Thread: Generators?
View Single Post
Old 11-04-2016, 06:49 PM   #35
Bill
Site Team
 
Bill's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: The mountains of Scottsdale, AZ, and the beaches of Maine
Posts: 10,115
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by flipflop View Post
... the Champion 2kW needed about six hours at max RPM to charge the batts after running the furnace overnight in 20-30 degree temps.
Ooh, wrong approach, though a common one.

Most generators have a battery charger output. It seems that no matter what size generator you have, the battery charger output will charge at 8 amps max. And sure enough, at 8 amps, it takes a long time to charge a 75 A-H battery that is down to 50% charge. A better idea is to plug the TM's shore power cord into the AC outlet of the generator. This fires up the TM's converter/battery charger, which can charge the battery much faster than 8 amps.

I have no idea why gen manufacturers think an 8-amp charger port is a good idea, but they seem to.

Bill
__________________
2020 2720QS (aka 2720SL)
2014 Ford F-150 4WD 5.0L
Bill's Tech Stuff album
Bill is offline   Reply With Quote