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hunter_rv's avatar
hunter_rv
Explorer
Aug 24, 2016

Generators-> Standard vs Inverter. Power Quality Concerns

I have both a John Deere standard generator and a Honda inverter generator. I am using the Honda inverter generator as the main generator because of power quality (sine wave), noise and fuel consumption.

I would like to think that I could use the John Deere standard generator as a back-up generator (purchased before the camper), but am nervous about the sinewave deviations for the camper electronics and all the electronics devices plugged in.

Is this concern unfounded in reality? I see a lot of campers using standard generators. Has anyone experienced issues using a standard generator? Standard generators even promote themselves as having RV plugs.

Thanks,

10 Replies

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  • SCVJeff's avatar
    SCVJeff
    Explorer
    Aug 25, 2016
    beemerphile1 wrote:
    To my knowledge, none of the built in Generac or Onan RV generators are inverters.
    The Onan QD series are inverter
  • Kayteg1's avatar
    Kayteg1
    Explorer II
    Aug 24, 2016
    beemerphile1 wrote:
    To my knowledge, none of the built in Generac or Onan RV generators are inverters.

    My 2004 Truck Camper has Generac 3500W inverter generator. Still much louder than Honda.
    As mentioned above, the constant speed generators deliver natural sine wave, exactly like power plants do it the same way, just on bigger scale. The only misadjustment can be speed, that will affect HZ, but that is easy to measure and fix.
    When Honda inverters are excellent quality, I can think about 100 possible malfunctions in the system and I don't know much about electronics.
    My laptop has a charger that is rated 100-240V AC
    Don't think it cares much about Hz.
  • DrewE's avatar
    DrewE
    Explorer II
    Aug 24, 2016
    Very few if any devices are so super sensitive to AC waveform quality that a standard generator will cause problems. The main possible example I can think of is something like a ham radio receiver where extra power line noise might cause interference. (Such a unit would also be affected by noise-producing appliances on the same circuit.)

    Much of modern electronics are largely immune to power quality issues, as by design switching power supplies don't care too much about the incoming power since they just rectify it to line voltage DC in the input stage.
  • road-runner's avatar
    road-runner
    Explorer III
    Aug 24, 2016
    Many of the Onan RV generators use inverters, just not the smaller units. The Generac Impact series uses inverters. Too bad they didn't work out. Not very many of them in service any more, I suspect.
  • beemerphile1's avatar
    beemerphile1
    Explorer
    Aug 24, 2016
    To my knowledge, none of the built in Generac or Onan RV generators are inverters.
  • SCVJeff's avatar
    SCVJeff
    Explorer
    Aug 24, 2016
    Before the Honda inverter came out, that's all there was and we all survived those dark days pretty well
  • MrWizard's avatar
    MrWizard
    Moderator
    Aug 24, 2016
    Should be no problem running anything you need to run
    From PC to TV to microwave
  • time2roll's avatar
    time2roll
    Nomad
    Aug 24, 2016
    Standard generator produces a natural sine wave. A reactive load or poor power factor can distort the sine wave significantly. In addition some voltage regulators are better than others. Having said that most everything will be perfectly fine. Most of the digital electronics run on low voltage DC with a converter to provide the needed DC voltage. The converters don't care much about wave form.
  • Trackrig's avatar
    Trackrig
    Explorer II
    Aug 24, 2016
    I use standard generators at home when the power goes out without any problems. I don't think there's anything more sensitive in my MH or TT than there is in the house? I own six generators, I use which ever one I need for the load I'm trying to carry.

    The Onan 7.5 diesel generator in our motor home certainly isn't an invertor generator.

    Bill

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