Generators

[thumbs]

I split my questions up to keep ya from gettin to bored at
one time. :laugh:

I am thinking that one of the answers to my lack of stored battery power for heating may be a generator to keep the battery(batteries) up over night. Now for the question: Does it make sense to get a generator that will also handle running the 1350BTU airconditioner? I was thinking if I have to get one anyway would it make sense to get one that would handle all the power requirements while dry camping? Would a unit that would have this capability be to noisey and bother other campers at a truck stop or a WalMart kinda camping?

Who makes a good quiet generator? What size would I need?

Thanks for the help

 

[C Nash]

Generators

Got to have the AC Thumbs :approve: Can handle the cold with more cover but sleeping in the refigerator in summer time is tough :clown: . Check into some of the Hondas. I think they are pretty quit. I would think you will need at least a 4000 watt. Don't know if honda makes one this size or not.

 

[rv wizard]

Generators

If your truck is a diesel you should think about a quiet diesel generator. It will not be any noisier than a truck's motor or refrigerated trailer system makes. You could tap into the trucks fuel tank or add a tank on the bed for the generator. If your truck is gas then a gas generator would probably be the best. Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[hertig]

Generators

First thing is to check that your battery(s) are true deep cycle (not marine 'hybreds') and provide the most AmpHours which can be crammed into your space and weight limitations. If not, replace them; I at least tripled
my capacity by replacing the single battery which came with the trailer.

A good solar system may be of use keeping these batteries charged.

If you are still interested in generators, consider the Honda EU3000. It is probably the quietest generator available (particularly at low amp draw), and claims that at that amperage, a tank of gas will last for 20 hours (7 hours at full amperage, which is what I am seeing while running the AC). It is big (higher than my truck bed) and heavy (135 pounds), but starts with a pull on the choke and a turn of a key. Another option is 2 EU2000 (pull start) connected together for AC (these are small and light, and also fairly low noise). 1 of these may be enough to run the heater OR the microwave and keep the batteries charged.

The Honda EU line produces the cleanest power available from a generator, as they are actually DC generators which are then fed to an inverter. As such, they do not react to sudden loads as well as regular generators. When I first tried to start the AC from the generator, it blew the thermal protection in the generator every time. The problem seems to have been solved by installing an easy start kit (capaciter and relay) in the AC unit. Now the capaciter charges before the compressor is switched on and provides a boost which gets the AC over that high current draw hump.

This presumes that your generator will be mounted or at least run outside your unit. If you have a built in generator compartment, an Onan to fit may be the most conveniant solution.

 

[JPBECK]

Generators

Why pay for a quiet generator when no one else bothers to do so! We had a Honda 2000i ($1000.00), it was stolen so we replaced it with a Generac 4000exl (Home Depot $690.00). The Honda was quiet but it did not power everything. You can buy another Honda for another grand and connect the two together with a connector that will cost you another $350.00. So now you are $2350.00. You have a quiet generator that will probably power your AC, but the campers next you are running thier Coleman P.O.S. and you can hear it 10-20 sites away. Next you notice that 95 % of the people in the park are running thier loud generators. So why bother spending $2300.00 bucks for a quiet generator? You tell me! :dead:

 

[hertig]

Generators

Well, you certainly raise an interesting question. How about 'just because some/most other people are inconsiderate, that does not require that I be inconsiderate as well'...

As for the cost, I wouldn't pay $2300 for quietness either. However, I got a 3000EU for about $1600, and that seemed tolerable to me.

 

[lookn-ahead]

Generators

JPBECK > courtesy, common decency, kindness, responsibiltiy... to name a few reasons.

Hope that you really dopn't have that kind of attitude. Do you?

 

[hertig]

Generators

Well, having a major theft could certainly encourage an attitude. Was the Honda stolen while you were camping? On the road? In storage? Any tips to help prevent future such events?

 

[hertig]

Generators

New option! Yamaha just came out with a new line of generators to compete with the Hondas. EF3000iSE is essentially the same as the Honda 3000EU, a little heavier but with the option of remote starting. EF3000iSE-B has an additional feature of particular interest to RVers - the starting battery helps provide a boost of power for a few seconds, to get that stubborn AC started. This gives you up to 10 seconds of 3500 watts. These aren't in great supply yet, so street price is only down to $1900, but most places offer free shipping on it, so it is not prohibitive in cost.

 

[JPBECK]

Generators

We were camping when it got stolen, I had it locked to the bumber, but as you know locks only keep honest people honest. So please dont paint me out to be a bad person because I feel that spending another $2300.00 bucks is crazy, espeically when we dont even use our generator except when we are cooking. We do not runb the AC (usaully), we dont watch TV, we dont set up lights that surround our campground. Maybe you can afford to spend thousands of dollars on your gen sets. Unforunatelly they dont pay College Professors that well. Anyway's to answer Hertig's intelligent question,
My wife and I took our dogs for a hike and some dirtbag decided that we looked like we could aford to give him/her a new $900.00 gen. As far as advice to those of you that use portable gen sets, use those kryptonite bike locks, or move the generator inside at night, or
whenever you leave your site for longer than 10 minutes. You can do what I do now, which is to camp in the boonies. Where no one is around, and you can legally carry your loaded HK, Sig, Glock, Para, Beretta, or whatever your perferred tool is to protect your life, Liberty, and or Possessions.

 

[Swede]

Generators

I have also been looking for generators for my new towable and need about 3500 - 4000 watts for the A/C & other appliances. After looking at all the alternatives, it seems to me that the option of the two Honda EU2000s tied together with the special cable gives you a very quiet combination supplying 4000 watts. You can buy the generators for about $850 each and the cable which doubles output for about $250 - this gives you a great - flexible combination for about $1,100. Each generator weighs only 47 lbs and is much easier to handle the single EU3000, which weighs in at about 125 lbs or the Honda 4000 Watt version which weighs over 300 lbs.

 

[sirhuntalot]

Generators

I run a craftsman 4200 watt that was about 7-- on sale its not the quietest gen but it will run everything i need and then some. I bought mine for the house but it has really come in handy down at the farm with no landline hookups