Forum Discussion

burghfan's avatar
burghfan
Explorer
Apr 24, 2017

Running the AC while driving

Hello all. This may be a silly question, but I wanted some input from some rv'ers who may be more experienced than we are. We own a 33ft Coachman Mirada. I know that the chassis ac is not for cooling the whole unit, and have read that I can run the house ac with the generator running while driving. (Want to make sure our pets are comfortable while we drive!) Is this common practice and if so, does it add considerably to fuel usage? Thanks in advance for any info. If this has been covered elsewhere, my apologies.

Jeff & ShawnTae, Heidi and Bobo
Class A
  • Cat_Lady's avatar
    Cat_Lady
    Explorer
    Apr 24, 2017
    I have a 34' Winnebago Brave and travel With 5 cats. I run both the front and rear acs while traveling. Gas usage is not enough to be concerned about. I think I saw somewhere that stated about 1 mpg/hour. Doesn't matter. We do enjoy our comforts.
  • gbopp's avatar
    gbopp
    Explorer
    Apr 24, 2017
    This question has been asked many times, and it's a good question.

    YES, you can run your generator and roof A/C while driving. It does not hurt anything.
    The MPG increase is minimal.

    Just remember to check the oil level in the generator.

    Keep cool and enjoy your travels.
  • Campinghoss's avatar
    Campinghoss
    Explorer II
    Apr 24, 2017
    We use the roof top a/c as needed when travelling. I can't really tell a lot of difference in mpg but honestly I never check. You do need to keep your fuel tank above the automatic shut off though. Remember that fuel sloshes around so it may trip your genny off if it gets too low.
  • Ivylog's avatar
    Ivylog
    Explorer III
    Apr 24, 2017
    "The MPG increase is mineable"... pretty sure you figured out it's a mineable decrease. Your can expect your generator will use a little less than a gallon/hour.
  • Effy's avatar
    Effy
    Explorer II
    Apr 24, 2017
    Yes, run the gen and run the AC. We run the genset on every trip we take, it's good to exercise it under load. We bought a MH for all the comforts of home while travelling.
  • georgelesley's avatar
    georgelesley
    Explorer
    Apr 24, 2017
    We have run the generator while driving. Just remember to turn it off while refueling as well as any gas appliance you may have on.

    As far as MPG, who cares, not much difference.
  • rgatijnet1's avatar
    rgatijnet1
    Explorer III
    Apr 24, 2017
    If you received the manual for your generator all you have to do is look up the specifications for fuel consumption. On my Onan 4000 watt unit, the fuel consumption is listed as .71 gallons per hour at FULL load.
  • YC_1's avatar
    YC_1
    Nomad
    Apr 24, 2017
    Run it. It is good for the generator. My 8KW uses .5 gph with two AC's running full tilt. The nice thing about a motorhome is having a comfortable living area when you arrive. Not something you can bake bread in or have to thaw out.

    Yes the question has been asked thousands of times. So one more time is just fine.
  • Floridastorm's avatar
    Floridastorm
    Explorer
    Apr 24, 2017
    In some of the older motor homes generators run off Propane. Is the usage with Propane higher or lower than gasoline?

    Also, what is the optimum generator wattage necessary to run the full motor home when boon docking so as not to get into an overload condition?
  • pianotuna's avatar
    pianotuna
    Nomad III
    Apr 24, 2017
    Propane would not be a good choice for regular use. Far more expensive to operate and harder to find.

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