Generator vs. 2nd Deep Cycle Battery

I spent a lot of time boondocking and have always kept a open mind to solar and wind, but the cost and complexity of these systems, so far has kept them out of my reach.

I had the opportunity to boondock with a group of 15 units that were into that and I was not impressed. The camp was pretty dark after sunset.

The camp host in the National Forest where we were had a large solar system provided by the FS that he was always fixing and he was using his generator to charge those batteries. I had a DP with a 5K inverter and 4 golf cart deep discharge batteries, but still had to run the generator about 4 hours a day to top them up.You can't push charge into a battery any faster than that and it is important to fully charge them.

Friends of mine who spent 6 years off the grid had a deep discharge battery a portable 3 stage charger and a Honda generator for their Roadtrec and I think that Honda had 1,000 hours on it. They watched TV on their laptops with a converter.

I did a inventory on my coach and the largest draw was always the laptops trying to charge old batteries. I could never get a 600 watt inverter to handle the load. In hindsight it would have been worth it to invest in a new laptop battery.



The best system for a small unit IMO is a Honda 1Kw generator and a good 3 stage portable charger. You could upgrade your chassis battery to the largest deep cycle that will fit or add a deep cycle that can be charged manually.

The one thing everyone forgets when talking about solar is the fact that you have to have sunlight to make it work. Deep shade really cuts the power output.

We have a small motorhome with a 4000 watt built-in generator that was decent enough installed by Winnebago so as to actually be usable without being too irritating to us when boondocking not in a campground or too irritating to other campers when drycamping in a primitive campground. We use it for a hair dryer, a microwave, the air conditioner, the full-pressue high-volume air compressor for emergency tire inflating, and can even use it for emergency electric heating, electric cooking, and electric refrigeration if the propane system should ever let us down during an RV drycamping adventure.

However, for routine charging of our two Group 29 AGM batteries every 2nd or 3rd day we use an ultra-quiet (54dB sound level at full power output) little four-stroke ~25 year old Honda 650 watt portable generator that consumes 1/2 gallons of gas about every 5 hours.

We find that the combination of a 4000 watt generator, a 650 watt generator, and the main engine's 130 amp alternator is all we ever need for camping power. We do not have solar, but if we did it would be a Plan D alternative for us and we would always have at least one generator or fuel cell along as backup to any solar system. A propane or methanol fuel cell would be my preferred choice over even a small generator to replace what a solar system provides.

It's all about having options on an RV trip: Time is too precious and gas is too expensive to get out a long way from home with an RV and have to return home early due to a system failure that one did not have a backup for.

Most manufacturer installed generators do not have any additional sound deadening material in the factory compartment. There is up to an inch or more available clearance in which to put material which can make a significant difference. I used layers of EZ-Cool automotive Low-E in mine and it not only reduced the sound outside but really makes a difference inside the RV. Another significant upgrade is replacing the generator mounts with anti-vibration generator/air compressor/engine mounts. http://www.vibrationmounts.com/Default.htm

Disregard.