[Elecraft] K3 and inverter generators

[Greg Troxel]

Ramon Tristani <r.tristani at gmail.com> writes:

> I want to take my K3 out for portable use and also training for
> emergencies with my local ham friends here. I am thinking of buying
> the Predator Inverter Generator that Harbor Freight sells. Does
> anybody out there has had any experience with it while using it to
> power a radio? Comments appreciated.

When I saw the subject, I was going to say that at Field Day this year,
I observed a K3/P3 with external monitor and computer, running off a
Honda EU2000 powering the monitor/computer and I think an Astron RS35,
plus a west mountain radio PG40S with a 35 Ah AGM battery in a box.
This worked very well; not only did the generator run well for the
entire FD period but the battery/PG40S let the K3/P3 operate over 1
unplanned and a half-dozen planned shutdowns for refueling.

I am skeptical of generators from Harbor Freight, but that is perhaps
unwarranted.  My club used 3 different EU2000s (for 2 K3 stations and a
non-Elecraft station :-(), and had a good experience with them this year
as in past years.  They do cost $900 to $1000 though -- but if I had a
K3, even a barebones one, I would really try hard to get a quality
generator for it rather than risking iffy power.

The Honda EU2000 is a real motor with separate oil, rather than running
on 2-cycle mix, but I see the one you pointed to is also.  The Honda is
also pretty quiet as these things go and clearly very nicely built.  I
am 99% sure the Honda is also legal in California, which the Harbor
Freight one seems not to be.

QST had a review article several years ago about these sorts of
generators.

73 de n1dam