Inverter generators..

[LG57-UPS.]

Iv been hearing that 4 stroke pure sine invertor generators,are supposed to be the best thing since sliced bread..lol
Im told they are really quiet,and throttle themselves back depending on load.
Would these be allowed on caravan sites,as im told the noise level is 64db.
Has anybody got any experience of these,as i was thinking of getting one for supplying power when theres no EHU available? Mainly to run the 230v tv,toaster etc. And possibly used for charging the caravans battery by day.

 

[Grey13]

I guess it depends on which park you are but I am pretty sure most of the sites I frequent will not allow them. I go away to get some peace and quite. Anyway I always only use parks with sites that are fully serviced so it is unlikely I will find you next door. Good luck!

 

[otherclive]

The Hyundai HY1000si has a noise output of 58db. 3 years warranty. 1kw at £10359, 2kw at £10549 from Direct Generators. Guess the price is incorrect.
But looking at the noise levels of various generators on that website the 1 kw Clarke’s, Champion, Hyundai and Honda range from 62 dB to Honda at 52 dB.
All I can say is that I walk the dogs each day along the Kennet and Avon towpath which is shoulder to shoulder narrow boats. As well as encountering filthy diesel or solid fuel fumes there are quite a number with suitcase generators running amongst them some Hondas. All I can say is that even with our UK pitch separation distances I would stay well away from anywhere that allowed generators other than a large five van site where hopefully I’d be able to get as far away as possible. Now solar panels are a good solution.

 

[LG57-UPS.]

Lol.. I prefer the hook up too. So they are overly noisy then.I wont bother,many thanks..

 

[LG57-UPS.]

Thanks for the info,it would seem they are not as quiet as i was led to believe.I shall bin the idea..lol

 

[Grey13]

Look into Solar panel with an inverter (not power driven) You would need an additional 110 AH battery and a solar pnl but if desperate that would do it. A toaster is 2000 watts, so 8 amps running for say 3 minutes ??? would work OK me thinks.

 

[Gafferbill]

What is wrong with toast done under a gas grill?

 

[ProfJohnL]

What is wrong with toast done under a gas grill?

Not only is gas quieter, it's a lot more efficient and cheaper!

 

[saint-spoon]

I do toast on my cadac chef pan, works a treat.

Regarding generators, a seasonal pitch on a site we use a lot (no EHU) has a propane powered generator and you would hardly know it was running, very quiet indeed.

 

[ProfJohnL]

I do toast on my cadac chef pan, works a treat.

Regarding generators, a seasonal pitch on a site we use a lot (no EHU) has a propane powered generator and you would hardly know it was running, very quiet indeed.

I don't thing you are comparing apples with apples here, The OP question was about Portable ( Suitcase) generators, and by their nature they have limited physical size and cannot include all the necessary sound reduction systems that are fitted to some slightly bigger designs.

As for fuel type affecting noise levels, becasue Diesels need a higher compression ratio to burn the fuel they may make more noise than an equivalent petrol generator, but there will be very little difference between a petrol and LPG fuels unit. The advantage of LPG, is it is generally a cleaner fuel and cheaper, and will leave less residues in the engine, reducing the need for services.

There are some very quiet larger generators, but used especially by broadcast and theatrical production units that you may hear a feint hum when your closer than 10M, but these are mightily expensive.

 

[Woodentop]

I do toast on my cadac chef pan, works a treat.

Regarding generators, a seasonal pitch on a site we use a lot (no EHU) has a propane powered generator and you would hardly know it was running, very quiet indeed.

Propane gas-powered generators are also widely used on main cellfone radio sites where the site is near property. As you say they run very very quietly.

 

[saint-spoon]

I do toast on my cadac chef pan, works a treat.

Regarding generators, a seasonal pitch on a site we use a lot (no EHU) has a propane powered generator and you would hardly know it was running, very quiet indeed.

I don't thing you are comparing apples with apples here, The OP question was about Portable ( Suitcase) generators, and by their nature they have limited physical size and cannot include all the necessary sound reduction systems that are fitted to some slightly bigger designs.

As for fuel type affecting noise levels, becasue Diesels need a higher compression ratio to burn the fuel they may make more noise than an equivalent petrol generator, but there will be very little difference between a petrol and LPG fuels unit. The advantage of LPG, is it is generally a cleaner fuel and cheaper, and will leave less residues in the engine, reducing the need for services....

....

It was a propane powered breif-case generator, it was very quiet indeed and no bigger than the standard petrol ones. I don't know if it is converted from a standard unit as you would with a car or whether it is a bespoke design for LPG running. Next time I am on that site and I see the gent I mean to ask him about it.
personally I use a fold up solar to supply my 12v needs but as a mechanical (Marine) engineer by trade and profession I am curious about such things.

Edit:
a quick Google throws up Hyundia and Honda LPG generators, I think that the one the chap on the seasonal has is the Honda but it is well over a grand to buy which hardly seems viable when you can buy 200w solar for a few hundred quid. Google (other search engines available) also throws up LPG conversion kits which may wqork out much cheaper.

 

[ericmark]

I think cost is the main problem, inverter generators are good, so are solar panels, but do you need them? If I can I use sites with hook-up, however I have been caravanning since 1956, and would spend whole of school summer holidays in the caravan with my mother, dad visiting some week ends.

We had just one battery which had to last 7 weeks, yes we could use rubber bung in floor to pump water if battery was flat, and we did have gas lights, why they ever got rid of gas lights I don't know. However we rarely used gas lights or foot water pump, it was just for emergency use.

Today no longer foot operated water pumps or gas lights, and even gas fridge and central heating still needs a 12 volt supply to work, however unless you try using 230 volt stuff with an inverter off caravan battery one can do a week without recharging, and most sites without hook up do offer a charging service.

So I have been looking at how to use non hook-up sites, I would want a hook-up for one night before returning home as need the motor mover, although could get a battery to leave at home and change battery.

But when you remove battery for charging you want some thing to replace it while it is recharged. Could be the tow car, but also could use a battery pack, I already have a 20 Ah battery pack so all I need is a S type 7 pin socket to a cig lighter plug and this will provide power while caravan battery is being charged. Cost under £5 using what I already have.

At £1000 for an inverter generator used 3 weeks in the year with hook up costing less than £5 a day that's around £100 per year, so 10 years before it brakes even not counting fuel costs, so more like 20 years with fuel cost, I can last 3 days without 230 volt power, I got damp in electrics some where so could not use hook-up. So using sites without hook-up enroute is not a problem, if you really want to use it without hook-up, then cheaper to buy old caravan which still has gas lights and foot pump, and do it up.

 

[Hutch]

Are you for real or board, following you on caravan Tàlk?