2000 watt Petrol Generator or 2000 watt 12v Inverter

[Guest]

Hi all,

I am after some on advice which would be the better option to purchase.

My requirements are:

1. To be used when camping to charge batteries, detector, mobile phones, ipad etc etc
2. Use for a small heater that has a tip over safety switch built into the base for a test in depths of winter.
3. Maybe power a small TV
4. Run a small kettle or toaster. Boil kettle to have a wash in remote areas.
5. Run a small electric skillet
6. Have decent lighting at the campsite using 8 watt flouro globes.

I am too old/soft to rough it any more.

I understand that only one appliance can be run at any time, particularly the toaster, kettle and heater.

How much drain on a 12v battery does a 2000 watt inverter have. How long till they go flat from full charge, an average battery? Would it run a 750 watt heater over night?

Seems simpler to buy an inverter that is light, portable and does not require fuel cartage and ongoing fuel costs. Not to mention bothering your neighbours with a generator going all night.

Am I missing something.

Thanks for your experience and input

 

[slowflow]

Retirement Stone
Your demands are too high for an average battery (120ah) you should only be taking about 40% out of a deep cycle, if you take more the cycle count is reduced.

How much drain on a 12v battery does a 2000 watt inverter have. How long till they go flat from full charge, an average battery? Would it run a 750 watt heater over night?

About half an hour.

Consider a genny & maybee diesel heeating.

Barry

 

[Guest]

Thanks Barry,

I thought there must be a catch somewhere!

Cheers

Craig

 

[Colmaca]

Normal rule is if you want to run a 100watt tool/fridge you need about 10X the watts supply as starting these things use sometimes 10 times there rating.

 

[Guest]

Thanks Col,

Looks like a generator will be needed.

 

[nuggetino]

The simple rule where power consumption is concerned is that anything that produces a lot of heat energy draws a lot of power. That means heaters,electric stoves, irons, microwaves etc are going to drain your battery much faster than say charging phones,computers,television's, fridges etc. I don't know how much surface area you have on your vehicle or if it is a dedicated camping rig but solar power is definitely the better option over a generator if you have the room. A 300w solar panel for example runs my 60l engel fridge, lights, laptop, recharges all my phone,gps,detector batteries indefinitely when parked and without the noise and running costs of a genie. A good kerosene heater may also be worth looking into...

 

[Guest]

Thanks Nuggetino,

These ideas are exactly what I am after.

Cheers

 

[condor22]

Here's the science, I'll use my tested figures.

A 300W inverter on a 12 VDC AGM battery will pull 27 Amps, (the math is watts divided by volts = amps, so 300/12 = 25. The extra 2 amps are the inefficiency loss)

So a 2000 W inverter will pull approx. 180 AH. So a 100AH battery will last about 30 minutes.

Here's what I work with and advise. I use a 150W pure sine wave inverter to power battery charging to things like my detector battery or phone or camera etc.

Why - because as we know a cigarette socket in a car actually is putting out about 13.8 VDC, so a 12 volt charger unless it has a regulator is putting out more. The 240 volt charger the GPX5000 puts out 12 volts of regulated power and in my opinion is kinder to the battery. I can charge directly from cig skt to 5000 battery, but if in the car with my aux battery I prefer to plug the inverter to the 12 v skt, use the inverter to AC for the charger which then regulates back to 12 volt. That doesn't mean you can't use the 12 volt method, it's just what I choose.

In remote camping you are better off with a gas stove, gas kettle and gas stove toaster. A 4.5kg bottle lasts me 2 weeks in the van and I'm running a fridge as well.

A 2kva Honda will actually produce 2000W for a few minutes but it's constant rating is 1800W. My van A/C pulls about 1500W running and nearer 3000 W startup. However the Honda will cope with high startup currents for a number of milli seconds. Some of the cheaper knockoffs won't.

A 2000W inverter is not light. Also running a 750W heater even on the Honda will need you to get up in the wee hours to re-fuel.

LED lighting is far more efficient than fluro or incandescent. I have 10 downlights in my van, the original globes were 10W QH and all on pulled 9AH. I changed them out to LEDs, have as much if not more light and now use less than 1 AH all on.

You don't say if you are tenting, camper or caravan.

 

[condor22]

If you are in a tent, there is no safe heating due to suffocation probability. Invest in a good min rated at -10 sleeping bag, get off the ground on a cot or airbed and put a blanket on top.

I just fitted a Diesel heater to my van, it uses <10AH in 12 hours and about 1.5 lt of fuel for the same time. But not cheap at $2,500

 

[Guest]

Condor,

Thanks for your reply. I am currently tenting it but have been looking at campers or vans if the gold bug continues to bite. I like the idea of filling the gas bottle, throwing some food and clothes together and heading off. Currently its a mission to pack everything for a camping trip.

I generally get a cheap cabin at Nundle or Windeyer because of convenience, TV, heater, cooking facilities, Friday night footy and I don't have to pack the car to the roof with all the gear needed to camp. That has its obvious limitations for location. Would be nice to camp right on the prospecting area at times.

Its becoming clearer that I need to scale back my electrical ambitions.

As you suggest LPG will be the best option for power hungry requirements.

Thanks for setting me on the right path and saving $$$ buying something that wont work, for me.

PS I re read my original post and in item 2 its says test not tent. Doh I meant to type tent! :8

Cheers

 

[condor22]

LoL, I've been out in tents ranging from Grande to a bloody cargo parachute half way up a Malaysian mountain.

Some of them were a "test" or testing..........Freudian slip......

 

[Pr2cv]

2000w Honda Geni on special at the moment for $1680.---there is no other to consider apart from the Yamaha ,but it's more money & not as quiet

 

[Redfin]

The Generator Store has free shipping plus the extras pack atm for $1649, both good prices.

 

[condor22]

Try the Generator Place, same deal except you get a 5yr extended warranty

http://www.generatorplace.com.au/

This is the crowd that do the Camping Shows in capital cities, where I got mine 2 yrs ago for $1,450. They also have stores and are National, which is great for Warranty and Service. (I have no affiliation with them) They say they'll beat any price, so they may throw in the oil and plug as well. + Free delivery

FREECALL - 1800 442 447

GENERATOR PLACE NEW SOUTH WALES
133 BOUNDARY ROAD,
PEAKHURST NSW 2985

PLUS - LEPPINGTON, FORESTVILLE, PENRITH, KIRRAWEE, CASTLE HILL, HORNSBY & PYMBLE

GENERATOR PLACE VICTORIA
UNIT 4 / 327 OLD GEELONG ROAD,
HOPPERS CROSSING VIC 3029

GENERATOR PLACE QUEENSLAND
8 CENTRAL COURT,
BROWNS PLAINS QLD 4118
PLUS - KENMORE & CAPALABA

GENERATOR PLACE SOUTH AUSTRALIA
29 OAKLANDS ROAD,
SOMERTON PARK SA 5044

GENERATOR PLACE WESTERN AUSTRALIA
79 CHAMPION DRIVE,
KELMSCOTT WA 6111

 

[Murphy81]

I have run one of these honda genies for literally years almost non stop, and they are simply unbeatable. When my old one got drowned for the third time and finally died, the first thing I did was get another. For something that basically runs a whipper sniper motor, they stand up to an immense amount of punishment. My job means I'm camped by myself in some pretty rugged spots for about 10 months a year, and with one of these, my trusty 60 series and heaps of tyre gear, I have never felt unsafe. The ability to simply recharge car batteries is a huge plus as we'll.