Honda generator question

[96Tony]

Well, I officially take back everything I've ever said about people with generators...since now I am considering one.
So, with that said, I have a few questions about the Honda EU2000 generator.

1) What type of charging device would be best to put between the TT battery and the generator?

2) With very light use, how long would I have to run the Honda generator to bring my battery back to a full charge - after an approximate 50% discharge?

(Use would include the fridge controller, carbon monitor, infrequent LED lights, and occasional water pump flushing. My battery will be a true deep cycle battery, which I estimate will be 50% discharged after about 4 days. If I add my CPAP machine to the mix, I may be re-charging every other day. Admittedly, these are wild-a$$ed guesses!)

3) How can I control the amount of charge I am putting into the battery? (I've read that you want to fully charge a deep-cycle battery for optimum efficiency.) What's the best method to prevent overcharge?

Thanks in advance for any insight into this topic you can provide!

[RoyB]

Actually your batteries will demand how much charge they will take. All you have to do is supply enough current for the batteries to use. The good rule of thumb is to have a source that will produce 15-18AMPS DC current for each battery you have in your bank.

Consider this report from Progressive Dynamics on how long it takes to charge batteries from the 50% SOC to the 90% SOC and 100% SOC. You can get almost the rated battery performance by just re-charging to the 90% SOC but you can only do about 12-14 cycles of 50% SOC - 90% soc before having to do a full 100% SOC.

"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."

When we are camping off the power grid we run our battery bank down to around 12.0VDC by each morning at 8AM. Then we connect the trailer Shore Power Connection to my 2KW Honda EU2000i Generator using a RV30A-15A LONG DOG=BONE Adapter (WALMART) and can re-charge my 255AH battery bank back to its 90% SOC is about three hours of generator run time using smart mode charging technology. This three hour time period usually fits into most of the camp grounds that have generator run time restrictions in place.

The only way we can make to 8AM each morning is to start out the one day/night run off the batteries at their 90% SOC. Otherwise it usually gets dark on us around 10PM at night

Just my thoughts here... Others have their own PLAN B to make it through the one DAY/NIGHT run off the batteries.

We have been very successful doing it this way over the years since around 2009 with my 14 R/T 255AH battery setup camping off the power grids alot.

Roy Ken

[96Tony]

Yes, I have considered solar. I'm still giving some thought to a 100 watt Windy Nation kit, but am unsure if it will suit my needs since our dry-camping destination is quite shady. Also, the charge controller that comes stock with the kit is somewhat low-end, best I can tell.

[ReneeG]

We have a fifth wheel and run the eu2000 every night to every other night for about 2 - 3 hours. While it's running, we watch a movie and that takes care of everything with no problem of low batteries. We have deep cycle batteries which also make a difference in maintaining a charge longer. With that said, we are very conservative by using LED lanterns at night more than rather our rig lights.

[mbopp]

If your trailer has a decent 3-stage charger / converter just plug it into the Honda with a 30 to 15A adapter.
Estimating won't cut it, neither will relying on the idiot panel lights. I use a voltmeter across the battery terminals. 12.00V is 50%.
Recharging 50% to 80% isn't too bad but the last 20% will take several hours. I have dual 12V batteries and like to run the generator an hour a day. DW must have her hair dryer, so I'm running the genny anyway for her.
Have you considered solar?

[afraid_of_bears]

I plug the trailer in and run my little Honda for about 45 minutes each morning to make up for what my Cpap took out during the night. The solar panel tops it up the rest of the way through the day.