linda s Posted October 16, 2012 Share Posted October 16, 2012 I want to look into a enclosure for it , outside, theft resistant and rain resistant. Cheap obviously. Then I can just permanently hook it up to the converter box for some battery charging and powering the laptop etc. I don't have a generator space in my rv. I'm thinking... a milk crate? Somehow fastening it to the bumper. A friend of mine covered his generator on the bumper with an old nasty looking cooler with the bottom cut out. Still has to be removed to run but no one will ever try to steal it. Nylon rachet straps hold it in place Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek up North Posted October 16, 2012 Share Posted October 16, 2012 I'd thought of doing the 'old cooler' trick. Great minds think alike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stamar Posted October 16, 2012 Share Posted October 16, 2012 Ok that works. Next I have to see what kind of hardware fastens it to the bumper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5Toyota Posted October 17, 2012 Share Posted October 17, 2012 IT HAS DONE A FINE JOB OF BATTERY CHARGING WAITER I APECATE the thought thanks but wash state is a little to far the SHUCKS GENERATOR CALLED POWER STAR THE EX SAME TWO CYCLE SAME CC> BUT THEY CLAIM I DONT KNOW IF ITS TRUE OR NOT 1200 surge watts and 850 running watts. it has two 120 outlets and a 12 volt D C battery charging outlet i have not used that part . we just boil water for her instant coffee i dont drink it. i dont use ac in the woods. dont have micro in there ether. i just use for battery , lights or a tool now and then. TO DO MORE YOU NEED MORE POWER ITS OK FOR BASICS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5Toyota Posted October 17, 2012 Share Posted October 17, 2012 my son says his the harber freight unit will not run the wall air in his new jayco swift pull behind but ok for light use. THE TWO UNITS WE HAVE ARE ALMOST THE SAME THE SHUCKS ONE I HAVE HAD THREE YEARS IS A LITTLE MORE DELUX i paid 140 dollars. VERSUS H F 89 dollars he paid in wash state. SAME HANDLE SAME GAS TANK SAME TWO CYCLE MOTOR THE MICRO WAVE THAT RAN OK ON IT WAS A VERY OLD MINIATURE 500 watts model. MAYBE 600 watts total MOST STANDARD MICROWAVES MADE NOW PULL TOO MUCH 700 to 1200 watts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stamar Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 Everyone here seems to be a amature electriician. How hard is it to parallel two of these? To the best of my knowledge its just a y cord. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
90toydolphin Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 don't believe it is that easy. you could end up with 240 volts which would raise havock on all your electric toys. honda wouldn't be making a big deal about their special eu2000 that can be linked for more watts so easily. and if it was that easy there would be "special" cables out there for sale to do so. maybe someone here will have the knowledge about how honda does it to clearify, i think we all might be interested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 it doesn't look like rocket science to me. If you have 2 regular ones you need the kit but if you have 1 regular and 1 companion model you just need the cords http://powerequipment.honda.com/generators/generator-parallel-capability Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stamar Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 Its just a cord they definitely sell it right there in harbor freight. I think the key is xthe cord grounds the two generators. That's about it. If the generators are powering the same cord they are putting out double the watts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maineah Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 If they are exactly the same, exactly the same voltage, exactly the same frequency and be in phase it will work other wise you'll have issues possibly cooking two generators. The cables for the Honda's are for inverter generators only they sense the others voltage and adjust accordingly inverter generators do not relay on speed standard generator do they must turn 1800 or 3600 rpm to produce 60 HZ and 117 volts. But feel free to try it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waiter Posted October 19, 2012 Share Posted October 19, 2012 DO NOT DO THIS WITH INVERTER GENERATORS, You will destroy both of them Yes, it will work with standard AC generators (like the $89 Harbor freight unit) . just plug them in together and they will sync up. Again, DO NOT do this with inverter types, the special cable talks between them to sync the controller . John Mc 88 Dolphin 4 Auto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maineah Posted October 19, 2012 Share Posted October 19, 2012 The inverter gen sets have cables to sync the two units you can not use a simple cable. If you want to run the risk of motoring one or the other cheap generators go ahead and join them with a simple cable they have to be exactly matched or there will be smoke. The governors are not good enough to maintain exact speed and no two generators are spot on 3600 RPM It can be done with special equipment but at great expense. If you like to experiment the $80 generators would be perfect if it works for you move up to a pair $200 generators. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waiter Posted October 19, 2012 Share Posted October 19, 2012 Main, it works, regardless of the RPM. The rpms will sync up This is how we do it in electrical power plants, and it works regardless of Megawatt or $89 NOW - If your doing this with a Megawatt generator, you just don't tie them together, Well, yes you do, but there is a step we do to make sure they are close before we throw the switch. This makes sure not out of phase and the frequency is very close. The simplest is to have a small light (regular 120 volt incandescent light, no transformer), connect the grounds (returns) of the gens together, connect one lead from the light to one gen and the other lead to the other gen. The light will blink on and off, the speed of the light blinking is the difference in frequency between the gens, (generator speed) i.e. one gen may be putting out 59.5 hz and the other 60.5 hz. The brightness of the light is the phase difference, If the light is blinking on and off about once per second, then the generators are putting out a slightly different frequency, in this case, they would be 1 hz difference