Walmart has generators! Who Knew!

[grumpytoo]

Contractor generators don't always play well with up scale electronics. A few years ago I work for a company that was very dependent on computers. They hired a company to set things up so they could have backup generator power. Since noise wasn't a issue they used a cheap contactor generator. I don't know the technical facts, but I do know we got new computers and a nice Honda generator. Sometimes cheaper chest more, double check.

[Gerryl]

Strangely enough, some of those contractor type generators somehow end up with bleach getting into the gas tank in the middle of the night. They aren't running the next morning. I don't know that for a fact, but I heard a story like that.

[Brian W]

Originally Posted by baraff

The problem is NPS doesn't enforce it. Probably would if someone complained though, I just hate to be "that guy". But next time I will.

Why worry about being "that guy"? The person running the loud generator doesn't care about being "that guy".

[raineman]

Had a responsible Ranger prevent a "richard" from running his very loud (contractor style) generator all day a few years ago. The guy was beside himself claiming it wasn't louder than anyone else's RV generators. The Ranger told him if he ran it again he was out. Saved our weekend! The guy left at nightfall.

[CMelder]

I have attended quite a few tailgates at Texas A&M - College Station and they have tailgate rules against using any generator that is not 60db or less. My EU2000i is rated 59db @ 23ft. Full Load ... My EU7000i is rated 60db @ 23ft. Full Load. Funny thing is, you can hear the 2000 over the 7000 due to "frequency" is a higher pitch on the 2000. However, it is quiet. The Honda and Yamaha are the only brands we typically see because who wants to take a chance and ruin a tailgate when the Campus Police show up to shut you down while all the neighbors are staring & glaring at you.

[bobbelcher]

Originally Posted by Gerryl

Strangely enough, some of those contractor type generators somehow end up with bleach getting into the gas tank in the middle of the night. They aren't running the next morning. I don't know that for a fact, but I heard a story like that.

A few years ago I had a contractor generator at a music fest to run the air conditioning and charge batteries in the morning. I ran it 1 time for about 2 hours. When I shut it off my neighbors actually thanked me. I apologized but they were fine with it as our other neighbor had one and ran it non stop the entire weekend only shutting it off to refuel it. I moved my camper from there to a racetrack and somewhere over the week my battery was dead. I fired up the gen to charge the battery. Ran it a couple hours. A day later my battery died again and it was storming so I went to fire up the generator so we could sit inside with lights on.

One pull of the rope and the rope and handle was in my hand. Someone pulled out my rope and cut it just enough that it would break on the first attempt to pull. At that point we sat in the dark and rode out the storm stewing over how someone could destroy someone else's property like that. I tried to baffle the noise and used plywood to direct the noise vertically.

[Durango Dave]

Originally Posted by bobbelcher

A few years ago I had a contractor generator at a music fest to run the air conditioning and charge batteries in the morning. I ran it 1 time for about 2 hours. When I shut it off my neighbors actually thanked me. I apologized but they were fine with it as our other neighbor had one and ran it non stop the entire weekend only shutting it off to refuel it. I moved my camper from there to a racetrack and somewhere over the week my battery was dead. I fired up the gen to charge the battery. Ran it a couple hours. A day later my battery died again and it was storming so I went to fire up the generator so we could sit inside with lights on.

One pull of the rope and the rope and handle was in my hand. Someone pulled out my rope and cut it just enough that it would break on the first attempt to pull. At that point we sat in the dark and rode out the storm stewing over how someone could destroy someone else's property like that. I tried to baffle the noise and used plywood to direct the noise vertically.

If i was in Texas and that happend i think the person that did that might just have some lead in their behind before they left...

[bobbelcher]

Originally Posted by Durango Dave

If i was in Texas and that happend i think the person that did that might just have some lead in their behind before they left...

Had no way of knowing who did it. It had to be someone at the races cause it wasn't cut the first time I started it at the races or at the music fest. There was a "tent City" set up across the drive from me at the races. I was pretty sure it was from them as they weren't friendly ppl. Our neighbors on both sides both were. Sad part is the ppl across the drive opposite of tent City ran a generator like mine pretty much non stop. We were annoyed by it and asked them to move it. I even gave them my plywood to help direct the noise vertically but they refused to use it.

[Porkchop401]

I use my contractor gen to power my tt when I go to Texas motor speedway. We make a point to get a site against the outer fence and point the exhaust at the wheat field behind us. With that being said I have seen some pretty heated discussions over loud generator s and one whipped tail when a fell shut a generator off the second time and the owner waited to see if it happened again.
I guess I just don't see how that unless your at a sporting event and not in a RV park that there are people close enough for it to matter , I mean , I mean don't you folks go places that require a generator to get away from other people? The way I see it is if I set up next to you with a loud generator shame on me. If I am already there in a unrestricted area with my generator and you arrive, have a problem with it your going to have a bigger problem if you want to push the issue.

[Durango Dave]

Shutting it off is one thing, destruction of property is quite another. They are both violations of personal property but one is destructive and one is not.

[Porkchop401]

I think one of the real issues hear is that we are dealing with general purpose control freaks who feel that having the ability to spend at will what they like on there rv lifestyle should give them some say so over those who can't afford to.
20years ago I saw the first inverter generator I had ever seen, coincidentally it was powering the nicest toyhauler at the Enduro race I was partcipating in. The rest of the 150 or so campers were all using contractor generators. Now days the number is some where in the 40-50% range for inverter type. One thing has not changed and that is that typically the newer nicer rigs have inverter s and the rest are running contractor gen's. In all fairness I do not camp or care to camp in areas where you are in such close proximity with others unless it is at a sporting event.

[Porkchop401]

I think one of the real issues hear is that we are dealing with general purpose control freaks who feel that having the ability to spend at will what they like on there rv lifestyle should give them some say so over those who can't afford to.
20years ago I saw the first inverter generator I had ever seen, coincidentally it was powering the nicest toyhauler at the Enduro race I was partcipating in. The rest of the 150 or so campers were all using contractor generators. Now days the number is some where in the 40-50% range for inverter type. One thing has not changed and that is that typically the newer nicer rigs have inverter s and the rest are running contractor gen's. In all fairness I do not camp or care to camp in areas where you are in such close proximity with others unless it is at a sporting event.

[davendeb]

Originally Posted by vsheetz

Each 3db doubles or halves the sound level...

Yes. Folks tend to think the numbers are volume level like on a radio.

[Dtwallace]

Originally Posted by Porkchop401

I think one of the real issues hear is that we are dealing with general purpose control freaks who feel that having the ability to spend at will what they like on there rv lifestyle should give them some say so over those who can't afford to.
20years ago I saw the first inverter generator I had ever seen, coincidentally it was powering the nicest toyhauler at the Enduro race I was partcipating in. The rest of the 150 or so campers were all using contractor generators. Now days the number is some where in the 40-50% range for inverter type. One thing has not changed and that is that typically the newer nicer rigs have inverter s and the rest are running contractor gen's. In all fairness I do not camp or care to camp in areas where you are in such close proximity with others unless it is at a sporting event.

General purpose control freaks, inconsiderate butt heads, yeah we got a lot of that going around. It takes all kinds to make a world. Make the best of your day, you're never promised another one. I'm just keep trying to be a happy camper.

DTW