Generators - useful or not?

[Goodspike]

Originally Posted by Green D

My thoughts are if your going to get one, at least get one that can run a single AC unit plus must have other devices.

Being from Texas we wouldn't want to spend the night anywhere in the summer without AC.

I've come to the conclusion it's better to get two units running in parallel to run AC. First, they will be light and easy to move around. Second, you can run only one when less power is needed. Third, I haven't tested this but I suspect two smaller ones might be quieter than one larger one because they will be operating on less throttle. Fourth, you'll me less likely to be left without any power in that one of the two will likely run.

[Goodspike]

Originally Posted by L.C.Gray

Generator is a useful thing but can be one more thing to deal with, hauling it, hauling the fuel, setting it up, hooking it up, listening to it running....

The best bet is a real on board RV generator built in from day one. They are much quieter and more efficient than all these corner cutting adaptations of industrial generators.

I'll never own another RV without an on board genny.

That almost requires the use of a motorhome rather than a trailer. Even rather small motorhomes seem to be available with generators.

The positive of using an external generator is no ATS, something which seems problematic.

[aether_one]

Originally Posted by Goodspike

That almost requires the use of a motorhome rather than a trailer. Even rather small motorhomes seem to be available with generators.

The positive of using an external generator is no ATS, something which seems problematic.

In what way?

[Goodspike]

Originally Posted by tfryman

In what way?

I've seen dozens of posts on various forums where an electrical problem is related to an ATS. I'd much prefer the old-school method of just plugging the RV cord into the generator outlet, although I realize that does away with automatic generator in the event of a power outage.

[Persistent]

Feel free to include your rig and location in the iRV2 profile section. You can also post you TT and tow vehicle in your Signature. It helps us answer your questions.

Dry camping for a night in a 32 foot 5th wheel TT should be easy. I guess you have more than 200 amp hours in your battery bank. You should be easily able to run 12 volt lights, controls for propane water heater, propane refrigerator, and TV or computers. Running the inverter for 3 or 4 hours should also be good.

Recharging while driving will replenish some of the used power. Get a full recharge over 14 hours at your next shore power site.

I get by for 5 days in the summer without the furnace and 3 days in cold weather with the furnace. I only run the inverter for short periods for small appliances like laptop charging. My rig is smaller than yours and has a 30 amp service. Your systems may consume a little more 12 volt power than mine. Your furnace may use more than my small furnace.

Test your system to see what you get. At your next full hook up site, delay connecting the electric and try running off the batteries.

A small generator will provide battery charging. You must run it for a significant time to charge lead acid batteries. 4 hours may get a 50% to 80% charge.

You can plug your 50 amp system into a small generator using adapters. Your on board charger will do the charging. Get a full 100% charge at your next shore power site. A 50 amp to 30 adapter plus a 30 to 15 amp combination would be clumsy but doable.

My small 30 amp on board charger works fine on a 1000 watt Honda generator 400 watts.
50 amp - 700 watts
75 amp - 1200 watts
Many people choose a 2000 watt generator. They are light enough to lift into a pickup bed. They are powerful enough to charge batteries and usually a microwave at the same time. Some people manipulate their loads enough to run an air conditioner.

There are a few portable generators with 30 amp 120 volt outlets. Honda makes a 2000 watt gen with one. You would still need a 50 to 30 adapter to plug in the 50 amp cord. Cheaper 2000 watt generators are widely available and would work fine for occasional use. Check older iRV2 posts for recommendations.

A 3500 watt generator would weight more. It would run your AC appliances with careful energy management.

Construction open type generators are much too noisy for most camping situations. Be sure to pick a quiet inverter generator.

I wish you good luck and happy trails ahead!

[twinboat]

If your overnighting, you don't run a generator to keep the batteries charged.

You use the stored energy in the batteries to power you thru the night.

If you can't make it thru the night, test your batteries and if bad replace them, if good, add more.

I overnight on 2 batteries all of the time.

As far as a portable generator, a 1000 watt, quiet model, will run your built in charger. Adapt from 50 amp down to 15 amp. The adaptors are avalable.
So will a loud one but nobody wants to hear them.

[cletesingler]

I've been RV'ing for over 25 years and always had a generator, but rarely used it. Starting with a big Generac, I built a slide to get it out of the RV! (And myabe used it twice) Then onto something a little smaller that I could lift out of the front compartment. Then/now I have a small 1800 unit that I can easily, even at 80 young years, lift out of any compartment. You can hear that it has to be portable..... But, unless you dry camp a lot, I can NOT agree that it pays for itself. But, probably most important, don't plan on running an AC to sleep at night - I plan on running only the fridge, LED lights, and maybe a TV., If you are in TX you must plan on needing 50 amps at night, so an gen set might be useful a couple months a year? Now the kicker: fuel and if not used what you gonna do with it after sitting unused in the RV? I vote for a 1800 watt unit, run the fridge and maybe a TV only if it's cool

[redbuster]

Originally Posted by bob caldwell

Some small gennys have a 30 amp plug as well as a seperate battery charging outlet, but I don't believe it's a tapering charge......

Bob, would you happen to know of a brand/model that has a 30amp outlet?

[Bob_C]

Originally Posted by redbuster

Bob, would you happen to know of a brand/model that has a 30amp outlet?

Honda's......Predators......

[CecilD]

As a possible answer to question #1, my converter plugs into an outlet on a 20 amp AC line. With a portable generator, I could use an extension cord and plug the converter into the generator charging the batteries and powering the 12V parts of my trailer.. I wouldn't mess with the AC stuff. You may want to check if your trailer is wired the same.

Never heard an on board generator that is quieter than a Honda some distance from the trailer.

[jcussen]

Have had Honda 2000 watt generators and now a Predator 2000 watt. Neither had a 30 amp receptacle because they only produce 13 to 16 amps. A parallel kit which joins two of them together will probably have a 30 amp receptacle.

[Bob_C]

You need the Companion model....it has the 30 amp plug

[KanzKran]

Originally Posted by bob caldwell

You need the Companion model....it has the 30 amp plug

And the kit comes with the adapter from twist-lock to RV30. But as stated above, you need the Companion version.

https://www.campingworld.com/paralle...3&gclsrc=3p.ds

[jcussen]

"The companion is designed to be combined with a standard model for a total of 4000 watts via a 30 amp twist and lock NEMA plug. You can use a companion as a stand-alone generator but it is more expensive than a standard model, so that doesn't make sense financially."

And you are still limited to 13.3 amps, so I would get the non companion model and a 15 to 30 amp adapter. Looks like the companion model is $100+ more than the standard model while the 15 to 30 amp adapter is about $10