Generator info please

Extaff · Member

Generator info please

Ole Grizzly · Senior Member

Save yourself much heartache and worries by forgetting the Kirpor. Occasionally someone is lucky to get a good one, but the majority are only what you pay for.
Honda and then a Yamaha are the most reliable and quiet running. Keep saving them dollars and buy the better product for reliable service.
My Honda is many years old, starts 2nd pull and has never ever let me down even in the harshest of conditions.

dave06 · Guru

Gillian, I really have nothing against generators, there is a place for them just not after 10 pm in a free camp, surely peace and quiet is what we go out for isnt it, does that make me wrong, probably but oh well, cmca has some really good rules regarding generator usage that I think should be adopted by everyone, grab yourself a genny by all means but all I ask is please consider other close by campers, I have a honda 1000 genny that I have just mounted in my supply trailer, that little fella has sat under my bench for about five years, I pulled it out gave it an oil change replaced the fuel cleaned the plug and you know that little feller started first pull and purred like a kitten, I agree with grizz if you buy one buy a good one, but all my power tools are makita so I guess I'm old school, I personally would go for a brand name, but the price on some of these things are very attractive compard to the brand names

Extaff · Member

Thanks for your input guys, really appreciated. I'm also a member of CMCA, Dave, and agree absolutely with their rules re generators. I also have previous experience with Honda motors - mowers and whipper snippers - as you say, they never let you down. I like the way they start first time, every time, without pulling your arm out of its socket! Was just trying to save a few bob, but I guess I'll go with Honda again.

twobob · Guru

Gillian
I personally, would have no trouble buying one of the cheapies ie ebay. I would consider a couple of things when buying from anyone.
Weight of unit - if you intend to move it and repack it each time, then this is a big consideration
Overall size - will it fit the space available
Gen size - what size do I need - the smallest to do the job will mostly be the lightest and smallest overall size, but do not under estimate - better to get bigger.
Price/useage - If you will have little long term use for it, go cheap, if it is to be put to a lot of use, spend the money on a known unit

As to Major brand or No Name - most of the no name are China made, and I believe the Chinese have purchased the engine design of a lot of major brands. These designs are of their old units, and the chinese have updated the technology for the engine and added the electronic ignitions, which make them so much easier to start.

I would suggest, if you are in any doubt, get the major brands, as they can be repaired in most places. In either cases, always purchase a spare sparkplug to take with you, and never keep a used sparkplug, get another new one.

I do have a criticism of my recent purchase of Honda's (pump and Gen), where they are slant engines, as opposed to upright. I have found when travelling, the oil gets into the upper cylinder, and fouls the spark plug, therefore no start until I have cleared this out - anyone else had this - only seems to be a problem over rough/corragated terrain.

dave06 · Guru

I agree with two bob re usage versus price, I see a lot of those scorpion two strokes out there, they are, from memory, about 850 watt and cost about $100, if it gets lost, stolen or breaks down then no great problem, they seem okay for the people to use, if you only have small current draw and little use maybe that is for you. two bob nothing likes the rough corrugated terrain, we pulled up at arkaroola and decided to have a cuppa, lit the stove, gas bottle and stove in supply trailer, we had over 2' of bright yellow flame, it took about half an hour to resettle the gases, what unsettled me was that I had my head over the top of the stove, nearly took my mo off

Basil Faulty · Guru

dave06 wrote:

I agree with two bob re usage versus price, I see a lot of those scorpion two strokes out there, they are, from memory, about 850 watt and cost about $100, if it gets lost, stolen or breaks down then no great problem, they seem okay for the people to use, if you only have small current draw and little use maybe that is for you. two bob nothing likes the rough corrugated terrain, we pulled up at arkaroola and decided to have a cuppa, lit the stove, gas bottle and stove in supply trailer, we had over 2' of bright yellow flame, it took about half an hour to resettle the gases, what unsettled me was that I had my head over the top of the stove, nearly took my mo off

Hmmmm reminds me about a mate who borrowed another blokes LPG fired steam boat. Sposed to light the pilot then turn on the main burner but he turned on the main burner, nothing happened so he threw a lit match into the firebox. The first we knew was hearing a loud VERUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMPH, followed by an assortment of obscenities, then mate reapears wearing his hair in a style akin to the shape of one of those streamlined cyclists helmets...There after he was nicknamed "singe"....
Yes back onto Generators, if you live near an ALDI they have 2400 watters for sale at around $350 or 900 watts for $130. Bunnings also have their exclusive Chicom brand for $99 with a 5 year replacement guarantee.

dave06 · Guru

dont really know why that happened, I dont think there is anything in the gas bottle to hold the gas as in acetylene, first time it has ever happened and I've been over some damn rough roads frightened the bejabbers out of me, the aldi genny sounds good value, is it a true 2400 watts

Wombat 280 · Guru

Honda make the best motor for this type of work but watch out for the electrical side some makers put a Honda donk on a crap genny with such things brass bushing rather than roller races on the armature . It's like the new Victa mowers they have a Honda motor mainly because most people went off Victa's when they started putting the Briggs and Stratton motors on their units.

