Community Forums

santurinos · 06-25-2010, 05:31 AM

We try to find a good and real quiet inverter generator for our Trail-lite crossover 189QB.
Our A/C is 13’500 BTU, we probably need about 3000 watt power supply.
We would like the quiet Honda EU3000IS, but this thing is 140lb heavy…

Would you install the generator permanently on the back of the trailer with a bracket?
Would it be too loud to operate right on the back of the trailer?

YES – we are aware about other lighter generators. Thank you for your contribution on my previous post.

We’re new in the RV-hobby and need your experience and help!

Y’ALL take care – have a great day – Walter and Dianne.

Don (W5IT) · 06-25-2010, 07:27 AM

Well Howdy Walter and Dianne.

Yes you could do a bracket on the back of the trailer. I did this with a Dutchmen trailer we had. (30 footer) On the first fiver we had (32 foot Kountry Star) I mounted the generator on the deck of the truck. Did a manual transfer switch to a twist lock plug in the pin-box.

If I had to do it again with a smaller trailer I'd go for a pair of Honda EU2000's and the parallel cord. Lighter and if ya didn't need the A\C (Which is rare where I hang my hat) ya could just run one of them and save fuel....... Again mounted on a rack at the back of the trailer or in the pick-up..........

Lookin at my post in relation to yours, I ain't much help am I?????

missourijan · 06-25-2010, 02:40 PM

We had a bike rack on the back of our 5'r (on a factory installed receiver) break at the "L" and fall off. And that wasn't 140lbs, maybe 80lbs (cheap bikes). We had a machine shop make us a receiver that attaches to the king pin to carry them. There's a lot of movement going on back there, you can't see how much. Install it anywhere else.

SuperGewl · 06-25-2010, 11:22 PM

Placing the extra weight on th rear of a TT/5th can cause all sorts of problems. You will be taking weight off of the pin/hitch and then there is the fact that most RV companies don't weld the bumper to the frame securely enough to support all of that weight. I would go with 2 smaller generators, Yamaha now has their version of the Honda setup. The YAMAHA: EF2400iS.
Your other option is to have 4kw Onan installed upfront or even an Onan Juicebox, if they still make them. ;

lrgdog · 07-07-2010, 09:24 AM

There are small trailers that can be attached to the rear of a travel trailer that would be able to carry a heavier Gen. These trailers are attached to two points at the rear of the trailer and you should have the attachment points welded by a certified welder and to the frame of the TT NOT THE BUMPER. The wheels of this trailer pivot and not the hitch point and the weight is carried by these wheels and not the hitch, so i would have to reason that it would be considered part ofthe trailer and NOT a trailer, which would be illegal in some states and I think that the hitch weight on your trailer would be disturbed very very little. I had to cut a section of my bumper out which left me without a sewer hose carrier, so I installed a 4" ABS pipe under my trailer and terminated it at both sides of the trailer with caps
lrgdog

SuperGewl · 07-07-2010, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lrgdog

There are small trailers that can be attached to the rear of a travel trailer that would be able to carry a heavier Gen. These trailers are attached to two points at the rear of the trailer and you should have the attachment points welded by a certified welder and to the frame of the TT NOT THE BUMPER. The wheels of this trailer pivot and not the hitch point and the weight is carried by these wheels and not the hitch, so i would have to reason that it would be considered part ofthe trailer and NOT a trailer, which would be illegal in some states and I think that the hitch weight on your trailer would be disturbed very very little. I had to cut a section of my bumper out which left me without a sewer hose carrier, so I installed a 4" ABS pipe under my trailer and terminated it at both sides of the trailer with caps
lrgdog

Sweet setup, do have pics. I have seen these trailers on various sites and concidered it myself but got lazy and installed a Onan 4kw in the forward compartment. Onan use to have a setup "The JuiceBox" but it dind't go over that well because most TT/5Th wheels rear bumpers are not properly welded to the frame and it actually sits off the ground and takes away from the pin weight.

texnet · 07-07-2010, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don (W5IT)

pair of Honda EU2000's and the parallel cord. Lighter and if ya didn't need the A\C (Which is rare where I hang my hat) ya could just run one of them and save fuel

When we had a traveler trailer a pair of EU2000's is what I went with. I also purchased an external fuel tank that worked like a champ. When ready to travel we just sit the generators inside the door of the TT and the tank in a storage compartment.

Chuck 1935 · 07-07-2010, 02:03 PM

I have welded up racks on the rear of tailers to carry lots of stuff including generators. You have to do the job correctly. Trailers for the most part are just tacked together and must be re welded and reinforced to carry any weight on the back end. Two things to remember, make sure you do not transfer too much weight off the hitch and lock down your generator. There is always someone that loves your generator more than you !

nadkaw1957 · 07-13-2010, 03:21 PM

I had a Sportsmen 24ft TT a few years back on which I had a frame extension welded with enough room to carry my Yamaha 3000 sei generator. While the extension carried the generator with no problem, I found that the extra weight threw off the center of gravity enough to cause some towing problems. I also found that when it was running, the entire trailer vibrated making it very noisy inside. I took the generator off and put it back in my truck bed again. The extension did make a great place to mount an accessory box and store my WD bars....

Rincon Wally · 07-31-2010, 02:27 PM

Hi Walter,
The weight on the rear of a tagalong, may result in control issue's.
A lot of reply's recommend the dual generator set-up. Makes since. The only time you would be using both is when you require the AC.

Just me, I would stay off the rear on your unit. I like the honda 2000I.
46 lbs, runs all day on a fill. I stow mine in the bed of the truck or on a short run, I just set in the door of the trailer.

Happy Camping
Walt & Josie

santurinos · 08-01-2010, 08:24 AM

Thank you all my Friends.
What a wonderful experience to be with you!
You all ahve a great Weekend - walter and dianne

Bulldog · 08-16-2010, 09:14 PM

I welded a tray on the back of my first fifth wheel and carried a generator as well, Onan, and it ended up bending the frame. It was done right but the frames just aren't made to extend and put dead weight on them. JMO good luck