Yamaha 1000w inverter for maintaining batteries

[Winnipeg]

Hi,

Sorry if this is a repeat question (I searched and didn't find).

I have a MH with 4 @ 6v batteries, 2000w inverter, and residential fridge.

I would like to maintain the batteries (while remote camping) with my 1000w Yamaha gas powered inverter/generator.

If I connect the Yamaha to 110v, it tries to power the fridge, charge the batteries, and do many other things. Poor Yamaha quickly overloads and trips out.

If I connect the Yamaha directly to the batteries with 12v cables, it doesn't appear to do anything. Engine shows no sign of doing work. The Yamaha should work as a 12v charger, but that does not appear to be true.

I considered getting a "good" external battery charger and using the Yamaha to power it to charge the batteries, but it seems silly to make 12v dc, change it to 110v, then change it back to 12v.

Am I missing something, or do these little inverters not work as 12v chargers?

Paul

[wnjj]

The 12V power on those generators is nearly useless at only a few amps. Using 120V is where you’ll get the maximum output. If your onboard charger is too large to be powered by the generator, a separate (120V to 12V) charger can work fine.

I’m not sure I follow the 12V to 120V to 12V. The generator makes much more than 12V DC internally before being converted into a 120V sine wave. I’m not sure why they bother with a 12V output. Maybe the electronics have a 12V rail so they just added a jack.