Portable generator opinions

[gary]

Hi Mike,

I use a Honda EU20i.

59dB, pure sine wave. 240V and 12V outlets.

When you travel around, they would be one of the most popular generators you keep seeing.

[AstralTraveller (David)]

Originally Posted by gary

Hi Mike,

I use a Honda EU20i.

59dB, pure sine wave. 240V and 12V outlets.

When you travel around, they would be one of the most popular generators you keep seeing.

Not that people with generators are popular . Personally I'd find it hard to reconcile the ambience of astronomy with the noise of a generator (however quiet).

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Thanks everyone, as expected, some useful opinions there, cheers

Originally Posted by Barrykgerdes

Hi Mke I think you have got the opinions
1. A generator is a good idea
2. Maintenance is important
3. Don't get the cheap Chinese ones. The good brands like Honda and Yamaha are worth the extra money.

Barry

Yep, got that Bazza...but like with RC's though the difference in price is about double or more

Mike

[DavidTrap (David)]

More importantly, bugger about having to move again just after getting your Obs built...

As for generators, very happy with my Honda. They hold their value very well when sold second hand on eBay.

DT

[clive milne]

Mike,
Solar is a much better option.
The up front cost is higher but the long term cost is lower than a generator.

Consider this; Mining companies (like Rio) use lighting stations around their remote excavation sites. They used to be basically a big diesel generator with a lighting tower attached. They are now switching to lighting trailers comprising 1kva of solar panels feeding an internal gell cell bank of 10 x 200amp hour batteries. It works out cheaper and is essentially maintenance free.

They use a chinese copy of a an inverter designed by Tomahawk (USA) like this one: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/NEW-9000W...56016e3&_uhb=1

If you need more output they have one twice the size which will cost you $800 landed.

when they say charger they mean that you can hook up to a 240v source as a back up to charge your batteries .... it will not charge them from solar panels though.

To do that, you really are best off using an MPPT charger. Arguably the best available is the Morningstar:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Morningst...72bea45&_uhb=1

Incidentally... I personally know the guy who puts together the solar rigs for Rio Tinto and other mining companies.... occasionally he has surplus gel cells for sale. He can't use them because their physical size is incompatible with the trailers they send up to the mining sites, other than that they are brand new and fully functioning. Last set I got from him were priced at $250 each. They retail new in excess of $650 per battery.

My experience with solar versus generator is that my only regret is persevering with the infernal combustion engine one day longer than I had to. Solar works so well it just slips from your consciousness in to the domain of things that you simply don't need to think about any more.

It's also silent and considerably less environmentally damaging.

You wont regret it.

[clive milne]

One other thing to consider....

And this is from personal experience; if you try to run a 250A welder off a 4kva sine wave generator (even with the welder turned right down) the generator will have a conniption and stall.
If you try it several times, lowering the demand on the generator by turning the welder down further still in an attempt to find a level where it might actually work, you will likely burn out the electronics in the generator.

A solar inverter like this, however:http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/NEW-18000...fe31b06&_uhb=1

Will run a circular saw, fridge and air conditioner all at the same time and be at less than 50% of its real continuous load capacity. (17% of its peak)

You of course have to have the battery (or solar) capacity to keep up with it if you intend to do that for any length of time, but that isn't as difficult as you might think.

The essence of the message here is that solar inverters are commonly designed to handle instantaneous power loads 3x their continuous ratings. (even the units manufactured in china) and don't be surprised if a generator karks it when a load 1/3rd its rated capacity is suddenly dumped on it. Generators by Honda, Yamaha, etc, fair only marginally better.

[Brettstar6754]

I bought this one from AGR @ Seven hills after recommendations from other IISers.http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/NEW-Fuji-...c57fe95&_uhb=1

It seems to be quite good (50 hours use). It has been punished in 45 degree heat for hours on end. It makes no fuss when I weld heavy metal @ 200amp.
For what its worth, the build quality of these imports seems very good.

The smaller ones would be quite versatile.
See you at the SPSP,

[loc46south (Geoffrey)]

Mike I started imaging off the back of a landrover using a 2.2KW Chinese generator, it gave great service and is still going today but when I eventually built an Observatory it was barely adequate - I purchased a 6.5 KW Chinese Generator and it broke down on the first night, motor run a bearing. Retailer replaced it the next day and it's successor has run for 3 years without any problems. The only thing is that the Chinese seem to be a little over optimistic with their ratings - my 6.5 KWH would reliably deliver more like 4.5KWH. The biggest cost of running it was petrol, so much so that a cost comparrison showed that Solar units would be much cheaper (The cost of Solar has dropped considerably over the last 18 mths to 2 years) - the proviso being that you can get your hands on some cheap batteries. The recent advances in computers also mean that the power needed to run the observatory is now not as great as it used to be. http://www.pbase.com/loc46south/image/154996463

If you need further info PM me and I will help where I can

Cheers

[leon]

Stick with Honda Guys, had ours for 4 years now, never fails to start and runs perfectly all the times, it has done hundreds of hours on our travels.

They may be a bit more expensive, but worth every cent.

Leon

[icytailmark (Mark)]

would be far cheaper to buy a couple of batteries instead

[jenchris (Jennifer)]

Honda make a neat little V twin 10bhp for about 180 dollars - V belt it to a couple of Alternators and a charger (with batteries) and you've got sufficient power to run a large observatory and a caravan. Use low voltage for EVERYthing and you won't need an inverter.
I intend to do that to my home eventually.

[mozzie (Peter)]

bought a new yamaha generator and it arrived today .
so far very impressed!!!!
let's hope it doesn't break down like the old kipor piece of crap...

[AstroJunk (Jonathan)]

Originally Posted by mozzie

bought a new yamaha generator and it arrived today .
so far very impressed!!!!
let's hope it doesn't break down like the old kipor piece of crap...

The only thing I found, was to remember to switch of ECO mode when using big power tools to stop them bogging down at start-up. Hondas have that feature too which is brilliant when using lower power kit; the machine just automatically throttles back so is quieter and uses less fuel.

[mozzie (Peter)]

yes the old kipor had it..in the end it was only going flat out...
the new yamaha does all my power tools both cement mixers and the bricksaw starts and runs for about 15 seconds then the genny overloads!!!!!!
bugger those bricksaws suck some power to strartup!!!!