Hi,after caravanning last weekend without hook up,we're looking to buy a generator.Somewhere in the depths of my mind I remember reading something about them and it said only a Honda generator should be used for caravanning purposes.Can't remember where I read it,when or most importantly the reasons given-can anyone help?
its been discussed before and cheaper generators can be used to charge leisure battery's however there has been several instances when caravan on board charging systems have been damaged beyond repair because of voltage spikes
Cheaper generators do not have stable voltage outputs which is fine as long as your not using sensitive equipment .
Any generator should be a Pure sine wave type which ensures good steady voltage output and Honda are the leading manufacturer of these .
Yes there expensive but rarely go wrong and if bought new come with a 5 year guarantee .
Mine cost me a £1000 3 years ago money well spent but is the EU 2.0 2000watt output model however the smaller equally as good 1000watt model can be had for a lot less.
There are other makes of pure sine wave generator on the market but for quietness in operation and reliability Honda take a bit of beating
Most caravanners will recommend Honda because they are quiet in comparison to other makes and are robust in design. On an independent thread on the same issue someone said that the Honda Eu generators have a pure sine wave and ideal for running sensitive equipment such as a laptop etc. which they also confirm in their adverts in Camping magazines. However, they went on to say the the although the EX models have a built in regulator it doesn't have the pure sine wave so not got the power spikes are slightly greater. Although I have the EX-650 along with many other caravanners I have spoken to, none of us have encountered a problem regarding damaging any on board charging equipment but as a matter of importance, in the Caravanning Handbook by John Wickersham it does state clearly that you should never switch off the generator whilst any equipment is plugged in as the slowing down of the engine can cause spikes that can damage equipment connected. So, whatever generator you purchase, always ensure that you start it up and get it warm first before plugging any equipment and unplug the equipment before switching the off the generator.
I was toying with the idea of a generator, Iread many threads on this matter and found a lot sites ban them or limit thier time. They can also be classed as anti social and cause a lot of aggro on site. In the end we bought an 80 watt solar panel if you watch your power consumption you can last a couple of weeks ormore if bright or sunny.
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Topic: Does it have to be Honda?
