hi guys, its seano again I need info on right size generater suitable for poptop van. I"ll will likely have a small tv, microwave, recharge batteries, set up as my wife and I plan on a bit of free camping. I've been told that a 1.9 to 2Kva size inverter/gen would be suitable.Also possible looking at solar panel setup down the track again what setup is best as I need to watch the pennys, any info much apprechiated.
Hi Seano. We have just been freecamping and tried to use our 850W microwave with the 2KVa generator and it didn't like it. I tried it at 600W power and 450W power - no go. OK when we tried the 2300W kettle - just revved well, but it must be the surging the microwave does. So don't count on using the microwave. You'll have to use the gas stove like we did before microwaves! It recharged mobile phone and small electric chain saw worked OK etc.
hi guys, its seano again I need info on right size generater suitable for poptop van. I"ll will likely have a small tv, microwave, recharge batteries, set up as my wife and I plan on a bit of free camping. I've been told that a 1.9 to 2Kva size inverter/gen would be suitable.Also possible looking at solar panel setup down the track again what setup is best as I need to watch the pennys, any info much apprechiated.
G'Day, neilnruth are pretty much right. Hard to run a microwave on that sort of size. As you know, Gennys come as square wave, modified square wave and sine wave (pure sine wave). A Genny requires its biggest output when an appliance is first turned on. A relatively small Genny can run a relatively large appliance once it gets going. But to get it going the appliance requires a 'starting output' which is much higher. (Sort of like a car starting of. More relative power is needed to 'take off' but once it's going, less power is required). Things like toasters and kettles require a big 'start up' charge. (Turn your kettle on at home and you will see your house lights dim or 'flicker' for a second). A smallish genny can run several appliances at the same time but the 'start up' for each one is the key. If you're interested, Collyn RIVERS (the engineer turned author) has written some articles re Generators, solar power, batteries et al. You can Google him on Collyn RIVERS Articles. Collyn is a past caravaner, motor homer etc and has a lot of both practical and theoretical advice. For what it's worth.
Keith19837's very good explanation of "starting current" applies equally to inverters and explains why 12v - 240v inverters can give problems even when the nominal wattage of the load (appliance) is within the rating of the inverter.
We used to run a 600W microwave on a Honda EU20i and it was OK at full power. If you tried to run it at a lower setting the genny would surge and sometimes trip out. The microwave was an older style that simply shut the High Voltage circuit on and off to regulate the power output, so the surge current load would be applied to the genny at short intervals and cause the problem. The Honda EU20i that we used was able to run 2 standard fridges, a 68cm colour telly and a couple of 75w lights, and at one stage we even had a small tuckerbox freezer on it as well. The genny did work hard and if the fridges/freezer all cut in at the same time it would also trip the genny overlaod protection as well. This is not a normal scenario for a genny of that size, and we actually had 2 generators on a 2 week rotation over the period of 6 months, one being serviced while the other was in use. But it does give you an idea of what these machines can do. I was so impressed with the performance of the genny that I bought one for myself for emergency use at home.
G'day Seano, I have a 2.6 Kipor and I find it will not run either the reverse cycle, microwave or the electric kettle. I've been told in theory it should, but all the little things going on in the background like battery charging and such seems to be too much for the Kipor.
I don't have hands-on with small generators but it occurs to me that these may be rated in KVA (Kilo volt amps) rather than Kilowatts and that a 2.6 KVA may be only capable of about 2.1 Kilowatts (based on a power factor of, say, 0.8) My only experience has been with larger three phase diesel units and I know that applies there.