The cheapy gen sets are ok if you only have a light load , as the others say lost . stolen or just fagged out no real lost toss it and start again . One thing to watch , noise levels remember a 3 db increase in levels is actually double the sound level at the ear so anything below 65 db is great during the day when the background noise is over 75 db but at night it can sound like an F111 with afterburners and really piss people off around you for 100 km out

twobob · Guru

Sorry Dave - laughing this end, trying to imagine "Fried Guru"

As Basil says, these el cheapo gens, are such a value that you can nearly get 3 for 1 major brand. In fact a mate of mine haggled with one importer, and purchased 2 gen's, believing he had a 100% backup, and 100% parts replacement, at way less than buying a major. I think in the end he sold the extra, and made money.

LPG - like electricity (to a point) is the silent danger. I dislike it for interior use, although I used to have a gas fitters license (expired). I have seen the effects of it going wrong. The big trouble is complacency. Please remember it can explode, and do not leave such as water heaters running, and turn off the bottle when not in use. If you smell it, vent and check

Dave - LPG does not have the absorption material in the cylinder, but it is a good point for other to be aware of.

dave06 · Guru

HAH!!! HAH!!! HAH!!! fried guru lol!!! re gas buggered if I know what it was never struck anything like it before, took a fair bit to quieten it down, my limited knowledge tells me it is liquid petroleum gas, could it be that the liquid part got into the line and it was that which flared???

Bubs · Senior Member

I have just bought a motorhome (I'm a real newbie from NZ) and all the jargen on the power supply has left me totally bewildered. It is set up with 9v battery and 240v inverter. (I have no idea what that means, so please excuse). The previous owner says that when out of camping grounds (which I intend to be) I cannot use the little microwave that it has, and the air conditioning, as it will drain the battery. (I don't think I will survive the Oz heat without that either!!).
What do I need to do to be able to run both of these? It is a 850w microwave. Do I just get a generator and plug it in to the power supply to run the microwave off or does the genny just charge the battery, which I then run it off?? I have been told that the gennys give power surges so you can't run appliances directly off them?
I really would like the luxury of being able to use my hair dryer and microwave.
The previous owner never used either!!
Any advice would be welcome. Tks, Bubs

dave06 · Guru

Hi Dianne and welcome to the forum, I suggest a 2000 - 2400 watt generator possibly the likes of which basil has spoken about from aldi, you will be able to plug that straight in to your 240 volt inlet (the one you hook the caravan park cord into ) and just run your hairdryer or your microwave or your air con sraight off as normal, the only time you may have a problem is if you plug a computer in to the socket whilst running it off the genny as you may get a "spike" in voltage, I.E. a surge which will fry your computer, it is only "touchy" things like computers that dont like gennys, everything else, I think should be fine. the other way around the spike issue if this concerns you is to buy a "sinewave generator" they are more expensive but supposedly do not produce spikes or surges, do you have a side bin that you can mount the genny into, remembering to exhaust the gases away of course.

Bubs · Senior Member

Hi Dave!
Thank you so much for that straight forward uncomplicated answer!!
I will do that, and yes, there is a rack on the back which will suit the purpose of a genny perfectly. I will just build a removable/lockable metal box around it.
I can always run the computor off the battery.
Woo hoo! Geting more excited about 'my journey' by the minute as each challenge is overcome.
I may even head off early and help with that grain harvest, as I will need to finance my trip as I go. (Not quite retired yet). Looking for work is the next challenge.
Thanks again Dave!

dave06 · Guru

no problems dianne, glad it is so easy to get it on the motorhome, sounds like you have yourself a plan and as usual I am envious, you will find work all over the place, just take the easy high paying stuff theres plenty of it there and look good luck with your retirement and all the best for the future, you take the forums best wishes with you, and we expect updates from you if you can fit us in between ****tails by the rock pool and sunsets in the kimberleys, oh and decorum please, no more Woo Hoo's they make me cry, I cant go Woo Hoo for another couple of years, life is full of challenges face each one with a grin it is after all YOUR life, live it YOUR way, good on you, we hold you up to aspire towards, you go girl!!!