuel and oil exhaust smells.

Genny's are not the most popular items and rallies have rules of usage times etc plus most isolate you to the edge of the field.

The 2 stroke ones are noisy so you wouldnt be the most popluar guy?

 

[lairdAl_374474951]

Hi Al

I have got to agree on other posters replys,but not all.

Your little two stroke generator will stink & be noisy,you need to let it warm up for 5 minuets or so before connecting to the van.

I use a 4 stroke 1000watt generator at times, with a 72 db @ 21ft which is less than a conversation,I also use solar panels.

We use (ths) temporary holiday sites and we rally quite alot and have never been "isolated" at the edge of the field.We have never had a complaint over noise or usage.On a correctly supervised rally generator noise/usage is not a problem.The rules are there to prevent this ie;not before 0900hrs and not after 2100hrs.Usage is 2hrs at any one time with a 3hr gap in between usage,unless usage is needed for medical equipment.

I find it sad the people within the vanning fraternity can not be tolerant of others that have different methods of enjoying what can be an expensive hobby/pastime.

As to the request to post where Al from Y/C is going with his generator,could the poster please state where he/she is going next so that others dont have to pitch next to boring vanners that have nothing to do but listen for generator noise all day??

cheers, AL

 

[MichaelE]

I had a BH weekend ruined by a family next door who had their generator running form 8 in the morning until 6 at night so the kids could play the PS3 on the 32 inch lcd tv in the awning as they didnt have anything to do,wife couldnt go out without doing her hair with the dryer.

I asked them to turn it off a few times and the answer was no then i complained to the rally officers and nothing was done but i did get a nice long scratch on my car for my troubles (I cant prove it was them but i thnk you know what i mean)

I am one of those sad people who dont like generators being used?

 

[AlfromYC]

Whoops, opened up a can of worms here!

Dont wanna chance blowing up the onboard charger, so I'll get a 12 volt lead and use that to charge up the battery. I've already replaced the on board charger last year cos it was faulty (not through using a genny).

Thanks for all the replys.

 

[lairdAl_374474951]

Michael E,sorry to hear about your bad experience but not all genny users are as you have described.Please do not tar them all with the same brush!

We steward/marshall THS/rallies and that sort of behavour should not have occured.If I had been steward on your rally,this would have been stopped immediately.

It is the responsiblity of stewards etc to ensure that everyone has an enjoyable stay and as such,are accountable to the club to which they belong for actions/non actions taken.Your grievence should have been taken up with club organisers

cheers Al

 

[Reg]

I'll let this poem answer for me!

I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o'er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host, of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine

And twinkle on the milky way,

They stretched in never-ending line

Along the margin of a bay:

Ten thousand saw I at a glance,

Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they

Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:

A poet

could not but be gay,

In such a jocund company:

I gazed---and gazed---but little thought

What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie

In vacant or in pensive mood,

They flash upon that inward eye

Which is the bliss of solitude;

And then my heart with pleasure fills,

And dances with the daffodils.

William Wordsworth

 

[GrahamDerby]

i cant understand why some people spend time loading their van then traveling miles to a lovely site then sitting in the awning all day playing on the games consol, they might as well stay at home and save the fuel ,sad.

 

[machighlander]

hey, whats wrong with the smell of two stroke burning ?

brings back so many memories of the early biking days when they were abundant, ye canny beat the whiff of a two stroke motor when its singing.