Thanks Brendan. The screenshot is interesting as it shows the sinewave still pretty much intact, was that on the 15kVA genny?
Smaller generators I've measured into resistive loads have a triangular waveform. I've not measured one on psu loads recently, but I did measure what happened inside the psu and it did not give me a warm feeling. Does anyone sell or even advise a power factor corrector for small generators? Of course it's not just the PF, I suspect the main problem is the pulse loading. David G3UNA > David > > There is no such implication, I think that's just the generator he had > to hand! I can test my FT KPA500 on a generator but my generator too is > an inverting one, a 2KW honda. > > One thing though when those generators are in 'econo' mode there will be > serious voltage sags whilst the generator throttles up with large > variable loads (such as CW ) and the KPA500 coped fine with that > (although that type of intermittent load is not good for the honda..) > > The PSU in the KPA500 is a linear one (not a switcher) and I would > expect it to do fine on any generator that makes at least some attempt > to regulate the output voltage. > I am not going to rent a conventional generator to test on but the > KPA500 copes just fine with my mains variations which go from 225 > (night) to 246 (Day) > > Switchers can actually be more problematic on generator type loads, we > have a 15KVA generator with AVR at work that was brought to it's knees > by 5Kw of Computing equipment loads. > IT loads in common with most devices powered by switchers have a really > rotten power factor. Inverting generators can do better with those > loads > See here for what a modest computer load looks like > http://www.flickr.com/photos/bminish/4698934177/ > > 73 > Brendan EI6IZ > > On Fri, 2011-02-18 at 09:05 +0000, David Cutter wrote: >> This is of interest to me, but is there an implication that the K3 + >> KPA500 >> MUST have an "advanced inverter technology" generator - providing "stable >> power for computers and more" variety of modern generator? Can I not use >> a >> 2kVA "legacy generator" without the inverter technology at a third of the >> price? >> >> David >> G3UNA >> >> >> >> > Yes, feel free to forward to the list: I ran my K3 and KPA500 and a >> > desktop >> > computer on a single Honda EU-2000i at 125V, and it worked fine. The >> > amp >> > draws about 1225 VA max and the generator is rated for 1600 VA >> > continuous. >> > >> > The generator didn't like the highly varying load while running in >> > Econo >> > mode (it shuttered enough that it walked off the sidewalk and ended up >> > on >> > its side), but in normal "full out" mode it had no problems and neither >> > did >> > the amp. It's an ideal 600W amp. for DXpeditions. >> > >> > 73, >> > Bob, N6TV >> > >> > VE7XF asked: During my summertime 6m grid-hopping activities, it would >> > be >> > nice to power a portable station (K3 and KPA500) from my Honda 2000i >> > generator. (AC power is >> > seldom available on a mountaintop.) >> > >> > ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[email protected] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
