[VAC] generator in liew of batteries?

["Terry Tyler" <tylerbears@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Joy, 

In your note, you asked:

>I'm considering the purchase of a small 1000 watt Honda generator to help
>with electrical supply when necessary.  I've stood next to a unit like this
>being used to operate a commercial cooker.  The sound of the unit running
>was hardly perceptible.  Is using a small generator in lieu of many
>batteries an impractical approach?

Like most questions, there are several possible answers which are dependent on how you answer
several additional questions, like:

1 - how much power do you need "to help with electrical supply when necessary"? For starters, begin
by adding amps for electricity hungry appliances, i.e. air conditioner, furnace and so on. 

2 - for how long a period at one time do you need help with electrical supply?

3 - how easily can you adapt your power needs to those times of the day when abundant and free
electrical power is available through your solar panels and inverter?

4 - If you can manage to be conservative in power usage with one or two batteries, there may be no
need for a generator. Review my two solar articles for a general estimate. Go to:  
http://www.geocities.com/TheTropics/Cabana/4868/ and scroll down to them.

5 - you have read postings about generators, so you are current on the. Yes, they have come a LONG
way in the "quiet" department.

Terry
mailto:tylerbears@airstream.net

Today (02/11/01), we are living in our 1977 31' Excella 500 with four solar panels (they were 10
years old when I bought them and we've used them another 15 years), three deep cycle marine
batteries (since buying solar panels, the batteries in all our Airstreams generally last 7 years), a
1500 watt inverter (which provides power to all our electrical appliances except the air conditioner
if we use one appliance at a time), and we've never felt the need for "help with electrical
supply.." As a back packer and mountain climber for 20 years, the rule of thumb was always
conservative use of resources. Adapting that rule to RVing was a natural extension and readily
integrated by both Sandie and me.