The Camping Forum

[Villalad1]

Hi aldi have got some generators on offer this weekend £59.99 has anyone got one and give us a review

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[nutgone]

Last steam rally I camped at, the bloke in the brand new caravan RIGHT next to me, kept his old honda suitcase generator running until 12:40am!!! (mustn't swear, public forum )

Maybe I should buy one of these (almost certainly louder) & camp right on top of him next time!

Seriously though, that's a very good price, & a 3 year warranty.

I would love one, but can't even afford THAT at the moment, & these small generators are quite limited (most of them are under 1kw). But a lot of people have them at the rallies I camp at, so not as socially unacceptable there (unless you keep them running all bloody night!) (yes, I'm still annoyed at the guy) as they are at most camp sites.

I just love engines & electrical equipment, & would simply have to take it apart if I had one. Maybe I'll see if I can find the cash for one, or go halves with someone. I bet they're quite good little units.

Probably very good for off-site camping, like shows, or informal forum meets (my brother camps out at Air-Gun forum meets, he'd probably like one).

[Villalad1]

I was thinking about going down the 12v road instead of electric and was thinking one of the aldi generators would charge a 12v battery in an hour or so and if it was on during the day there would be no problem. Plus I'm the same I just love messing about with gadgets and stuff


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[nutgone]

My recent search for a reasonably priced camp site in my area (still fruitless BTW) has revealed a lot of sites than don't allow them at all!

Funnily enough, it's some of these so called "eco-sites" where (only some) allow them.
As they are basically just a basic site, with no EHU facilities, some of them will allow generators (very green! )

I still want one though

[Villalad1]

Iv never stopped at a basic site I don't think the OH would like it but I'd like to try it. Mite see if I can persuade her she mite just like it camping now is getting very expensive from when I first started out. Iv joined the C&CC and find there prices not to bad. But you are paying for the nice clean sites and the showers are always warm lol


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[nutgone]

Glad you said that, I'm thinking of joining myself. It's £39, but if I used their basic sites (CLs?) I could probably re-coup that cost after a few weekends.

I can understand families not wanting the basic sites, but you should try & persuade the other half to give it a little try, even if just for weekend or so.

May just find out you're not missing out on that much after all?

Maybe not for your big 2 week summer holiday though, you may not be flavour of the month.

[CrazyCamper]

Back on topic... lol
These cheaper generators that Aldi are selling are the same as offered elsewhere and I would be wary.
They are 2 stroke models which are noisier than 4 stroke ones, plus needing the fuel / oil mixing.
The single 240v output is a domestic socket type, not an outdoor type suitable for wet weather....

A few years back when I needed to purchase a gennie, I did look at them as the price was good, but was put-off by other more experienced users and opted to spend more on a 4 stroke one which is more reliable, quieter, and had more weatherproof outputs. I still have the Clarke G900 and still use it every year in whatever weather. I used to use it on a display stand at various outdoor shows - which is where the better gennie proved it's worth, and where I had listened to the experience of traders who were using them and favoured the 4 stroke models.

Are these Aldi models worth it? Well they work... but for how long if used frequently? If it rains - would you trust a domestic socket type of output over a proper weatherproof one?

[nutgone]

Any generator should be protected from the weather really, & those BS4343 sockets (the blue ones) are only really splash proof, they have the lowest ingress protection rating allowed outdoors. (I would protect a genny from the rain anyway, only because it's an expensive piece of equipment)

& you're right, they are 2 stroke, something I only just found out myself.
There's nothing wrong with 2 stroke engines really, but they are noisier, & give off more fumes. I've been told most manufacturers have stopped manufacturing gardening equipment with 2 stroke engines any more, due to EU emission laws, so I don't know if these are old stock? they're certainly trying to phase them out.

2 stroke engines are certainly more fussy as well. It doesn't take much to give starting troubles with a 2 stroke. A tiny bit of moisture in the fuel, ignition problems etc, 4 stroke are certainly a better bet.

Another thing with these is the fact they're only rated at 650w continuous The 800w figure is just peak power rating.

