Mobile generators

Like the OP I have considered a generator for CL's without electrical hookup ...... then I gave it a dose of thinking about (always potentially dangerous
)

Our caravan has been updated to full LED so the lights only need minimal power from the battery. We have 150 watts of solar panels, all our cooking is on gas, the heating incl water heater will run on gas, and the TV only uses 18 watts, albeit 240 volts.

We have a 1000 watt invertor to 'make' 240 volts ....... and generators are so damn noisy !!!

Then I realised that I already had a 'generator' in the form of my alternator in the car (truck), which will idle almost silently, and a damn sight quieter than any generator.

A bit of tinkering in the shed with various bits & bobs, and we now have a 6 meter 12-S cable.

Job done ! Additional power on demand

I have one of those my father got 30+ years ago when caravans did not even have a battery!  It has its own cute little reel.

I've still got mine somewhere.

Cheaper ones will also affect chargers in caravans. Dealers are very aware as well so buy a Honda, cheaper in the long run.

"Generator's" and "dogs" ,two controversial words on CT

but generators are normally quieter.  

A couple of problems with a generator

Your neighbours will not like it.

You may not like it.

The don’t last as long as solar panels.

You have to carry petrol?

They only charge as fast as your on-board battery charger will allow IE 4 amp (50 watt).

It will take up valuable space.

Your MH engine will charge at a far faster rate, IE 70 or 90 amp.

Lot of assumptions and even before the OP comes back and mentions a Caravan site but Honda are renowned for making 'whisper' quiet generators. Cheaper end of the market are not pure sine wave, may 'spike' and may affect electronics, such as TV's.

...hopefully, if they are used to charge the batteries (rather than run mains devices directly) then appliances can run from these, off 12v.

our ipads and phones all charge from usb cables from 12v.

I guess the number of devices requiring a mains charger is reducing...?

i do use an inverter for a SkyHD+ box (im going to see if my local guy can convert it to 12v) and for charging electric bike batteries.....everything else runs from 12v.

Please let us know how you get on converting the Sky box to 12v BB. Many years ago we had a 12v sky box but for some unknown reason Sky stopped making/selling them. Someone told me that they had their own integral inverter inside the box, don't know for
sure mind!

i did do a bit of reading up and this seems to be the case, so a conversion might be possible...

yes, its a slight pain to have the inverter running just for this..

The TV engineer who told me said it was in effect a tiny inverter only capable of an output of single figure amps. Wonder where you could source such a component?

You  don't  need  to  carry  petrol  if  you  have  your  geny  converted to  run  off  gas  --  certainly  Hondas  can  be  so  converted.  You'll  only  need  a  container  of  oil  &  deeper  pockets  !!