John H. wrote in
:
But, I am wondering how big a generator I should get for my new travel
trailer.
How many air conditioner units does it have and how big a battery
charger?
If I didn't already have a Honda EU3000i electronic generator powering
my mobile lab, I'd get the EU6500i like this one....:
http://www.hayesequipment.com/eu6500is.htm
Hayes even has a WIRELESS remote starting kit for it that looks like
your car unlock keyfob with automatic choke. Just press the button
before you crawl out of bed and let the coach heat or cool off before
your shower.
Mine is mounted on the back of a stepvan on two 1000 lb angle brackets
positioned to permanently bolt the support legs to. Then, a protective
cover that locks in the running position also swings down on hinges at
the outer edge of the angle brackets made of aluminum with a flat steel
frame for strength. The cover has a long slot cut in the side of it to
match the air/exhaust coming out the end of the genset. The entire
bottom of the mounting is wide open as these generators have intake air
channels built into their legs underneath. Cover closed the already
whisper quiet little 3KW genset is even quieter. Closed cell foam lines
the inside of the swing down weather cover, which lets me run the
genset, even on the road, in a heavy dounpour without getting it wet or
leaving the sun to bake it.
In a travel traler situation, towed with a pickup of choice, I'd leave
it in the pickup bed to run away from the trailer on a long tether.
With the Hayes wireless remote control, you can start it from quite a
ways away. You can't run it out of oil as it simply shuts down if the
oil is too low.
They're expensive, but once you own one and open it up to see how it's
made, it's totally worth every dollar. Unlike "normal" gensets, the
generator NEVER runs 3600 RPM! The EU3000i turns 1200 RPM up until
about 1800 watts of load (probably around 4KW on the 6500i). Then, the
onboard load computer slowly increases the crazy 6 phase alternator
built inside the engine flywheel like in an outboard motor, to increase
the speed the rare earth magnets, part of the price, pass the various
coils. This alternator is very high frequency, dependent on engine
speed. It's output is rectified into high DC voltage, which is fed to a
computer-controlled, 6.5KW solid state inverter made to run off this HV
DC. No matter what the mechanical alternator speed is, the output
frequency is EXACTLY 60 Hz at EXACTLY 120VAC, a synthesized sine wave so
smooth it's approved for running computers....all the way across the
load spectrum. The speed of the engine does NOT set the AC frequency,
at all....a great relief to longevity from engines always running 3600
RPM constantly. At 1200 RPM, it's loafing along half asleep.
The EU6500i isn't light, the reason for the little wheelbarrow to move
it. You'll need a ramp or two people can carry it off the truck.
Running in power outages at home, my neighbors are astonished to see my
lights burning in the pitch black with so little noise from the genset
mounted on the truck. It's a very pleasant hum at 1200 RPM....(c;