Keeping the battery charged on an electric start generator
Mar 8, 2022 12:31:26 GMT -6
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Post by papaof2 on Mar 8, 2022 12:31:26 GMT -6
I've suggested some generators over time, most recently one that had remote control electric start.
Did you ever think about how much power that remote control receiver uses from the battery when it's waiting for the button press that says "Start the generator"? It doesn't use much power, but what it uses is consumed 24/7 - doesn't take many weeks of that to drop the battery's charge below the level that can start the generator.
Is there a solution? Yes, but it's a DIY solution. You'd need to add a small solar panel (maybe 10 to 30 watts?) and a basic PWM charge controller: maybe $20 for a generic unit but this one www.tindie.com/products/adamwelch/pwm85-solar-charge-controller-2/ is $20 plus $6 shipping to the US and it uses just a tiny trickle of power when the solar panel is dark.
You would need a simple disconnect system if the gen's storage and run locations are different - a four wire plug and jack so the solar panel is disconnected at the same time the battery is.
If an electric start generator doesn't have remote start capability, the battery does self-discharge over time so it needs to either be recharged on a schedule or have a little solar charging that happens daily.
With solar charging for the starting battery, the gen would always be ready to respond to the remote control or the Start button on the gen.
Did you ever think about how much power that remote control receiver uses from the battery when it's waiting for the button press that says "Start the generator"? It doesn't use much power, but what it uses is consumed 24/7 - doesn't take many weeks of that to drop the battery's charge below the level that can start the generator.
Is there a solution? Yes, but it's a DIY solution. You'd need to add a small solar panel (maybe 10 to 30 watts?) and a basic PWM charge controller: maybe $20 for a generic unit but this one www.tindie.com/products/adamwelch/pwm85-solar-charge-controller-2/ is $20 plus $6 shipping to the US and it uses just a tiny trickle of power when the solar panel is dark.
You would need a simple disconnect system if the gen's storage and run locations are different - a four wire plug and jack so the solar panel is disconnected at the same time the battery is.
If an electric start generator doesn't have remote start capability, the battery does self-discharge over time so it needs to either be recharged on a schedule or have a little solar charging that happens daily.
With solar charging for the starting battery, the gen would always be ready to respond to the remote control or the Start button on the gen.