PrivatePilot
Greater Toronto Area
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Switching from a (noisier) 2000 watt inverter generator to a smaller (much quieter) 950 inverter generator and an inverter setup.
I realized that most of our occasional loads that required the bigger generator were very sporadic - coffee maker in the morning and the microwave for 5/10 minutes a few times a day. I'm picking up a 2500 watt inverter to handle those loads without any need to start the generator at all...which of course now that I've moved down to half the wattage, it's unlikely to run anyways. 
My fiver is wired so that I can run the converter solo (without any other loads) so I was planning to use it to recharge the house batteries while the genny *is* running..however, it's just a standard 2-stage 45 amp output converter....factory install.
I did some load testing today and the genny doesn't seem to be loading a whole lot with the converter alone, even when it's in high-rate. Quite to my surprise the genny only reached 100% load when I switched the fridge to 120 as well - so there appears to be wattage to spare.
So...I'm thinking perhaps to maximize utilization of the generator (and minimize runtime when it IS running) I'm going to need a higher capacity charger on the 12v side.
Wondering, based on everyones experience here, what the highest output 12v charger I could expect to run with 950 watts of AC power from the genny.
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garym114
Bluff Dale, Texas
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Each deep cycle battery should be charged at no more than 10% of it's capacity.
Two 12v deep cycle batteries connected together with a 200 amp capacity each should be charged at no more than 40 amps total.
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Wayne Dohnal
Bend, OR.
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Quote:
Wondering, based on everyones experience here, what the highest output 12v charger I could expect to run with 950 watts of AC power from the genny. 45 amp for most converters. If it's power factor corrected, you might be able to run a 60 amp converter.
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Les Curren
U.S.A.
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Every gen set and every charger have individual quirks. Just because the builder says your gen set should put out 950 watts does not mean it will and the same goes for the charger.
In my case I can run a Heart inverter charger at 65 amps load from my 1000 watt Honda at near sea level. At 5000 feet it can't make it.
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2oldman
Near The Slabs
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950/13 = 73 amps.
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mexbungalows
las peñas, michoacan, mexico
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My guess (and it is only a guess) is that thirty to forty amps will be about it and that will be altitude limited.
When you are camping forget about "rules" about limiting charging amperage according to battery amp hour capacity. Recharging rules apply when batteries are used as backup power and reconnection is done to line voltage. Plate degradation (shedding) acceleration by charging batteries to a voltage LIMITED value of say 14.4 or so is irrevelant as compared to the possibility of plate sulfation. This is yet another urban myth generated when the public reads charging protocols used for a specific application then decides to adapt that protocol as a "universal truth". It would be lovely to discharge batteries to 50% of AH capacity then slowly bring them back up by charging to proper specific gravity over a period of many hours if not days. Campers do not have that option. The ogre of sulfation awaits those who do not recharge as fast and as completely as safely possible.
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PrivatePilot
Greater Toronto Area
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Ok, somewhere around 60-65 amps seems to be the consensus with 70 being near the limit of the generator.
No high altitude camping planned this year...next year probably but before we depart for the trip we are planning a 3000w inverter genny (Yamaha, Honda, or Kippor, not sure yet) will be part of our arsenal. I just wanted the small genny in the meantime for portability (It only weighs 26#) and noise considerations compared to the Honeywell i2000 that I just sold.
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BFL13
Victoria, BC
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What is the "continuous" rating of that "950?" eg a Honda "1000" has about 800VA ISTR. Meanwhile a rough 120v input VA requirement for charging at 40amps is 700 or so.
A typical 55amp converter wants 975w input. A smart portable like the Black & Decker VEC1093DBD that does 40amps says it wants 785w. The older model of the same thing, Vector 1093A, wants 700w
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smkettner
Southern California
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950 is engine rating, surge rating, or continuous load rating?
Anyway 40 to 45 amps into the battery is about all it will power.
I have read several posts that a 45 amp IOTA will overload a 1000 honda. (900va rated, 1000va surge 30 minutes)
60 amp Xantrex power factor corrected converter will overload a 1000 honda.
45 amp PD converter seems to work with 1000 honda. 60 also works if you keep it out of boost the first 30 to 60 minutes.
I have yet to read 40 amps or less overloading a 1000w honda.
A fixed voltage 45 amp converter should be fine but you said two stage so what is it? May as well post the generator model also. Because it depends.
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Wayne Dohnal
Bend, OR.
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If you're going to solve this with math you have to take into account (notwithstanding the advertising) that all of the small generators are not rated in watts, but in VA.
For a 45A charge/converter:
45A * 13.6 volts = 612 watts / 90% efficiency = 680 watts
if it's not PF corrected, 765 watts / 0.7 PF = 971 VA
45A * 14.4 volts = 648 watts / 90% efficiency = 720 watts
if it's not PF corrected, 810 watts / 0.7 PF = 1029 VA
(90& efficiency and 0.7 PF are for a PD 9160 converter. Others of course may vary.)
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