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Generator for Camping

Posted: Sun Oct 08, 2006 7:54 pm
by Chaddz79
I have a generator which i take camping on longer trips, and run all the gear off.

I would prefer to leave it all running of the car but obviosly i get flat batteries.

Is there a way i could link the generator to my 2nd battery and just charge the battery and still have everything running through the car (battery), instead of unplugging from the car and plugging into gen?

i am running a fridge (sometimes 2) laptop, stero, lights.

Posted: Sun Oct 08, 2006 7:58 pm
by chimpboy
Is it a dual voltage 12V/240V generator, or pure 240V, or what?

Posted: Sun Oct 08, 2006 8:12 pm
by Chaddz79
dual voltage with a set of battery charger leads

im just worried that i may hurt some equipment if im running it through the battery at the same time as charging the battry with the generator?

i run the laptop through an invertor

Posted: Mon Oct 09, 2006 12:11 am
by DamTriton
Chaddz79 wrote:dual voltage with a set of battery charger leads

im just worried that i may hurt some equipment if im running it through the battery at the same time as charging the battry with the generator?

i run the laptop through an invertor
The battery should stablise the voltage well enough. Get an ignition "condenser" (distributor capacitor) and put it across the terminals of the battery to knock out most of the electrical noise generated by your genny. Basically, if you think about it, all you are doing is exactly what you would do using the cars alternator. Do you use the laptop in the car while travelling? Laptop should be fine if it is going through the invertor as well (extra isolation).