*** Generator - Granny Charger - Help Today ***

[RGG]

I've got a granny charger as in the photo and a Briggs & Stratton Generator - Starting 2400w - Running 1800w.

I can't work out if the generator will supply the granny charger - the granny charger doesn't seem to display the watts consumption - Usually around 2200w?

It looks like the draw is going to be 2200w?

I don't want to damage the generator if the draw is too great?


Any help today would be greatly appreciated.

[Crudeoink]

Power = current (10A) x Voltage (220-240v) so that charger is at least 2200w but more likely 2400w. Your generator won't be able to supply 2400w continuously as the continuous supply is only 1800w.

Edit: Adjusted the figures for the variable voltage range

[RGG]

Crudeoink said:

Power = current (10A) x Voltage (220v) so that charger is 2200w. Your generator won't be able to supply 2200w continuously as the continuous supply is only 1800w.

Thanks, its looking like this

[Mammasaid]

Crudeoink said:

Power = current (10A) x Voltage (220v) so that charger is 2200w. Your generator won't be able to supply 2200w continuously as the continuous supply is only 1800w.

Agreed, however if you can derate the output to 8A, then that's 1,760W which should work.

[Crudeoink]

Mammasaid said:

Agreed, however if you can derate the output to 8A, then that's 1,760W which should work.

Possibly, inrush current may stall the generator though

[biggiles]

Our two EVs will allow us to go as low as 5-6A in the "charge limit" setting, which should be well within the bounds of the generator. Try putting it as low as you can, then you may then be able to increase to 8A if it goes well...

Presumably this is "just enough" to get to the nearest mains charger, so you shouldn't need much?

[RGG]

Thanks everyone - I'm glad I didn't connect up the generator

I used a lithium battery connected to a 3000w inverter to the granny charger and the car has woken up

It hadn't been used for 3-4 months and seemed to have gone into some sort of sleep mode

It was 87% (main battery) charged when it awoke

I had also put it's 12v battery on charge and that may have discharged to some extent and put the car into sleep mode

All sorted now - thanks again

[Flooble]

Not being funny but are you sure the generator is 2400W, and not 2400 VA? The manufacturers often like to pick the bigger number, and I'm intrigued by the "starting" and "continuous" numbers.

If you are charging a Leaf, from memory they have no way to change the current draw. Teslas do, not sure about Stellantis EVs (the old Vauxhall ones used to have the setting on their granny charger).

But agree with the others - 220V at 10A sounds like the generator won't handle it.

[RGG]

said:

It's this one -

https://www.briggsandstratton.com/eu/en_gb/product...

[B5mike]

RGG said:

Thanks everyone - I'm glad I didn't connect up the generator

I used a lithium battery connected to a 3000w inverter to the granny charger and the car has woken up

It hadn't been used for 3-4 months and seemed to have gone into some sort of sleep mode

It was 87% (main battery) charged when it awoke

I had also put it's 12v battery on charge and that may have discharged to some extent and put the car into sleep mode

All sorted now - thanks again

Assume you have a Mk 1 Leaf? The HV battery is completely isolated when car is switched off, so it should not lose any charge whilst parked. However the 12V battery will also not charge due to the isolation of the HV battery, and 12V batteries can drain down over time. So you need to jump start the car via the 12V battery terminals (just like an ICE car, but current draw is lower). This will wake up the car's 12V control electronics which then switches on the HV which in turn slow charges the 12V battery. The owners handbook explains the procedure. Very different to "always on" EVs like Teslas.