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Stogie · 12-02-2011, 07:42 AM

This past week traveling home from Iowa to New Mexico I was stopped at a rest area for the night just North of Okla. City. A bit later another Motor home came in and stopped next to me. It was a rainy and cold night. His Generator ran all night. It was not loud and did not bother me but I am a light sleeper and could hear it.
The next morning early (prior to daylight). I was doing a check before hitting the road. I noticed his br slide which was in had a loose place on the awning, as the wind was supposed to blow I wrote up a note, placed it in a plastic bag and put it under his windshield wiper telling him of the loose awning.
I also left him a brief note telling about how I was equiped with an EC30W automatic Generator starter. While his generator had to run all night mine only ran for less than an hour.
Was it rude to tell him about the Generator?

It was also a premonition because I lost my patio Awning around noon between Okla. City and Amarillo right at the Texas Border. I was trying to make the rest area to get out of the wind when the combination of a Truck passing on the left and a heavy gust of wind tore the Patio Awning completely off the right side of the Motorhome. Not just the canvas but the entire awning assembly. And I had just checked it and tightened up the safety straps not 1/2 hour before that.

rbracing60 · 12-02-2011, 07:48 AM

I don't think you were rude to leave the note, but then again I may have a thicker skin than most, I would have appreciated the info about my awning, and would have checked out the auto gen starter as soon as I had access to the internet. (like right now)

Luckiest Dreamer · 12-02-2011, 08:02 AM

It is appearant that his generator did bother you! It is also not nessesarily rude to mention it and no doubt the awning gave you an in to allow you to inform him of his not so noisy generator. I suspect that he was running a space heater and the genset would be the only thing that could keep that going all night.
You may want to investigate awning locks. I understand they may save an awing even if it is not in top condition. I lost mine on a 5'r in Nebraska a few years ago. It takes a lot to retreave an awning when the wind is blowing at 30+

Stogie · 12-02-2011, 08:09 AM

Don't let the cost ov the auto starter bother you, It pays for itself in fuel and maintenance in the first year. For those who boondock often, or want to it is really nice.

You park at night, turn on the inverter, set and forget. If your battery runs low it kicks on and charges it.

I don't recommend running high amperage accessories like microwaive or block heaters on the inverter without the generator running, but for lights, night time needs, and furnace fan it is great.

Also in the summer it senses the temp inside the Motor Home and if it hits 85 deg, or whaterver you set it at it kicks on the generator so the AC can run. This is great if you leave a dog or just don't want to come back to an oven.

And the sound of his generator did not bother me I just noticed it because I don't have to run mine all night.

bsirby · 12-02-2011, 08:28 AM

The sound of a generator would have bothered me. I was under the impression that people don't run their generators at night as a courtesy to others. One time we had no choice but to stop at a rest area and we were fine without running ours. It was nice of you to let him know about his awning. I would have appreciated that.

dons2346 · 12-02-2011, 08:43 AM

You were in a free campground so you get what you pay for. I would not have parked so close to you if I was going to run the generator. I also would have left a note but then if I wanted to "get even" I probably would have knocked on the door.

LadyFitz... · 12-02-2011, 09:07 AM

The guy with the generator was the rude one.

Aguyfromcalg · 12-02-2011, 09:14 AM

Maybe he had a medical issue that requires the use of the genny.
Also he may have parked close to you for night time security.

Stogie · 12-02-2011, 09:56 AM

Actually the Gen noise was not an issue. Trucks in roadside rest areas often leave their engines running and that is a lot louder than a Motorhome Gen set.
I just noticed because I though he might like to know how handy it was having a Auto Start on his gen set.
I was on the road for 10 days and over 3,000 miles, I stayed one night at an RV park and zero at Walmart. When on the road I perfer Rest areas. I can stop late and start early without bothering others at an RV Park. I feel much more secure parking between a couple of big rigs even if they run their engines all nite.

Wayne M · 12-02-2011, 10:38 AM

I think it was very nice of you to tell him about his awning. I sure would like to know something about any problem someone may see. Info on the Auto Start was just good information, maybe a little tongue in cheek, but still good info.

As for the Auto Start, my manual for the Onan states to start it and let it get up-to-speed for a minute or so, then turn on heavy appliances. Since the AC pulls about 23 amps, that is a heavy appliance. I used to leave the AC switch in the on position, then just start the Gen from the driver's seat. The AC would kick in about 30 seconds or so after starting, but I have since quit doing that. DW just gets up and turns it on/off as necessary after starting the Gen.

It would be a very nice feature to have, especially in the heat areas of Texas with the pupper in the MH.

So what say?

Yellowreef · 12-02-2011, 10:50 AM

It's a rest area not a campground, there's no expectation of quiet time with trucks and motorists coming and going all night. If anyone is bothered by engine or generator noise they should either not sleep in rest areas or get some earplugs in my opinion. I don't consider the genset running to be rude. As to the note, I don't consider that rude either as long as it was written in a nice tone.

Cat320 · 12-02-2011, 01:07 PM

I would have left a similar note, I see nothing wrong with either comment. He surely appreciated the info on the awning, and you may have educated him on the use of his AGS system...if he had one.

sc3283 · 12-02-2011, 11:52 PM

did you leave notes for all the semis that idled all night too?
did you leave a note for an semis with refers running all night?

nice to give a message about the awning...it may have been overlooked prior to departure

Mr_D · 12-03-2011, 12:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stogie

And I had just checked it and tightened up the safety straps not 1/2 hour before that.

If you're calling straps around the arms of an awning "safety straps" they aren't! The awning is still able to unfurl even if the arms are strapped tight. The only thing that stops an awning from unfurling is keeping the awning roller tube from moving.