Generator & power supply question
 

Outdoors is starting up and have a question about the Generator i am looking at and if it will handle my power supply. I am looking at a 1100 watt, 8A honda generator. Now i will be running 2 Protek Prodigy 610's, my power supply is one i bought off of RCtech thats a 12v 47 amp. Here is my real question, does the power supply up the amp output or does it take what amperage it gets in? So it would only put out a total of 8 amps that it recieves from the generator? Because i will be charging 3, 6500 team orion 2s and possible a 4s in the near future. So amperage i could be out of the ball park and kill the generator or it could just not work So is my thinking correct that the power supply up's the amperage and i will be fine or do i go with a bigger generator. I used to race on-road and every place i raced had power so need to worry. Any help or derection would be greatly appreciated

Watts are watts, some math conversions will give you an idea how much you are really putting out & can use.
Powerfactor (efficiency) is the loss you'll have to account for & the full load capacity of the gen will be the other issue.

Generator:
1100w = 120volts X 9.16amps, (8amp rated = 960watts?)
80% load = 880watts
92% load = 1012watts

Charger + PS:
Protech chargers are 200w per channel max, (800w max total load) +10% for loss?
880w + Powersupply inefficiency = 15%? (more like 20%)
PS draw = 1012watts?

If you don't need max charging ability you'll be safe.
Limit your self to 9-10amps on the 4s packs, & 18-20amps on the 2s packs.
(all four channels charging)
Less will be better for your generator.

If voltage falls off or the PS has an issue with the gen output from sinewave clipping you'll have to lower your amperages.
If the generator boggs or trips a push button breaker, lower your amperages...

Were my confusion comes in is, if i charge all 3 of the 2s at the recommended amperage of 6.5A per battery. That would be a total of 19.5 amps and with the generator only putting out 8A, its not close. If i am over thinking things( which is normal) that generator would never cut it.Thats were i was wondering if the power supply ups the amperage. And like you said watts are watts but i thought you got your juice from the amps. Any electricity can get ya but say you had 2w with 40 amps, you could take the watts but the amps would do you in so to speak. I hope your getting what i mean because i think i have confused myself:) I have a large 5500w 30A generator now but want a smaller one so i dont have to lug around the big one. And the littler one would be much easier on my back and hopefully quiter.

There is a little more then just a transformer in a PS.... but to keep it simple, you have a 10 to 1 ratio transformer. Input (primary) is invers of the output (secondary). so...

12volt 47amp output = 120volt 4.7amp input

Thats not including any losses or rectification... so your genny is "right there" for your PS

I just also realized... your powersupply isn't enough if you are at max charging on 4 channels (200w x 4).

12v X 47amps = 564w powersupply
Your PS will shut down before the Gen will any way.

It is back to the statement Watts are watts...
As stated the math works it out.

But honestly, if you limit your self to a 1-1.5c charge rate,
6.5amps x 8.4volts (2s) = 54.6 watts
or
6.5a x 16.8v (4s) = 109.2 watts

Even if you charge 4-4s packs at 6.5amps that totals 436watts
PS rated 564watts
Gen rated atleast 960 watts
You'll be fine.

That's good. I never have charged my batteries over the 1c. Only time I did was back in the sub C cell days but the lipos I only ever charge at 1c. And plus to I hardly ever have all 4 or 3 going at once just wanted to make sure I would be good. Thank you for the help

Thank you for the help. Eased my mind a little now can start stressing over the next project. :nod: