I have a Predator 3500 generator and want to make sure that some/all of these situations are safe for running the generator from the back up my pickup. Thanks for any responses. Basically I want to park my truck a few feet in front of the trailer (back of truck facing front of trailer) and run generator from truck bed with or without rain.1. Trailer parked right behind back of truck (feet few behind), tailgate down, tonneau cover up, generator on tailgate with exhaust pointing towards side of truck (perpendicular to truck)?2. Trailer parked right behind back of truck (feet few behind), tailgate down, tonneau cover up, generator on tailgate with exhaust pointing towards cab of truck (no one is inside truck)?3. Trailer parked right behind back of truck (few feet behind), tailgate down, tonneau cover down (if it's raining), generator in bed of truck (just inside of tailgate) with exhaust facing the cab of the truck (no one is inside truck)? This would be the rain setup.

Probably not the proper thing to do, but we have run our Honda inverter generators in the truck box while hooked to whatever fifth wheel we had at the time, when we were travelling. I would have a CO detector, especially in sleeping areas, but we never had a problem.

Most trailers have the bedroom in the front. These generators are quiet, but not silent. I wouldn't want it that close to where I sleep.

I run our Hondas regularly from the bed of my truck. I drop the tail gate start the generators,spin them so the exhaust faces out. The tonneau cover stays in place one fold open, depending on expected weather,if rain is expected I leave it flat. I have a trifold. I have set my extended run tank on top of the cover.This is for overnites only so I normally do not unhook the trailer. Once set up in our spot the generators sit on a piece of plywood on the ground.

The generator needs air! Both for cooling and for combustion. Number 3 would be bad, under the cover blowing hot exhaust gasses back into the enclosed space...not good. Blow the exhaust away from the truck and trailer. Rain should not hurt the generator.

Have always ran generator in bed of truck , for 25 years at least . Never had a problem with exhaust . As to noise , you are running your air conditioner , you will not hear generator ! Dry camping is all we do .

Running Inverter Generator Safely From Pickup | Good Sam Community

azdryheat
Explorer
May 12, 2021
When I don't want to run the on-board genny I plant my portable 1600w away from the trailer, usually the length of my power cord that I plug into the genny. No issues.
Grit_dog
Navigator
May 11, 2021
Btw, the CO detector works wonderfully in our new toy hauler. I blew out the dirt and dust with the leaf blower and it started screaming about 5 seconds into the operation.
Grit_dog
Navigator
May 11, 2021
KeithF40 wrote:
I have a Predator 3500 generator and want to make sure that some/all of these situations are safe for running the generator from the back up my pickup. Thanks for any responses. Basically I want to park my truck a few feet in front of the trailer (back of truck facing front of trailer) and run generator from truck bed with or without rain.

1. Trailer parked right behind back of truck (feet few behind), tailgate down, tonneau cover up, generator on tailgate with exhaust pointing towards side of truck (perpendicular to truck)?

2. Trailer parked right behind back of truck (feet few behind), tailgate down, tonneau cover up, generator on tailgate with exhaust pointing towards cab of truck (no one is inside truck)?

3. Trailer parked right behind back of truck (few feet behind), tailgate down, tonneau cover down (if it's raining), generator in bed of truck (just inside of tailgate) with exhaust facing the cab of the truck (no one is inside truck)? This would be the rain setup.

Say wut?
Generator won't melt if it gets wet.
Why on earth would you direct the exhaust back into the enclosed truck bed making the bed all stinky and hot? Do you think it's going to trap the exhaust and keep it from getting out?
Point generator exhaust away from the truck bed and if you smell exhaust in the camper, it's not working, get a longer extension cord.
mr_andyj
Explorer
May 11, 2021
No problem except in #3 just aim the exhaust out, not in.
Even your truck burns some of its exhaust again, it is called Exhaust Gas Recirculation, there is an EGR valve to take some exhaust and re-burn it, so no, this is not going to be a deal breaker....

CO is heavier than air, so will find its way to the ground, not so much your windows, which will likely be closed bc you are running your AC anyway. Campers are not airtight, so always a CO monitor is in order.

The farther your gen is from the camper the better.
IF the exhaust is literally blowing onto the camper then you might die, literally, so deflect it or aim it away.

I can't imagine the sound a cheapo construction generator will make in the metal cavity of a truck though.
TurnThePage
Explorer
May 11, 2021
I run a Champion 3400w generator in similar situations routinely. I include a 120VAC clip on fan to circulate the air. It works great. My tonneau is the tri-fold stretched vinyl variety, and has never suffered any heat damage.
wanderingbob
Explorer II
May 11, 2021
Have always ran generator in bed of truck , for 25 years at least . Never had a problem with exhaust . As to noise , you are running your air conditioner , you will not hear generator ! Dry camping is all we do .
GMH
Explorer
May 11, 2021
The generator needs air! Both for cooling and for combustion. Number 3 would be bad, under the cover blowing hot exhaust gasses back into the enclosed space...not good. Blow the exhaust away from the truck and trailer. Rain should not hurt the generator.
pitch
Explorer II
May 11, 2021
I run our Hondas regularly from the bed of my truck. I drop the tail gate start the generators,spin them so the exhaust faces out. The tonneau cover stays in place one fold open, depending on expected weather,if rain is expected I leave it flat. I have a trifold. I have set my extended run tank on top of the cover.
This is for overnites only so I normally do not unhook the trailer. Once set up in our spot the generators sit on a piece of plywood on the ground.
theoldwizard1
Explorer II
May 11, 2021
Most trailers have the bedroom in the front. These generators are quiet, but not silent. I wouldn't want it that close to where I sleep.
curt12914
Explorer
May 11, 2021
Probably not the proper thing to do, but we have run our Honda inverter generators in the truck box while hooked to whatever fifth wheel we had at the time, when we were travelling. I would have a CO detector, especially in sleeping areas, but we never had a problem.

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