generator vs. van alternator charging

[ZoNiE]

I can't comment on either the battery or the charger but that generator will annoy every neighbor within a 1/2 mile radius or further if you're upwind from them!

I have a neighbor who uses one like that every time the power goes out here. I can hear it inside my house a 1/4 mile away with the windows shut and the storm raging!

Just be forewarned that you're going to be mighty unpopular or plan to camp a mile from anyone else.

I'm not a big fan of cheap gennys either, but if it is all one can afford, and only being used to run a battery charger, then get the 900W two-stroke one from Horror Fright. I have one that I used for the same purpose when I had a 12VDC fridge in a motorhome. They go on sale and using the 20% coupon can be had for $89. Add the replacement guarantee and you are still only into it for $120 or so. Northern tool and Wally world sell the same one:

They are a little dirty but since they are two stroke, you never have to change oil or do any real maintenance.

If you want to spend more, and get a nice quiet one, the Kipor is a very well made chinese knockoff of the honda.

good to know, this one
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Stanley-15A-Battery-Charger-with-40A-Engine-Start/38243759
has 40A engine start, could i use that to charge or is there just a better option from the get go?

(this looks nice http://www.walmart.com/ip/Diehard-8...-Charger-with-Emergency-Engine-Start/15140190 but not sold in CA for some reason)

I wonder how this thing will hold up if left in 40A mode long? I have a charger that has engine start, never really tried to run it long in that mode.

 

[highdesertranger]

to answer the question about lowriders. although I am not into them I have been around many. most are on older vehicles long before computors were even thought of. on the newer vehicles I have seen, they charge those batteries up before hand, they are not tied to the vehicles electrical system. a few will run a second alternator but again it's a separate system not tied to the vehicles electrical system. highdesertranger

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

A van dweller should just increase the amount of copper between alternator and battery to give the stock alternator the best chance of recharging the battery back upto and perhaps past the 80% charged mark.

A higher rated alternator requires fatter copper, and in the case of most Van dwellers the stock alternator can make all the battery can accept, the weak link is the length and diameter of the original copper between the two.

To supplement Sternwake's excellent advice, remember that the RETURN path is just as important.  One book on car wiring I've studied shows the technique of adding a separate fat ground wire from the alternator case directly to the negative on the battery.  This is based on the theory that most cars have a marginal ground system, and the return path will choke the amount of current that can flow out of the alternator.

IF you've upgraded the car's ground wire with a fatter cable, (which is a good idea) then the separate alternator ground may not be necessary.

Regards
John

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

+1 on SternWake's & Optimistic Paranoid's excellent advice.

On older vehicles I have worked on, I would estimate 60% or more of the electrical problems have to do with grounding: rusty connections, broken connections, assuming 'if I ground to this thing it will magically connect to the battery ground', etc.  On my camper, I have an explicit ground back to the house batteries.  No assuming the chassis will be a good ground.  Did the same on my classic truck.

-- Spiff