uglychevyZZ4
3/4 ton status
What is a sufficient size for the woods? i see 1800- 35,000 and dont know whatll be ok for a lil electricity on the trail, but not overkill or overpay?????
CK5
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Trail Generator...... Whats sufficient? NEED INFO..
- Thread starter uglychevyZZ4
- Start date
The formula is P(watts)=I(current)xV(voltage) which can be used to put generators into perspective by changing to P/V=I So for instance to run a 15 amp load on 120 volts you would need 1800 watts. That would equate to a average, usually 15 or 20, circuit in your home which powers a room or two. If your just wanting to run a few lights and maybe a small tv that would be fine. I would personally go for around 2500 for a little extra cushion but 1800 would probably work for something small. Just add up the wattage of everything your wanting to run to get some kind of idea what to start with.
ChevyCaGal
3/4 ton status
Ask gokartergo what he has. It looked to be really nice when I saw it at Hollister...
uglychevyZZ4
3/4 ton status
that sounds, errrr, like math /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif thanks for the info, what will run a
coffee pot
elec skillit
and maybe a light? /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
coffee pot
elec skillit
and maybe a light? /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
gokartergo
3/4 ton status
Mine is a honda 600watt.. It'll run all that and a small TV. I like the Honda's they are really quit.. But this one is around 12 years old.. I think the smallest one they make now is a 1000 watt. It should work for what you want....
ChevyCaGal
3/4 ton status
That sucker ran forever. I remember you were sitting there waiting for it to run out of gas before you loaded it back up but it keep going and going...
gokartergo
3/4 ton status
Yea it has a 3/4 gallon tank and if you don't use a lot of power I think we can get almost 10 hours out of it...
uglychevyZZ4
3/4 ton status
sweet. my job sells em for 199. and i may get one b4 summer.
chevyracing
1/2 ton status
I don't kbow about the other math, but it is simple.
Amps time volts equals watts. If you want to run a 10 amp drill at 110 volts it is 1100 watts. Make sure you have a reserve power for the surge when you start the tool or it will blow the breaker. Figure in about 20 percent more power for the starting surge and you will be safe. A 2500 watt gen will run "most" 110 volt shop tools and handle the surge with no sweat.
John
Amps time volts equals watts. If you want to run a 10 amp drill at 110 volts it is 1100 watts. Make sure you have a reserve power for the surge when you start the tool or it will blow the breaker. Figure in about 20 percent more power for the starting surge and you will be safe. A 2500 watt gen will run "most" 110 volt shop tools and handle the surge with no sweat.
John
Pookster
1/2 ton status
In terms of generators, those Honda's are hard to beat. Their relatively quiet compared to the Briggs & Straton motors. Look for a OHV's, they tend to be quieter. And stay away from the two strokes, they are loud as heck, like a leaf blower.
That being said....
Most parks and recreational areas have a "no generator rule" of some sort, after a certain hour. If your in the middle of the forest somewhere, I guess that isnt a problem. I just like to keep it quiet, my truck makes enough noise already. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Unfortunately, I dont think 600 is enough to run all the devices simultaneously. You could probably get away with a 4 cup 300 watt coffee maker, and a small TV. If you get a LCD TV, it would be better, as most of them can use 12V.
Most of these generators come in either AC or DC. AC to DC conversions are kinda crappy, I try to keep everything as 12VDC , just so its compatable with my truck. Most however, have like a 10-15 Amp DC output of somesort, so.. your still good. (Especially if you accidentally drain your truck battery!)
I think he meant something like a 2500 sustained, and a 4000 peak unit (for the spike). Unfortunately, the items you listed (Coffee maker, electric stove) are all terribly power hungry. I've never personally seen a small 2500 unit, but thats just personal experience. I've seen them in the 1000 range, and options to parallel connect two of them together for more watts. I havent seen them cheap though!
Alternative:
I found the cheapest way is still a camp stove of some sort (propane, white gas, your choice. I chose white gas cause most stoves can use Gasoline if need be, and a gallon of white gas costs about... 3-4 bucks at wallmart). I use a small Apex 1 (6500BTU)'s and it does a dandy job. For coffee, I have a percolator I use if Im with a group of people, but the other option is to get a Bodum coffee press. Works very well, just add boiling water.
Ever consider running an inverter to a dual battery setup? This is the route I went for my power needs. I have a 1250/1500 peak full time Tripplite inverter connected to a marine battery (115 Ahr). THe recommended drain interval for a marine battery is 25% total amps. So about 25 Ahr by the time inversion and what not is done. This way, I can run my little TV (and I mean little, its flat panel and runs off 3 AA batteries) directly, since it takes 12V input, and I can run small power tools if i need em.
Just my two cents, as always. Im trying to pack lighter and ligher. I cleaned out my truck the other day, I think I dropped a second in the quarter mile! /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif
That being said....
Most parks and recreational areas have a "no generator rule" of some sort, after a certain hour. If your in the middle of the forest somewhere, I guess that isnt a problem. I just like to keep it quiet, my truck makes enough noise already. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Unfortunately, I dont think 600 is enough to run all the devices simultaneously. You could probably get away with a 4 cup 300 watt coffee maker, and a small TV. If you get a LCD TV, it would be better, as most of them can use 12V.
Most of these generators come in either AC or DC. AC to DC conversions are kinda crappy, I try to keep everything as 12VDC , just so its compatable with my truck. Most however, have like a 10-15 Amp DC output of somesort, so.. your still good. (Especially if you accidentally drain your truck battery!)
I think he meant something like a 2500 sustained, and a 4000 peak unit (for the spike). Unfortunately, the items you listed (Coffee maker, electric stove) are all terribly power hungry. I've never personally seen a small 2500 unit, but thats just personal experience. I've seen them in the 1000 range, and options to parallel connect two of them together for more watts. I havent seen them cheap though!
Alternative:
I found the cheapest way is still a camp stove of some sort (propane, white gas, your choice. I chose white gas cause most stoves can use Gasoline if need be, and a gallon of white gas costs about... 3-4 bucks at wallmart). I use a small Apex 1 (6500BTU)'s and it does a dandy job. For coffee, I have a percolator I use if Im with a group of people, but the other option is to get a Bodum coffee press. Works very well, just add boiling water.
Ever consider running an inverter to a dual battery setup? This is the route I went for my power needs. I have a 1250/1500 peak full time Tripplite inverter connected to a marine battery (115 Ahr). THe recommended drain interval for a marine battery is 25% total amps. So about 25 Ahr by the time inversion and what not is done. This way, I can run my little TV (and I mean little, its flat panel and runs off 3 AA batteries) directly, since it takes 12V input, and I can run small power tools if i need em.
Just my two cents, as always. Im trying to pack lighter and ligher. I cleaned out my truck the other day, I think I dropped a second in the quarter mile! /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif
uglychevyZZ4
3/4 ton status
ya, when we did Naches, we used a inverter for running the " blender " /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
