A/C on Genset

[Ian and Jill Brown]

Hi everyone,

This is our first posting since picking up our 18' TE 2 weeks ago.

We are currently making our way back to Perth and are camped just out of Portland, SA.

Today it is going to be 41 degrees!!.

We have just tried to run the genset (2kva Honda) and a/c, but it kept overloading the genset.

Has anyone got a suggestion(s) on the best proceedures to use to make it work?

We would appreciate any help.

Ian & Jill

[dazmit]

Hi Ian & Jill

Chris & Val always had trouble with theirs at high temps but a couple of suggestions - make sure all other 240V appliances are turned off such as battery charger, transformer and if Kedron still use the mobitronics for the fridge (automatically's run the fridge from 240V supply when it is available), turn that off to. (It's a black box usually mounted in the cupboard under the fridge. This will ensure that the genny is only running the Aircon.

Cheers

[Kimbo]

Hi Ian and Jill

As Dazmit says if you have any other appliances running ie battery charger (main offender usually) switch them off as the generator is running at maximum to start the AC up and wont cope with any other loads.

Im sure that Chris will come on and pass there experiences on as well not sure actually what there fix was but

I dont think the new vans run the Mobitronics anymore as Kedron to my knowledge have stopped fitting them

[Chris]

Unfortunately, we had the same issues, and have not yet found a solution. The Honda handbook says the unit won't operate in anything more than 40 degrees. It says the maximum ambient operating temperature is 40 degrees. We think there is a switch in the unit which cuts the unit off at this temperature.

Some suggestions which people on a variety of forums made include:

lifting the genny off the hot ground, up onto a box or some other structure.

maybe some damp hessian over the unit to keep it cool

keep it in the shade.

Kimbo and Darryl are spot on also about turning off all other appliances, including the fridge, so keeping the fridge running from the batteries.

One witty person suggested keeping it inside the van in the airconditioning to keep it cool!

Chris

[neil and julie]

We have been on the road for 3 years and are on our second Kedron, and can say that we had a Honda 2kva and it would not run the a/c and we turned everything off.

This is a common problem, we went to Honda in Adelaide they kept it and tested it for 3 days and admitted that after 10 minutes or so the gennie gets hot and there is a drop in voltage and that is what happens, some people take the sides of the gennie off to keep them a bit cooler but that defeats the purpose of having a gennie if you have to do that to work the a/c.

Not everyone has the problem or admits it but it is far from being an obscure problem, we sold our Honda and got a new Yamaha 2.4 for $1750 and on any hot day it does what it's required to do it bloody works all the time.

The only down side is it weighs 11 kilos more than the Honda, a price I can live with!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cool and comfortable,

Neil.

[Chris]

Hi Neil and Judy.

Good to hear from you both. The problem with the bigger genny is that the size of the hatch in our van was designed around the smaller Honda. We would need to upgrade to a Top Ender if we decided to go down your path...what a shame that would be! Having to upgrade to a Top Ender!!

Chris and Val

PS where are you both now?

[neil and julie]

Hi Chris and Val,

We are in WA 150 klms sth of Perth.

We have the same size gennie box as you, you have to take the slide out[4nuts& bolts] and then it fits, you have to take the gennie right out of the box because the heat that is generated from the exhaust of the gennie will not help performance of the gennie.

We would rather be cool than put up with the smaller gennie, on Boxing Day it was 47.5 outside and we were inside 27 watching the cricket NO CONTEST!!

Happy Travelling,

Neil and JULIE.

[Pete and Tracey]

Hi Neil and Julie,

Sorry to hijack the thread but I cannot send you a private message nor to your private email. The forum won't let me.

How do you find towing the Kedron with the 4.2 ?? I have noticed that the kedron community is also Cruiser country! We have an 05 4.2 ST ready to go (just need to add airbags in the rear to compliment the heavy duty springs) and have just ordered a TE due in MAY 09.

[Rod and Mavis]

Hi Pete and Tracey

The Nissan will do the job very well.

We had a 3 liter 2000 model and towed a 16'6" shower XC for a great trip up the center and down the West Coast and back home over the Nullabor. This machine did the job superbly. The 4.2 is a much stronger machine and can be tricked up without detrement to longevity if you need a bit more grunt.

We defected to a 100 series to get a legally higher tow capacity as we modified our van beyond the 2500kg capacity of our auto 3 litre and the 4.2 isn't available in auto.

Have no doubts your Nissan is an extremely capable machine that you can have the utmost confidence in.

Long live Nissans grin

Regards

Rod and Mavis.

[cvtripper]

Come on, Rod - admit it - you love your Toyota ;-)

[neil and julie]

Hi Peter and Tracey,

I must admit I am a Nissan man,but with a standard engine they are a bit of a slug,i would suggest you go to a diesel specialist and get a 3inch exhaust and a k&n filter and maybe a biiger wheel in the turbo, this would set you back around $3000 and you have a new car that would do the job.

In nearly 4 years on the road I have had no dramas with the Patrol, but now Nissan have lost the plot and don't have anything to pull a Kedron with.

Hope I have been able to help,

Neil.

PS The Patrol running gear is much stronger and has a better offroad ability than the Cruiser9[iFS]