What do you wish you DIDN'T have?

[GeorgeRa]

There is one think I wish to have: it is a generator, it is 250-500W, it is 24h quiet, it doesn’t vibrate, it needs an idiot light to show it is running, in summary - it is invisible for owners or neighbors.

There is one developed but not on the market, yet, perhaps. In case of this example the 70°C hot exhaust could heat water too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Al8elCF816g

Just found this one, 45dB at 7m

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOSpD_fzVBk

[MikeK5117]

I am just getting started with my class B but right now, but there is little in there that I don't think I will use at one time or another. I can understand everyone's dislike of the generator, it is a pita to maintain and if it breaks a real bear to get out and work on. However, it is HOT down here where I live, and I don't plan to stay in campgrounds with hookups all the time and I am sure I will appreciate having some A/C at least at times. Other than the A/C I could see trying to convert over to a solar setup with a big bank of batteries. However, when the nights stay above 90 degrees I like to sleep in some comfort.

Microwave I will use a lot. TV, maybe not a lot but nice to have. Toilet and shower will be used as well when not available where I am staying. Guess I am the picture book user, my RV is pretty perfect for what I have planned.

[Sehc]

Wow! 330,000 rpm right at your side. 400 watts? 400?

[booster]

That generator is another way of heading toward what I have been hoping and predicting may be the future of RV power systems, which is a low output, 24 hour a day, unnoticeable when running, power source. If coupled with a moderate battery bank, it would be able to cover the power use of the RV seamlessly, so no huge battery banks, big noisy generator, engine running or driving sessions. It would make solar much more practical as it could cover seamlessly in bad conditions and at night. The 400 watts would give you over 750ah per day of 12.5v capacity, some used as generated, some off of stored in the battery power.

There was an Australian company that was starting into the mini-generator stuff a few years ago, and were close to production when a fire took out everything. I haven't heard of them since. There are also fuel cells and other things that may also get practical for this kind of purpose.

Personally, I would be one of the first in line to try a system of this type, as I think it addresses nearly all of the shortcomings of the systems currently available.

[booster]

If you need a little laugh, try playing the video with the closed caption on. All pretty normal until the accented people start talking and the closed captioning can't quite figure out what is being said.

[wincrasher]

Interesting. But they say nothing about fuel economy. Usually turbines are very thirsty compared to other engine types.

[booster]

Originally Posted by wincrasher

Interesting. But they say nothing about fuel economy. Usually turbines are very thirsty compared to other engine types.

Likely true about the efficiency, but I think turbines are getting better. It would be interesting to see a consumption per KW so it could be compared to the pretty inefficient Onan.

[GeorgeRa]

This little turbo exhaust is at 70°C so its efficiency could be reasonable, and at such a high rpm and visible air tubes feeding the turbo I would assume it uses air bearings with low drag and hopefully low maintenance.
A turbo generator could be an overkill for the RV market. I believe that a free piston IC engine could be the best choice, with progress made in electric car extenders technology this could be made quiet and small. https://chargedevs.com/newswire/toyo...ar-generators/ But, we will need to wait for it for a while.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUbBqSu9Hdc

And there is down to earth technology of old fashion IC engine like this 500Wi | Powerhouse Generators It is small, 0.84 Cu Ft (12.6"H x 8.2"W x 14.1"D), but it is not Honda. But imagine that it would be Honda, it would have counterbalanced shaft, it would be liquid cooled, it would be housed in a well muffled box for permanent installation, it would have electric start, it would be 24 hours quiet, and it would be retailed for less than $1K – this could be a bingo for me.

[GeorgeRa]

Originally Posted by booster

That generator is another way of heading toward what I have been hoping and predicting may be the future of RV power systems, which is a low output, 24 hour a day, unnoticeable when running, power source. If coupled with a moderate battery bank, it would be able to cover the power use of the RV seamlessly, so no huge battery banks, big noisy generator, engine running or driving sessions. It would make solar much more practical as it could cover seamlessly in bad conditions and at night. The 400 watts would give you over 750ah per day of 12.5v capacity, some used as generated, some off of stored in the battery power.

There was an Australian company that was starting into the mini-generator stuff a few years ago, and were close to production when a fire took out everything. I haven't heard of them since. There are also fuel cells and other things that may also get practical for this kind of purpose.

Personally, I would be one of the first in line to try a system of this type, as I think it addresses nearly all of the shortcomings of the systems currently available.

Well said,

[wincrasher]

In my view, the perfect power source would be a fuel cell with no moving parts to maintain. Supposedly they have been around for decades, but the exotic materials make them impractical cost-wise.

[GeorgeRa]

Fuels cells in theory are just absolutely perfect, but in theory only. Could work on hydrogen, but, getting hydrogen is and will be difficult. They will work on methanol but at a very low efficiency.

Other fuels need to be converted to hydrogen firsts and this process is expensive, requires high temperature, and is inefficient. So, as much as I like the direct transformation of chemical to electrical energy concept I personally don’t believe it will ever be a mainstream in cars or RVs.