Generators on horseboxes

[ecrozier]

Hi all
Just wondered who has generators on their lorries? Thinking of getting one at some point before the summer as got several stays away from home, one for a full week. Would only be to run living lights, maybe a 3 pin plug point to charge mobile phone etc and possibly to run a small fridge. Current set up is that the lights etc (haven't got plug points or fridge yet!) run off the main lorry batteries and xharge when lorry runs, and would worry I was running that dead by running lights etc. So might look to get a generator to run those things whilst gennie is on and to top up battery from anything that runs while gennie not on.
Is it feasible to say run the gennie for a couple of hours every evening to top up lorry battery, run fridge for couple of hours and charge phones etc? Then would only really use internal lights not fridge etc when genni not on, so would a couple of hours on the generator replenish the battery used by the lights?
And how much did genni/fitting cost?

 

[Louby]

I dont really know much about generators but my friend has both geny and Leisure Batteries as well as normal lorry battery. Shes never used her geny that I know of and just used the leisure batteries for lighting etc. Her wagon has everything and I just presumed the geny was for big things like the heating and shower???

 

[PippiPony]

I have a Honda Gennie. I use it for the heating/microwave/kettle/hairdryer. Otherwise i use the leisure batteries for running the water pump, lights etc.
If staying away for more than one night the gennie does recharge the leisure batteries if i flick a switch & so they don't go dim.
It was on the lorry when i ought it but i think 300 to 500 should get you a good one. No idea of the cost of fitting sorry.

 

[perfect11s]

There is two choices 1st you can get a small leisure type generator that you lift out and put near the lorry and plug into the side commonly called the Hook up plug (you need to have a blue plug and extention cable with your lorry) honda EU are the best a honda dealer will advise how big it needs to be however if its just to charge the leisure batery s and phone the smalest one should be ok.. 2nd choice is what ive got which is a built in one so all you need to do is push a button and it purrs awayand powers the charger for the living batery, microwave, toaster etc, this is the best but expensive
new would cost about 3k... a small portable honda about £500
hope this helps.. oh and dont be tempted to get a industial type genny the noise they make will make you unpopular in about 15 miniutes at any show or campground

yes dont ask how i know

 

[Mike007]

I would suggest that you consider having a leisure battery and split charger fitted . It is so usefull for every day use and eliminates the risk of running the vehicle battery flat. Professionaly installed with leisure battery should be about £350.

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

I bought a generator for use on my lorry when staying away at shows. I installed lights & plug sockets via a blue hook up plug & consumer unit which was easy. The generator I have outside the lorry & padlock it to the lorry (don't want it nicked), with a lead connecting it to the hook up socket.

As for the generator, I looked at Honda which are really great however you are looking at about £1000 for a 1kw generator suitcase generator which run quietly. I bought a 2kw 'Honda Look-Alike) generator, new, for approx £300. It is of similar build, runs quietly, & supplies all the power you should really need. I used it when we stayed at Blue Chip & it worked well.

If you want to automatically charge your leisure batteries then you will need some kind of split charging devise which will add considerably to the cost & the work involved. Good Luck.

 

[PeterNatt]

The batteries that are used to operate your lorry should be on a completely seperate circuit to the seperate leisure battery and generator.

The generator should be installed to just charge the leisure battery. Please make quite sure that you have sufficient pay load on your lorry to be able to accomodate the generator, leisure battery and fridges as otherwise you could go overweight.

 

[ecrozier]

Thanks all. The lorry currently only has two internal lights and a ramp light, and it runs off the main lorry battery, I had this checked when I bought the lorry. Its never caused any problems (have known previous owner a couple of years) but she has only ever stayed away one night maximum. I will speak to the guys who do the work on my lorry and get a price for the different options. Have plenty of payload (well over 2t) and one horse is only 420kg so thats not an issue at the mo, would probably only get a tiny fridge if got one at all.
Thanks again!

 

[TrentfieldStud]

We got our Horsebox generator from www.horseboxworld.com a silent petrol one, I'm not sure if they still do them but ours is fab and did not cost a fortune. We had a few questions about plumbing it into the horseboxes electrical system and this was done FOC!