jstme
Nampa, ID
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I have searched and read...and read.......
We have a favorite campsite that is dry. We have a child that needs access to television, Directv dish is on board. We have a 9000W generator for running 2 airs when it is HOT. At other times, I cannot get a firm answer: upgrade to 2 6v batteries and an inverter for the TV and Directv box only? How much running time (day) would I get?) OR a small (Honda 2000) genny for quiet TV watching? I would prefer the silence of the inverter, but if I have to fire up "big bertha" every three hours, NO. Help please......
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daveshan
Durango Colrado
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I've been using a Honda 2000 for a while for my truck camper, works great and with a long extension cord you can move it away from you (and anyone else) so it's almost silent. Upgrading battery bank and getting an inverter would probably be almost as expensive even if you have room for the additional batteries.
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KD4UPL
Swoope, VA
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I have to assume all the numbers but I'll give you an idea. A TV drawing 200 watts and a direct TV box drawing 50 watts. An inverter that is 75% efficient. 2 6v GC batteries at 220 Ah. If you drain the batteries 50% that's 110 AH x 12v = 1,320 watt/hours. Your drawing 250 watts x 75% efficiency = 333 watts so it would run for about 4 hours.
You can insert any actual numbers you have to make the calculations more relevant. Personally I hate hearing a generator run when I'm camping. I would use the inverter.
Here's another suggestion, have the kids do something else and save the money for the gen. or inverter. I don't know your situation but I know my children wouldn't "need television". We'd be camping to get away from that.
* This post was
edited 06/24/12 06:50pm by KD4UPL *
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Ken451
southern Ohio
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A Honda EU2000 is very quiet. We have been on one side of the camper with the A/C running and could not hear the generator on the other side. The Honda will idle down is the load is low.
The Honda EU3000 is even a little quieter and has electric start 
Ken
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jstme
Nampa, ID
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KD4UPL wrote:I have to assume all the numbers but I'll give you an idea. A TV drawing 200 watts and a direct TV box drawing 50 watts. An inverter that is 75% efficient. 2 6v GC batteries at 220 Ah. If you drain the batteries 50% that's 110 AH x 12v = 1,320 watt/hours. Your drawing 250 watts x 75% efficiency = 333 watts so it would run for about 4 hours.
You can insert any actual numbers you have to make the calculations more relevant. Personally I hate hearing a generator run when I'm camping. I would use the inverter.
Here's another suggestion, have the kids do something else and save the money for the gen. or inverter. I don't know your situation but I know my children wouldn't "need television". We'd be camping to get away from that.
4 - 5 hours of TV is my goal; if I can get that, it is worth the quiet. My wife and I have 2 disabled (adult) children that live with us. My daughter will play games / cards, etc. My son is very routine oriented; he loves camping (cooking out, fire, roasting marshmallows,etc.) but gets bored during the day. That's where if "Spongebob Squarepants" is on, my wife and I can relax outside.
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DrBaker
Oklahoma
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You may find that you can get several more hours of TV time. My Directv receiver uses 16 watts and my 26" LCD uses 64 watts. The inverters I have been looking at are around 90% efficient.
With my equipment you can get some lengthy run times. Get an LED tv and really enjoy the energy savings.
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skipnchar
Topeka or somewhere else
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If you get the inverter you would STILL need to charge the batteries again so still need the generator.
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smkettner
Southern California
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Get the inverter. In time you may still want the Honda. Possibly just the 1000va.
Or if you park in the sun 200 to 400w of solar to keep the battery up.
* This post was
edited 06/24/12 09:48pm by smkettner *
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jstme
Nampa, ID
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Thank you all, it was very helpful! I think the Honda will win out. We currently have a 9000W, so:
Inverter: Wake up, run the beast for 2-3 hours to charge batteries (maybe after a couple of hours first), 3 hours of loud noise. 6 hours of TV, run the beast 2-3 hours and shut down. 6 hours of loud, along with heavy gas consumption.
2nd Genny: Wake up, start quiet genny for the day. Much more peaceful. Next year:Upgrade the batteries and get an inverter: 8 hours of quiet and 6 hours of quiet genny.
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Keith M
Cle Elum
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I would upgrade the batteries to golf cart and change out the TV to a low wattage LED. This past year I bought a 23 inch LED at Costco for less than $200 that uses very little power. I also had a Directv box that is rated at 12 watts. Total draw about 50 watts Tv and box. I went with four golf cart batteries. From a fully charged state to 50% that can easily go 5 hours without a generator. I had a solar panel and over four months in the desert in the winter my generator usage was minimal.
Consider four batteries and run a bulk charge on the batteries for two hours a day. your total upgrade for batteries and tv would be about $600. The older tube TV's in many RV's used as much as 120 watts and the Dish boxes use about 45 watts. If you havent replaced your light bulbs with LED's do that at a cost of about $17 each. Its really not that much money to achieve some sort of electrical independence.
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