New 4KW travelpower-type generators on Ebay

[Bobbybass]

I wonder if these are any good ?

 

Only £400 ??!!

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Marine-generator-/230865771977?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_BoatEquipment_Accessories_SM&hash=item35c0ac1dc9

Edited October 24, 2012 by Bobbybass

[Timleech]

I wonder if these are any good ?

 

Only £400 ??!!

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Marine-generator-/230865771977?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_BoatEquipment_Accessories_SM&hash=item35c0ac1dc9

 

New? The ad says 3 years old (but refurbished, whatever that means).

 

Much cheaper than a new Travelpower, though.

 

Tim

[dmr]

How interesting.

 

It looks like a copy of the TravelPower concept, though has a slightly home made look about it.

Even more interesting it is "refurbished/second hand" but there are 2 available/4 sold.

 

Is this a little Chinese (or other) company making a TravelPower clone but pretending they are secondhand to try to get round all the legislation/safety issues associated with building mains equipment?????

 

A proper "black box" travelpower sold for less than £400 on ebay a couple of days ago, if I had known it was going for that price I would have put in a bid myself. Old blackbox version is better than the more recent silverbox version too!

 

........Dave

[Timleech]

How interesting.

 

It looks like a copy of the TravelPower concept, though has a slightly home made look about it.

Even more interesting it is "refurbished/second hand" but there are 2 available/4 sold.

 

Is this a little Chinese (or other) company making a TravelPower clone but pretending they are secondhand to try to get round all the legislation/safety issues associated with building mains equipment?????

 

A proper "black box" travelpower sold for less than £400 on ebay a couple of days ago, if I had known it was going for that price I would have put in a bid myself. Old blackbox version is better than the more recent silverbox version too!

........Dave

 

I've been told the complete opposite, but have no direct experience of either.

The ebay one was only 2.5 kW, BTW.

 

Edit to add link and another found from Google

 

 

Tim

Edited October 24, 2012 by Timleech

[Bobbybass]

I've been told the complete opposite, but have no direct experience of either.

The ebay one was only 2.5 kW, BTW.

 

Edit to add link found from Google

 

 

Tim

Hi...a can't see where it says... 2.5..the advert says 4kw..16 amp..?

 

I was 'thrown' by the advert...as it says refurbished..but there are several available..as well as back up and parts etc..and they show a new version...

Looking at your link...the new version is reasonably pricey...so maybe these refurbed are rough..?

 

Maybe..it seems odd...?

Edited October 24, 2012 by Bobbybass

[Timleech]

Hi...a can't see where it says... 2.5..the advert says 4kw..16 amp..?

 

 

 

That was a response to dmr's post. This item.

 

Tim

[dmr]

Google says they are made by a South African company.

 

Its going to take some effort to fix this to an engine, its going to use maybe 4 or 5 horsepower so needs some good engineering, then when it breaks all that effort will be wasted?. Better to keep an eye on eBay for another real Travelpower????

 

.........Dave

[Timleech]

Hi...a can't see where it says... 2.5..the advert says 4kw..16 amp..?

 

I was 'thrown' by the advert...as it says refurbished..but there are several available..as well as back up and parts etc..and they show a new version...

Looking at your link...the new version is reasonably pricey...so maybe these refurbed are rough..?

 

Maybe..it seems odd...?

 

Could have been removed from a fleet of vans or some such.

The alternator in the pics has probably been stripped & bead blasted to make it look smart

 

Tim

[dmr]

I've been told the complete opposite, but have no direct experience of either.

The ebay one was only 2.5 kW, BTW.

 

Edit to add link and another found from Google

 

 

Tim

 

I believe the blackbox is pretty bomb proof. Ours has just been left turned on for 5 years...when the engine starts we have 240v available.

I believe modern switched mode mobile phone chargers etc etc can cause the silverbox to self destruct.

 

I think all the blackbox units were 3.5kW (at top speed) so the 2.5 in the ebay add was probably wrong.

There was a 7kW version but this was really 2 separate 3.5 kW outputs.

Still think I missed a bargain, would love to have a spare, but dunno where I would have kept it.

 

...............Dave

[Timleech]

 

 

I think all the blackbox units were 3.5kW (at top speed) so the 2.5 in the ebay add was probably wrong.

 

 

...............Dave

 

Reading the ad again, it's not wrong in that it does say 3.5 kVA at max rpm.

 

Tim

[Bobbybass]

Reading the ad again, it's not wrong in that it does say 3.5 kVA at max rpm.

 

Tim

I guess it depends on your pulley setup.

 

My Travelpower alternator has a pulley about the size of the one in the advert photos..but the drive pulley I have (attached to the crankshaft) is about 9 inches in diameter...so I only need about 1000 RPM to hit the full 3.5 kw..

My neighbour only has a small pulley on the crank and needs 1500 RPM to hit that figure.

Edited October 24, 2012 by Bobbybass

[Gibbo]

The old black Travelpower is definitely superior to the later silver ones. The components are massively overrated in the black ones. In the silver ones they are just sufficient for the job. Other than that the rest of the circuitry is almost identical.

 

but refurbished, whatever that means...

 

It probably means the oil and dirt has been cleaned off the case.

[dmr]

We also have a very big pulley on the crank, but the engine idles at 400rpm so we still cant get full output at idle.

Have to remember to keep the revs up when critical things are going on.

If we forget:.....

Bread comes out of breadmaker as small heavy wet lump!

Washer/dryer gets to end of its drying cycle then refills with cold water!

 

..........Dave

[magnetman]

You have to have two alternators for the system advertised on ebay.

 

I was considering it on one of my boats but the complication of fitting a second alternator to the engine made it unfeasible. It is impossible to run this particular system with just one alternator as it requires a 12v feed from an existing 12v alternator. The second alternator, which comes with it, would need to be run on a heavy duty belt either multiple ribbed or two vee belts with sensible pulley size and wrap. I had a chat with the chap advertising it and it does sound like a good bit of kit if you can get a second alternator mounting arranged.

Edited October 25, 2012 by magnetman