Generator VS Inverter

[Wet Rock]

I had to move my 80sg to a storage unit so i could work on it in a clean enviroment. My problem, no power available in the unit to do buffing or work at night.
I'm wondering if I should get one of those Ebay QUIET Honda generators. The going rate for one is about 900$ on a 2000W. I know they have other brands for sale at just a little less dollars. Even YAMAHA.
The other choice is an Inverter that you run off your truck battery. AIMS has 5000W continuous load with 10000W peak load, for $539.00 and free shipping. Input is 10-15 VDC Output 120VAC/60Hz. at 41.6Amp.
I want to use them to power other tools like chopsaws, skill
saws and grinders.

Can anyone with a working knowledge of these power sources help with my decision of which to buy?

I've got a 2000 Z71 4x4 with a generator that puts out (Im not sure which one) either 102amp with Load Test Output of 71
amp or 130amp with LTO of 91amp

[excess11]

Inverter

I have a large inverter in my work truck. It will run anything, from portabands to grinders,drills and even a light plant for the back of the truck. The problem is that it requires a battery isolator and two additional batteries to run it. I dont know if you have that much room. It is handy to have power anywhere you want it with out the noise of a generator. I will have to find out the size. I can't remember

[DiverRay]

I agree, I installed a 1000w on a Suburban, and put in an isolator and a deep cycle battery to power it. Works well, but will run the battery down quickly under a heavy load. I would opt for a generator for now, in your shoes.
And you need to think ahead. Hurricane season is just around the corner, and if you get a bigger, but slightly louder gen, you can power the fridge at home when the power is out.

Ray

[webbcraft2150]

Having worked for a Honda Generator dealer for 8 years (past job), let me throw some things out for you to consider. First off, you cannot go wrong with Honda Generators, they are almost bulletproof. You can go wrong by buying one to small, seen it done dozens of times. The Eu series of Honda are dead quiet, but at a price. They use an inverter setup vs. the standard rotor/stator type to make AC power. This is one reason they are so small and quiet. The EB and EC series are less expensive but make more noise and are heavier. They use the rotor/stator setup. Watch out for watt ratings, they can be misleading. Check for the "continous run rating" as well as the "peak or "surge rating". Continous is what they will put out constantly, peak or surge is the maximum they will put out, but only for a short period of time (like seconds). A chop saw draws alot of amps on startup and can draw even more as you force it into the work, same with buffers and polishers. You also have to add the voltage/amp drop from your cords. You cannot expect to get 120v at your chop saw with 50 ft of 16/3 cord as you mash it into a piece of 2", thickwall tubing. Low voltage equals premature tool burnout. I better stop now or I am gonna kill all my space. Check out the Honda/Yamaha Generator website for more in depth info. There will be decible chart that will give some idea of how quiet or noisy they really are. 3500watt should be your minimum choice. Check to see if any rental yards rent the model you want, take it home, load the hell out it and see if it will work for you. PM me if you want more info.

[JWSanders]

Does your storage room have a lightbulb in it?

The reason I ask is that I do all my work in a storage room too. I use an adapter that screws into the lightbulb fixture and gives me 2 outlets, and still allows for the use of the lightbulb. I plug a 6-way power strip into it and have all the power I've needed.

You can get one at any hardware store, I'd imagine.

Cheap and free are good with me!!

[Wet Rock]

excess11< Sure wont fit under the hood! Doesn't have to be permanent. I'd have to see how to set one up. Let me know what size ya got K? Got a round number price to set one up? I guess by the time you add batteries, cables and the other things it evens out but the "Silence is Golden.. Golden" (NOT trying to challange the QUIP MASTERS)

Diver< Got a BIGGER LOUDER one for down here type storms. Couple neighbors to cheap to get one, but I help em anyway for gas money. When 'canes hit, folks either turn into hoarders or family. Most of the time you can trust "family"
Little gen is quiet but $$ is bad for only 2K and doesnt have amp draw for hard start motors. Dont think 1800$ would bring me "peace" and quiet.

Web< Been to the RV forums and learned about most of tech side of gens but no talk of Inverters and their capabilities.Thanks for the crash course though.
I know the talent we have here in the forum and value everyone's
advice.

JW< I didnt forget you read my OP second sentence.

[trbig]

Another alternative (Cheaper) is to get a good muffler for your loud one. I went to my local bike shop that sells 4-wheelers, and he had a used Arctic Cat muffler for 30 bucks. It is curved so the muffler fits inside my frame and it is QUIET QUIET QUIET. It is just a 10 horse Briggs motor, but it had one of those worthless lawnmower style mufflers on it... LOUD LOUD LOUD! So 30 bucks and a 3/4 nipple and a clamp from the hardware store set me up.

Tod

[kf4anm]

batteries

you got some excellent advice from the generator field. now my 2 cents from the battery field.


no power at the unit means you will have to lug your batteries home every night to charge. if you have multiple deep cycles then you would need more than 1 charger. (you can charge in parallel, but it would take time.) nothing like lugging 2 or 3 maybe 4 big 31 marine batteries back and forth every day. the chance of spillage, gasing and all that good stuff. the biggest down side is when your batteries discharge you are done. with the generator you run to the petrol station for a refill.

finally when you are done with the project would you have the need for multiple batteries. unlike the generator which you could add stabil to and store quite a while. the deep cycle batteries will be a pain in the ass to maintain in storage. then at best case in 3 years they will be done.

[kf4anm]

invert

look here for some good info on inverters

www.tripplite.com

[excess11]

Inverter size

excess11< Sure wont fit under the hood! Doesn't have to be permanent. I'd have to see how to set one up. Let me know what size ya got K?

The inverter in my work truck is a 3000 watt unit made by Pure-sine. It has been able to power anything I have hooked up to it so far.

[Wet Rock]

Thanks for the size I need to go to excess11.

Did you have to go to a different size generator or alternator on your truck to make it work ok?

I guess I could mount a truckbox in my bed to set the workings into. Would have to find the right size cable length to get the power back there though.

[Geezer]

This has been and interesting thread. I'm in the process of building an air compressor from a VW bug engine with 2 cylinders pumping air and the other 2 providing power. The 800cc engine should put out around 25 hp but more likely I’d run it at a constant 10 or 12 hp.

The idea all along was to also add a generator to run my small welder. Anybody try and run a welder off an inverter? I can use any size alternator I want and I have plenty of space to run double or triple batteries.

Geezer

[mro]

I can use any size alternator

Why not run an AC gen to power the welder?

Making a mobil work station?


mro

[Geezer]

That's the idea even if it's going to spend 99% of the time in the corner of my garage. I'm planning to use 20 feet of flex pipe to run the exhust out the door.

Anyway at this point I don't know were to get an a 220 volt AC generator for the project.

Geezer

[mro]

220 volt AC generator

How many amps you need???

I'll look in my files. Put one on a "tractor scrubber" which ran two AC, 15 amp draw turbins.




mro