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Emergency/camping multi-purpose generator?

9K views 37 replies 15 participants last post by  mcbrew 
#1 ·
I have been looking at various power stations over the last couple of days. It seems that what I want either does not exist or costs a bit more than what I am ready to pay. Here, anyway, are the things of interest to me:

-jump starter with a minimum of 750 peak amp;
-actually useful battery operated air compressor;
-at least one DC outlet
-at least one AC outlet that can recharge the battery of a powered down laptop or tablet.
-it is not junk yet it does not cost much more than 100 or so (after discounts, if necessary; I can wait).
-ability to supply power to a full-size refrigerator at home would be a nice bonus, but I assume this is too much to ask.

I am tired of looking at internet reviews, etc. Generally, it seems that multipurpose stations are either unreliable and/or expensive. Usually either the jumper is weak or the air compressor is useless or the whole thing falls apart, or quality control is poor and thus some get great units while others defective ones that cannot be returned by mail because they are generators and so on. I understand that it is hard to get much from a small unit, but I have little room in the OB to carry separate ones.

On a related note, I have come across mentions of small gas generators for camping purposes. Are those quiet? I mean the last thing I like about camping is somebody with a noisy generator. Secondly, for what can the smaller and cheaper units be actually used? It does not seem like they can power more than a light for more than a few hours. If there is a unit that can provide 1,200W for several hours quietly, that would be interesting.

Thanks for any input.
 
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#2 ·
all those 'jump boxes' seem to be made in China, have highly variable reviews, and are a dice toss. They are probably designed well-enough, but quality control during assembly is wildly variable.

That said, I could see carrying 2 in case one bites it early. probably get it from a nationwide big-box store and keep receipts.

read the manual carefully, i think most of them actually warn against keeping it in your car. I think the idea is, you would keep it in the garage or transport it to where you needed it. certainly, many people do haul them around. My daighter kept the one i bought her in the trunk of her car - it evenetually was ruined. maybe by the heat? They have ;lead gel cells in them I think. i bet one made with a lithium battery could be durable - and expensive!

any extra device you carry comes with its own set of potential downfalls.

subiesailor has experience with camping gear, maybe he will chime in.
 
#3 ·
Thanks. I have a good air compressor which I have long used directly from the 12v outlets even if its peak power is rated above my Subies' systems (I did not even realize that until recently but never had an issue--but it blew the fuse of a friend's Wrangler, LOL). I also have a more convenient to use battery one that can be stored neither in the car, nor in the garage (it is 105-115 in the garage 5 months a year). But the battery one is just that, a compressor with a single DC outlet. The DC outlet proved to be exceptionally useful to charge phones and camera at the campground last summer. I now want something that will provide more of that convenience while also adding jump start capability if need be. I just preemptively replaced my battery, so there is no urgency but I would like to get one if I see a good deal on a promising unit.
 
#4 ·
I see two options:

1) A dedicated gas portable generator (honda makes some awesome ones) with a kit that you could use to charge the car battery enough to start it (rather than trying to start it with the generator). $200+

2) A backup battery wired with a switch to replace you primary battery. This would be the cheapest solution and the lest versatile. It would also require a separate unit for compressor. $200+

I had a few jump-start-compressor units in my time. They are all crap under $100. You are better off raising your budget to $500 and getting each unit separate.

Other options exist but they they go over $500.
Neither option one or two solves everything on your list and both of them coast more than $100.

You have jumbled too many features at too low a price point. You will be forced to choose between quality/reliability/features/cost.
 
#5 ·
Yeah, that is what I had more or less figured out.

I found this jump starter plus DC power supply with AGM battery and unusually great reviews:

NPower 800 Amp Jumpstarter — 800 Amp | Jump Starters Powerpacks| Northern Tool + Equipment

I have an air compressor, after all, and a good 300W inverter can be purchased for 25 or so on Amazon to charge a laptop or a tablet from either this unit or the car's outlets.

This is the best unit I have found so far. They also have a multi-purpose one which is hardly more expensive though it is bulkier. Both seem to have AGM-type battery.

