running generator all night

Kinda on topic here-today I was over at friend's house. I offered to bring RV to see if he had any way to receive over the air TV signals at his house. It was hot and I was running motorhome AC and generator. I had backed down his long driveway and forgot to roll up driver window and didn't notice. Whole time we're in motorhome rotating antenna, testing for channels I smell exhaust. Never noticed it like that before. Open window was right next to generator exhaust pipe.

Anyway bottom line I will nap in my Class C with generator running but I am aware of the wind direction and won't open any windows downwind of generator exhaust. Most of the time I don't have windows open at all.

As far as overnight goes, there are places in desert southwest where 90 degree low temps are not unheard of. Those same areas are frequently off season when the weather is that hot-I can usually get Passport America rate more cheaply than powering the generator with gasoline during the stay. If I was somewhere pretty to look at stars, I'd run the generator as needed, but be sure to have fully functional CO detector and be conscious of wind direction.

X2 Agree they need to bring these gen exhausts up to safe standards, but the coach builders do not have their feet up against the fire of gov regulations for the gen or in fact for just about everything in a MH.:( You won't see a truck or car with an exhaust pipe without a converter and that the exhaust pipe is even or behind the fenders of a vehicle.

Take a look at the exhaust pipe on the gen on a MH. It is so short it barely goes past the side of the RV. No wind and it runs right up the side of the coach inevitably where there is a window. If there is a slight wind it goes right under the coach.

These RV's are NOT air tight and both the above scenarios DOES allow the fumes to enter the coach. Accept what it is and be safe about it.

In my coach when the gen goes on all roof vents are open. I planned and saved a long time to go full-time RV'ing, "I" don't want to wake up dead and have someone else get my money and coach! :B

It is purely personal preference, just like so many other things.
YOU can run your generator all night if you wish.
I will not.
Not even with a Genturi, whether home made or commercially produced.

Must admitt, first reaction is WHY? Most of the time, most places it cools off at night & those Fantastic Fans really do wonders without drawing much battery power.

Running a genny powerful enough to run the A/C can be an expensive thing in gas or diesel consumption. Even dispersed camping if I could hear somebodys genny, even at a distance I would not be a happy camper. If my own was on there would be no problem as neither of us would hear the other & the critters won't complain.

I wrote off my headaches while at sporting event CG's from all the days activities! Found out real quick after using the Genturi that the headaches were not from the partying, they were from the gen exhaust fumes that DO enter the MH.

I've commented for years on this forum it is time for these generators to be brought to modern exhaust emission standards-at least one model for those who want it. Probably at this point about a hundred bucks cost-every Korean scooter these days has fuel injection and cat converter. Vanishingly low CO and no exhaust odor. I've never had one comment here in agreement with my posts on this issue-but maybe a crack or two about the nutty Californian. Guys-this would be a huge improvement. Also would deal with carburetor clogging issues from the gas and altitude compensation. We are accepting mediocrity.

I'm sure a lot of people are scared off by the price of a Genturi.

They are not difficult to make and relatively inexpensive. I made mine for about $20.

Here is a photo of the business end of mine showing the conduit elbow and coupler attached to the genny exhaust and to the stack.

Gen Turi here also.

I didn't even know what it was until a CG I reserved at "required' it to enter their park and I had to purchase one or lose my deposit if I cancelled my reservation!

Best thing I have ever bought for the MH. I use it ALL the time now. I wish ALL CG's would require it when using the gen in a MH.

Running gen without one? Always leave a window open. Gen exhaust in the small confines of any MH is an accident waiting to happen.

And if you want to get rid of the headaches you get when running the gen......get a Genturi!

I wrote off my headaches while at sporting event CG's from all the days activities! Found out real quick after using the Genturi that the headaches were not from the partying, they were from the gen exhaust fumes that DO enter the MH.

Added the Genturi and no more headaches. Whew, real glad to know that I don't have to stop partying! :B

And please spring for a genturi-type chimney.
We also tailgate next to a guy for football games who runs his generator all pregame without one.
I'm trying to think of a friendly way to handle this Sunday. And spots are assigned, so there is no moving.

Big Katuna wrote:

2gypsies wrote:

mgirardo wrote:
The generator is upfront, right behind the cab. Our bed is in the back. The kids either share the dinette or the cabover. Carbon Monoxide detector is in working order on the back side of the dinette.

-Michael

Just a suggestion....Carbon Monoxide detectors should be mounted in the bedroom and high, not low like propane detectors. You should have one high in your bedroom and one high by the kids.

Incorrect. CO is heavier than Oxygen but mixes easily with nitrogen-Oxygen we breath.
Experts recommend to mount them at nose level.

I didn't say to mount them at/on the ceiling but instead, high near the ceiling as stated in this article - as opposed to propane detectors which are mounted at the floor level. Ours are mounted about 1-1/2 feet from the ceiling and could be at someone else's nose level but not mine. :)


Carbon Monoxide Placement

2gypsies wrote:

mgirardo wrote:
The generator is upfront, right behind the cab. Our bed is in the back. The kids either share the dinette or the cabover. Carbon Monoxide detector is in working order on the back side of the dinette.

-Michael

Just a suggestion....Carbon Monoxide detectors should be mounted in the bedroom and high, not low like propane detectors. You should have one high in your bedroom and one high by the kids.

Incorrect. CO is heavier than Oxygen but mixes easily with nitrogen-Oxygen we breath.
Experts recommend to mount them at nose level.