Generator for Sullivan Fan

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blackcows

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Jul 6, 2008
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I am considering purchasing a small generator to run some Sullivan fans at horse shows so I don't have to load a 250 pound generator each time we go to a horse show.  How big of a generator would it take to run one Sullivan fan?  I think there is a calculation you can do but I don't recall what that is.

Mike
 

afhm

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Is the generator going to be mounted on the trailer or do you want a little one to carry?  You can run fans off of one of those inverters you plug into the cigarrete lighter so it you wouldn't need a big one.
 

herefordfootball

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An inverter is a great idea!!!  (thumbsup) We take a Yokohama generator to shows, but it does take 2 people to load it, I'm guessing it weighs around 135 pounds? It has 4 or 6 outlets and will run all the fans you want, but this still might be a bit big for you. You can get it in the trailer by yourself, but not the truck bed.
 

jamforksu

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Feb 15, 2009
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Lancaster, Kansas
Generators are rated by watts. Watts are amps times volts. A fan is 120 volts and usually just a few amps, it will say on the fans tag. If the amps are 5 then the watts would be 600 for each of  your fans.
 

blackcows

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jamforksu said:
Generators are rated by watts. Watts are amps times volts. A fan is 120 volts and usually just a few amps, it will say on the fans tag. If the amps are 5 then the watts would be 600 for each of  your fans.

Based on your example would it take 1200 watts for two fan, 1800 for three and so on or when you add more does it get more complicated?

Mike
 

ploughshare

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May 30, 2008
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This is my view of portable power.  1 HP = .745 Kilowatts.  Assuming a nominal efficnecy of 78.8  then for each HP for your fan you would need approximately 0.95 KW of generator output.  Add in line loss for extension cords and it will be closer to 1 KW per 1 HP of fan.  The Sullivan 24" turbo fan is 1/2 hp drawing 4 amps of power (meaning 480 watts or 0.48 kW, I would assume 0.5 KW)  That would take a realativly small generator or a very heavy duty 12V inverter.    You would want to oversize the generator or invertor by 50% to compensate for start up draw or extra devices that you might want to run.
 

vc

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Jul 24, 2007
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So-Cal
Get one of the Honda or Yamaha, quiet 2000 watt generators they are very portable, maybe weighs 40 pounds. We use it with the camp trainer, will run everything but the air conditioner. Will run 2 fans easily and is much quieter that most generators.
 
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