Cheap generator.

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Koreano

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Jan 18, 2012
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I am looking into buying generator that would charge four battery that is connected to inversor during the day. What capacity do i need to buy?

We have no electricity since Friday night and I am afraid they will break "someone will be here tomorrow" promise.
 
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tommeyers

On Vacation!
Jan 2, 2012
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I live in Santiago
related to that I wonder about how to connect it. Battery with inverter I have that; battey with generator I hv that. But two charging devices attached to each other (at the battery) is there a potential problem?
 
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Olly

Bronze
Mar 12, 2007
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Koreano,
A 4000 Watt generator at 110 VAC is about the smallest that is suitable. You need about 2000 Watts for the invertor to charge the batteries and have 2000 Watts spare for your house. Dont try to run things like a pool pump or Water heater or A/C .

Olly and the Team
 
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donP

Newbie
Dec 14, 2008
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Vac >> vdc

tommeyers said:
related to that I wonder about how to connect it.
Click to expand...

The generator output (110/220V) is connected to the AC side of the inverter. The charging unit of the inverter transforms it to the voltage of the battery bank with corresponding charging amps.
Anyway, this is how a Trace/Xantrex (Schneider) inverter works.

donP
 
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donP

Newbie
Dec 14, 2008
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Amperage Equation

Olly said:
A 4000 Watt generator at 110 VAC is about the smallest that is suitable. You need about 2000 Watts for the invertor to charge the batteries and have 2000 Watts spare for your house. Dont try to run things like a pool pump or Water heater or A/C .
Click to expand...

That all depends.....

On a good inverter you can regulate the charging rate for the battery bank.
Depending on the output of the generator you then have the 'rest of the amperage' for other appliances/consumers.
This equation does not work any more, once a water pump or another high amp consumer kicks in, the circuit breaker of the generator then trips. Thus you'd want your generator only run on a moderate (and not more than 75%) load in order to accomodate a sudden consumer surge.

I'd recommend a 6.5 kW diesel (Kubota).*


donP

*)
I had one as an auxiliary unit, they are good and reliable.
 
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TP666

New member
Sep 6, 2005
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I use a T-K2 / TKD20 gas heater - wonderful unit have had it working for 12 years with no problems. Uses very little gas!
 
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donP

Newbie
Dec 14, 2008
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Wrong Thread

TP666 said:
I use a T-K2 / TKD20 gas heater - wonderful unit have had it working for 12 years with no problems. Uses very little gas!
Click to expand...

Interesting.....
And which produces electric power??? :cross-eye

donP
 
cobraboy

cobraboy

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Jul 24, 2004
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I have a plug hardwired into my inverter with a switch, so it the power goes out for extended periods and the two banks of 4 batteries get low, I can plug into the AC side of the inverter into the generator and power the house & charge the batteries.

Works like a charm, but the power has been improving and hasn't gone out long enough in well over a year to need it.

We do have a wind generator that charges one bank of batteries.
 
cobraboy

cobraboy

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Jul 24, 2004
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JDJones said:
You mean a triple two throw scissor switch, correct? I've seen lots of folks install one on the output of the inverter, so it doesn't kick in when they're not home.

I'm not sure what that accomplishes, but it's really common.
Click to expand...
Yes. AC side, not DC side.

Besides, I want the fridge to run when the power goes out while we're away...as well as outside lights & all tech hooked into the UPS's...

We also have a small light that shows when street power is on so we don't run the generator when street power comes back on.

The generator is a simple 3.5kw portable gas unit. I don't drag it out until the inverter is beeping "low battery" on the 2nd bank of batteries.
 
K

Koreano

Bronze
Jan 18, 2012
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Just now i had a call that we have partial power and it isn't safe to hook everything up. The ede guy saying we need new main switch outside and he is telling me the house have to pay or buy $6000 for the switch. With this incident I really want a backup generator to at least charge the battery so we can run things like fridge, laptop, router and charge phones. I don't need to run everything for 24 hours. Only if we can last through the night with above things working, we are fine as i can have my wife go out during the days. Thanks for replies and keep em coming. I will definitely have hook backup option by end of this year or early next year.
 
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banzai

Member
Aug 16, 2013
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I would like to purchase a new 2.5/3.5 KW LP gas portable generator; in/around the Santo Domingo/Andres area. Address and phone number if you have someone in mind. Many tks.
 
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windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
42,211
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banzai said:
I would like to purchase a new 2.5/3.5 KW LP gas portable generator; in/around the Santo Domingo/Andres area. Address and phone number if you have someone in mind. Many tks.
Click to expand...

I highly recommend against LP Gas generators. Two of my neighbors had ones that they imported from the US and they both developed problems very quickly.
 
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banzai

Member
Aug 16, 2013
152
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I googled Pricesmart, most of what they have in my category is for sale online only - I'll put Ferreteria Americana on the
list. Many tks.
 
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Criss Colon

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Jan 2, 2002
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yahoomail.com
Plan to use it full time, or only as a back up generator?????
Full time "Gas" won't last long.
My "Detroit Diesel Generator" was "OLD" when I bought my house 20 years ago!!!
Can't be KILLED!!!!
Sits for months, fires up right away, every time, can run for weeks without stopping!

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banzai

Member
Aug 16, 2013
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Plan on running it long enuf to keep the fridge alive, nothing else. Tks to all for responses.
 
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Criss Colon

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Jan 2, 2002
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Don't bother then.
Small invertor and two batteries is a much better way.
No noise, no fumes,little maintenance.
Keep the freezer filled with water containers, once frozen you will be good for days without power.
Move a bottle down every 8 hours.

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chic

Silver
Nov 20, 2013
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TP666 said:
I use a T-K2 / TKD20 gas heater - wonderful unit have had it working for 12 years with no problems. Uses very little gas!
Click to expand...

please tell us more about your machine?:devious::devious::devious::devious::devious::devious::devious:
 
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