Angus_NB wrote:
Thanks for the help. I plan to buy either the Champion or a Honda. I only camp a total of about 25 days a year so if I can get away with the Champion and saving $600 I will. After all of this reading I don't know if the Honda would be any better for my situation anyway.
MrRchitty wrote:
... Find a way to turn off or isolate the converter and you can pull off running individual loads as well.
Not sure what this means.
I would like to power the trailer and the charger at the same time.
If I disconnect the converter am I going to loose 12V within the trailer, lights water pump, etc.?
If I just disconnect the batteries is the converter still going to draw too much from the generator?
MrRchitty wrote:
Added note, the power factor on my Shumacher is 0.8.
I don't understand how PF relates to charging and the generator.
Do you mind explaining this a bit, in layman's terms? Use props if you have to. :)
Maybe I should start a new thread as I am getting off of the CPE 2000i Generator topic.
Like mentioned, a portable battery charger would aid in keeping the load on the generator down.
Large loads include the microwave, the electric funtion of your fridge (not on propane), the electric element in your water heater if you have one and last, your converter. Each of these items can draw in the neighborhood of 1000 watts, give or take a couple hundred watts. So, two of the big items together and you are going to overload. You can run one of those items as long as it is loaded first and then load small items such as a couple of lights or a tv, for example.
When selecting a small wattage generator, you have to manage your power use.
Power factor is defined as apparent power.
Volts x Amps = VoltAmps
VoltAmps x Power Factor (pf) = Watts
Your resistive loads include things such as lights, heaters, and the like. Power factors on these loads are almost 1. For example 0.97, 0.98, 0.99.
Inductive loads are your motors. Such as your AC unit and with those types of loads comes a high starting current. Power factor on these loads are much less than 1. Inductive loads require a significant surge or "in-rush" current to start.
Don't expect or even try to start your AC unit with the Champion inverter. It's not going to happen.
Since you are looking on the internet, check out "power factor" on Wikipedia. I think it breaks it down to a layman's level, such as myself.
If you isolate the converter from the circuit, then you will basically be operating as if you were not plugged into shore power and your batteries will provide the 12 volts to power your trailer lights, fridge and water heater circuit.
If you disconnect your batteries from the circuit and use the converter to power your lights and the water heater / fridge circuitry directly, well, I don't have an answer for you directly. What I will say, from dealing with automotive sales, people would disconnect the battery on a car to see if the alternator was still putting out power. BAD idea. The battery acts as a big capacitor and absorbs fluctuations in a circuit such as a converter or the car's alternator and would prevent or reduce allowing a power spike from killing your equipment.
A bit off topic, but hope this helps with your expectations of the Champion inverter generator.
As far as the noise level, definitely, at an idle and lower demands, the noise from the generator is very good. Higher demands and it becomes about as noisy as an open synch genset. Nice thing here is that your demands are short lived, including charging your batteries and your back down on your idle, thus reducing your noise level.
Edit: What the professor said. Apparently, we were typing at the same time. ;)
