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Post by jimspartan54 on Jun 22, 2016 3:22:55 GMT -8
Need advise.
just bought a 54 Spartan Mansion, which we will put on a piece of land in California.
We are new to this and European, so basically we don't know what we are doing.
We will be off the grid. In the future we want to go solar, but meanwhile we want a simple power solution.
We think:
1 Lets put our 30 amp plug in a 400 dollar generator (gas or propane?).
2 Lets maybe put a dc battery beween the generator and the plug so we can charge the battery and not have the generator running all the time.
is this possible or too simple?
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Post by vikx on Jun 23, 2016 20:56:16 GMT -8
Welcome JimSpartan54!
A lot depends on what systems are in the trailer now. Many Spartans were only 110 (no 12 volt/battery) which makes it a little more difficult off grid.
If you will be parked at the same location all the time, a battery bank with an inverter might be perfect for you. Solar is designed to work very well charging this type of system. The inverter is powered by the battery bank and runs the 110 inside the trailer. This would work even better with LED type bulbs, as they are very efficient.
Do you have a propane system? That would power a heater, a gas light, the stove and a water heater... So, no power needed there. Also, consider a propane refrigerator that operates without 12 volts. This type of fridge is manual light and does not use a circuit board.
The fewer amp hogs you have (in other words larger, modern appliances) the better. I would say electric coffee makers, heaters and cooking appliances would really drag the battery bank down.
A generator is OK, but noisy and greedy on fuel. They are very inefficient for charging batteries. I would use it only if necessary. Also, spend a little more for a quiet unit (Honda or Yamaha are two good brands). It should be capable of supplying 30 amps and sustaining that draw.
I hope this makes sense. I realize the European system is entirely different, used to live in Italy...
Feel free to PM me for more info and/or my email address. We can figure this out.
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nccamper
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Post by nccamper on Jun 24, 2016 4:37:03 GMT -8
Welcome!
I agree with with vikx, Honda makes a really nice generator. As quiet as they come but still a buzz.
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Post by jimspartan54 on Jun 26, 2016 3:15:23 GMT -8
Thx for the response!
The trailer is only 110 and even the beautiful vintage fridge is electric. We have propane, only for the stove.
I want to wait a few years before going solar, because I anticipate fast developement that will make solar and batteries better and cheaper. Besides I will only be in the us a few weeks a year in the near future.
So for the time being i'm going to use the generator. Questions:
-can I use any 'rv-ready' generator and just plug the trailer in?
-how many Watt would you recomment?
-should I consider propane to fuel the generator?
-inverter generator, or regular?
Thx,
Jim
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Post by vikx on Jun 27, 2016 22:20:54 GMT -8
Jim, you have to figure out what you will be drawing amp wise to decide on a generator. I would guess it should be at least in the 3000 watt range and that will limit certain appliances. One at a time is a general rule with a generator; in other words, microwave only, turn off the electric heater, that sort of thing. If *I* were making the decision, I would go with 5000 to 6500.
Inverter generators are very efficient but also limited on power. They tend to be much quieter. If you will be away from others, I think a regular generator would provide more power and be able to recover quickly on start up draws.
If you have reliable propane delivery, that might be the way to go. Be sure to have an extra tank or two on hand for emergencies.
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