Honda Eg2500 Generator Manual
I'm looking into the possiblility of getting a portable generator to power my chargers since charging the batteries I use quickly suck the life out of my field battery! However I'm a bit confused about what I should be looking for in terms of specs when choosing a generator.
I notice that there are typically TWO sets of specs with these. Toastmasters vppr manual 2016. For instance a Honda EG2500 generator has the following specs: AC Output 120V 2500W max. (20.8A) 2300W rated (19.2A) and DC Output 12V, 100W (8.3A) Which of these specs should I be looking at in terms of requirements if I'm looking for a generator to power my two 150W chargers simultaneously? @ Andrew McGregor. Another option if you drive a diesel is just to use that.
My Toyota truck uses about two liters an hour idling, and has a 200A alternator. I thought most trucks did 65 amps and average car did 35 amps or has everthing racheted up since 1990 when i last checked specs on cars trucks??? The figure 2 litres per hour how did you get that EG you actualy measured it or it comes from specifations??? Well, petrol cars use a gigantic amount of fuel at idle. More like 15 litres an hour. I measured the Surf. It happened that at work one day I had a chance to do that, as I spent pretty much a whole day parked up idling to run some gear we were testing.
I was surprised at how little it used, so as I'd zeroed the trip counter when I filled it that morning, I filled it up again and subtracted out what little actual distance I'd done, and got about nine litres for 4.5 hours. I'd done the same thing from time to time with the Subaru I had before, and that would use most of a tank. Yeah, you're right about most cars and trucks. Well, they're probably a bit bigger now, but not that much.
The Surf just has a really big alternator. It's a 96 model. @ Chris True.That's roughly 3.25 gallons per hour. 4 = 13 liters per hour. I actually measured the 15 liters per hour, that's a 91 Subaru Legacy. Only a two liter engine, admittedly a turbo. My brother's non-turbo version of the same car is slightly better, maybe 13 liters per hour.
The difference between petrol and diesel at idle is enormous, because petrol engines have idle enrichment so they keep running with the throttle closed. That idle mixture is also set to keep catalytic convertors hot, and at idle that means passing unburned fuel through the engine to the catalyst so it will burn there.
The idle fuel consumption is about the same as at maximum power in most normal petrol engines. Perhaps a bit less on the Subaru turbo, but that makes 185kW at max.
Idling uses way, way, way more fuel than cruising in nearly any petrol car, and fuel injection only makes the difference bigger. Diesels have neither throttle nor catalyst, they only burn enough fuel to make idle power, which is almost nothing therefore the low fuel consumption. What's more, they're running extremely lean at idle so the combustion is more efficient. There's a reason why farm and construction machinery uses diesels, and its mostly to do with the idle consumption. The problem with most commercial generators is that they are not designed to charge 12 volt batteries. Those that are are very expensive. Small cheap ones may produce 1000 watts, but that's AC current and must be converted to DC.
A 1000 watt generator may have a 12 volt, 8 amp outlet, but that's only about 110 watts, about 1/10th of the power of the generator. To harness the other 90%, you have to plug into the AC outlet a 12 volt battery charger, and out of the whole shooting match you end up with less than 80% efficiency. Generally the 8 amp outlet and the battery charger output is best not slaved together on the same circuit. You can buy from a photovoltaic/greenpower supply house a circuit to allow you to do this, but it's not cheap. One of the cheapest and best solutions for this was described in an article in a 1997 ARRL publication QST (Ham Radio Group American Radio Relay League and their magazine, QST). You can buy the CD with the article from the ARRL for about 12 bucks, I believe.
The article reprint may only be $3. The article's called, 'The 12 Volt Pup: A DC Generator You Can Build', QST June 1997, pp.45-48 - A 50 AMP generator from a lawn-mower and an alternator. For DX'ing from remote locations a club member built a 35 amp generator from a GM alternator and an old lawnmower. The setup could be backpacked by splitting up the generator and battery.
They found that by having the armature of the alternator rewound to produce more amperage at lower revolutions they could get 50 amps from a 3.5 horsepower Briggs and Stratton setup. The easiest way to power your field chargers are to use the battery and alternator in your car.
Honda Eg 2500 Generator Parts
However, it would be reasonable for a club to build a lawnmower generator outputting 1000-1200 watts of 12 volt DC as a convenience for it's members. It can be done pretty cheaply. There's even a few people that have used gas trimmer engines to make low-power generators. Just Google 'lawnmower generator' or 'lawn trimmer generator', you'll come up with a lot of information.
I trust the ARRL article because ham radio operators generally know how to handle electrons. People who put conversions up on the Web may not have all their oars in the water. Remember: Stupid Hurts, Electricity Bites and Your Mileage May Vary.
Honda Eg 3500 Generator Price
Selecting the Appropriate Owner's Manual To get an owner's manual for your generator, first determine the model name. All Honda generators have a model name with a prefix that starts with 'E' such as EB5000, EU1000 i, or EG5000. The model name is usually on the case, fuel tank, or near the control panel. For some models, the serial number is required for positive identification. In such a case, an illustration of the serial number location is provided. If you can't find the model name, contact a servicing Honda generator dealer.