I notice that the newest high end Earthroamer has a hydraulic generator on board.I know that Earthroamer likes to talk about their vehicles not having onboard stand-alone generators. So I wonder what the RV advantages are of a hydraulic generator over a conventional stand-alone generator?Doesn't a hydraulic generator require the main vehicle engine to be idling to run it's PTO to power the hydraulic generator? If so ... isn't high-idling of the Earthroamer's diesel engine going to be somewhat noisey and smelly .... just like with a conventional diesel generator (plus use more fuel than a small stand-alone generator)?Here's a link to a typical hydraulic generator product that might be what Earthroamer is using: http://harrisonhydragen.com/?page_id=90

Biggest disadvantage: Initial installed cost. It's got to be less than say . . . an Onan 4kw genny or what's the advantage? Noise, . . maybe but the vehicles they are designed to be used on are far from stealthy.Chum lee

No positive benefit that I can see. You have to have the engine running and what good is that. Earth Roamer owners are way more flush than I am so they probably don't care anyway. It's a status symbol, nothing more.

SidecarFlip wrote:No positive benefit that I can see. You have to have the engine running and what good is that. Earth Roamer owners are way more flush than I am so they probably don't care anyway. It's a status symbol, nothing more.x2 ... something to brag about sitting around a campfire built from bundles of cash.

It would be handy if you frequently camp at a place where they have high pressure hydraulic oil hookups but no electricity at the campsites. I can't say I've seen a campground that meets that description ever, but none the less....

run the drive engine, to power a hydraulic pump , too spin a generatorsomething here doesn't make sense to mei understand the use, in heavy equipment or military vehicles with other hydraulic needsbut in an RV ?the only thing i can say about it is, separate components so less space is taken up in the RV section, by the generator, more cost,

Hydraulic Generators | Good Sam Community

MrWizard
Moderator
Feb 20, 2018
run the drive engine, to power a hydraulic pump , too spin a generator

something here doesn't make sense to me

i understand the use, in heavy equipment or military vehicles with other hydraulic needs

but in an RV ?

the only thing i can say about it is, separate components so less space is taken up in the RV section, by the generator, more cost,
DrewE
Explorer II
Feb 20, 2018
It would be handy if you frequently camp at a place where they have high pressure hydraulic oil hookups but no electricity at the campsites. I can't say I've seen a campground that meets that description ever, but none the less....
GordonThree
Explorer
Feb 20, 2018
SidecarFlip wrote:
No positive benefit that I can see. You have to have the engine running and what good is that. Earth Roamer owners are way more flush than I am so they probably don't care anyway. It's a status symbol, nothing more.

x2 ... something to brag about sitting around a campfire built from bundles of cash.
SidecarFlip
Explorer III
Feb 20, 2018
No positive benefit that I can see. You have to have the engine running and what good is that. Earth Roamer owners are way more flush than I am so they probably don't care anyway. It's a status symbol, nothing more.
Chum_lee
Explorer
Feb 20, 2018
Biggest disadvantage: Initial installed cost. It's got to be less than say . . . an Onan 4kw genny or what's the advantage? Noise, . . maybe but the vehicles they are designed to be used on are far from stealthy.

Chum lee

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