Is an RV generator worth it?
My RV has an Onan Microlite 4000 generator that has been well maintained. It now starts but stops running as soon as I release the Start button. My mechanic identifies the problem as electrical and ...
Forum Discussion
Convenient A/C, or push-button A/C, or no A/C ... is a matter of one's camping style and tolerance.
Some folks are hit and run campers versus long term squatter campers. Combining the hit and run style with being long past caring to camp in a cold box or a hot box ... it should be obvious why a few hours of convenient furnace or a few hours of convenient A/C could be important.
As for us, we don't always head out to specific places that might include "comfortable temperatures". We head out to specific places for other reasons and sometimes the temperatues we wind up with can make an RV into a hot box in a hurry ... hence convenient built-in A/C.
I guess that I don't understand why folks would reject an RV that had no automatic heating system, but be content with an RV with no automatic air conditioning system. As for us, perhaps we're just too used to the push-button central A/C in our residence. We seldom use it but when we need it ... it's priceless. It's the same with our small Class C motorhome.
So far our worst hot box camping has been during a tour of the Southern U.S. in July-August (due to timing beyond our control). What a joy camping was on that trip due in no small part to the built-in generator conveniently and quickly being able to power the air conditioning system.
We travel with friends who up to recently towed a small TT with no generator. After hit and run traveling with us just a short while and - seeing how convenient it was for us to have a built-in generator - they just recently sold their TT and now have on order a 25 foot Bigfoot with a built-in generator. They wanted an RV that could do it all and now they have one in their future.
Someday for complete cold or hot weather self containment RV'ers may have solar panels that are 85-90% efficient, Lithium batteries that are actually affordable and can be charged in cold temperatures, and propane fuel cells that are actually affordable ... but until then it'll take a good old generator somewhere in the mix.
All of the above is IMHO, of course.
Some folks are hit and run campers versus long term squatter campers. Combining the hit and run style with being long past caring to camp in a cold box or a hot box ... it should be obvious why a few hours of convenient furnace or a few hours of convenient A/C could be important.
As for us, we don't always head out to specific places that might include "comfortable temperatures". We head out to specific places for other reasons and sometimes the temperatues we wind up with can make an RV into a hot box in a hurry ... hence convenient built-in A/C.
I guess that I don't understand why folks would reject an RV that had no automatic heating system, but be content with an RV with no automatic air conditioning system. As for us, perhaps we're just too used to the push-button central A/C in our residence. We seldom use it but when we need it ... it's priceless. It's the same with our small Class C motorhome.
So far our worst hot box camping has been during a tour of the Southern U.S. in July-August (due to timing beyond our control). What a joy camping was on that trip due in no small part to the built-in generator conveniently and quickly being able to power the air conditioning system.
We travel with friends who up to recently towed a small TT with no generator. After hit and run traveling with us just a short while and - seeing how convenient it was for us to have a built-in generator - they just recently sold their TT and now have on order a 25 foot Bigfoot with a built-in generator. They wanted an RV that could do it all and now they have one in their future.
Someday for complete cold or hot weather self containment RV'ers may have solar panels that are 85-90% efficient, Lithium batteries that are actually affordable and can be charged in cold temperatures, and propane fuel cells that are actually affordable ... but until then it'll take a good old generator somewhere in the mix.
All of the above is IMHO, of course.
