Generators

[johnythunder]

i have been a member for a while but dont own a rv.i'm looking for a travel trailer up to 25 feet but no luck yet.my question is what make and model generator do you have.there is a lot out there.and what do you think of dual fuels.wheels or no wheels.your input is appreciated

[SteveJ.]

What is your intended use for the genny?

Whatever size genny you you decide on please make sure it is a quiet inverter model. The cheapo construction(open frame) gennies are way too loud for civilized people in a campground or boondocking.

Champion has a few with direct 30 amp plug in and remote key fob starting. I had one and it worked well. Three year warranty and US based support(at least at the time). Sold it with the Roadtrek.

[LETMGROW]

What is your intended use is a great question. The sky is the limit on what is available for generators.
If you are going to run an AC you will need at least a 3500 W. generator. For just keeping batteries charged a 2000 W. generator would be fine. You can go top shelf and buy a Honda or if price is a consideration Harbor freight has some good value generators at a reasonable price with a good warranty available at a small additional price. Of course there are other choices out there but these are two examples of the cost differences.
Microwave ovens, toasters, electric coffee makers all add up quickly in wattage required. You need to decide what you will run to get to the wattage you will need. When it comes to generators there is no "one size fits all". Weight is another thing you must consider. If you intend to leave a generator in the back of your pick up a heavier generator would be no issue. If you have other uses for a generator you might want to look at two 2000 W. suitcase sized generators which can be paralleled together to run and AC unit along with a fridge etc. at the same time.
Good luck in your search.
I have two Honda 2000 W. generators I bought when I had my class C which did not have an onboard generator. The storage compartments were too small to store a larger generator in so I kept the generators in separate compartments. I could use one to keep batteries charged or run a microwave or a toaster but if I wanted to run the AC I had to pull the other generator out, pair them together and run them both at the same time.
My class A has an onboard generator but I still carry one of my Honda generators along just to recharge batteries when camping with no power available. The Honda is a bit quieter than the onboard ONAN and more fuel efficient. One drawback is I have to carry gasoline along to feed the Honda.
I also find many uses for a Honda around my property. Just last week I used one with a wet dry vacuum to clean my deer blinds. I also have an electric limb saw I can run with a Honda for smaller jobs which saves me from having to run my Stihl limb saw which is much heavier and difficult to use. Need a drill or power saw far from an electrical plug? Toss a Honda it the back of your truck or as I do often, on the front of my ATV and have power wherever you need it.
Sit back, absorb all the information offered, add up your requirements and buy what you will need the first time.
Good luck in your search.

[scrapperjohn]

Here's my 2 cents,
Bought a champion 2500 watt , duel fuel generator.
Will run my 13.5k AC on propane.
About the same DB as the Honda.
No 30 amp plug, just use 20 amp dogbone.
Only weighs 39 lbs.
And the best part,
Under $600.00

[Cypressloser]

The 3000 Watt plus generators aren't really that portable, they are just to damn heavy. I have one and it has been collecting dust since I bought a small 2200 Watt (1600 running) suitcase generator that can run in parallel with a companion. They weight under 50 lbs each and when I only run the MW or the AC (11K btu on high) I use one, our Instant Pot air fryer uses 1600 Watt and one generator handles it just fine. if I need more power I unplug the battery charger temporarily or I run both generators - piece of cake.

If you prefer propane over gasoline get a dual fuel generator, if not get a gasoline generator and use ethanol free high octane fuel. These generators when burning propane can empty your propane tanks in no time and there are 10 x more places to find gas than there are to fill your propane tanks.

I like Honda but most chinese knockoffs do the job at less than 1/2 the cost. Champion, Predator, Briggs & Stratton, Westinghouse, Energizer and probably a bunch more will work if you're on a budget. I have two Energizers that I bought on sale at under $600 cdn, they are well below 60 db at 20' and I can strategically place them away from other campers if needed.

Invest in a good quality cable lock to keep your investment from growing legs.

[Craig1960]

I have a Generac IQ3500 and think it's great. It's supposedly quieter then a Honda or Yamaha and it is super quiet. Downfalls for RVing is weight 100lbs., no remote start(does have electric start) and probably won't fit in most rv storage compartments.

I don't use mine anymore but if I were going to do it again I would buy 2 2000W Yamaha's or Honda's just for the ease of moving them around and like mentioned you may only need one most times.

[Jay D.]

we have a 27' T/T and we bought a Champion 3500, yes its heavy about 80#. i have a special mount on my rear bumper to carry it and a davit to easily lift it on and off when needed. the gen has wheels so it can be easily moved when on the ground. when we boondock we are usually by ourselves and move the gen out away from he camp area 50' or so. it works perfect for all our needs A/C and other things. i see no need for duel fuel, i just carry a container of gas. the gen is real quiet and best of all when the wife gets up in the morning she can just push a button an and have electricity for her coffee microwave and what ever else she needs. thats priceless.
davit in picture is made of aluminum and weighs very little, it removes and stores on the wall of my passthrough.
Jay D.

[Marine359]

Originally Posted by scrapperjohn

Here's my 2 cents,
Bought a champion 2500 watt , duel fuel generator.
Will run my 13.5k AC on propane.
About the same DB as the Honda.
No 30 amp plug, just use 20 amp dogbone.
Only weighs 39 lbs.
And the best part,
Under $600.00

Agree Totally. I have the same generator, but on propane it won’t keep the ac running if there is any other load at all, and sometimes will not even start the ac. Solved that by installing an easy start on the ac. Now ac works great. It’s also very nice that with the Champion. You don’t have to haul gasoline in your TV. So OP can opt for a Honda 2200 at twice the price (with conversion), or become a body builder to lift a 3500w+ generator into his tow vehicle.

[jleonard]

I have a Generac 3000i and it runs the 15 btu AC.
It weighs 62 lbs so it's still manageable.

[Marine359]

Originally Posted by Cypressloser

If you prefer propane over gasoline get a dual fuel generator, if not get a gasoline generator and use ethanol free high octane fuel. These generators when burning propane can empty your propane tanks in no time and there are 10 x more places to find gas than there are to fill your propane tanks.

Wrong.
My Champion 2500 df uses about 1/3 gal of propane per hour. I sometimes run it for 2 hours to charge my batteries from 30% to 100% SOC. I carry an extra 20lb tank in my truck bed which is used almost exclusively for the generator. I have a hour meter on my generator, and I only run it on propane. I get approximately 30 hrs of run time on a single 20lb tank. And I say approximately because I sometimes use the extra tank to fire my griddle when I don’t want it close to the trailer propane QD. I pretty much went an entire year, 50 days boondocking before I had to refill the tank.

[tuffr2]

My advice it to get remote start. My current generator a Yamaha 2400IS starts easy but I need to pull the cord. Kinda scary in the middle of the night in the woods.

[LETMGROW]

Originally Posted by tuffr2

My advice it to get remote start. My current generator a Yamaha 2400IS starts easy but I need to pull the cord. Kinda scary in the middle of the night in the woods.

It's scary alright. That darned old 'Boogie Man' has been waiting all day for you to show up and pull that cord.
You'd really enjoy going out coyote hunting with me after midnight.

[allenb12]

We have two Honda EU2000i that we can parallel together. Use them at home also if power goes out.

[johnythunder]

thanks to all. great posts i think i will go with 2 generators and parallel them. also like the idea of duel fuels