Campground Generator Use During Power Outages

We had a freak storm roll through our seasonal campground a few years ago with 80 mph straight line winds. We were without power for 5 days. We ran our Generator before bed and in the morning to keep the battery charged. The owners rented generators for the well pumps that ran all day and night so we could have water and internet. I figured it was okay to run mine for a few hours each day :)

We also exercised our generator while camping seasonally, no one complained. It's less annoying than the folks that idle their diesel engines for 30 minutes before driving off.

If a campground did complain, I'd tell them I paid for a full hook up site. They can either refund me or let me run the generator.

-Michael

We have run our generator during a power outage in a campground and no one sai anything. As full timer travelers,, we also exercise our generator monthly. We try to do it when our neighbors are not home (always day time) and again we have not been chastised for it by management. We have an onboard generator and it is pretty quiet.

Dutch_12078 wrote:
I've never had campground management complain when I ran my onboard generator during a significant power outage. During hurricane Sandy, we even supplied power to two of our neighbors in TT's when the power was out for 2 days.

Only difference between you and I is the name of the Hurricane... Matthew.

Thanks for all the replies. I was pretty sure the replies would be exactly like they are but was just curious. As for some of the precautions mentioned, the way I understand this works on the motorhome I'm looking at is that the generator will only come on automatically when certain parameters (that you set) are met and WILL shut off automatically when no longer needed so there shouldn't be an issue with it continuing after power comes back on.

One thing I have done to make sure I know when the park power comes back on is to plug a lead light into the power stanchion utility outlet and hang it where I can readily see it when it lights up.

I have done it and did not bother to ask.

I ran my generator in a park every afternoon when the temp reached the mid 90's and the park voltage to my spot went to 90 to 95 volts. They were not happy, told me they lost one customer who turned down the site next to me because of the generator (told them their lost customer should thank me), but they never volunteered to refund my money. They just "never understood" why there was a probliem. Just "never happened before". And on and on. I was happy to get out of there and I'm sure they were happy to see me go.

Onboard generators are quiet. I can't imagine they'd say anything, but as mentioned, the only way to know for sure would be to call the park.

I would run mine without even asking. Of course, using common sense and not running it all night, for example.

We actually had a wind-storm take down about 1000ft of power poles 2 years ago and had to do just that for 2 days.

Let me run my generator or refund my money...pretty sure which one wins not that I'd even ask permission.