Generator

baglimit2002 · Veteran Member

Generator

Dougwe · Chief one feather

Welcome to the gang baglimit2002, enjoy here and out in the playground.

When 'off grid' and need aircon I use a Honda 20i to run my Ibis3. Works a treat, for me anyway. I'm sure others will come along with other flavours.

Keep Safe on the roads and out there.

baglimit2002 · Veteran Member

Gday trying to work out the needs first time caravaner

GarrynLyn · Senior Member

See if you can borrow a Honda2 and see if that will run it before buying.

We were told that the Honda2 would run ours. It didn't so had to buy a Yamaha 2.4.

Aussie1 · Guru

Hi Baglimit2002, We have a Cormorant by Air Command air conditioner and our Honda 2kVA runs with very little effort. As said above, try and borrow one first to try or contact a Honda dealer to get there opinion if it will run yours ok. When we were in the market for ours I rang and gave the species of our air con and the dealer said it will work with no problems. He did add that if it didn't I could have the geny for nothing. He was obviously very confident (and was correct).

wal1 · Veteran Member

Baglimit,

See your from Adelaide, I purchased my Honda 2.0 kva genset from Haughton Honda Generators on South Rd. Prior to purchase, the let me take our motor home to their premises and brought out both a Yamaha and a Honda to try. would highly recommend them. Oh and they were open to negotiation on price.

Wal

-- Edited by wal1 on Thursday 4th of May 2017 09:49:06 AM

macka17 · Guru

People talk these Honda all the time.
But a lot of us have alternatives.
Which do same job easily, for a fraction of price.

I had a Honda powered Aust build yrs ago.
1.5\1.8kva with 3.5hp Honda donk.
Lovely. gave me yrs and mate still using.
Cost $1100Plus then.

Current unit. Chinese. Bigger, for aircond.

6ish yor old. same reliability and runs 2 x houses
After Cyclones beeen through.
$460ish from memory.
Others have similar reports.

As long as you buy the reviewed models. Google.
you'll be fine.

If a named one takes your eye.
Personally I'd be going the Yammie over a Honda too.

We used both on the yachts and Yammie more popular there too
over the decades.

Swoffer · Senior Member

"Personally" if I was going to rely on a gen offgrid I would stay away from the chinese cheapies , sure there are stories of good ones but in my experience the horror stories outweigh the good ones 10 to 1 .
I would personally go the Yammie 2.0

madaboutled · Guru

Hi Baglimit,

I have a small Aircommand AC on my motorhome it's power consumtion is max 1400 Watt so it runs off my Kipor 2KVA genererator without any issues. But that's mine, there are several models in the Aircommand range and each vary in relation to power consumption. If you don't have a manual to check, then try the link below to identify your model and power consumption. Without knowing the power consumption your only guessing if it will run or not on whatever generator.

http://www.aircommand.com.au/kb.php

Hope this helps.

Steve.

macka17 · Guru

Swoff.
Nice fishy.

Actually.
As long as you check first. there are some really good Chinese genny's nowadays.
Several actually use an engine No ground off,
Illegally exported Honda motor.

This one. 6plus yrs, mate put me onto them.
Got fed up paying Jap import prices for theirs.

Bought 6 around 7 yrs ago. gave to his Tradie chippies on sites.
4 of them still going. One kept as spares.
Used 6 days a week.
Good oil Changed regular.
They DO last.
Mine runs here and next door after the Cyclones go through
as long as we don't use Airconds.

Mine, complete with Aircond (7.2 kw). Pool Pumps, Fridges. Microwave etc.
By itself.

They a lot better. (some of them) than they were even 5 yrs ago
with QC in place and better alloys.

Just check reviews on such on Google. I did.
Chased up the illegal import Honda donks as well.

They NOT supposed to export to certain places. China Incl.
so they scrub eng No's first.
Wasn't me sir... Honest.

PS runs well on Honda Mower fuel too.

When Servo's rationing and run out of fuel.

And stale outboard Mercury fuel.

Inverter but not too fussy.

-- Edited by macka17 on Thursday 4th of May 2017 04:58:35 PM

wal1 · Veteran Member

Macka

Don't let the facts get in the way of your opinions, we are talking about caravans and motor homes, not chippies building houses, running houses after cyclones, or pool pumps.

You sometimes post some good info, then other times you go into a long winded off topic rant.

macka17 · Guru

WAL.

I'm talking about reliabilty here, just an example.
Chippies all day running and 6 days a week.

Mine not missed a beat after over 6 yrs regular usage.
Normally runs 2 vans while we away. (1 Aircond.) 3.5kva.
Both 6.5mtrs.
Some of the Chinee ones aren't too bad.

wal1 · Veteran Member

Macka

You still don't get the picture. Read what baglimit asked in his original post, nothing about chippies, nothing about running two vans. He has a pop top, and as far as reliability, I quote you

" I had a Honda powered Aust build yrs ago.

1.5\1.8kva with 3.5hp Honda donk.
Lovely. gave me yrs and mate still using.
Cost $1100Plus then."

