Ryobi 900 Watt Propane Generator

pianotuna wrote:
It would not run my 30 amp converter if the battery bank were hungry.

Theoretically or do you have this generator?
If so how does it sound close to idle vs near max?

It doesn't run wide open to charge battery's it will rev up if the furnace kicks on.

700w continuous running, aka 6.08 amps at 115v

better get a small portable battery charger, and connect directly to the generator

to NOT plug the RV into that generator,

900W is perfectly adequate for the OP's requirements. Several years
ago, I borrowed an old 750W generator which was connected directly
to my batteries. Spent a week in northern NJ during winter and the
generator kept the batteries charged throughout - the furnace
was used to keep the camper warm.

This is in the days before solar - so the generator was the only
source of power.

I'd be tempted to but this generator to keep in the camper - no
worries about the carb getting bunged up and super light.

vermilye wrote:
I am interested in any experience with the Ryobi 900 watt propane generator. I generally run on solar only, but am looking at something to top off the batteries after a few cloudy days. Would probably only use it once or twice on a 6 month trip, so gasoline would be a PIA.

I dry camp for months at a time, and like the propane only as well as small size/weight of this generator. Listed as an inverter generator, but I can't find any sound pressure levels for loudness.

Thanks in advance...

Power-wise, a 900 watt generator should be just fine for topping off your batteries as a backup to your solar.

I've for years used a 650 watt ultra-quiet four-stroke Honda gas generator to top up the 230 amp hour AGM battery bank in our Class C motorhome. I do this by plugging the RV's 30 amp shore cable directly into the generator so as to use the RV's stock converter alone, or at times in addition having the generator at the same time power a stand-alone battery charger along with the stock converter.

Using the converter and the separate battery charger together - both powered by the little Honda - of course forces more current into the RV batteries than just the converter by itself. You could do the same with your 900 watt propane generator.

Our Honda is a four-stroke generator with a 0.51 gallon fuel tank. We start out trips with it's tank full and also carry along another 2 gallons of fuel for it in a red all-steel safety gas can. The generator will run 5-6 gallons on it's tank, so it just sips the fuel and as such, it's a no-brainer to bring along a little gas for it on all RV camping trips.

The 650 watt Honda generator has a sound level of 54dB when fully loaded.

I bought this little 1000 watt inverter last year for $189. It's on sale again for a few days. It runs perfect.

Home Depot

MrWizard wrote:
700w continuous running, aka 6.08 amps at 115v

better get a small portable battery charger, and connect directly to the generator

to NOT plug the RV into that generator,

For those of us not in the know on electrical stuff, can you elaborate on why you wouldn't plug the RV directly into the generator? Is the amperage it puts out too low, and that somehow damages the onboard system(s) in the RV? I've been looking into something small and quiet to just setup and leave running all weekend while we dry camp so we don't have to worry so much about lights and device charging...

Gulfcoast wrote:
I bought this little 1000 watt inverter last year for $189. It's on sale again for a few days. It runs perfect.

Home Depot

Do you have a line on HD sales coming up?
When will the the Ryobi 900w go on sale? Under $200 and I am getting it.

TWZMYJP wrote:

MrWizard wrote:
700w continuous running, aka 6.08 amps at 115v

better get a small portable battery charger, and connect directly to the generator

to NOT plug the RV into that generator,

For those of us not in the know on electrical stuff, can you elaborate on why you wouldn't plug the RV directly into the generator? Is the amperage it puts out too low, and that somehow damages the onboard system(s) in the RV? I've been looking into something small and quiet to just setup and leave running all weekend while we dry camp so we don't have to worry so much about lights and device charging...

You would not harm the RV; the generator if overloaded would just shut off its output sooner or later.

I don't necessarily agree with the advice to not plug the RV into it, but you would need to be careful about your power consumption. It should be able to run a smallish (maybe up to 40A) converter (or a larger converter if the batteries are not low), but there would not be much if any excess power for anything else. If the fridge were in auto mode, for instance, that could add about 300W to the load, which is hardly insignificant for a little generator.

Running a propane generator all weekend "just in case" would not be an inexpensive way to get power; this probably would more or less consume a 20 lb cylinder of propane over the weekend, of course depending on the load applied, if left running continually. Far better is to have some basic metering and actually knowing how much energy you are using and how much is available in your batteries and making informed decisions about when to recharge...or, if your camping situation reasonably allows, installing some solar power.

TWZMYJP
I'm referring to overloading the generator