Is anyone familiar with that site and those products? I have never used it before and it did not show up front in Google; I came across it via a MotorTrend add.
 
#8 ·
You said you needed at least one AC outlet, this does not have one. You could buy a small inverter to run off of it, but be aware the one in the link is DC only, your would have to buy something additional.

What are you mainly using it for? Jump start, or to power lights, laptop, etc?

Goal Zero makes some great products, and have portable solar panels to even recharge during daylight. But, they are not made to jump start. I do a lot of camping, and give Goal Zero products a thumbs up.
 
#6 ·
Best one I ever found was the xantrex 400. 20Ah agm battery, 400w inverter, tire pump and jumpstart harness.

I've had one for about 10 years. It's one of the few with a field-replaceable agm pack, so I've been able to renew it several times. The compressor eventually died but I used that less than any other part, have since picked up a mini standalone pump.

The 400 went out of production for some time but I recently heard that they brought it back, have not confirmed it. If you can score a used one, put a new battery in and you're set.

It's perfect for jump starts, running small power tools away from the mains or a couple of nights worth of (led) lighting and phone charging during extended outages.

You won't be running a fridge overnight on anything this size. A gasoline genset is a far better choice for that scenario. If you had to do it with batteries, you'd need a much larger one, maybe 100-150Ah assuming a very efficient fridge in a cool house. That setup would be the size of a party cooler and would weigh around 80lbs assuming inexpensive agm batteries. And that's just one night.

I built a custom off-grid power system for the vacation cottage, been playing in this space for years.

I'm assuming the term "800 amp" on that northern tool link is just a model name- there's no part of that gadget that would actually accommodate 800 amps of power. I see it uses an ordinary 22Ah battery.

Regarding gas gennies- the Honda 1000i is the gold standard in small portables. Very quiet, insanely reliable. But they're also very expensive. We have one that ran 8 years before it needed anything more than an oil change.

Harbor freight sells some in the same power class for about $90 (1/10th of the Honda) but they are essentially disposable. No parts or manuals available, and they're much louder.
 
#7 ·
The air compressors on them are made to break.

I have a real cheap multi unit with a broke air compressor on it. I may have to put on another set of battery clamps as I have the negative one fixed with epoxy. It was the first and only one I bought. After the air compressor broke I got a Viair 85P. (and the 2 go together like peas and carrots, as the compressor is really strong on amps vs. pulling off one of the cars own barrel plugs). Yeah its more sh;t to carry, but hopefully the air pump never comes out of the back of the car.
@dianer was recently on a big family camping expedition in her gen1. maybe she has more modern insight. (or hindsight as she made it back)

http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/91-pacific-northwest/147593-planning-trip-oregon-s-outback.html

http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/81-wheels-tires-brakes-suspension/152802-question-wheels-1997-spare-tire.html
 
#9 ·
I had one of the Harbor Freight 5-in-1 units for a couple of years. It performed pretty well. It is only about 350 starting amps, though. They have updated it with better work lights.

The only reason I don't have it any more is that I was using the compressor to pump up the tires on my son's bike and left it at the end of the driveway while we went for a ride. Unfortunately, this was on garbage day, and the trash guys took it with the trash, thinking that it meant to go.

I replaced it with a simple jump pack that unstated to 700 cranking amps. I already carry a decent 12v compressor in the car, anyway.
 
#10 ·
All I have ever carried is a cheap air compressor. I like the second battery idea with a switch. Didn't somebody put one in the spare tire well once? Since I carry a full size spare I don't really need the one in the wheel well anyway. I'll have to search later, got to go stir the gravy.
 
#11 ·
Thank you, all, for your helpful responses :)

I went with Die Hard Portable Power 1150 Platinum, eventually. This is a 22ah AGM battery unit.

Having looked around, I started to receive customized advertizing for power stations and I noticed on Thanksgiving a flashing one with the Die Hard 950 Gold for 59.99, regular is 129.99, at Sears. I jumped at the opportunity. I got an email on Friday morning that the unit is ready for pickup but I went on Sunday by when my unit had disappeared. As expected, Sears offered nothing but refund--that with a call as the store never had those prices in the first place. I generally avoid Sears, but these power stations are rare beasts so at a deep discount Sears made sense. By Sunday the Platinum, which had tempted me, was 129.99 (regular 159.99 but only 99.99 on Thanksgiving when I chose the Gold instead). They agreed to honor the Thanksgiving price. So, I ended up with this unit which is hidden now to be found under the Christmas tree as my present, lol.

