Forum Discussion

Dmacman's avatar
Dmacman
Explorer
May 01, 2013

$149 Workzone 2000-watt generator

Anybody familiar with this Workzone generator? The ad says it runs 11 hrs at 50% load. As I'm new to RVing I don't have a good idea if this size generator could recharge the batteries of a 28-ft RV. Suggestions? The price is certainly appealing.

13 Replies

  • RoyB's avatar
    RoyB
    Explorer II
    If you have a smart-mode technology charger running from this generator this should re-charge your batteries to their 90% charge state in around three hours or to their full 100% charge state in around 12-14 hours. My 2KW Honda generator will only run around 7 hours on one tank of gasoline. Most folks will connect their 30AMP shore power cable directly to the generator 120VAC receptacle and re-charge their batteries using their on-board converter/charger unit. This converter/charger unit must be one of those smart-mode technology chargers to re-charge the batteries in a short three hour generator run time period.

    This will probably be a long time to run the work force "loud" generator at most camp grounds. Most public camp grounds have generator run time restrictions in place and then of course if it is a "loud" generator then you may get complaints from the fellow campers. At private places you can do almost anything you want to do generator wise.

    Consider this brochure from Progressive Dynamics on how long it takes to re-charge a deep cycle battery.
    "Progressive Dynamics ran this test on the amount of time it took a PD9155 (55-amp) converter/charger set to three different output voltages to recharge a 125 AH (Amp Hour) battery after it was fully discharged to 10.5-volts.

    14.4-VOLTS (Boost Mode) – Returned the battery to 90% of full charge in approximately 3-hours. The battery reached full charge in approximately 11 hours.

    13.6-VOLTS (Normal Mode) – Required 40-hours to return the battery to 90% of full charge and 78-hours to reach full charge.

    13.2-VOLTS (Storage Mode) – Required 60-hours to return the battery to 90% of full charge and 100-hours to reach full charge."

    Not many short-cuts around these posted numbers...

    just my thoughts on this...
    Roy ken
  • If all you want to do is recharge the batteries, 2kw is much more than you need. Heck, at the 55 amp/12 rate of most RV converter/charger units, that's a whopping 660 watts. Throw in 20% for inefficiencies, and an 800 watt continuous/900 watt surge generator would work fine.

    I'm not familiar with that particular unit, but I've seen the ad, and it is an open-frame unit. Be aware that such a generator is going to be noisy, and if you take it out in the woods, it'll sound especially loud and annoy the heck out of your neighbors, even if they are only squirrels and birds.