Generator for motorhome
Discussion
never let me down, keeps the batteries topped up in the motorhome, heats the water, runs the 12v electrics and Telly etcOwen - be careful with these. I had a 2kw one that came with my truck... it was chugging away whilst the kettle boiled - when the kettle finished the load on the genny lifted and the genny surged. The resulting voltage spike blew up a battery charger that was also in action at the same time - big bang, cloud of smoke. Fortunately it wasn't anything important, but I'd have been pretty unhappy if it had been my lap top. I now have a 5kw with a 'long range' fuel tank.
You're presumably after something small which is as clean and as quiet as possible. I'm a firm believer in you get what you pay for when it comes to this sort of thing (a bit like lawnmowers), and the 'silent' Honda or Yamaha models, at 50dB, are way ahead of the (albeit much) cheaper alternatives (upwards of 75dB). They also have a cleaner power supply, 5 year warranty, all the mucky bits are enclosed etc etc. Downside: they cost a grand. Upside: they won't blow your gear up, annoy the neighbours and you'll only ever buy one
Don't go for a 2 stroke as it will be v noisy and you need to mess about mixing 2 stroke oil and fuel.
There are some cheap 4 stroke generators available that use Honda or Briggs & Stratton engines which will be a better bet than a Chinese engined thing
If you do go for one of the cheap and cheerful ones then run it through a surge protection lead. You could also get a few slabs of polystyrene (or similar) rigid insulation and build a little open sided 'hutch' for it to reduce the noise (pin the slabs together with long nails)
I decided what I wanted and then searched the t'interweb and was surprised at the variation in prices.
As an aside and if you need it for Snetterton, Costco currently have a nice silent Honda and a cheap alternative. Some of the t'interweb places do next day delivery.
I still have my 2kw one if you want to borrow it for this weekend.
You're presumably after something small which is as clean and as quiet as possible. I'm a firm believer in you get what you pay for when it comes to this sort of thing (a bit like lawnmowers), and the 'silent' Honda or Yamaha models, at 50dB, are way ahead of the (albeit much) cheaper alternatives (upwards of 75dB). They also have a cleaner power supply, 5 year warranty, all the mucky bits are enclosed etc etc. Downside: they cost a grand. Upside: they won't blow your gear up, annoy the neighbours and you'll only ever buy one
Don't go for a 2 stroke as it will be v noisy and you need to mess about mixing 2 stroke oil and fuel.
There are some cheap 4 stroke generators available that use Honda or Briggs & Stratton engines which will be a better bet than a Chinese engined thing
If you do go for one of the cheap and cheerful ones then run it through a surge protection lead. You could also get a few slabs of polystyrene (or similar) rigid insulation and build a little open sided 'hutch' for it to reduce the noise (pin the slabs together with long nails)
I decided what I wanted and then searched the t'interweb and was surprised at the variation in prices.
As an aside and if you need it for Snetterton, Costco currently have a nice silent Honda and a cheap alternative. Some of the t'interweb places do next day delivery.
I still have my 2kw one if you want to borrow it for this weekend.
teamHOLDENracing said:
Fortunately it wasn't anything important, but I'd have been pretty unhappy if it had been my lap top.
If im running a lap top or pc from a genny I always stick a UPS inline to smooth anything out and keep things running if it drops out... you can get them from about 40 quid and cheaper than a blown psu or fried pc.I've recently gone through the same decision-making process. My mind was made up in Snetterton paddock when I didn't realise the Honda generator next to a nearby motorhome was running till I actually walked right past it. It was incredibly quiet. Yes, they're more expensive but they're more reliable, you can trust the output and they have strong resale values so in the end don't actually cost you much more. Having a noisy one chugging away right by the m/h would drive me spacko.
teamHOLDENracing said:
Owen - be careful with these. I had a 2kw one that came with my truck... it was chugging away whilst the kettle boiled - when the kettle finished the load on the genny lifted and the genny surged. The resulting voltage spike blew up a battery charger that was also in action at the same time - big bang, cloud of smoke. Fortunately it wasn't anything important, but I'd have been pretty unhappy if it had been my lap top. I now have a 5kw with a 'long range' fuel tank.
You're presumably after something small which is as clean and as quiet as possible. I'm a firm believer in you get what you pay for when it comes to this sort of thing (a bit like lawnmowers), and the 'silent' Honda or Yamaha models, at 50dB, are way ahead of the (albeit much) cheaper alternatives (upwards of 75dB). They also have a cleaner power supply, 5 year warranty, all the mucky bits are enclosed etc etc. Downside: they cost a grand. Upside: they won't blow your gear up, annoy the neighbours and you'll only ever buy one
Don't go for a 2 stroke as it will be v noisy and you need to mess about mixing 2 stroke oil and fuel.
There are some cheap 4 stroke generators available that use Honda or Briggs & Stratton engines which will be a better bet than a Chinese engined thing
If you do go for one of the cheap and cheerful ones then run it through a surge protection lead. You could also get a few slabs of polystyrene (or similar) rigid insulation and build a little open sided 'hutch' for it to reduce the noise (pin the slabs together with long nails)
I decided what I wanted and then searched the t'interweb and was surprised at the variation in prices.
As an aside and if you need it for Snetterton, Costco currently have a nice silent Honda and a cheap alternative. Some of the t'interweb places do next day delivery.
I still have my 2kw one if you want to borrow it for this weekend.
+1You're presumably after something small which is as clean and as quiet as possible. I'm a firm believer in you get what you pay for when it comes to this sort of thing (a bit like lawnmowers), and the 'silent' Honda or Yamaha models, at 50dB, are way ahead of the (albeit much) cheaper alternatives (upwards of 75dB). They also have a cleaner power supply, 5 year warranty, all the mucky bits are enclosed etc etc. Downside: they cost a grand. Upside: they won't blow your gear up, annoy the neighbours and you'll only ever buy one
Don't go for a 2 stroke as it will be v noisy and you need to mess about mixing 2 stroke oil and fuel.
There are some cheap 4 stroke generators available that use Honda or Briggs & Stratton engines which will be a better bet than a Chinese engined thing
If you do go for one of the cheap and cheerful ones then run it through a surge protection lead. You could also get a few slabs of polystyrene (or similar) rigid insulation and build a little open sided 'hutch' for it to reduce the noise (pin the slabs together with long nails)
I decided what I wanted and then searched the t'interweb and was surprised at the variation in prices.
As an aside and if you need it for Snetterton, Costco currently have a nice silent Honda and a cheap alternative. Some of the t'interweb places do next day delivery.
I still have my 2kw one if you want to borrow it for this weekend.
1Kw isn't much, I would recommnd at least 2.2/2.5. I always run my laptop via an invertor off a car battery, woudln't risk iton a generator.
If you try to run a small compressor, kettle, a light or two and a TV, you'll soon get over 2Kw.
Have you looked at the Hyundai Leisure generators - from 1000w to 2800w and only 58db. www.hyundai-generators.co.uk
RLlewellin said:
Have you looked at the Hyundai Leisure generators - from 1000w to 2800w and only 58db. www.hyundai-generators.co.uk
They certainly seem worth a look. Shame they haven't got a single one in stock...RogueMotorsport said:
RLlewellin said:
Have you looked at the Hyundai Leisure generators - from 1000w to 2800w and only 58db. www.hyundai-generators.co.uk
They certainly seem worth a look. Shame they haven't got a single one in stock...http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Hyundai-HY1000SI-1-4kw-Inver...
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