Ryobi 900 Watt Propane Generator

[vermilye]

I am interested in any experience with the Ryobi 900 watt propane generator. I generally run on solar only, but am looking at something to top off the batteries after a few cloudy days. Would probably only use it once or twice on a 6 month trip, so gasoline would be a PIA.

I dry camp for months at a time, and like the propane only as well as small size/weight of this generator. Listed as an inverter generator, but I can't find any sound pressure levels for loudness.

Thanks in advance...

[time2roll]

Of course 900 watts is the surge performance. Rated at 700. Mostly just a battery charger. Should drive 30 to 40 amps into the battery depending on the power factor of the charger.

[ajriding]

That's a cool little generator.

The best part is small and that it is propane (not gasoline) you can just toss it in the living quarters with no fumes I bet.

If small and fumeless are your goals then this is great. If you can upgrade to the Ryobi 2300 watt, but it runs on gas, then that is way better selection, and the 2300 will runs a 9,200BTU AC unit easily. I have the older Ryobi 2200watt and on the one gallon (0.9) it will run 10-12 hours with the AC unit cycling on and off.

A bigger motor will last longer since it will be under less stress than a small motor running wide open.

But, for your immediate goal, this 900 seems perfect. If, errr, when SHTF, you will wish you had a bigger one, one that can run on the more abundant gasoline, sitting there.

Also, consider going solar. 200 watts solar should keep you charged up plenty , assuming you are not using an unusual amount of power each day, and are not in the shadows all the time. Just a few hours of sun is enough to keep mine topped off, and they are usually charged back before I even wake up.
200 watts panels, MMPT controller (20 or 30 amps) and your existing batteries. $200-250 shipped to your door from ebay seller - plus wire.

[Old_Days]

I have owned my Ryobi generator for 2 years it has worked really well for us. Most of the time my solar will keep batteries charged up but if the sun isn't shining it's my back up.

[vermilye]

About the same, although with the smaller engine, probably a bit quieter when running full out.

[time2roll]

vermilye wrote:
Just an update - I've been using the Ryobi 900 watt generator for a couple of months, and it does exactly what I wanted. Definitely not for everyone, but it works for me.

In your opinion does the Ryobi seem significantly louder than say a Honda 2000?

I think the Ryobi might be a bit more at idle but at full load a bit less than the Honda at full load. Just memory perception, never had both together running side by side.

[vermilye]

Just an update - I've been using the Ryobi 900 watt generator for a couple of months, and it does exactly what I wanted. Definitely not for everyone, but it works for me.

[Unlimited]

On another subforum, poster posted about a Ryobi 700 running/900 peak watt propane generator, 25lbs, and $299 at HomeDepot:

https://sprinter-source.com/forum/showthread.php?t=64614&highlight=Ryobi+propane

https://www.ryobitools.com/products/details/900-watt-propane-inverter-generator

Big advantages include the use of propane fuel (can use the disposable canisters or hookup to Westy propane tank with proper hoses and attachments), lightweight and small size, and relatively inexpensive.

For those who got rid of the 100 lb or so Onan Generator as too noisy, too big and unnecessary if don't have a rooftop air conditioner, etc., but still have propane tank--this Ryobi might be a good emergency generator to recharge batteries, etc. Check this article to read more about propane generators.

It might still be too big to fit inside the Westy.

While the Honda and Yamaha generators are top-notch and have more output, they cost a lot more and need gas.

[BFL13]

It is easier on the generator to run a charger doing power supply (such as on a battery that is being drawn down ) than it is to charge the same battery.

That would be from the battery voltage being lower under load instead of higher while being charged.

bestconverters still advertises those TC40s, but it says it is a new version. Expensive!

http://www.bestconverter.com/Xantrex-TrueCharge2-Chargers_c_111.html

[time2roll]

I just put a load on the battery to check immediate performance. Battery was about 12.2/12.4 volts feeding my electric vehicle with maybe 1400 watts.

Very good point that the XADC-40 could overload the generator as peak voltage and current is reached. IIRC there was some voltage sag (0.2?) at the transition to absorption and the start of amps tapering. I was actually expecting the XADC-40 to overload the generator.

