COMM Recharging phone on a generator.

[JeanCat]

What precautions should be taken when recharging a phone on a small Honda generator. Any special cables, plugs etc. should be purchased?

 

[Hfcomms]

None. The Honda puts out standard AC voltage the same as your wall outlet. There are better ways to charge your phone though if that is the only reason you are running the generator.

 

[Txkstew]

I've run just about everything on this property with a small generator. Phone charging, satellite receiver, TV, window ac unit, fans, refrigerator, freezer, water well. Just not everything at once.

No central ac or electric stove. Never had any problems. Water well has problem when starting up, but levels out after a few seconds.

 

[Publius]

To save gasoline! Most cars made in the last 10 years have a power port you can plug a cell phone into and you do not need to have the car running to use it.

 

[Quiet Man]

If yours is an 'inverter generator', you're probably fine. If not, I might worry a bit about voltage spike/sag when the gennie is started or shutting down, and how your particular power adapter (for the phone) will respond to that. If you're in a position to charge from a battery, such as with a car lighter adapter, you might be safer.

ETA: Another option would be to use a small solar panel with a built-in charging port for phones.

ETA2: If you already have a solar panel that does not have a charging port, there's no need to buy a special panel. If you're a little technically inclined, there are various buck converters that can be had very inexpensively that you can connect to pretty much any regular solar panel that will then charge your phone.

 

[db cooper]

You will most likely be plugging an adapter into the 110/120v outlets of the generator, then your recharge cable into that adapter. This little adapter is what is what changes the current to suit the needs of the phone and should iron out any irregularities the generator might produce, which should be minimal unless the generator malfunctions with a hunting or improperly adjusted governor, which might produce a variable voltage on a conventional generator.

I believe Honda's are the inverter type generator that produces a very stable output. With that said, using an adapter there should be zero issues.

 

[Squib]

Any issues with pure sine wave verses square wave power?

I have a few generators we use, but we usually charge cell phones with little solar chargers in the window pane or whilst driving.

 

[Tripod]

"If not, I might worry a bit about voltage spike/sag when the gennie is started or shutting down, and how your particular power adapter (for the phone) will respond to that".

Always have all loads either turned off or disconnected before starting or stopping the generator. Preferably disconnected.
Mike

 

[CaryC]

What precautions should be taken when recharging a phone on a small Honda generator. Any special cables, plugs etc. should be purchased?

I think most have addressed this, with good answers. But would make one note and I think those small Honda genies are and that is Sine Wave for a steady output. But everything else should be ready to go.

On a secondary note: If you have an older car, it may not have the USB port for recharging, like my 2002 Jeep, you can get an inexpensive AC/DC inverter that plugs into that old cigarette lighter, I got one that is 300 watts, that works fine. And am thinking serious, bad serious about upping to one at least with 2000 watts. As a backup to the genie's. Those inverters have regular plug in's and USB ports.

Just got a portable jumper for the battery on the cars, and lawnmowers and it has the USB port for charging a phone.

 

[Profit of Doom]

My 2012 Highlander, in addition to 10 cup holders and room for my chicken, has a cig lighter where you would expect it, another power port nearby, a USB and audio input, another power port on the rear for tire inflator and such, and a small 100 watt AC outlet for devices near the back seat, and AV jacks that can feed the overhead DVD/monitor. It’s also 4WD, and a flat floor behind the front seats, no tranny hump/driveshaft. Still trying to figure that out. Third row seating.
Did I mention 10 cup holders? I don’t have 10 cups.

 

[Kayak]

We run the generator on and off, just enough to keep the fridge and freezers cold. We charge batteries while the generator is on, and run laptops/tablets/phones off the batteries.

We time any eating (and use of the microwave) around when the generator is on. This also keeps us from opening the fridge or freezers when it isn't on.

The generator is probably fine for our small electronics, but it works for us to do it this way so we use less gas.

 

[EMICT]

One is better off getting a small ‘solar generator’ that can be recharged when the generator is used for larger electrical needs, and using the battery operated generator for small loads like phone and iPad charging between gas generator runs.