between the two. (way too far apart for our Megawatt gen, but not significant for the $89 unit) The light will slowly get brighter then get darker, This is the phase difference between the two gens Watch the light, when its dark, hit the connect switch. The two generators will now lock up to each other and be in phase. The reason you do this when the light is dark, this will be zero phase difference between the two generators. The reason they sync up, Simple, If they are not synced up, one of the generators kind of acts as a "gen" and either kind of acts like an AC motor, The Motor will change its speed to match the AC frequency that its being supplied. OK - Why did I say this might be different for the Megawatt vs the $89. The Megawatt has tons of mechanical weight and inertia that must be overcome in order for it to alter its speed, Also keep in mind that if the phase is 180 out, basically this is a short circuit for a megawatt generator, and I don't know of any switch in existence that could handle this huge difference for the time it would take the two gens to sync. On the other hand, The $89 doesn't have this huge inertia and and it will speed up or slow down to match the AC frequency that its being supplied. If its out of phase when the switch is mad, odds are good that the breaker will not pop before the $89 units sync up. NOW - With all this discussion, why would you do it, just buy a 1500 or 2000 watt unit to start with. John Mc 88 Dolphin 4 Auto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stamar Posted October 19, 2012 Share Posted October 19, 2012 You have reduced gas usage, back up, reduced price as there is not 1600 watt unit for 160out there. You also have two use the 2nd one specifically only for a certain trip I can't think of a reason to buy a 2000 watt generator particularly if you already have an 800 watt one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waiter Posted October 19, 2012 Share Posted October 19, 2012 Stamar - Good points. If you couple these together, make sure they are both AC generators and NOT Inverter generators. I may make a special plug/switch box to do this. I can use it at home when we loose power here. JOhn Mc 88 Dolphin 4 Auto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stamar Posted October 19, 2012 Share Posted October 19, 2012 When I took a look at the harbor freight generators its 100 percent aparent its using a car alternator. It is the same size and power as the one on our toyhome. If you've ever double jumped a car you know it works. The only thing you are watching out for with that much juice is overloading the ground. I've done it, it works. Perfectly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maineah Posted October 19, 2012 Share Posted October 19, 2012 Main, it works, regardless of the RPM. The rpms will sync up This is how we do it in electrical power plants, and it works regardless of Megawatt or $89 NOW - If your doing this with a Megawatt generator, you just don't tie them together, Well, yes you do, but there is a step we do to make sure they are close before we throw the switch. This makes sure not out of phase and the frequency is very close. The simplest is to have a small light (regular 120 volt incandescent light, no transformer), connect the grounds (returns) of the gens together, connect one lead from the light to one gen and the other lead to the other gen. The light will blink on and off, the speed of the light blinking is the difference in frequency between the gens, (generator speed) i.e. one gen may be putting out 59.5 hz and the other 60.5 hz. The brightness of the light is the phase difference, If the light is blinking on and off about once per second, then the generators are putting out a slightly different frequency, in this case, they would be 1 hz difference between the two. (way to far apart for our Megawatt gen, but not significant for the $89 unit) The light will slowly get brighter then get darker, This is the phase difference between the two gens Watch the light, when its dark, hit the connect switch. The two generators will now lock up to each other and be in phase. The reason you do this when the light is dark, this will be zero phase difference between the two generators. The reason they sync up, Simple, If they are not synced up, one of the generators kind of acts as a "gen" and either kind of acts like an AC motor, The Motor will change its speed to match the AC frequency that its being supplied. OK - Why did I say this might be different for the Megawatt vs the $89. The Megawatt has tons of mechanical weight and inertia that must be overcome in order for it to alter its speed, Also keep in mind that if the phase is 180 out, basically this is a short circuit for a megawatt generator, and I don't know of any switch in existence that could handle this huge difference for the time it would take the two gens to sync. On the other hand, The $89 doesn't have this huge inertia and and it will speed up or slow down to match the AC frequency that its being supplied. If its out of phase when the switch is mad, odds are good that the breaker will not pop before the $89 units sync up. NOW - With all this discussion, why would you do it, just buy a 1500 or 2000 watt unit to start with. John Mc 88 Dolphin 4 Auto Light bulbs are an old trick the problem arises because of the cheap small generators they have worthless governors and equally worthless voltage regulators. The light bulbs will tell you they are in sync but they will not stay there both gen would need electronic governors, a load share device, reverse power relay and probably a sync checking system. In other words a single generator with the power to run all your needs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maineah Posted October 19, 2012 Share Posted October 19, 2012 When I took a look at the harbor freight generators its 100 percent aparent its using a car alternator. It is the same size and power as the one on our toyhome. If you've ever double jumped a car you know it works. The only thing you are watching out for with that much juice is overloading the ground. I've done it, it works. Perfectly. It is an alternator all AC generators are alternators including cars/trucks but not a car alternator it has no diodes to make DC and it will not make 60 amps with a pipsqueak 2 stroke. I am so waiting for you to hook the two together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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