I wanted the Gold as it was smaller and had two useful things at an unbeatable price: jump starter and DC/usb outlets. It comes with an 18ah battery. The Platinum has 22ah, which I liked. It is a much larger unit, but now that the air compressor has proven its worth, that is not a concern (I thought it would not be as good as my Viair).

So, the Die Hard Platinum 1150 has:
-jump starter with 1150 peak amp (I think 300 sustained).
-actually useful battery-operated air compressor.
-2 DC outlets
-400W sustained/800W surge inverter with two AC outlets.
-2 USB ports
-useless LED light that points towards the stars. But, if that is the unit's weakness, it will be a champ.

Having just tested its air compressor, I think I have warmed up to the Platinum. The air compressor is automatic, shows current pressure then one sets up the desired pressure and it works with a nicely steady noise to achieve it. I left some air out from each tire for a bit better test. After three tires and about 12 psi total I connected my Viair compressor to one of the two DC outlets. To my delight, the compressor emitted the same noise it does when connected to the car's system (vs. a whine when connected to a weak portable power source). After 4 tires and about 16 psi later, the Die Hard Platinum 1150 still had the battery at 100%. I connected it to AC anyway and indeed it indicated charging for only a few seconds. Now, this is a good sign.

The unit requires 72 hour initial charging no matter how charged it arrives.

Your comments helped me realize that getting this unit at 99.99 is a bargain indeed.

All in all, this seems the most cost effective way to provide for my automotive and camping needs. Now, if only I could find a way for my partner to run her 1,200W special hair dryer from something other than a wall outlet...

Btw, they seem to be changing models right now. The Gold, in particular, is a tremendous mess. The unit I initially ordered had a nice screen like that of the Platinum I got (which on the Platinum not only indicates precise battery charge, but also allows to set tire pressures). It had no air compressor or inverter. The Gold Sears has for 59.99 now, which should be the new model per the store, is as big as the Platinum yet has no screen, and thus apparently a non-auto compressor, and no inverter. It shows battery charge as above or under 70%. The unit I had bought was totally different and seemed a newer design but I was told it was out of production. Huh? Whatever, it seems like I got the better unit anyway, which is the new, not the old Platinum.
 
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#13 ·
I sell batteries for a living, and I can tell you that an 18-22Ah AGM battery is NOT going to deliver over 1000 amps for more than a fraction of a second. The 300 amp 'sustained' number is only valid if the temperature is 70 or above. I install replacement batteries in jump packs fairly regularly, and the OEM batteries installed in China are typically low-quality no-name batteries. They are also NOT usually deep-cycle batteries.

That's not to say they won't get the job done for an occasional jump start, but using it as an auxiliary power source is another story. Drawing a general-purpose AGM battery below 50% of capacity will greatly shorten the life.

You also need to remember Ohm's Law. That 300 watt inverter is going to draw close to 30 amps at full capacity (300W / 12V) * 85% efficiency. The battery will be dead in less than 1 hour. Pulling a non-deep cycle battery dead as few as 10 times can destroy it.

One tip I can give you is to make sure the battery is fully charged immediately after use. A lead-acid battery that is partially charged will deteriorate quickly.
 
#14 ·
With regards to camping (and generator for that purpose) it appears that most camping sites have electrical hook-ups and therefore a generator is an overkill - unless, of course, OP refers to "primitive" camp sites. I myself don't do those anymore at my age...LOL
 
#15 ·
The boon docking types all typically avoid generators as much as possible and have some type of Solar charge set up for a group 31 or two group 31 deep cycle batteries. Warning they are heavy!

For those who want a movable power unit you could take a page out of the RC plane guys play book and build a battery box which can be a home made box of ply wood or even one of those plastic tool boxes on wheels - then mount a power panel and socket on the front of the box and bingo you have your power box. Be sure you strap it down!!! a heavy battery getting tossed around the inside of a car during an accident will pretty much scramble everyone / everything else in the car!

