Battery Drain

Nabsim

Forum Member
Yes I try to get mine above 70% with generator before a run then let the b2b bang in the rest if I can. Need to try out my gas conversion theory and if that doesn’t work I need more petrol today or tomorrow lol
 

SquirrellCook

Forum Member
the charge rate drops and drops so getting the final 10-15% of charge into a battery from a Generator becomes pretty inefficient
Also the generator was not happy with a very light load. One day it would be interesting to borrow one of those honda 1kva generators to see if they are quieter and better behaved than my cheapy from Machine Mart. Though I seldom use a generator these days.
 

Nabsim

Forum Member
Also the generator was not happy with a very light load. One day it would be interesting to borrow one of those honda 1kva generators to see if they are quieter and better behaved than my cheapy from Machine Mart. Though I seldom use a generator these days.
If you had followed Annie to the drove you could have heard my Hyundai running, I think it’s fairly quiet. Saying that there is a horse box parked behind me and he has been running an open frame genny this morning, don’t know what make but that is very quiet as well
 

SquirrellCook

Forum Member
running an open frame genny this morning, don’t know what make but that is very quiet as well
You have to be very carful with older technology generators and switched mode power supplies and chargers. Not all are generator tolerant, and tend to go bang if not. Though I have noticed some of those open frame generators have better manners now.
I'm believe it or not limited on space, and could not cope with anything much bigger than what I have.
I wanted to take advantage of being away for a few days to run some tests to learn about it's winter performance being parked up.
 

wildebus

Forum Member
You have to be very carful with older technology generators and switched mode power supplies and chargers. Not all are generator tolerant, and tend to go bang if not. Though I have noticed some of those open frame generators have better manners now.
I'm believe it or not limited on space, and could not cope with anything much bigger than what I have.
I wanted to take advantage of being away for a few days to run some tests to learn about it's winter performance being parked up.
Wise words above. There are generators and there are generators :) I think the 'Inverter Generators' are really the only ones you would want to use to feed a battery charger. The cheap basic generators are really only meant for site power tools where there is nothing to really go wrong if the power fluctuates.

I have the Briggs-Straton P2200 (1700W/2200W Peak) Inverter-Generator and something I did check before I plugged a charger into it was the output quality (voltage level and sine wave frequency & smoothness) and it was virtually the same as the mains, which I was impressed with.
I happened to watch a youtube video the other day of someone (I think it was 'hobotech'?) checking a generator output and he put his meter on the 12V output, which looked good at around 12.4V or something. But.... he then checked when the generator had a load on it and the 12V output went upto 19V! And this, IIRC, was a brand new budget Generator.
 

wildebus

Forum Member
Mine is a modern inverter generator, I mentioned the open frame one simply for its quietness. I don’t know it’s age or make but very quite and it’s been running all day
I am sure you have a good one, Neil.

I should say that many of the replies and comments I make are often to cover thoughts and bits & pieces for people who may be just reading this thread and have either not got the same familiarity in this area as the people posting (such as you, Squirrelcook or me in this case) or done the same level of research we have done).
It is not to doubt anything anyone here has got or done, but more aimed at the casual observer (I guess it is my years working on a helpdesk coming through o_O ).
 

SquirrellCook

Forum Member
I removed the regulator pack in mine as it was just over 30 volts at times. The old one that replaced it seems to stop at 29 volts.
 

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