Gennies, like a lot of other electrical items these days, are coming vastly down in price these days. Especially with cheap Chinese imitations on the market, which are everything as good as their Japanese counterparts, they're just built with cheaper labour by a country with vast stocks of raw (& recycled) materials.

So, all in all, (& very much on topic ) I wouldn't personally bother with this particular generator. I would pay another £40-50 & get something a little more suitable. (my 2 pence, take it or leave it )

[nutgone]

Besides; 4 stroke engines have valves & cam shafts, much more machinery to take apart & play about with!

[Villalad1]

hi I just looked on eBay and seen one just the same but different colour
Here is what they are saying

Rhyas RH850 Two Stroke Generator

This superb range of generators combine a robust quality product with excellent value for money. Features include easy start 2 stroke engines, overload protection, low oil alert and all models have been developed to exceed the latest EU noise directives.

RH850 has both a 240v & 12v outlet

Technical Specification

Model:- RH850
Output Voltage:- 230V AC 50Hz
12V - 5.8A DC
Max AC Output:- 850 Watts
Constant Output:- 720 Watts
Fuel:- Unleaded Mix
2 Stroke 50:1
Fuel Tank:- 4.2 Litres
Engine:- 63cc
Running Time:- 6-8 hrs (Depending
on load)
Noise Level:- 58dB @ 7meters
Size L X W X G:- 400x325x330mm
Weight:- 21kg

What do you think?





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[nutgone]

Sounds a wee bit better than the Aldi one actually.

But in my honest opinion, I would save your cash & look out for a 4 stroke.

The Chinese do a fantastic copy of the good old trusty Honda suitcase generator, (in fact, a lot of the Japanese manufacturers, including Honda have some of their stuff built in China nowadays, so it may not even be an imitation).

These are likely to be quieter & last longer. They're also likely to have a higher output. I would say you really need a constant supply of 1kw, or at least 850-900w

Also, inverter generators, or generators with advanced voltage regulation (AVR) are much better for todays modern electronics. They claim to give a more stable supply than the national grid! Regular gennies have been known to damage some sensitive electronics with their pulses/surges in power delivery.

It's up to you at the end of the day. You obviously don't want to go spending fortunes on something you're hardly going to use. On the other hand, it's worth paying that little extra for a better quality piece of kit you can guarantee will start when you pull it out of the garage after a long winter storage.

[M0KAS]

well if any of you have a JTF card, they are doing 4 stroke 1kw ones for £70+ vat, they sometimes have 2.5kw 4 stroke ones in from time to time, they are normally £120+ vat

[bingobob]

Besides; 4 stroke engines have valves & cam shafts, much more machinery to take apart & play about with!

Yes, but think back to the 2 stroke moped days, Yamaha FS1E, the hours I used to spend opening up the inlet and exhaust ports, skimming the head, polishing them like glass then reving them to destruction, could get 60mph out of mine after a good tunning session. (down hill with the wind behind me )

[nutgone]

Besides; 4 stroke engines have valves & cam shafts, much more machinery to take apart & play about with!

Yes, but think back to the 2 stroke moped days, Yamaha FS1E, the hours I used to spend opening up the inlet and exhaust ports, skimming the head, polishing them like glass then reving them to destruction, could get 60mph out of mine after a good tunning session. (down hill with the wind behind me )

I'm actually a bit of a secret 2 stroke fan. Always loved the simplicity of it.

My dad's definitely not though, by his own admission. But it didn't stop him buying a 1939 Velocette GTP 250cc 2 stroke (with separate oil feed system, long before the Japanese ever thought of it) when it came up at the right price

[Rob-merlin1973]

Besides; 4 stroke engines have valves & cam shafts, much more machinery to take apart & play about with!

Yes, but think back to the 2 stroke moped days, Yamaha FS1E, the hours I used to spend opening up the inlet and exhaust ports, skimming the head, polishing them like glass then reving them to destruction, could get 60mph out of mine after a good tunning session. (down hill with the wind behind me )

I remember that feeling ..... it was stopping that was the scary part