The advantage to the battery in a box idea is that you can store it at home - charge it on a proper charger prior to a trip and they do offer a good value cost vs power etc. The advantage of going with a deep cycle marine large capacity battery over a small jump box is just as Tickman pointed out the small jump boxes are really low capacity high amp battery set ups for that short quick jump. A camping trip having deep cell capacity will give you power for a wide range of needs for a decent length of time. Pair that with a simple solar panel charge set up and you can extend how long you can stay away before needing a deeper heavier charge etc.
 
#16 ·
So, a year later, I can say that the Die Hard Platinum 1150 has lived up to reasonable expectations.

The best: First and above all, this unit has greatly alleviated some of the concerns with going to truly remote places.

The good:
It does a good job recharging smartphones, tablets, and the camera for two adults and two kids: very, very helpful. Camping sites with electricity are not necessarily the nicest, are not necessarily available, and campground electric outlets are far more cumbersome to use than a power unit in the tent. At places where tent/RVs share electric sites, the latter are also pricier (in addition to being better suited to RVs).

Only jump starting was that of a small digger working on our street, lol. I was glad to try it, twice at that. Worked nicely.

The air compressor can handle topping up 8 tires with barely any effect on the battery--but not in hot climates, see below. Can handle occasional airing up, but, again, see below. The auto cut-off function is nice.

Unit can provide power to a regular Viair compressor for a long time.

There is enough power to handle the occasional device that drains a lot (like the small car vacuum cleaner). I think I used the inverter once. As mentioned above, it is not something to depend on, but will power a reasonably small device when need be.

The bad:
Recharging the unit from the car is a pain compared to using AC power. That about covers this section. Playing devil's advocate, however, I can add that the unit does not have enough juice to power for several days multiple devices of people who constantly stay connected. Similarly, the unit will reach its limits if it is shared between two families. The air compressor was about 2 psi off. None of these other matters bothers me, but the lack of auto-cutoff when charging from DC is annoying.

The ugly:
The reliability of the air compressor. In short, it is not reliable at all. It is useless at temperatures above 90F, which is 2/3 of the year. It is totally useless over 100F, which is almost half of the year. It shuts itself off within minutes. On trail, it can air up in the winter, but it is useless in summer. Worse of all, it is known to altogether give up the ghost easily. I knew this from reviews and it just happened to me last week. So, I am not shocked, but still disappointed.

The funny:
There is an absolutely useless led light. It points towards the sky at about 45 degrees. Why?

Sears product support. I generally avoid Sears, but their reaction was stellar. The product, which is their brand, was a few days over 1 year from purchase; they simply handed me a brand new one. The whole thing took 5-10 min. I showed them that the compressor does not work, but they had already taken my word for it. The new one comes with warranty and somehow I even ended up with 30,000 points. This is above and beyond what I expected.

Conclusion: I love this purchase for 100$, especially when coupled with this kind of customer support. Would I like it at full price? Probably not. Given the above info, purchasing only the jump starter version with DC outlets seems the better way to go when the units are at/near full price. But, again, I really like mine compared to what was on the market a year ago.
 
#18 ·
That looks like a really good one. How long can you run it on one tank at 800-1000W? I guess it has a one-gallon internal tank? I have no clue.
 
#22 ·
While we are on it, is there a practical portable AC unit or heater that can be used in a large (10x15) tent? It would open up some high elevation campgrounds, on the one hand and make camping in canyon country in summer a less sweaty experience, on the other hand.

I guess I can plug in a small space heater to address the former issue, but having something designed for outdoors use would be better, especially if it doubles as AC.
 
#25 ·
@eagleeye, actually all I want is one of the KOA deluxe cabins. They cost about 50k though, which is kind of a lot for a cabin (from the perspective of SW real estate prices, not so if one lives on either coast, of course).

Then, I will have you drop my cabin at places of my choice. I will live with just one per year. I will offer you coffee for your troubles. Deal? :)
 
#30 ·
how about making a VW snychro cooler with of subaru driveline parts?

