Generators 1

[Mike-Casella]

Sheesh, did I click on this topic late, or what!! I never get a chance to watch TV till 8:45 which is 15 minutes before I close my eyes for the night, so it's hard for me to get interested in any shows.

We started bringing an extra generator with us this year cause the new air compressor takes way too much power from the motorhome, and kept tripping the breaker. There will be plenty of power to go around in Iowa in July.

If you make the trip up here Doug, make sure the trunk, or back of the pick-up is empty, I have alot of stuff to move, I need the room.

[Doug]

Sheesh, did I click on this topic late, or what!! I never get a chance to watch TV till 8:45 which is 15 minutes before I close my eyes for the night, so it's hard for me to get interested in any shows.

We started bringing an extra generator with us this year cause the new air compressor takes way too much power from the motorhome, and kept tripping the breaker. There will be plenty of power to go around in Iowa in July.

If you make the trip up here Doug, make sure the trunk, or back of the pick-up is empty, I have alot of stuff to move, I need the room.

Mike, If I come out, I'll be flying...... sans car..
You and I need to talk about you '06 dchedule.

[Rapid Randy Baker]

Mike,

We bought the bigger Honda generator when we got our new trailer a couple of years ago. The choice was the common 4000 or the bigger 6000. We went with the bigger 6000 version. Every now and then we would have problems with the air compression not starting correctly. It was also a new craftsman 5-horse 30-gal tank. The first race of this year, it didn't want to start for us. So we went and bought a new 2-horse industrial compressor, thinking the craftsman might just take too much load to start. We rewired the box with bigger gauge wires also.

Still wouldn't always start. It just acted like it didn't have enough juice to get up and running. Once it would start it was fine. So calls to the generator people, and trailer people. It appears that you have to have a pretty small compressor to run off a gas generator. We put our original air compressor in the trailer that we stopped taking because we thought it was too noisey. It is {can't remember the word} but it starts without a load against it. I want to call it a rotory, but that isn't the correct word. Anyway it fires right up, also has a 30-gallon tank. I think the difference is, no piston to get moving. It is just an instant on type deal so it doesn't load the electrical system so bad.

If we decide it is too noisy, we are going to enclose it. It is tucked up against the wall in the upper goose neck deck so a 2-sided enclosure would be easy to do.

Rapid

[Novel-T]

Mike ,does the motor home have an oven so we can make cake?I think it's Rapid's birthday is that weekend.

[Lippy]

Mike,

We bought the bigger Honda generator when we got our new trailer a couple of years ago. The choice was the common 4000 or the bigger 6000. We went with the bigger 6000 version. Every now and then we would have problems with the air compression not starting correctly. It was also a new craftsman 5-horse 30-gal tank. The first race of this year, it didn't want to start for us. So we went and bought a new 2-horse industrial compressor, thinking the craftsman might just take too much load to start. We rewired the box with bigger gauge wires also.

Still wouldn't always start. It just acted like it didn't have enough juice to get up and running. Once it would start it was fine. So calls to the generator people, and trailer people. It appears that you have to have a pretty small compressor to run off a gas generator. We put our original air compressor in the trailer that we stopped taking because we thought it was too noisey. It is {can't remember the word} but it starts without a load against it. I want to call it a rotory, but that isn't the correct word. Anyway it fires right up, also has a 30-gallon tank. I think the difference is, no piston to get moving. It is just an instant on type deal so it doesn't load the electrical system so bad.

If we decide it is too noisy, we are going to enclose it. It is tucked up against the wall in the upper goose neck deck so a 2-sided enclosure would be easy to do.

Rapid

I know you guys know this, but you have to have a big enough supply chord to the trailer also.

[Doug]

OK.. Now you guys are gonna know that I am a nerd by profession.

You can buy soft starts or reduced voltage starter for your electrical motors.
They basically "bump" the motor at a lower frequency to get (Pulse width modulation) the motor turning and then let it go to full voltage.

The idea behind this is that your power supply, be it a generator, control panel, whatever, will not experience the Full Load Amperage (Or locked rotor current) that a motor needs to start. When a motor on a compressor starts, it goes immediately to full speed (say 1750 RPM @ 60Hz.) and it already has it's load (the compressor) on it. It takes a bunch of current (Relative to motor size) to get there.

Should be able to get these from McMaster-Carr or Grainger.

I am a little surprised that the breaker on the generator does not interrupt the circuit.

Just my 2 cents.

[Rapid Randy Baker]

I just forwarded your post to the guys. Thanks for the tip, maybe it will help Mike out also!

Lippy, we don't ever plug ours in. Unless you meant the wiring from the truck to the trailer for charging the battery and trailer lights and brakes.

[Lippy]

Sorry Randy, I have from time to time experienced what is know as Brain Fade.I think John Force said it best during a top end interview,.......Uh, oh, wait a minute, ...brain quit.!

[Lippy]

What was the thread topic again? OOPS

[Doug]

What was the thread topic again? OOPS

Uhmmmm..... something about underwater sneaker repair, I think..