most (all, really) northern tracks have no power outside the garages. Even still I used my generator last year a whole 2 times.
ahh, ok that makes more sense then. I have always wondered about all these generator threads. I just assumed on Race weekends it was more crowded so that was the reason riders needed generators. At least for track days, my only issue has been Jennings. I have an enclosed trailer with 60amp fuse panel. Jenning I think has one maybe two total 50amp receptacles. All other power is just standard 15amp.
I've run 2 sets of warmers of a eu2000 plenty of times with no problems. Plug one set in then the other. Max draw at even 800W is 1600W so you aren't killing it. I don't remember if I ran my box or helmet fan at the same time but I doubt it would kill it. I have more issues with my Honda EU than I did with my harbor freight special. Hard to start and very temperamental to being level.
Just get one of these to power half the paddock...at the cost of pissing off the neighbors! LOL This is what I use... http://gens.lccdn.com/generaccorpor...power/gp series/0196610-a-gp5500.pdf?ext=.pdf
I dont get the pissed off stuff. It's a race track with noise from bikes all day....Get a garage if you want quiet time. Don't really have a right to bitch about a non-$1k+ generator
Off topic-ish, but do you guys leave your generators on all day? This will be my first season with tire warmers, and I never really paid attention before. I imagine you don't want to connect that kind of load immediately after turning on the generator. But not doing so kind of defeats the point of warmers which makes me think you guys leave the generator running while you are on track? (in "eco" mode on the Honda :bounce
yes I leave mine on all day. Usually the first thing I do in the morning is start the generator and plug in the warmers. Grab a shower, hit registration, eat breakfast, then over to tech with the bike, then back to the pits to put the warmers back on. I usually shut it down right before I head out for my last session. If I'm running both days, I will put the warmers on after the last session, but not plug them in.
If you have a quiet generator yourself, or are in a garage - and someone runs a 50 ft cable to their own loud generator, putting it next to you, all day - then you'll understand.
I feel the same way. My harbour freight genie works awesome and ideally isn't that loud. I just have decently long extension cords and make sure I don't put it near anyone. I usually put it in front of my truck and trailer and you can't even hear it. Also since its a 3500 watt genie and all I run is one pair of warmers and a bunch of fans I always offer to my neighbors to plug in.
well yeah if they put it next to you. But running it 50ft away from the entire paddock and it's barely audible I cant see. If I'm going to run mine I always choose an area where my back is away from everyone else.
Day isnt a Problem.... Its at Night in the Summer when they are in their RV's or Trailers keeping the AC going with them.... I will go to the extent of even parking my truck next to them or surrounding it with Garbage cans... If you have a good old Rattle box like those take 20 Min and build a Plywood Box for it... Just common courtesy...:thumb:
actually I have a loud cheap gen. Instead of plywood, take 40 minutes and about 20.00 of material and build a sound proof enclosure. I bought some 1" rigid foam insulation and use that to surround my unit. 20' away it is quitter than the Honda or Yamaha. And I build my own drop cord, I use 10 gauge wire. That way I get stable power and very little voltage drop. With just a little work it is not hard to have good power, and be a good neighbor. But as I noted above, once I had been to Road Atlanta and saw the power pole layout, I just built a 8 gauge wire to 50amp receptacle and I just plug in there now. Other than Jennings I never bring my jen anymore.