# generators



## Al. Countryboy (Oct 2, 2004)

I looked at the Honda 1000 and 2000 generators this week. Both have inverters and wondering which will meet our needs the most. We will be building a very small off grid home in the tropics next year and will be using battery opperated power tools. The floors of the house will be cement with block walls and tin roof. We plan to get a marine battery while there for temp. lighting while building the house and will eventually go solar the following year, but this trip we will be taking mainly tools for house construction and because of the weight limits with airlines plan to go as light as possible. The 1,000 watt generator weights 29 lbs. and the 2,000 weights 48lbs. I have never used a generator before. I wonder since the battery charger may charge the battery at a slow rate anyway that maybe the 1000 would be ok. We plan to use a small 12V frig./freezer eventually when we go solar with 12V florescent lighting. No heating or cooling systems needed. Average year round temp. is 79 1/2 F. Over the last few years I have built a solar hot water heater and solar oven that work very well and will do the same there. Very few kitchen gagets and a lab top will be use. After the house is built the generator would be used mainly to keep our batteries charged when needed. What are your thoughts about which generator I should get?


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## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

Better to *over buy*.
Might surprise yourself at what you might want to run later on.
The beauty of these gen/inverter's is that they run (rpm wise) according to what the load is . So if the load is only a 75 watt light bulb . . . .the gen is just "loafing along" . . . .great for "fuel mileage" . . . . .

Far better than those cheapie's that scream along at 3600 rpm . . .reguardless of the load.

Should you want to run say a drill, than your gonna need the *umph* just to start it..

Go for the 2000i


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## tnhomestead (Jul 23, 2006)

Other option is to build a dc charger, advantage is cheap and easy to repair if something goes wrong you dont lose the whole thing. All you would need to bring is the plate and inverter, buy the motor and alternator there.
C:\Users\Owner\Documents\The Emergency Preparedness Tip o'da Week.htm
i built one and it works great, look around and you will see how to hook up an ac generator head if wanted instead of the inverter.


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## Al. Countryboy (Oct 2, 2004)

Thanks for your help. We still have about 7 months before our trip and want to get as many opinions and ideas as possible before investing. Will ollk up the info. that you also mentioned.


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## Windy in Kansas (Jun 16, 2002)

Do you have access to a meter that measures electrical amps/watts such as a Kill-O-Watt meter?

If you will be using a circular saw the start up draw may be considerable. Otherwise I think the 1000 watt unit will be fine. 

I agree that a 12 volt alternator powered by a gasoline engine to charge a battery may be the way to go. You can then use an inverter to get the 110 voltage without the continuously running generator.

Batteries might also be charged while driving but I would use a battery isolator to do such.


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