[VAC] Re: What kind of Generator??

[Jim Dunmyer <jdunmyer@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Dana,
 You'll probably be better off using the DC output to charge the
battery, as most standard converters really aren't very good battery
chargers. You might consider replacing the old converter with a modern
outfit that incorporates (or simply IS) a 3-stage charger. I use an
Inteli-Power with the Charge Wizard myself, but there are a couple of
others out there also. If you're trying to charge a "low" battery with
the Magnatec, it'll take hours and hours because the typical charge rate
of those things is only 3-4 amps. The Inteli-Power will charge at 30+
amps when a battery is "low" and replace most of the juice in 4 or 5
hours of genset runtime.

IIRC, the Honda genset that I mentioned has an 8-amp 12VDC output, so
that'll recover your typical daily consumption in 5 hours or so,
depending on your usage. As I've said several times during solar power
discussions, EVERYTHING must start with a chart of your daily usage, all
else follows from that.

Although you specifically said that you didn't want to consider solar
panels, if you plan a lot of boondocking, you might want to rethink that
position. If you're figuring on only a couple of trips/year, and can use
the generator around home, then you're on the right track.

You are correct on your volts, amps, and watts power conversion. Volts X
Amps = Watts.

                                       <<Jim>>