I finally got a chance to set up and test the generator we got with the Safari Tamer. Its not exactly a name brand unit like a Honda or Yamaha, but early indications are that, for a cheap generator, this is pretty good.
Owning a generator is a major investment for many caravaners wanting to do a lot of free camping but the decision to purchase either a name brand unit or a cheap eBay special is a difficult one.
Here we look at the ongoing performance of the X-Plorer G2500 inverter generator that was supplied with our van. Its basically the same as any cheap inverter generator made in China that you can buy from eBay for approximately $600.
If first impressions are any indication, this should prove to be a useful accessory to our van.
Some people run their generators all day, don’t know why most times. We have only used our generator once in over 4 years when I left fridge on 12 volt and I flattened a battery in tow vehicle when we first bought the van, as we hadn’t fitted any isolation switchs (we have now). I wouldn’t leave home without it, just in case. A cheaper unit would be OK, as long as it starts when you need it. I do own a Honda Invertor 2kw unit so am a little biased. Everything in my van can be run on 12v or gas except the microwave and a Vast satellite box which runs on a 300w invertor.
Totally agree with you Chris.
We were camped out near Buchan about a couple of years ago and a couple of the vans there were running their generators pretty much all day. I couldn’t see the reason why. Perhaps the kids needed their Xbox and TV running. The worst thing about it was both generators were not exactly quality units and were both quite noisy. If they had been better quality with lower noise output, it may not have been such an issue. In any case, the camp allowed generators so not much we could do about it.
I actually like Honda generators. Had a small 300 watt unit for many years and it was ultra reliable. We also have Honda generators at the SES and they have proved to be suitable for the conditions we use them in. I am also a fan of Yamaha generators. Small and light weight yet still capable and good quality. We use them at SES too.
This X-Plorer generator we got with the caravan would not have been my first choice had I been given the opportunity to make that decision however, so far it seems ok and, like you, we only use ours as a backup to ensure our batteries are charged up or if we need to use one of the power-hungry appliances in the van.
I’ll never forget the experience we had when doing the Gibb River Road. We were running 2 fridges, one in the camper trailer and one in the Patrol. The big 50l one was being used in freezer mode and because of the heat, it was working hard. We only had a small 80 watt solar panel at the time so we were reliant on having access to 240v mains after about 5 days. Unfortunately when we got to Drysdale Station, there were no powered sites available and the second battery in the car had started showing signs of ill health. If it wasn’t for the fact we had a small generator and battery charger with us and could put some juice into the batteries, we may have had a bit of a disaster with defrosted food and cold beer.
Live and learn…!
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