Any issues with running a RV generator for a cabin?

mlts22 wrote:
I wonder if maybe the best thing to do is make an enclosure for the Yamaha generator I have (one that allows proper airflow, but yet keeps it out of sight and well secured), leave it on site, and make sure it is well insured.

IMHO, yes, this would be best.

If you pour a small concrete pad for your enclosure, you could embed some eyebolts or U-shaped bars or something in it and chain the generator in place. It's not a sure-fire theft prevention, but certainly makes it harder for casual opportunistic amoral types to walk off with it.

Part of my criteria for a "B" is a generator, be it one that tees off the gasoline tank or a LP gas model. That is correct -- A number of newer "B"s are using an alternator from the vehicle's engine to save space, but for long run times, it is a lot better to run a $4000 genset than a $25,000 vehicle engine, especially

I do have a portable 3000 watt Yamaha, but it isn't exactly tiny and lightweight, so it would end up having to make its home on a cargo rack or at the cabin. I could leave it there or in the cabin proper, but since there isn't anyone around, I'd be concerned about it disappearing due to skulkers (even though there is a stout gate and a decent fence around the property, there are always those who will hop fences around deer seasons, or just want venison out of season.)

That is definitely an idea, to buy an Onan generator, then have an enclosure fabbed so the generator isn't visible, but it also has a sizable fuel tank as well. I just worry about theft, since nobody will be even near the property for long periods of time.

I wonder if maybe the best thing to do is make an enclosure for the Yamaha generator I have (one that allows proper airflow, but yet keeps it out of sight and well secured), leave it on site, and make sure it is well insured.

I would try to find a used onan generator, One of the 1800 RPM units. quite and very dependable. Also maybe a propane one. Then it could run off the same tank the refer uses and don't have to worry about stale gas. Like another poster daid, you would not have to have the B or C, whatever there to enjoy power.

My house is wired with a transfer switch and a 120v, 15a male plug. During power outages I run my nearly my whole house off of my camper's Onan generator. It works just fine.
I can't plug into the camper's outside outlet since it is GFCI protected. The neutral and ground are connected at my house as required by code so this trips the GFCI. I plug into the microwave outlet; it's not GFCI and it's 20 amp instead of 15.
Your cabin should have a ground rod or two driven into the dirt. These should be connected to the ground wire of the cabin's internal 120v wiring. If it were served by utility power the neutral would also be hooked to the ground system at the service panel. If you want to feed it from an outside RV outlet you will have to leave the cabin's neutral unbonded.

If it were me I would treat the small cabin just like the trailer and have alot of 12VDC items in it to run like the lights etc. Then have a battery bank for the cabin.

You could run alot of things direct connected to the battery bank and then run a bunch of 120VAC items from a cabin mounted inverter.

Then you only have to listen to the generator just a few hours each day to recharge your battery bank back to its 90% charge state. Then once a week run the generator for 12 hours or so to fully charge the battery bank up to its 100% charge state.

You can also install some solar panels on the house to top off the batteries keeping your generator run time down some...

The down side of course is anything you leave in the cabin unattended is prone to growing legs and wander off...

Roy Ken

find a diesel gen set. lots of hrs on a little fuel.

It shouldn't be a problem from a functionality standpoint. Assuming some outdoor separation between the cabin and the motorhome, there generally shouldn't be much difficulty with CO, either; it dissipates outdoors fairly readily due to normal air movement. I'm not suggesting that you skip the alarm, of course.

There may be some code issues with regard to neutral bonding, depending on how the cabin is wired. In this case it should have the neutral and ground separate, and they should be bonded at the RV generator. From your description, I suspect it's very simple—just a wire between the outside plug and a couple of outlets, essentially a glorified extension cord. It would not be a bad idea to see that the ground wire is connected to a proper grounding rod at the cabin.

If the inlet for the cabin is a single 15A plug (a normal household plug), 12/2 would be plenty for a cord unless it's quite long. If it's a 30A plug, 10/2 would be OK for moderate distances. You don't need a three conductor cable unless for some reason you have a 240V split phase inlet, which seems highly doubtful for a single small air conditioner, and is at any rate not the output of any generator that would be in a small motorhome. (The ground conductor is not counted in the wire count of cables).

If it were me, I would probably think about a semi-permanent generator install at the cabin in a dedicated generator shed. I'd think it might be nice at times to not be tied to the RV when you're using the cabin. You might also find that air conditioning is not a continuous requirement, and that running the generator for a half hour or hour a couple of times during the day is sufficient.

Many class B RVs don't have a generator built in...obviously something to check when you're shopping for one.

Don't know if I would use an existing outlet on the motorhome. Might want to have one wired right off the generator for your use.

j-d wrote:
That'll work. I would not have thought about some of the RV and RV Battery cautions mentioned above. What I thought I was going to read was about using an RV genny as a stationary genny dedicated to the house. If you ever want to do that, look for a twin-cylinder 1800-rpm ONAN. We had a "BFA" aka "4-KW RV GenSet" that was smooth and quiet. In a suitable weather enclosure that also allows for ventilation, you'd barely hear it inside. One of the OP's I met from this forum, "Butch" aka "Alaskan" told me of one that made it to Hawaii and had been powering a small neighborhood of 3 or 4 small homes for a few decades.

My 4KW generator is now preforming double duty.
It is in it's own self contained insulated enclosed box......in bed of truck. It was/is alt. power for 5th wheel and with power pedestal it also supplies backup power to house for emergencies.

Best of both worlds :B

That'll work. I would not have thought about some of the RV and RV Battery cautions mentioned above. What I thought I was going to read was about using an RV genny as a stationary genny dedicated to the house. If you ever want to do that, look for a twin-cylinder 1800-rpm ONAN. We had a "BFA" aka "4-KW RV GenSet" that was smooth and quiet. In a suitable weather enclosure that also allows for ventilation, you'd barely hear it inside. One of the OP's I met from this forum, "Butch" aka "Alaskan" told me of one that made it to Hawaii and had been powering a small neighborhood of 3 or 4 small homes for a few decades.