Generator Vs. Solar discusion thread
ok so we haven't had one fo these as long as I can remember. lets get a friendly discussion going on the pro's and cones of each. I realize we don't all live in the same area let alone the same cou...
Forum Discussion
Great points all around. And short of the ability to run AC (as most of the camping world in North America is in places where AC is running more than it isn’t for the 6 “camping months” of the year), it’s a solid plan imo.
Throw a lot of AC usage into it and it still doesn’t compute for most.
But then camper size, ambient temperatures, “how” one camps, all play into it.
As do sunk costs. What if camper has a generator? Now that cost is less.
What if I have my 2k Honda that will push a little TC AC that I gave $400 for 14 years ago. All I need is 5 gal of gas for the week to keeper cool. And 0 time, money or effort expended.
Or I get a bigger camper. $1k gets me a second 2k Honda and I burn 10 gal of gas….
Other factors supporting solar and big battery storage now though are refrigerators. Since power efficient fridges (LP setting) have almost gone the way of the dinosaur, now having that solar and some real aH stored up is far more important and convenient.
Just like there’s no perfect RV for every condition, There is no perfect electric setup for every condition.
But the lower cost of solar and LiFe batteries make it far lighter, easier and more attainable to keep the generator off or even leave it at home, than even 10 years ago.
so it gets hard when comparing prices between canada and the US, that 2000eu honda is 1500 up here. plus I was more thinking along the lines of some one who doesn't have anything and is trying to decide which way to go to end up with a system that will push 3000 watts continously as that will run any AC on a rv with out a soft start which adds another 500 bucks Cdn for a micro air. as for sunk costs usaly if you are buying a new camper a genny is a option, not a standard feature, and you will be paying way more than what I mentioned from the dealer for it and it won't be that quiet. plus if we look at truck campers spicificly it adds weight, and the way truck campers are now days, that is something you have to keep in mind. by me not getting an ac or genny in the one we just purchased I saved a tone of money, over 6000.00 Cdn, but I also saved over 300lbs in weight and gained a nice big storage area.
the honda eu2000 burns through 1.1gal of gas in 4-6 hours on a 75% load so if you run that ac 24/7 it could take up to 5 gal a day so that
a couple things I forgot in my original post, is you have to have the space to store thoes two generators, for a tow behind or 5th wheel that gets easy, you can just throw them in the back of the truck, unless you have it stuffed with other things. then you have to have enough fuel to get you through your trip. so a single honda 2000 will burn 1.1 gal in 4 to 6 hours at 75% load. if you have to run that ac 24 hours a day because your somewhere down south then that 4 to 5 gal a day or one jerry can per day.
I'll admidt I haven't camped in the south or california, fell asleep on the beech a few times but havent camped 🤣) I have in the pacific north west, montana, utah, colorado, and the dakota's. never needed ac there, but that could just be me. I don't sit inside in the ac all day, I am out getting wet in lakes or rivers, as long as there is enough of a breeze in the evening that I can sleep its all good. eventualy I will get an a/c but by not getting the dealer ones it left me open to the option of getting a more effecient 12V one. for 800Cdn I can get a 10000btu, 780 watt 50db roof top one. so thats 60 amps per hour if it runs constantly. I could make that work on a truck camper, but it would just be for sleeping pretty much so it would consume less power than that.
but yes its all depends on how you camp and where. even arazona cools off at night, although its stinking hot during the day, but beer goes a long way to keeping you cool, or in my case my Ninja slushy 🤣
