Generators

[copescobra]

i have a 2.8 that Prior owner had SMB mount underneath an EB and it works great for AC and other stuff. Only concern I have after the fact is that the clearance is compromised when I have to launch my boat and the rear end is hanging low in the water.

I also have a Honda portable for my other SMB and love it but was not enough to power an air condo unit unless I bought a companion unit also.

[mlts22]

On Sprinters, I looked at a Powertech 3000 watt generator, and because it is well out of the angle of departure, as well as protected by a skid wheel, it should be well out of harm's way.

I consider an onboard generator a must have, especially here in Texas. It allows use of the roof A/C while moving, is less of a target for thieves, allows for a nice long run time because it uses the van's fuel tank, and are fairly easy to maintain. Plus, it can be used with a controller. That way, it can be set so if the batteries get below a set voltage, it will fire up the generator for a few hours, so parasitic loads won't kill your house jars.

This is just my opinion, but an onboard generator is a nice thing to have. They are not cheap, however.

[E350]

Just a question from a stupid person here: Won't the vehicle's existing drive engine turn an alternator which will power an inverter (assuming 110v AC or better yet 12v DC) to power an (AC or better yet DC) air conditioner, battery charger, etc. It seems that unnecessary duplication of powerplants is presupposed by this thread topic, no?

Err, its my understanding (which is often wrong) that ambulances don't carry a generator to power their life saving electronics/electric applicances. They have an extra alternator on the engine and a high idle control for such purposes.

[charlie56]

Originally Posted by SFfranky

Thanks for the replies everyone.
Our primary use would be for the air conditioner. The wife hates the heat and we have dogs. We don't plan on leaving them in the EB Ford very often. But sometimes we'd stop at a restaurant on the Road for an hour or so. In such situations, we want to be able to leave the hounds in the van and the AC running.

Also, wifey hates the heat. So we're looking for the most efficient cooling set up for hot nights.


Thanks again,
Frank

For the dog issue, you may want to investigate an auto-start system. We had one in our SMB for the dogs as part of the alarm system and it worked great for those restaurant stops. Just set a thermostat and the van's a/c. When the inside temps hit the set point, the van will come on and run the a/c. You could monitor the inside temps from the alarm's remote fob.

[SFfranky]

I'd like to all of the members who took the time to reply to my post. We finally went with the built in generator, auto start and temperature monitor. We'll probably get a Honda as well for quieter campground use. But we had to make sure the dogs would be O.K. Whilst we were in the Waffle House at Noon in Texas in August ;-)


Thanks again,
Frank

[travelguy2500]

Smart choice - you'll have the best of all choices

[k9sprinter]

Besides the powertec generator, I also have 3 8D batteries that will run the 110 AC unit , for 2 1/2 hrs on full load without drawing 50%.... (Sometimes you just cant run a generator or Idle)

[Greg In Austin]

With all the tailgating we do, we see a lot of generators.... I still think the Honda 2000 generator is a great size and probably the best value given the cost. We carry one on Texas McBeast, in an Aluminess box on the rear bumper, for when we need one. Love it.

[JoeyNick]

Originally Posted by E350

Just a question from a stupid person here: Won't the vehicle's existing drive engine turn an alternator which will power an inverter (assuming 110v AC or better yet 12v DC) to power an (AC or better yet DC) air conditioner, battery charger, etc. It seems that unnecessary duplication of powerplants is presupposed by this thread topic, no?

Sort of correct. The problem is that a standard alternator, often in the neighborhood of 140 amps maximum when cold, cannot supply enough electricity to run an air conditioner. Most air conditioners require about 2800 watts, divided by the 12 volt system of the van alternator means the alternator will need to put out about 215 amps just for the air conditioner, over and above the needs of running the van.

You can replace the stock alternator with a higher power alternator, but often all the power wires and controllers need to be upgraded to handle the extra current. Or you can upgrade to the second alternator if the vehicle manufacturer offers that as an option.

The downside to the higher capacity alternator(s) is much reduced fuel mileage. Some reports suggest a 10% loss while others say it can be about 20%, and this is all the time, not just when the extra power is needed.

And courtesy wise, it's not nice to run your engine for hours while parked, not to mention idling for more than 3 minutes is illegal in some jurisdictions.

Originally Posted by E350

Err, its my understanding (which is often wrong) that ambulances don't carry a generator to power their life saving electronics/electric applicances. They have an extra alternator on the engine and a high idle control for such purposes.

Correct, most ambulances just have the second alternator. Of course, they are not overly concerned with fuel consumption, noise or exhaust.