What 12V chargers that will work with a generator?

[mykidsbutler]

I'm trying to find information on any 12V battery charger(for flooded lead acid) that will work with modified sine output from a generator. Want to purchase one but every charger these days have some sort of printed circuitry that may not work with a generator. Anybody have any knowledge / experience with this. Would appreciate any advice on name brands or models that would work.

[Sunking]

I'm trying to find information on any 12V battery charger(for flooded lead acid) that will work with modified sine output from a generator.

Huh? There is no such thing as a modified sine wave generator. All of them are pure sinewave.

[mykidsbutler]

Huh? There is no such thing as a modified sine wave generator. All of them are pure sinewave.

I just assumed it was modified output because it makes some of my devices mainly my bread maker start smoking. They work fine powered off my pure sine inverter. I checked the voltage from the gen, its always in the 115-120V range. I'm confused now, maybe I have some other issue. Need more throne time so I can think. Thanks for your reply!

[Naptown]

Well the throne thing you need to work that out on your own
Now running off a generator keep in mind that frequency is constantly changing with variations of load. This is worse on smaller generators than very large ones but frequency will change.

[Mike90250]

A power generator is a combined unit of a engine and alternator.

A inverter produces AC power from DC & batteries.

[mykidsbutler]

A power generator is a combined unit of a engine and alternator.

A inverter produces AC power from DC & batteries.

Uh! Yea. Not sure what your saying. We know what a generator does and what an inverter does. We are just wondering why smoke emanates from my appliances when run via generator and work fine using our pure sine inverter.

[Mike90250]

I'm trying to find information on any 12V battery charger(for flooded lead acid) that will work with modified sine output from a generator. Want to purchase one but every charger these days have some sort of printed circuitry that may not work with a generator.....

You said the words, I'm just answering to the words and terms, you used. If you give imprecise data, I'll ASK you to clarify the terms, or whatever. Have fun.

[Mike90250]

.... We are just wondering why smoke emanates from my appliances when run via generator and work fine using our pure sine inverter.

then the generator is bad or mis-wired. Pure Sine wave is what should be coming out of any genset. If it's smoking your gear, something is wrong with it.

[mykidsbutler]

then the generator is bad or mis-wired. Pure Sine wave is what should be coming out of any genset. If it's smoking your gear, something is wrong with it.

You need to read the question from the beginning. You don't get it. Others have. Remove me from this forum, PLEASE! Ask a simple question.......................

[Mike90250]

Sorry, I'm going to step aside on this thread, there is something I'm just not getting. Old eyes or brain fart going on.

[Naptown]

How about we start with make and model of the generator that is burning up the appliances.

[mapmaker]

Huh? There is no such thing as a modified sine wave generator. All of them are pure sinewave.

In one sense you are correct, but there are generators that are billed as modified sine wave output.
read: http://www.screenlightandgrip.com/ht...ators_ext.html

--mapmaker

Edit: The link appears to be broken now. Thanks to Mike90250 for finding the new link which he posted here:

https://www.solarpaneltalk.com/forum/off-grid-solar/off-grid-solar-panel-systems/14114-sizing-off-grid-systems-and-using-gen-support/page3

(the 93rd post in that thread)

[inetdog]

In one sense you are correct, but there are generators that are billed as modified sine wave output.
read: http://www.screenlightandgrip.com/ht...ators_ext.html

Nice article, thanks!
To summarize what I take from it for this application:
1. Modified Sine Wave generators: Mostly if not exclusively older inverter type generators. If the OP has one of those, it could cause problems with electronic loads.

2. And if he has a generator which has a limited current output and poorly designed regulation, the peak output voltage may be stabilized, but the waveform can change in a way that increases the RMS voltage. That could overload heating appliances like a toaster very badly.
If the OP uses a meter which just measures the peak AC voltage and multiplies by a constant to read RMS, he would not see that the generator output was actually going too high.

[geebus]

Have you checked the voltage on the generator?

Forget the exact problem, but an old one I had was putting out too high a voltage I think - and that lead to things catching light etc.
It was then stolen after I'd left it out (normally quiet street) - hopefully they used it first and burnt some of their stuff out .