Generator removal for home emergency use

Dirtclods wrote:
We had a power outage we just went out to our toy hauler and stayed in and watched a movie and fell asleep. I woke up and killed the jenny and fell back to sleep.

Id have to keep the genny's running, we have 4 fridges and 2 fullsize freezers that need to kept cold. I could condense down some but not much, we pack alot of meat.

Our new freezer is 22 cf chest style, very nice. I can run the swamp coolers too.

We had a power outage we just went out to our toy hauler and stayed in and watched a movie and fell asleep. I woke up and killed the jenny and fell back to sleep.

Since I have the hauler here, I have power if needed. If its hot and the power is off for any length of time, I am moving in to stay cool.
I also have the Honda 2K and was just about to go get it today, but the power came back on about 15 mins later.

We have a Honda portable 3.5k just to run the well pump if needed. Then our Onan 4k to run stuff in the house.....Also a 1000 Yamaha for whatever....

I have a honda eu3000 I figured thats enough for the fridge and the lights... and possibly the heater if I really needed it... Southern california.... Not such a big deal.....

Mike C.

I store mine next to the house so I'm going a different direction with wiring it to the house and a disconnect from city to protect the electricians. Fire occasionally cuts us off and I want to have a plan B that does not involve running away.

They are fairly large and heavy to be considered portable but they are almost fully self contained. They can easily be run from a spare / removed car battery in an emergency, you just need the right length cables and connectors. Other than some wiring in the trailer they are removable as a single unit. Your trailer construction will determine how hard it is to remove, I know on mine you have to remove the entire hatch frame to get it out as it's bigger than the opening of the door. Some go out the bottom and you will want something like a transmission lift because they are heavy and you may have to move some plumbing to get it out.

I understand the desire to use something you already own but I am looking at used ones as well, I saw someone selling a very ugly but fully functional 7K unit for $500.

Good luck either way.

I have a portable Champion 30 amp unit. You can get one for about $300. I keep it at the house in the off season. It will run the 2 fridges, tv, lights. I think it will run my gas central heat. Of course, no chance running the air.

I used it once for 3 hours after a windstorm.

I have an Onan 7kw RV generator that I mounted on a heavy duty 4 wheel garden cart. I'm using an outboard motor gas tank for the fuel and a small garden tractor battery for the starter.

The units I've seen seem to have the trailer built around the generator. The people that have removed them for various repairs state the gensets are quite heavy, and a forklift is almost required.

That said, it may be less expensive in the long run to spend the $549 on another generator that is already portable (think time and gas both ways to the RV, time spent removing it, configuring it to be portable, etc...and then re-installing it when you want to use it.)

Plus, I think it'd detract from the value of the RV, IMHO.