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Generator Assited Battery Back Up

Posted: Mon Nov 04, 2013 12:00 pm
by Solar98632
We just recently aquired an All Power Generator.
The Unit we purchased is the 1200 Watt 2 Stroke or the APG3004D.
(Right now it appears that all power is not listing the appropriate Generator Specs)

The generator is 1000 continuous watts with 8.3 amps on the the 119 side and a whopping 10 amps on the DC side perfect for a secondary 2kw inverter if need be and a battery charger to boot.

Reason for aquiring said beast?
Simple my fiance has her fears about solar and Understandable fear at that.
So out of resepect (and in hopes to change her mind later) We opted to go with the APG3004D.

Aditional Details that made it attractive
1200 Watt peak, 1000 Watt rated
Rated voltage 115 Volt/60Hz, 10 Amp
1.2 Gallon tank capacity
Runs 8.5 hours at 1/2 gallons of fuel
Integrated 12 volt, 15 peak Amp DC, tricklecharge, battery charger complete with cables
12 Volt DC output
Low noise
we all like Trickle Charge as well as brute force if need be.
now to reduce work load on the geni I am planning to build a battery bank and ad a 2kw inverter for later usage. batteries will be bought one at a time per month startng after the holdays.
would like feed back and ideas.

Re: Generator Assited Battery Back Up

Posted: Mon Nov 04, 2013 12:53 pm
by techman
Wow, that sounds like a good generator.

I love the fact that it has a good DC output.

Be sure to run it in properly before loading it fully. Mine had to be run 25 hours at 60% or less load to break it in. Doing more than that would shorten its life.

Are you sure about the 8.5 hours on 1/2 tank?

Mine gets 5 hours on a gallon.

Re: Generator Assited Battery Back Up

Posted: Mon Nov 04, 2013 2:25 pm
by Solar98632
Thanks , it was something like 168. totlalled.
yeah I emailed the comapny and they said no break in was needed. How ever I will still do a "break in". I will mix the fuel once it gets here. I researched a lot of two strokes and thiz was the best I could find that fit our budget. and thanks to all.the off grd videos and your talk about power requirements I took heed.
I also like the fact that that it had a one year warrenty.

100, 000 lost power in Seattle alone.
and a fraction of that population has generators.
had we been in Seattle we would be having issues roght now as this is there second day with out power.
We also will be using a tent to keep it dry. water and electricity. They may mix to make HHO, but it is very lethal .. I will also run a ground to the earth. better safe then sorry.
oh does you unit have a gas guage. that was the other appealing thing to me.normally chea p units don't have that.

Re: Generator Assited Battery Back Up

Posted: Mon Nov 04, 2013 2:49 pm
by Solar98632
it is 50:1 for fuel mix. at least that is a normal.standard .
oh some one was saying it comes with a measuring cup for mixing? or the Has cap doubles as a measuring device for the gen. and I think I will do a mix as one needs.
And I have a sepperate domar for mixed fuel.
I will do an unboxing was and reveiw as this unit is not on youtube. it lesser sister the 1oo, ooo watt is but it is rated for 850.continuous where as this onem is rated for 1kw continuous. and 12oo peak so the extra 200 watts peak should wor for fridge. one draw back. I might need to get something to check to make sure it is 60hz. but then that is where my inverter comes in. I will ise that to charge cells, run tv, and and some other things.
I guess we will have to make sure we have laundry caught up befor a nasty storm hits lol. well then againn I can use our propane stove to wash and boil water I f need be.

Re: Generator Assited Battery Back Up

Posted: Tue Nov 05, 2013 9:43 am
by tazmanddevil67
Just a note for anyone interested, The digital battery chargers they sell today don't work with a generator, You have to use the old style Analog Battery Charger. That is what worked for me anyway.

Re: Generator Assited Battery Back Up

Posted: Tue Nov 05, 2013 10:48 am
by mr bugsier5
remember the 50 to one ratio is 1 LITRE of oil on 50 litres off gas!, in brake in time a litle more oil is better, as long as the do not smoke its ok! :lol:

Re: Generator Assited Battery Back Up

Posted: Wed Nov 06, 2013 11:20 am
by techman
tazmanddevil67 wrote:Just a note for anyone interested, The digital battery chargers they sell today don't work with a generator, You have to use the old style Analog Battery Charger. That is what worked for me anyway.
Good to know, thanks. I use my generator to power a battery charger and then my pure sine wave inverters powers all inside devices so it takes anything I through at it.

I am off the grid though so your situation may vary from mine using the genny as a power backup for power outages.

Re: Generator Assited Battery Back Up

Posted: Wed Nov 06, 2013 11:21 am
by techman
mr bugsier5 wrote:remember the 50 to one ratio is 1 LITRE of oil on 50 litres off gas!, in brake in time a litle more oil is better, as long as the do not smoke its ok! :lol:
I may err on the cautious side but I run 35 to 1 in my generator even though it calls for 50 to 1.

Re: Generator Assited Battery Back Up

Posted: Wed Nov 06, 2013 11:23 am
by techman
@ Solar

I sure hope you get the generator before the power goes out in your neighborhood. Cant wait to see your review when you get the generator. Sounds like a good one.

Re: Generator Assited Battery Back Up

Posted: Thu Nov 21, 2013 8:58 am
by tazmanddevil67
Well Troy, At this point we are down to 5 generators. The newest generator came from Menards It was a DEMO and it was the last one , I paid $199.00 for it. It is a Chinese Generator POWER PRO 4050 it has a 3.1 gallon tank it will run at half load 10 - 12 hours on a full tank. It has 60 hours on it after 2 years and it starts on the first pull every time. It has (4) 120 volt receptacles and (1) 30 amp receptacle.

The next generator is a 4,000 watt Mc Coullah 70's to 80s Vintage. It has (2) 120 volt receptacles, And (1) 240 volt receptacle. It runs 2 to 4 hours Max on 1.5 gallons.

The next generator is a homemade 8hp. Briggs and Stratton horizontal shaft engine 1940's era coupled to a 4,000 watt belt driven generator head. It has a 1.0 gallon tank.

The other two generators are like your Harbor Freight generator, Except they also have the 12 volt 8.3 amp receptacle on both. Both of these genrators will run 8 to 10 hours on a gallon of gas.

All of the newer generators pull start extremely easy, Because they have fuel shut offs. I have never had any carburetor issues because I shut the fuel off and let them run until all of the gas in the carburetor is gone. Therefor eliminating any gasoline from gunking up the carburetor, It was taught to me many years ago and hasn't failed me yet.