Diesel Usage

[Enterprise]

Does anyone have a thought on using my Diesel Generator for boondocking?

I want to boondock from time to time for like a week. I don't have solar. If calm or cool out, I have propane and can cook propane.
But need Generator for lights, Micro, outlets, TV, etc

So basically my question is would I be saving anything by boondocking with my Generator and propane vs. staying in an CG at $30-$35 a night or $175-$175 a week? Or would it be more or the same?

[MSHappyCampers]

You don't say what size genny you have, but the typical Onan 7500 diesel genny will use between 1/2 and 1 GPH, depending on the load.

[Enterprise]

Originally Posted by MSHappyCampers

You don't say what size genny you have, but the typical Onan 7500 diesel genny will use between 1/2 and 1 GPH, depending on the load.

Sorry, it is an Onan 8000
40' Diesel Pusher

[znt1186]

If your house batteries are good, you can use the inverter and recharge your batteries for a couple of hours in the am and again in the pm. That comes to about 4 gal./day. However, if you need ac, microwave, etc. you will need to run it more.

[tizzyfit]

If given the choice, I prefer to boondock and run my diesel gen set. Figuring $3 a gal for diesel, which I know is high, and figuring $2 an hr for routine maintenance and wear and tear, times 6 hours a day, I figure it costs me about $30 in a 24 hour time period. With 106 gals of fresh water and empty gray and black tanks, I'm good for 10 days as long as I dump the dish washing water down the toilet so it doesn't add to the gray water from the daily shower. There are days when the 2 solar panels can keep the 4 6 volt house bank charged enough that I only need the gen set to run for 2 to 3 hrs in 24 hours which cuts my cost estimate by 50%.

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by tizzyfit

If given the choice, I prefer to boondock and run my diesel gen set. Figuring $3 a gal for diesel, which I know is high, and figuring $2 an hr for routine maintenance and wear and tear, times 6 hours a day, I figure it costs me about $30 in a 24 hour time period. With 106 gals of fresh water and empty gray and black tanks, I'm good for 10 days as long as I dump the dish washing water down the toilet so it doesn't add to the gray water from the daily shower. There are days when the 2 solar panels can keep the 4 6 volt house bank charged enough that I only need the gen set to run for 2 to 3 hrs in 24 hours which cuts my cost estimate by 50%.

$3.00 a gallon isn't high for around here, running 3.099 most places here in town.

At $3.099 it's pretty close to what it would cost to stay in a FHU park but my 12.5 Onan takes over 1 GPH if over about 50% output although I only need to run about 5 hrs a day. 2 in the morning, two in the late afternoon and 1 just before quiet time. Now, if I need the heat pumps then it's cheaper to find hookups.

[Hgrace56]

Originally Posted by Mr_D

$3.00 a gallon isn't high for around here, running 3.099 most places here in town.

At $3.099 it's pretty close to what it would cost to stay in a FHU park but my 12.5 Onan takes over 1 GPH if over about 50% output although I only need to run about 5 hrs a day. 2 in the morning, two in the late afternoon and 1 just before quiet time. Now, if I need the heat pumps then it's cheaper to find hookups.

Good info not often discussed.
Thanks

[Enterprise]

Originally Posted by tizzyfit

If given the choice, I prefer to boondock and run my diesel gen set. Figuring $3 a gal for diesel, which I know is high, and figuring $2 an hr for routine maintenance and wear and tear, times 6 hours a day, I figure it costs me about $30 in a 24 hour time period. With 106 gals of fresh water and empty gray and black tanks, I'm good for 10 days as long as I dump the dish washing water down the toilet so it doesn't add to the gray water from the daily shower. There are days when the 2 solar panels can keep the 4 6 volt house bank charged enough that I only need the gen set to run for 2 to 3 hrs in 24 hours which cuts my cost estimate by 50%.

5 hours a day.....and the rest is just on house batteries/inverter?
I wish I had some solar panels, just can't afford to buy and have them installed right now. Trying to cut budget, no increase it. We stay where we can get the cheapest without it being slums, we use PA, our Senior Pass but need to cut more where we can.

During the day...power wise we use one set of 6 LEDs that are in ceiling pucks. Microwave once or twice to defrost or warm something up. The majority of power on daytime is the computers as I have a home based business so on it often. DH has his. The 2 TVs aren't on but plugged in.

At night, it is the computer and TV's....we use a induction cooker but if we boondocked, probably would use the propane stove. We also use the grill outside. Again the 5 puck lights in the ceiling. Cell phone chargers. Mifi plugged in. We have a residential frig, so it is running 24/7. Twice a week I run the washer/dryer and we have an ice maker.
Of course when needed, we have a toaster and once a week we run a dehydrator for treats for the dogs.

Our hot water heater is electric too. If it can be ran on both, we have never found that out or how to flip it. We have heat that heats via propane through the floor vents and then we have the electric heat that comes out of the top same as AC.

It is our first full year and fulltiming so we are truly just learning about the coach and its functions. We found our first year was exteremely expensive and have to find various ways to cut back. We don't eat out but maybe one or two nights a month. Plus we eat a cheap lunch out on moving day.
We stay like one to two weeks at each location as we are trying to
1) see the USA
2) find more customers for my business

Thanks all

[ByeTheWay]

Boondocking and Solar seem to go hand in hand. I boondock for the quite-ness. I use the gen as needed, for AC or heat pump in the morning. So to answer your question: if I had to use the AC or heat pump all day, I'd plug in.
I never talked to anyone who had solar that did not Love it.

[Enterprise]

Originally Posted by ByeTheWay

Boondocking and Solar seem to go hand in hand. I boondock for the quite-ness. I use the gen as needed, for AC or heat pump in the morning. So to answer your question: if I had to use the AC or heat pump all day, I'd plug in.
I never talked to anyone who had solar that did not Love it.

Didn't say I wouldn't love it....just can't afford to buy and have installed right now. Wish I had or could. Our biggest hurt I guess is the residential refer.

[Roger G]

We dry camp for tailgating during football season. When AC is required my generator will run from about noon on Friday til noon on Sunday and I usually fill up after leaving campus and it will cost $60-$80 so figure $35 per night. When the temps drop enough that the AC isn't required I carry a Honda 2000 with a 6 gal marine tank set up for extended run. The six gallons will run all weekend. I'll crank the Onan for the coffee maker or the microwave.

[keymastr]

I would be investing in one of these if all I needed the genny for was battery charging and the microwave occasionally. Super quiet and runs all night on a gallon of gas. https://www.amazon.com/Westinghouse-...70_&dpSrc=srch

At only 30 pounds it is pretty easy to carry as well.

[Enterprise]

You have to remember that I have a french door residential refrigerator that is powered 24/7, plus 2 computers.

[Half Dimes]

Originally Posted by Enterprise

...
I want to boondock from time to time for like a week. I don't have solar. If calm or cool out, I have propane and can cook propane.
But need Generator for lights, Micro, outlets, TV, etc

So basically my question is would I be saving anything by boondocking with my Generator and propane vs. staying in an CG at $30-$35 a night or $175-$175 a week? Or would it be more or the same?

Originally Posted by Enterprise

You have to remember that I have a french door residential refrigerator that is powered 24/7, plus 2 computers.

That residential fridge kind of dictates staying at a campground. Residential fridges can stay turned off for several hours while going down the road. But when you're living in the rig, the refrigerator doors are bound to be opened and closed many times during the day. You might get by at night by turning off the generator and keeping the refrigerator doors closed but I wouldn't. During four days of no power at home after the last hurricane we turned off the generator at night and still eventually lost some food in the freezer.
In your situation, I would be staying in a campground with hook-ups.