generator for electric hook up?

[michael1810]

can any one tell me the best generator for electric hook up is? and would i just need my normal cable to plug into it .
thanks mike

[Oldiebut goodie]

[michael1810]

love the pic but its not helping lol

[michael1810]

what i mean is an petrol/diesel generator?

[R0B]

Unless you want to be falling out with those camping near you.I think you should be looking at buying something like this..Generator

[Oldiebut goodie]

I wild camp all the time and have never felt the need to have a generator. What do you need one for?

[michael1810]

we are looking to be more indipendant and do more wild camping but would like the extra power for a tv/computor and also our fridge rather then wasting gas.
many thanks mike.

[Oldiebut goodie]

I use laptops and tv,charging mobiles etc. Gas usage is miniscule.You will waste a lot more petrol than gas running a fridge that way. As I say, I have wild camped for 40+ years and still have not found the need for a generator. Put the money into solar panels.
(I do have two generators but they are backup power for the house and for working on the boat where there is no mains).

[michael1810]

thanks for your comments so when you say solar panels how big are we talking about and how long to recharge a battary useing all those toys?
thanks again mike

[Oldiebut goodie]

Ideally you are looking for 80w or above - the most that you can afford to fit your roof space is best. Recharge time is a 'how long is a piece of string' question - depends upon the size of your leisure batteries, output of the panels due to weather, amount that the batteries have been depleted by.
If you are truly wild camping you will not be able to get a mobile signal or a tv signal so you will not have to worry about them depleting the battery! You soon get into the swing of not needing/using electrical items so much when wild camping. If you want TV and all the home comforts you may as well stay on a site with hookup and be like the caravanners who disappear into their vans as soon as the soaps start and don't reappear until Jeremy Kyle has finished the next day!
I manage with 40w in my VW camper with a 110 Ah battery and 80w in my Merc. bus with 220 Ah of batteries.

[michael1810]

thanks again i will defo look into this as i want to site a secound battery in my van as well just need to find someone over here to fit the panel ans wire up secound battery many thanks mike

[California Dreamin]

Generators are certainly a controvershal issue as many in close proximity will be annoyed at the noise.
'Suitcase' style gennies are the quietest but for it to be 'useable' it needs to be at least 2KW and you are talking £360 minimum for a 'Honda' CLONE...£625 plus for the real thing.
We had one brought us for Christmas....long story.....2KW Kipor (Honda clone) only used it once so far...quite impressive and 'relatively quiet' if sited in the right place (I don't think anyone even realized we had it running at Dubfreeze) would we have brought it ourselves? NO....but a nice thing to have all the same and an option for our 'WINTER' camping...we camp all rear round, UNLIKE some lol.
Just powerful enough to operate our 1600watt oil filled radiator .

Martin

[Aidan]

quite impressive and 'relatively quiet' if sited in the right place (I don't think anyone even realized we had it running at Dubfreeze)
Martin

I noticed, but most importantly noticed how much care you paid to removing the potential noise issue

[California Dreamin]

You are absolutely right....but then that's just being a good camping neighbour...being considerate to those around you.

Martin

[paulo999]

Another vote for solar.

Once you've got it, it's free. Free electricity. How good is that And, with no moving parts or particularly delicate electronics, it's zero maintenance. And it'll be keeping the battery in tip top condition even if you leave the van idle for awhile.

I've got a semi-flexible lightweight steel-backed panel which, so far this season, I've rested against the bumper of the van and secured with pegs & padlock & chain. It kept me in power for two weeks stationary, charging laptops, phones etc.

Obviously it's better to get the panel mounted on the roof. A flexible steel panel like mine can be bonded very easily. The least messy way is to used 'Very High Bonding' double sided tape. There's flavours available for serious bonding - outdoor use, high temperatures etc. Bonding tape suppliers can advise on the right product, and it's not much more expensive than using adhesives.

The slightly trickier bit is routing the cable - if your roof is fibreglass. Fibreglass isn't very drilling-friendly, and if it gets cracked you can have a potentially spreading problem. If you're worried about that, and can find someone to do it who will guarantee their work (and your roof!), it might be worth spending the money getting that bit done professionally.

Drilling aside, here's a 'panel' that would be really easy to fit. If you have the roof space (and the cash), a pair of these would give you some decent juice. (140w out of the pair of panels, and likely 100w once it's regulated down to 12v).

http://www.maplin.co.uk/68w-flexible-so ... ing-511208" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

(Aswell as flexible and semi-flexible, you can also use the cheaper more common steel framed panels - but mounting those is more complicated, uglier, and may well end up costing the same or more by the time you've bought roof bars/brackets.)