Using Charger With Portable Generator

[Sergio]

I think in the case of a battery charger, the issue is more about the "type of load" rather than the "size of the load".
The main advantage of inverters vs. regular generators typically has to do with the sine wave quality during load changes.
Regular type generators cannot maintain the frequency and shape of the output sine wave when the load changes rapidly since the motor driving the generator slows down and speeds up until it equalizes for the load.
The inverter generators create their "sine wave" output using the DC voltage created by the generator, the wave frequency and shape is constant regardless of the load condition since it is not dependent of the motor RPMs. That tends to work better with sensitive electronic equipment.
The issue is that a golf cart charger presents what is called a "non linear" load.
If you think about the charger output to the cart batteries, no current flows from charger to batteries until the instant in time when the voltage of the charger is above the battery voltage. The current then suddenly jumps to 10+ amps. The voltage regulator in the generator cannot adjust to this sudden current load condition if there is not enough DC voltage/current being produced by the generator.
Some of the new inverter generators may drop the rpms (eco mode) when they sense no load (before the charger voltage is above the battery voltage) so when the charger demands more current, the generator cannot compensate fast enough. Some folks run a "constant load" like a high wattage light bulb or resistive heating element to prevent the generator to drop the RPMS during the charger "no load" demand.
The best option is if the generator has a switch to disable the eco throttle mode and run at high RPMs the entire time you are charging the batteries.

[Dodgeguy44]

We have been asked by customers if their generator will supply the charger to charge the cart. So I tested all three major brands with my EU2000 watt Honda and it charged them all from start to finish. No problem. Eco throttle on at all times it sped up to start then slowed as the charger required less power.

[mymonstertruck]

My Honeywell 2000i does the same thing. Works perfectly