1986 Volkswagen Vanagon Syncro

I think this is one too,...but don't know much about VW camper vans.

1985 VW Vanagon -adventuremobile!

and here is one with some EJ22 in it:
Vanagon Syncro Westfalia






or getting one of those awesome sportsmobile 4x4 off road conversion van campers that seem to be popular in your area of the frying pan.

this one should have a Ford 5.4 with a 4 speed, (not really a ball of fire,...but I guess someone has made a tuner computer for you to push a button when you want it to grunt harder up a off road hill).
2001 Ford E350 Econoline Van 4x4 Sportsmobile Quigley

 
#33 · (Edited)
I purchased this one about 8 months ago and it's really worked well for me. I use it to maintain the air in my tires, because everywhere around my town have those dang air compressors that cost $0.50 to use now, fudge!!! I've also jump started 3 cars and every time it worked like a champ. It has a lighter plug and a USB port for charging cell phones and tablets.



P.S. Well poo! This is an old thread... Oh well, I'll keep my post on here in case someone stumbles across it and is looking for something similar.
 
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#34 ·
I purchased this one about 8 months ago and it's really worked well for me. I use it to maintain the air in my tires, because everywhere around my town have those dang air compressors that cost $0.50 to use now, fudge!!! I've also jump started 3 cars and every time it worked like a champ. It has a lighter plug and a USB port for charging cell phones and tablets.

Amazon.com: Stanley J5C09 1000 Peak Amp Jump Starter with Built in Compressor: Automotive
if you actually use the compressor long enough to make it hot and work hard make sure you only run it for a minute and shut it off and let it cool

I used one like that just to top my tires off, and fill bike tires, then I used it to fill a 65 psi temp spare for a lady with a flat in my driveway, and over worked it. ...it filled one more bike tire and then never ran again.

they just suck vs. a Viair one

I bought this one, with a 60psi working pressure.
Amazon.com: VIAIR 85P Portable Air Compressor: Automotive

I got a extension cord for the barrel plug, and I also got one of these to run it straight to batteries when i am using it where there is no barrel plug to be had.





this is the one I wish I bought today. with a 120psi working pressure,
[ame]http://www.amazon.com/Viair-00088-88P-Portable-Compressor/dp/B005ASY23I/ref=sr_1_sc_3?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1450039095&sr=1-3-spell&keywords=vaiir+pump[/ame]
 
#36 ·
That is exactly what I said about the Die Hard as well. The air compressor is useless in hot weather. I would definitely carry a Viair if going to remote areas. I do not trust the built-in compressor enough to rely solely upon it.

trailer is insulated. A few blankets and we will be fine ;) The heater is for preheat and morning heat for us.
Ain't that the truth....Life is good--or at least acceptable!--till about 4AM. It is at that point that a heater makes a difference. Generally, it gets a bit chilly for us if it is under 50 outside, quite a bit so under 45, really cold under 40, and freezing is the worst we have done. 4AM tops when it is freezing outside. Few days are great when they start with a sprint to the car at 4AM! Needless to say, we have done that only in the absence of other options or when misjudging the weather. :)
 
#38 ·
For a jump pack/compressor/12v pack, I have a JNCAIR. At about $220, it's not cheap, but it is very high quality. It has a 1,700 peak/425CCA batter pack with 2 gauge cables and a nice air compressor. Also, the onboard charger is okay with being plugged into an AC outlet all the time without causing damage.

As far as generators go, I have a Predator 2,500/2,200 watt inverter generator from Harbor Freight. It is a very nice unit that is capable of running a 13,500 BTU air conditioner on a camper. Like the Honda inverter gens, it runs at a lower RPM until you put a larger load on it, then it revs up a bit. It is not quite a quiet as a Honda, but not nearly as loud as a jobsite generator. It is about 65 pounds, which is as much as I'd like to move around by myself.

I also own a 4,000/3,200 watt Predator generator, which is crazy raliable and runs like a champ. It is fairly loud, though... So I only use it when 240v or >2,200 watts is called for. It starts on the first pull every time, even with older gas (I always use SeaFoam).
 
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