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Tracydr View Drop Down
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Joined: 02 Dec 2017
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Posts: 42 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Generator
    Posted: 03 May 2018 at 8:42pm
j7st bought a generator because the dog show this weekend doesn’t have electric and it’s supposed to be 89 degrees Sat. 
Any tips on using it? Any good ways to lock it up while using it? Where do you store it? I have the 182G model. I could probably rearrange sme stuff and use one of the under storage areas.
It’s a Honda 2200i model. Other than AC I use a water pot and maybe microwave although I could use the stove for both. 
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Tars Tarkas View Drop Down
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Posts: 1452 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 May 2018 at 9:14pm
You should try the air with the generator.  You probably have enough power to start it but you could be cutting it close.  I really think you're fine, but check when you can.  For locking, there ought to be something you can run a cable through.  Do that and run the cable through the frame somewhere.

For storage, it all depends on what size it is and what you have available.  It's going to be heavy for getting in and out of the storage area.  I haul mine on a cargo carrier attached to my front bumper.  The back of a pickup is an option, of course.  A Stromber-Carlson cargo tray (Google it) for the tongue of the pod is another one.  You don't have to move the gennie from there to use it and you can lock it down too.

You will definitely overload the generator if you try to run the air and the microwave at the same time, but that's easy enough to deal with.

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Posts: 1003 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 May 2018 at 11:36pm
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Posts: 613 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 May 2018 at 9:34am
When unhitched, I sometimes run the safety chains thru the handle and then padlock the chains together.  That way I only have to carry an extra padlock.
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Posts: 1407 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 May 2018 at 1:12pm
Hondas are usually pretty good about exceeding their ratings, so a 2200 may very well handle the air conditioner but little else. Also, that 2200 rating is a peak rating. We run two Honda EU2000i generators in parallel when we need the air conditioner or just one if we don't.
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Tracydr View Drop Down
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Posts: 42 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 May 2018 at 3:41pm
Just checked,it is too tall for the lower storage spaces. I put it in the garage for now. It’s a little high for me to lift it in there but plenty of room and basically out of the way.
I may have to find a strong man to help lift it in and out for me is the only drawback with that.
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Posts: 42 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 May 2018 at 3:47pm
Yup,I just fixed up a chain and padlock for it and noticed a good spot on the front of the hitch to place it that will set the generator far enough off.
Tried it with the AC running and it seems to work quite well,even with the fridge on AC.
 My husband decided to turn on the microwave and that set the overload off and everything quit so I know what it can handle now.
I’m hoping I’ll only need it for the afternoon to keep the dogs cool. I can’t let my papillon out in the ex~pen “yard” by herself or she finds a way out and comes looking for me. If I’m showing in the afternoon she has to be kept in the camper. Once the sun is lower I hope it gets cooler and breezy,then I can open the windows and turn the AC off.
Boy is this generator quiet and now we don’t have to worry about stocking up on water jugs in case of a hurricane next fall,either. It should be able to run the well without an issue.
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Posts: 42 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 May 2018 at 3:50pm
I’ll purchase a solar suitcase panel to augment although I suspect that I won’t need to dry camp too often anyway. This is the only dog show locally that I’ve found without hookups. Maybe when we go to the beach or something.
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StephenH View Drop Down
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Posts: 6417 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 May 2018 at 4:49pm
Originally posted by Tracydr

Yup,I just fixed up a chain and padlock for it and noticed a good spot on the front of the hitch to place it that will set the generator far enough off.
Tried it with the AC running and it seems to work quite well,even with the fridge on AC.
 My husband decided to turn on the microwave and that set the overload off and everything quit so I know what it can handle now.
I’m hoping I’ll only need it for the afternoon to keep the dogs cool. I can’t let my papillon out in the ex~pen “yard” by herself or she finds a way out and comes looking for me. If I’m showing in the afternoon she has to be kept in the camper. Once the sun is lower I hope it gets cooler and breezy,then I can open the windows and turn the AC off.
Boy is this generator quiet and now we don’t have to worry about stocking up on water jugs in case of a hurricane next fall,either. It should be able to run the well without an issue.


There is one other thing you might need. When you connect to shore power, the power is bonded at the supply (ground and neutral). Generators, on the other hand, have what is called a "floating neutral." If you are using a power analyzer, this will show as a fault. To get around this, buy, or better yet, make a bonding plug. It is really easy.

Go to the hardware store. Get a three prong male plug, preferably outdoor/weatherproof. Get a short length of wire, 10 or 12 gauge. You only need a very short piece. It should be long enough to connect the neutral and ground terminals and short enough so that it can be tucked inside the plug body. Strip just enough off the ends to connect to the terminals like this:

The gold (narrow) blade is the hot connector. Leave it alone!
The silver (wide) blade is the neutral connector. Connect one end of the wire to it.
The green connector is the ground. Connect the other end of the wire to it.
Close your plug body and, if desired, use a little sealant to plug the hole where the wire would normally run.

Congratulations! You will have just made a bonding plug. Your circuit analyzer will now be happy.
StephenH
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DavMar View Drop Down
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Posts: 592 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 May 2018 at 10:46pm
StephenH I just read through your explanation about a bonding plug and how to build one. Sounds simple to build but I missing something here as to where and how this "bonding plug" is used with a generator? I understand the concept of "floating neutral" that you say generators have but with ZERO experience of using a generator with our campers I'm having a hard time conceptualizing all this in my mind. If you can explain further or point all of us to a website that explains this in more detail I know I'd appreciate it and I'm sure others on the forum will too. Thanks!
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