| Santiago 
 
Ultra Nomad
       
 
 
 
Posts: 3539
 
Registered: 8-27-2003
 
Member Is Offline
 |  | 
| ? re: battery charging with gen 
 
 I have a 2KW Honda.  Is it better and /or faster to charge a battery with the the 12 volt cord that comes with the generator  or hook a charger to the
120v side of the generator and then to the battery?
 | 
|  | 
| wiltonh 
 
Nomad
    
 
 
Posts: 306
 
Registered: 2-2-2007
 
Member Is Offline
 |  | 
| 
 It is more energy efficient to use the 12 Volt output of the generator to charge the battery.
 
 If you use a battery charger there is power loss in the transformer going from 120 Volts AC back to 12 Volts DC.
 
 Wilton
 | 
|  | 
| BajaWarrior 
 
Super Nomad
      
 
 
 
Posts: 2307
 
Registered: 9-27-2006
 Location: Mission Bay, San Diego. Playa Hermosa, San Felipe.
 
Member Is Offline
Mood:  Anxious to get south
 |  | 
| 
 Ditto, your Honda puts out 8.3 amps and that is a good charge rate.
 
 
 
 
 Haven't had a bad trip yet.... | 
|  | 
| Hook 
 
Elite Nomad
        
 
 
 
Posts: 9011
 
Registered: 3-13-2004
 Location: Sonora
 
Member Is Offline
Mood:  Inquisitive
 |  | 
| 
 Yes, but you can run a smart charger with the 110 side, if you have one. They will supply a bulk charge and then taper off to an absorption charge
which is technically the best way to charge your typical flooded cell battery.
 
 As far as the 8 amp rate being the best, that depends on the ah capacity of the battery/batteries you are charging. If you're charging a battery with
105 to 120 ah capacity, you can safely go up to a rate of 10-12 amps............which would be faster than the 8 amp rate.
 
 I would venture to say the the possible increased efficiency of using the 12v charger over a 110v charger running at 8 amps would be minuscule, in
terms of gasoline consumption.
 
 I'd go with the smart charger, if you have one. Less time listening to the genny and theoretically a more thorough charge.
 
 If all you have is a conventional car charger that puts out 10 amps max, it probably doesnt make much difference.
 
 
 
 
 | 
|  | 
| Roberto 
 
Banned
 
 
 
 
Posts: 2162
 
Registered: 9-5-2003
 
Member Is Offline
 |  | 
| 
 Correct, Hook, gold star for you!
 
 I would only add that I believe (though I am not certain), that the 12V output from the generator is unregulated, and that pretty much wipes out any
effifiency gains there may be.
 
 As you said, the smart charger's ability to tailor the charge to the battery state makes it the superior choice.
 | 
|  | 
| Santiago 
 
Ultra Nomad
       
 
 
 
Posts: 3539
 
Registered: 8-27-2003
 
Member Is Offline
 |  | 
| 
 Hook y Roberto:  this was my thought exactly - the 12 volts are unregulated so you would have to be constantly checking to make sure you didn't over
charge.  I'm  going the solar panel route anyway but was just curious.
 | 
|  | 
| Bob and Susan 
 
Elite Nomad
        
 
 
Posts: 8813
 
Registered: 8-20-2003
 Location: Mulege BCS on the BAY
 
Member Is Offline
Mood:  Full Time Residents
 |  | 
| 
 walmart has a 40 amp "smart charger" for ~$90
 
 
 
 
 | 
|  | 
| Santiago 
 
Ultra Nomad
       
 
 
 
Posts: 3539
 
Registered: 8-27-2003
 
Member Is Offline
 |  | 
| 
 
 | Quote: |  | Originally posted by soulpatch Mo' betta and faster.
 | 
 
 Boy - I haven't heard that in a while.... Wonder why?
   | 
|  | 
| capt. mike 
 
Elite Nomad
        
 
 
 
Posts: 8085
 
Registered: 11-26-2002
 Location: Bat Cave
 
Member Is Offline
Mood:  Sling time!
 |  | 
| there's a hot sauce you can get called 
 
 
 | Quote: |  | Originally posted by Santiago 
 | Quote: |  | Originally posted by soulpatch Mo' betta and faster.
 | 
 
 Boy - I haven't heard that in a while.... Wonder why?
   | 
 
 mo hotta, mo betta.
 
 really, my A & P has it.
 
 it will also charge batteries, therefore valid to this thread. I belive the Professor used some on Maynerd's island.
 
 
 
 
 formerly Ordained in Rev. Ewing\'s Church by Mail - busted on tax fraud....... 
Now joined L. Ron Hoover\'s church of Appliantology 
\"Remember there is a big difference between kneeling down and bending over....\"
www.facebook.com/michael.l.goering | 
|  |