How many hours will a 7000 watt generator run....

As for the OP's question with a 500 watt load, from what I have seen and read, the most efficient a generator runs it is at half power.

As mentioned previously, the answer would be a Honda eu1000i and an extended run tank. If worried about CO, there are generator enclosures one can buy that can be placed a ways away.

As for CO detectors, I always recommend at least two.

Hi,

For resistance heating voltage drop doesn't matter much. I think the PD converter will work down to 95 volts.

I mainly rely on solar. I do have a Yamaha 3000 sIEB equipped with remote start (and stop). I do not run it while sleeping, but rather rely on the battery bank for electrical needs at night. I'm good to -5 C for one night heating electrically on the battery bank.

Because I often have access to only 15 amp outlets, I have modified the RV to have the OEM 30 amp, 20 amp, and 15 amp shore power cords.

At colder than -5 C I want some shore power. I can manage down to -27 C on twin 15 amp circuits. Below that I go to a campground with 50 amp service and use a breakout box. Or I can do three 15 amp circuits.

My next purchase may be an autoformer.

Because of the nature of how I RV I carry about 400 feet of shore power cords. 200 feet of that mix are #10 with 30 amp connectors.

BurbMan wrote:

pianotuna wrote:
500 feet should do it.

LOL I would need #2 service entrance cable and a few utility poles to offset the voltage drop. Guessing you don't camp with a portable generator?

RJsfishin wrote:
Just a minute, after all that, I gotta check if I'm alive :)

A 650 ? Is that about like having no generator at all ? What will it run, except 4 100 watt lite bulbs ?
I picked one up (lifted it) in the Pawn shop a while back,....couldn't believe how heavy it was,....some what heavier than my 1000

30 years ago it was quite impressive and quiet. I used it to run test equipment at environmental cleanup sites.

Just a minute, after all that, I gotta check if I'm alive :)

A 650 ? Is that about like having no generator at all ? What will it run, except 4 100 watt lite bulbs ?
I picked one up (lifted it) in the Pawn shop a while back,....couldn't believe how heavy it was,....some what heavier than my 1000

pnichols wrote:
Just as an off-topic factoid, my little 650 watt Honda will run a couple of 250 watt bulbs for around 5 hours using about one-half gallon of gas. You have to look for this genny used, however.

I had one of those EX650's I gave it to a friend a few hears ago and he is still using it. It must have at least 5000 hours on it. I think I bought it in about 1988.

SaltiDawg wrote:
I'll stand on my, "Be interested if the OP noted how much fuel he actually used overnight???"

6 gallons ran 15 hours or so.

pianotuna wrote:
500 feet should do it.

LOL I would need #2 service entrance cable and a few utility poles to offset the voltage drop. Guessing you don't camp with a portable generator?

500 feet should do it. Seriously, in my home with the double wide garage doors shut and the generator outside, I did have the CO alarm in the basement go off. It was three house doors and at least 200 feet away.

Lots depends on the direction of the wind. CO is tricky and it only takes a few parts per million for serious problems.

BurbMan wrote:
As an aside, how far away from the camper does the generator have to be to be considered safe? That pic was taken boondocking in a church parking lot for 10 days with temps in the 20's. Ran the generator 6-8 hours/day to keep the batteries charged. Most of the time it was running we weren't even in the camper.

I wouldn't recommend relying solely on an RV's CO detector, either. That's why we also keep air pressure in the interior of the coach as much as possible whenever the built-in or portable generator is running.

Thank you for that valuable information. Hopefully the CO detector in the camper does its job as well. Again, there is *zero* chance of CO killing us in our sleep because we don't run the generator while sleeping. We do leave the furnace on, however, and a faulty heat exchanger could cause CO to come into the camper there. Again, the CO detector is supposed to beep if that happens.

As an aside, how far away from the camper does the generator have to be to be considered safe? That pic was taken boondocking in a church parking lot for 10 days with temps in the 20's. Ran the generator 6-8 hours/day to keep the batteries charged. Most of the time it was running we weren't even in the camper.