Charging Batteries Using Honda 2000 Generator

[OldJohnT]

Okay Im NOT very electric golf cart experienced but am a retired electrical engineer and afraid my "Brainstorm" wont work, but wanted to run it past you experienced cart owners.

A Honda 2000 EU generator will work to run my charger when shes sets not a problem.....But I have this "Brainstorm" to stick the generator on the cart and try charging the batteries it WHILE OPERATING to extend my battery life and range time.

Soooooo I figure the Honda will work and will power the charger BUT I figure when I load the cart and its pulling in the vicinity of say 30 amps out the batteries THE CIRCUIT BREAKER ON THE CHARGER WILL DROP OUT......... Now if it does so and she pulls back in now n then and stays in long enough to put some battery charge in she will work over the long haul to extend operating time buttttttttttt if she short cycles the chargers circuit breaker and exceeds it or the chargers duty cycles either the breaker or charger may suffer harm.

My best pure guess is on a hard pull the cart may draw upwards of 40 amps yet the charger red lines at 25 and Im guessing its circuit breaker will open at 30 amps so she should open but if that keeps up over n over n over any actual charge time will be minimal and the charger or breaker may fail from over duty/over cycling grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr I think if the cart were easy cruising on blacktop (say a 25 amp battery draw) my idea may work but stop n go driving at the Florida Flywheelers on that soft sandy ground will overwork the charger MY BRAINSTORM FAILS LOL

So whatcha yall think

John T

 

[dougmcp]

The Honda 2000 EU is not a 2000 watt generator, it will take a 2000 watt surge for a very short period of time then will only give about 1600 watts of constant power. Your charger shouldn't draw over 1600 watts.
Operating your battery charger on the generator may work if the inrush (start up current) is not higher than the 2000 watt threshold. This is pretty easy to see and hear, when the charger is turned on, if the generator revs up then goes back to idle and the green overload light is on, the inrush is too great for the Honda to handle. I haven't tried this but it should work. You can try it at home to confirm that it works.
You generally cannot charge at the same time as you are running. The EZGO's have a reed switch to prevent the cart from operating while the charger is plugged in.
You could carry the charger with you and recharge every time you stop which would certainly add to your charge and run time.