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Generator

Even the ones that claim to be very quiet can become annoying. If you're going to pitch in a field in the middle of nowhere and be alone, then fine. If others will be around you, then a generator is not a good idea.
 
I believe that CC and CCC sites only allow generators to be used during the daytime, to recharge batteries. I agree with Mike, as I had a so-called "quiet" one two pitches away from me once, and the constant buzz rapidly became annoying. The guy next to him asked him to switch it off, which he did, most apologetically.
 
Hello Christine,

There are many alternatives to using a generator, You can get TV's that run on 12Vdc, and for many other mains appliances there are good gas alternatives.

Generators are noisy, even the 'silent' ones do produce some noise. and they are dreadfully inefficeint at converting petrol into usable electricity. If you gave a gas alternative (e.g. fridge, water heater, space heater, kettle) they are far more efficeint, and quieter.

You can buy a lot of gas for the cost of a generator. If you really do need 230V mains, tnen perhaps an inverter may be all you need. These are comming down in price and you can get a 300-600W device for well under
 
just as a note there are several good reasons for choosing a generator. I have a photographic business now that will be doing events such as off road rallies etc. This will require the use of the laptop, printer and several chargers and a generator is the only real choice.

Also, considerate use of a generator at rallies etc is fine. I put mine between 2 vans and as it has 2 outputs I offer the neighbour the other power point. One of the 2 vans either side of me will normally accept. I do this only when the battery is low as I cannot charge it where its stored. But remember to turn it off as kids go to bed, and at the most run it for 2 hours on site.
 
Hello Sparks,

I fully appreciate that for certain activities there is no alternative to a generator. I am involved with a number of Folk Festivals which take place in the middle of fields, so the only solution for power for lighting and sound systems is a generator.

However most holiday caravaners do not have such power hungry needs, and frequently what they do need can be provided without a generator.

So whilst I advocate the use of alternatives, and am pragmatic enough to accept that some times there is no choice.

Horses for courses!
 
Depends on your budget.

I use a Honda eu10i. It is as silent as a generator can be - but NOT silent !!! The reason I use a generator is I like to visit CL's and do not want to be restricted by hook ups. I also find the best way to use it - for me and more importantly my neighbours is to run it for 1 - 2 hours a day to recharge the battery, then run off 12v & an invertor the rest on the time.

Best price you will find the Honda for is about
 
The kipor generators use the same technology as the honda ones and are made in the same factory.

But, their price has gone up recently so not as cheep as they used to be.
 
I thought Honda had won a European injunction stopping Kipor selling its inverter technology generators.
 
No idea as the last I heard was that Kipor where pulling the technology from Honda.

I think its one of those "watch this space" ones. But if Honda are trying then they must feel threatened by the sales of them
 
Sparkes may be able to shead some light on this one.

We've used modified sinewave inverters for charging batteries whilst on the road and riunning laptops and gear.

Advice from the manufacturers has been to contact the manufacturers of the equipment you are plugging in to check if it can be used with altered sine wave equipment!

We had imported battery powered tools that we could get no info on and the batteries and chargers appeared similar to others we used.

We've had two chargers cook the batteries and overheat, each time we've been lucky to smell the burning whilst driving.

I don't know how common this is and may be Sparkes can shed some light re this problem.
 
Sparkes may be able to shead some light on this one.

We've used modified sinewave inverters for charging batteries whilst on the road and riunning laptops and gear.

Advice from the manufacturers has been to contact the manufacturers of the equipment you are plugging in to check if it can be used with altered sine wave equipment!

We had imported battery powered tools that we could get no info on and the batteries and chargers appeared similar to others we used.

We've had two chargers cook the batteries and overheat, each time we've been lucky to smell the burning whilst driving.

I don't know how common this is and may be Sparkes can shed some light re this problem.
Click to expand...
Any mains electrical gear that uses "Switched Mode Power Supplies" (SMPS), instead of "old fashioned" iron cored transformers to transform mains voltage down, (prior to being rectified to make it DC), is expecting to be fed with a pure 50Hz sinewave.

The SMPS works by "chopping up" the incoming wave at a high frequency, and only using a portion of each "cycle" to be transformed & rectified. Smaller transformers can be used, saving weight & volume. The resulting DC is monitored, and an error signal is fed back to alter the "chopping up", so that the correct DC o/p is maintained.

"Ordinary" generators do not produce a very sinusoidal o/p; this is fine to power heaters, mains lights etc, and, usually, anything with a "proper" transformer, but will cause anything with a SMPS to have problems. "Modified sine wave" generators have an output that is nearer a pure sinewave than "ordinary" ones, so some SMPS may cope, but it can't be guaranteed.

Also, if you are using a generator for, say, a mains drill, and also have the charger for a cordless tool plugged in, then the mains drill will produce lots of high voltage spikes on the supply, which can kill the charger ( I've done it, but only once!!).

Note "transformers" for 12V halogen lights, that are common in homes thesedays, are SMPS, not "proper" transformers, that is why they cannot be used with ordinary dimmers, as these chop up the mains in a similar way to a SMPS.
 
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