Built in or Portable Gen for a pull behind Toy Hauler

Thanks all - went with a champion 3100 portable - I can keep it in the bed of my truck and it was only $750. I couldn't justify $4K for a built in. The good news is that the gen storage area is great for storing hoses , cords, tools, etc..

Our TH has the Onan 4k mounted right under the master bed. Only time I can feel any vibration is when laying down going to sleep. Then the noise and vibration is just enough that I sleep like a baby. If the camper is quiet, of course you can feel and hear the generator. As soon as radio or TV is on it doesn't bother you at all. I love the built in generator. We travel a lot in hot areas. Being able to start the AC an hour before we get to destination is awesome. I have a 30 gallon fuel station, and it burns 1/2 gallon an hour with the AC on.

I Googled "Onan 4000 Micro Quiet noise and vibration". Turns out the Onan 4000 is not an inverter type generator and runs at 3600 rpm all the time. Some say the noisiest part is the cooling fan, more so than the exhaust. Some say the vibration and noise inside the RV is dependent on the vibration isolation mounting and the noise insulation in the generator compartment provided by the RV manufacturer. The Onan 5500 runs a little more slowly at 2400 rpm. The portable inverter generators will run at a speed proportional to the electrical load.

I'd say built-in for convenience and portable inverter generator for the most comfy and quiet campsite experience. Can't have it all, I suppose.

I couldn't find a toy hauler with a built-in generator that would meet my floor plan (front bed, three dirt bike capacity) and weight (1600 lb. tow vehicle payload) requirements. I had to go with the portables.

Some of these might help.

I don't think I have ever seen a TH that was generator ready that did not have a fuel station. I like my 4k Onan for stops on the road, hit the button and you have power with nothing to drag out or put away. I would not have a TH without a built-in Onan. I believe in the K.I.S.S. method.

I have had a built in Onan 3600 propane fired generator for 10 years. I also have had the portable construction grade generators like the Champion. The Champion and other non-rv or quiet type generators make a lot of noise. Also they tend to be heavy. I have not owned one of the Honda so I can not say much about them other than theft would be my biggest worry. The after marker has a lot of key fobs, tanks, remote start, etc.

When hurricane Gustov hit the area where I live, I had three 100 pound cylinders of propane, a 12 foot long hose with a male Acme and a female Acme fitting at each end. For the 100 pound tanks, I had a POL fitting with a male Acme fitting to connect to the trailer. I ran the genny 24/7 except when 100 hours came up and then I would stop it to change the oil. Finding gasoline was next to impossible. You could find the 20 lbs. tanks just about everywhere.

Propane does not gum up the carberator like E-85 and lesser grades of gasoline do if left it in the carb a long time. Yes, I am aware of the additives that you add to keep the gas from going bad.

There are two schools of thought and what you want out of the generator setup should decide what you need. Starting the built in generator and allowing it to run the ac is one option. Look at everything and see what fits.

with no fuel tank the choice is clear IMHO, go portable, especially now that they have wireless remote start. I bought a 3000 watt Champion portable that is nearly as quiet as a Honda for 999.00. It has remote start and works great, have not tried to run the A/C with it though.

We have had both styles and I prefer the built in Onan. It would be easier to run while traveling so that you could run the AC so that the trailer will be cool when you stop. With out a fuel station it would be easier to go with propane and you could always go to larger propane tanks on your trailer if needed.

We ordered an Onan installed in our 5th wheel and it was great. When it was about 10 years old it broke. We were on a trip with lots of boondocking so we went to the nearest Honda Power Equipment dealer and bought 2 Honda 2000i generators with the parallel Kit. Total about $1800 versus $4000 to replace the Onan.

Although it was convenient to have the remote start with the Onan, having to manually start the Hondas hasn't been a real problem. Now There are portables with remote start using a key fob.

Here's what I like about the portables:
I can carry just one if we won't need air conditioning. Or carry the two if we will need air conditioning or other high draw electrical appliance.
I can use them away from the 5th wheel. I've used them at home when th power went out and was going to be out for 36 hours.
I've used them on a job site to power an electric jackhammer
I used them while tent camping at offroad races to run a TV and DVD player to entertain the pit crew with a movie while we sat around the campfire.
To run power tools while helping a friend to build a remote cabin
At the storage lot where we keep our 5th wheel to provide power for cleaning, repairs and maintenance.

The flexibility of the portables make them my choice. If buying today I would get one of the remote start portables. Here's a youtube of one in action
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28JGt18fBVQ

Biggest problem is theft. You need to make sure the portables are locked up during the day with more than just a bicycle lock/chain/cable. You need something heavy duty. I use a 1 inch in diameter cable lock made for large motorcycles and a logging chain with a high strength pad lock. At night I lock the generators up in the cab of my truck. They both fit in the floor area of the front seat.

dedmiston wrote:
If your gen seems too noisy, you haven't turned your music up loud enough yet.

We have the Onan 4k Micro Quiet in our hauler, but i cant hear it even running because of all the loud music at camp.

Am i deaf now?

We have a 1996 Southwind with the original Onan 5500. It runs great and I can barely hear it running when I'm inside the RV.
There is no vibration.