Not really a full test to fully recharge a low battery. Just wanted to verify what works. XADC is out of production so not much help for anyone looking at converters.

[BFL13]

time2roll wrote:
Ran the Ryobi first time today. Really like the light weight and the propane fuel. Seemed to be as quiet as my old Honda 1000 but it has been a while since that was sold. Anyway seemed virtually the same at idle but the noise level did not seem to ramp up as much as the Honda. Runs noticeably cleaner than gasoline.

Barely came off idle to power the 20 amp charger. Ran the Xantrex XADC-40 just fine for a solid 20 minutes putting 41 amps into the battery. Xantrex is PF corrected. Then plugged in the 35 amp WFCO. Was putting 38/39 amps into the battery maybe 20 seconds before the generator cut power and illuminated the overload indicator.

Looks like I might be swapping the Xantrex back in.

41 x ?14.2? = 582w output at say 85% = 685w input and with 0.98PF = 699VA

35 x 14.4 = 504w output at say 85% = 593w input and with 0.7PF = 847VA

When the Xantrex gets the battery to 14.2 it is at the gen's 700. If the Xantrex can get the battery higher than 14.2, it will go over that 700 a little.

[time2roll]

Ran the Ryobi first time today. Really like the light weight and the propane fuel. Seemed to be as quiet as my old Honda 1000 but it has been a while since that was sold. Anyway seemed virtually the same at idle but the noise level did not seem to ramp up as much as the Honda. Runs noticeably cleaner than gasoline.

Barely came off idle to power the 20 amp charger. Ran the Xantrex XADC-40 just fine for a solid 20 minutes putting 41 amps into the battery. Xantrex is PF corrected. Then plugged in the 35 amp WFCO. Was putting 38/39 amps into the battery maybe 20 seconds before the generator cut power and illuminated the overload indicator.

Looks like I might be swapping the Xantrex back in.

[wa8yxm]

road-runner wrote:

they tell me that a Honda 1000 can only handle a 60 amp.

"They" would be correct if the statement were about an eu2000i. A non-pf-corrected 60 amp converter in boost mode is about 50 VA short of 1600, the eu2000i's max continuous rating. (The numbers will vary a bit based on efficiency and pf values).

Yes.. And that is the EXACT combination I was basing it on.

[road-runner]

pnichols wrote:

I guess the ultimate would be a charger with an adjustable output voltage, so that you could adjust downwards it's output voltage a bit under 14.XX volts to the point where a small generator doesn't quite stall from current overload. This would allow a small generator to be used for partially charging of any size battery bank between full charges via some other method. 😉

Another ultimate solution is a charger that lets you set the maximum amps it will draw from the AC input. I use a prosine 2.0 for exactly this reason, just for the charger. Haven't used the inverter yet. I could use the inverter, just haven't needed to yet.

[pnichols]

When figuring out if a given small size generator will power a battery charger trying to charge a given state-of-charge battery bank at a given voltage at a resutting current demand from the battery bank - the situation changes quite a bit if you adjust one "given" ... the battery charger's output voltage.

For instance, when our RV's AGM 230 AH battery bank is around 50% discharged, our little 650 watt Honda will power our RV's 45 amp converter just fine for charging of the batteries ... because the converter's output voltage is only around 13.6 volts ... which means that the battery bank is only wanting 10-12 amps from the converter - which of course the little Honda handles just fine.

HOWEVER, under the above conditions one 5-6 hour run of the little Honda (1/2 gallon of gas per tank) will only partially charge the battery bank. This means we will have to fully charge the battery bank some other way every 3-4 charge cycles so as to properly care for the batteries. Since we're not squatter campers, every few days we fully charge our battery bank via the engine's alternator when going to the next camping spot.

I guess the ultimate would be a charger with an adjustable output voltage, so that you could adjust downwards it's output voltage a bit under 14.XX volts to the point where a small generator doesn't quite stall from current overload. This would allow a small generator to be used for partially charging of any size battery bank between full charges via some other method. 😉