Timer for Generator

[SWharton]

When we camp in National Parks there is limited generator usage, usually 8-10AM and 4-6PM. I have no problems with this if we are "home". Many times we are out these hours and I would like the generator to run. Our generator is an Onan 5500 with the EC30 autostart option. I feel a timer would be great but have been unsuccessful in my hunt.  I have recently found these 2 and was wondering if either would work. I don't give the one from England much hope. If anyone has a solution to this please let me know.

https://www.flightsystems.com/standby-generator-ats-controls/grasslin-20a-24v-120v-exercise-timer.html

http://www.gencontrol.co.uk/timer-control.html

 

Thanks

[Darryl&Rita]

The EC 30 has the timer built into it's menu. No need to buy anything.

[SWharton]

But as I read it you can only schedule quiet time for once a day. I want to schedule it for twice a day and then I want the generator to run, not wait for the batteries to be low. Am I reading the EC30 instructions wrong?

[Yarome]

Adding in an additional third-party component can be really tricky getting the two to not interfere with the onan's normal operating values/checks.

Why couldn't you just leave it alone in the morning, set your low voltage paramerter high enouh that it would still trip the 2-hour prefill routine that runs before a quiet time setting kicks in. In 2 hours you "should" be generating quite a bit of juice to keep you.. if not completely.. darn near topped off.

Even if it wasn't keeping you "entirely" caught up It wouldn't do any hard to your system at all to let it run that way for 3 or 4 days, gradually working the SOC down incrementally, then just stick around one morning for an early cycle. It should put you ahead enough that the evening quiet time prefill routine could take care a FULL top off.

Not what you were asking, I know, but would likely give you 3 or 4 "free" days, one morning on duty, then 3 or 4 more days of freedom with what you already got.

I wouldn't go more than 5 days without a full top off.. and wouldn't let anything drop below 60%, but... your batteries ARE there to use and I kind of doubt you would really be seeing anything near the 60's with 2 hours daily off your onan.

Just another track of thought.

[Kirk W]

That looks to me like a lot of time and expense for a few locations, plus the fact that you probably would not be able to get service from Cummins/Onan on the controls once this modification was made. I would take the advice of Yarome.

[SWharton]

The other gotcha is we have a residential refrigerator. Yes we could do it Yaromes way, I guess we need to try it to see how much the batteries draw down with the refrig. on.  We just assumed(I know!) that the refrig would draw down the batteries too much.

The English one is 1/2 the price of the US version and they felt it would work. I'll keep that in my back pocket.

If we had to get Onan servicing we would remove the timer. Just like we remove the 5 Star tune when/if we go to Ford for servicing.

Thanks