Generators and Inverters

Only need a generator if you must have air conditioning all night while parked to sleep.
Otherwise a couple batteries and maybe small inverter should get you through.

We have on our boat, 2 Grp.27 batteries and the 1000W inverter is only hooked up to 3 swithches on my panel. All we need it for when we anchor is to run the fridge and a few small fans at night
. It will make about 10 hours or so until the low battery shut-off kicks in. If we are still sleeping, the fridge freezer compartment in the fridge wont defrost if no one is opening and closing the fridge. Once awake and shoving off at first light, the alternators from my engines will recharge the house batteries. We rarely ever run the Generator except to keep it healthy once in a while. We traveled for the last 3 1/2 years by boat covering 4,000 miles with lots of anchoring out and only used the Generator 1 time.
I was just wondering why campers didnt do the same.

We installed an inverter charger and have a built in generator for our 5th wheel. We use the inverter when dry camping and just use the generator to charge the batteries. We put in a sub panel and now have all the a/c outlets available for use while on shore power or using the inverter. We have 4 group 27 12 volt batteries. An inverter charger was an option available from our manufacturer.

I leave my generator in the back of the truck all the time. Just run the cord up and plug in. Cant hear those Hondas running

Since most of the factory-installed generators seem to be Onan units, that's not surprising. Onan would own the market if they'd start making inverter gensets as OEM units, IMO.

Lyle

One night stands with conservation and a good battery shouldn't require any generator or solar.

I have a what I call a DUTY POWER INVERTER. It is a 600WATT PSW Small unit direct connected to the main battery switch. I can leave this on all the time if I need too...


I ran two extension cords from the Power Inverter with multiple tap receptacles and OFF-ON switch on them. One is on the back of the cabinet top at the Home Entertainment units and the second one is on the back of the table top near where we sleep... This lets me power alot of the so called necessary low power 120VAC items one needs when camping..


These are always ON for the most part and can be used anything anywhere we are at...

Even tho it is a 600WATT PSW model I very seldom use more than 250-300WATTS at any given time...

Just neat to have 120VAC PSW clean voltage available when we need it for something small...

When camping off-grid I watch the main 12VDC Voltage meters pretty close all the time. If they ever get down to around 12.0VDC then I will stop using power and wait until I can fire up my 2KW generator with my trailer connected and let my on-board PD9260C Converter/charger unit bring my batteries from the apprx 50% charge state to its 90% charge in about three hours of generator run time. This is usually around 8AM in the morning... I will never start my next day/night use of the batteries unless they start out at least 90% charge state.

Been doing it this way since 2009 and it is all second nature now running my small Power Inverter when off grid...

Roy Ken

Tony B wrote:
We have been looking at 5ers a lot recently and I noticed only one we saw had a generator and none of then m had an Inverter.
What do u guys do for any kind of power when over-nighting at a Rest Area, Walmart or Truck Stop?

With my fifth wheel over-nighting in a parking lot where you can't put out the slides means you really don't need AC power either. Without the slides out you have access to the bed from one side, access to the bathroom, and little to no access to the living room kitchen etc.

For boondocking, portable inverter generators, bigger battery bank, inverter and solar panels easily run everything but the AC.

Inverters are often an after market option. I set my RV up to behave as if it is on shore power all the time. I wish I had more solar generation now that I am full time.

I've done Walmart a few times and just used my Honda 2000 gen to keep the batteries charged. Parked the rig as far back as I could in the parking lot, never had any complaints for anyone or the store manager.