I am not looking for an argument, but sometimes I feel you do really loose sight of what the original question was, and go into waffle mode.

Out of curiosity, I googled Macka17 geez you've been around haven't you.

macka17 · Guru

Wal1.
75 yrs. left home at 13. worked and never stopped travelling since.
in quite a few country's.

You collect a few memories and experiences.Good and bad.
The first few posts were pushing the expensive Honda's.

iE 4 yrs ago they were $2000+ in Aust. I could put one on a plane from US to here in my baggage. New.
for $980 US. when ours were worth same as theirs $$$'s. Was 110v.

Pricing is boosted by Honda in AUST only. for over inflated Aust pricing.
A LOT cheaper elsewhere for same thing.
I was just giving "Alternatives" With "examples " of reliability.
Which makes them interesting .... To some.
I buy most things O'Seas, same items. lower prices, even with postage.

Gowd. Some people like picking.
Try taking things the way they meant hey.

Helpful alternatives to some.. if interested.
If Not. Simple. Don't read.

Otherwise people WOULDN'T Know know about such.

NOT all Have the wherewithal to just go out and buy things
without counting the pennies first.

We've spent most of ours now. Having to slow down a bit.
BUT.
Had a ball doing it.
Only go O\Seas every second yr for 3 month nowadays.

Same as my 3 new LED torches.
From net.

One Larger, diving.for $23 del. and 2 others at $10'80 each.

Same torches, IN Aust $47\$55, and $21\$32 x 2 ea.

Again. Just examples of better prices from alternative sources.

SOME people... ARE interested.
Believe it or not.

Have a good one mate.
Life is good.

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

Where is most things made ? Depending on who or what model ? I've had no issues buying the cheaper generators . Having said that I have Cummins petrol / diesel in my motorhome . A Chinese 3 phase 8Kw for the house. A Chinese made Hyundai . Had it 4 years no problem . A little noisy . But if it makes you feel good buy local where you can have it serviced etc . If you don't agree ? Don't go down the path of insults etc .

baglimit2002 · Veteran Member

Hi all thanks for the many replys seems that honda and yammys are the go chinese gennys are also go had a small one ran well ,purchased a 5hp Chinese honda of a site when i compaired the two motors one a honda they still had the same casting marks in 3 areas so me thinks that they are the same motor different price as for the alternator who knows i like thee idea of a suit case genny the three names mentioned hope that the genny can while on heat the best generater i spotted was a mt eba station on the Stuart highway was a single cylinder desiel with a 6foot flywheel and fired every 20 rotations of the flywheel owner told me cooling was 2 x44 gallon drums welded together and used a 44gallon of desiel a month it ran 24/7 gets recondition in clare valley some where and built in 1905 and spins a 6kva alternator thanks for your input andy and di

baglimit2002 · Veteran Member

Sorry about the spelling ment to say hope genny works the same when air con is on heat

baglimit2002 · Veteran Member

Sorry about the spelling ment to say hope genny works the same when air con is on heat

sandman55 · Guru

Hi from a caravan Noob. I don't own a caravan yet but I hope my Karakampa will be built by the end of the month. I don't own a Generator either but I am an electrician and I might be able to give a bit of advice that most of you would know but some one new might not. It is worthwhile to consider an inverter generator if you are going to run your electronic equipment like TV etc off it here is an article on the subject http://www.yamahaef2000is.com/conventional_generator_vs_inverter_generator.html

macka17 · Guru

Thank you Sandman.

Mine IS an Inverter.
Same as Air Cond and Microwave.

Who'd buy otherwise nowadays. If they know.

Which they have to be told. To know.

Some here like to dig me for being a bit long winded.

Retired. Plenty of time.
Where's the problem hey.

Thank's again.

-- Edited by macka17 on Saturday 6th of May 2017 05:13:59 AM

Tony Bev · Guru

Hello baglimit2002

I hope that I am not too late to welcome you to the forum

Wal1 has given some good advice
See your from Adelaide, I purchased my Honda 2.0 kva genset from Haughton Honda Generators on South Rd. Prior to purchase, the let me take our motor home to their premises and brought out both a Yamaha and a Honda to try. would highly recommend them. Oh and they were open to negotiation on price.
For what it is worth knowing, I have a Coleman-Mach roof aircon, and the Honda 2 kva which came with my second hand motor home, will work the aircon

hino motorhome · Veteran Member

Hi my t pence worth, have been around the block 3 times and have a Honda 2kva and now running our ibus 3 no problems but can't run any else at the same time wouldn't be with without it enjoy your travels regards Danny and Rosina

Mike Harding · Guru

Baglimit2002: Whether a given generator will start a given air conditioner is impossible to say unless the gen is rated at least three or four times the load requirements of the AC.

With something such as the Honda 2kVA (2kVA is its max. 1.6kVa is running) the only way to be sure is to try the gen you intend to buy on *your* AC first and make sure the AC is under load when you do that *and* do that test half a dozen times and if the AC fails to start even once then you need another gen.