Forum Discussion
Golden_HVAC
Oct 22, 2014Explorer
You can do anything that you want. Budget might constrain that though. And what weight generator are you happy with? Do you plan on running a A/C every once in a while?
IF you don't want to run a A/C unit, but perhaps a microwave every once in a while, then a Honda 47 pound 2000 generator (that has a 30 minute 2,000 watt rating, but reality is a 1,600 watt generator for hours on end) will work great! A pair of the same generator can be connected together, and still be light, and still run a 13,500 or 15,000 Btu air conditioner.
From what I hear, the 3000 watt generators can start a cold A/C unit, however once warm, the start up amperage can go higher, and re-starting on a warm day might not happen.
If you already have a built in 4,000 or larger RV generator, then you are all ready to go.
A 30 amp charger can use about 450 watts. 65 amps is one of the largest that you can plug into the wall, and wire with reasonable size wire.
8 batteries is 880 amp hours at 12 volts. Chances are that you will not remove more than about 500 amp hours. So it can take 10 hours or so with a 65 amp charger. Two chargers can cut that time by about 1/2.
If you get a solar system, it can also charge the batteries. I had a 415 watt solar system, and 4 batteries. It could make up for 110 amp hours used overnight, as well as the 35 amp hour daily load to run the refrigerator, CO meter and propane detector.
More batteries = extra weight to bring along, and that does not help anything in a portable home. Also the batteries will lose some energy just because a battery can lose 10% of it's capacity every 3 months. So you will lose 88 AH every 3 months just to in-efficiency, or about 30 AH monthly, or 1 AH daily. 4 batteries would be about 0.5 AH daily loss.
So a 65 amp charger can draw about 900 watts from the generator for the first hour, and less each additional hour. You could run two of them on a Honda 2000, as they will start out a little above the 1,600 watt rating, but will fall within the max range within 45 minutes or so.
The "Ideal" charge rate is C/20. So a 200 amp hour battery would charge at 1/20 if it's capacity, or 10 amps per hour for 20 hours. C/10 can warm the battery a little bit, and C-5 can warm the battery significantly (40 amps per 200 AH capacity). It will also require a higher charging voltage. . C/20 will allow maximum battery life, while C/5 will heat the plates, and can warp them.
So 880 amp hours = max charge rate around 175 amps. 88 amps will lead to longer generator run time, and 10 hours if the battery where to get totally depleted and you charged it from the generator.
Personally I did not need more than 4 batteries. If you have a CPAP or electric refrigerator, then 8 batteries might be required, yet just watching 8-10 hours of Direct TV, 4 batteries and a 400 watt solar system was fine. I only ran my generator if I was camped more than 10 nights in one place AND it was winter. Summer provided plenty of power each day.
My solar system would put out about 125 AH daily. That is MUCH better than listening to a generator for hours on end! And charging at 35 amps from solar is so much easier on the batteries.
SunElec.com
You should also consider a Olympic catalytic heater. It does not use any 12 volt power, and can put out 6,000 or 8,000 Btu's. You do need to keep a roof vent partly open.
With LED lights, then the loads on the battery can drop dramatically.
BestConverter.com
Have fun camping!
Fred.
IF you don't want to run a A/C unit, but perhaps a microwave every once in a while, then a Honda 47 pound 2000 generator (that has a 30 minute 2,000 watt rating, but reality is a 1,600 watt generator for hours on end) will work great! A pair of the same generator can be connected together, and still be light, and still run a 13,500 or 15,000 Btu air conditioner.
From what I hear, the 3000 watt generators can start a cold A/C unit, however once warm, the start up amperage can go higher, and re-starting on a warm day might not happen.
If you already have a built in 4,000 or larger RV generator, then you are all ready to go.
A 30 amp charger can use about 450 watts. 65 amps is one of the largest that you can plug into the wall, and wire with reasonable size wire.
8 batteries is 880 amp hours at 12 volts. Chances are that you will not remove more than about 500 amp hours. So it can take 10 hours or so with a 65 amp charger. Two chargers can cut that time by about 1/2.
If you get a solar system, it can also charge the batteries. I had a 415 watt solar system, and 4 batteries. It could make up for 110 amp hours used overnight, as well as the 35 amp hour daily load to run the refrigerator, CO meter and propane detector.
More batteries = extra weight to bring along, and that does not help anything in a portable home. Also the batteries will lose some energy just because a battery can lose 10% of it's capacity every 3 months. So you will lose 88 AH every 3 months just to in-efficiency, or about 30 AH monthly, or 1 AH daily. 4 batteries would be about 0.5 AH daily loss.
So a 65 amp charger can draw about 900 watts from the generator for the first hour, and less each additional hour. You could run two of them on a Honda 2000, as they will start out a little above the 1,600 watt rating, but will fall within the max range within 45 minutes or so.
The "Ideal" charge rate is C/20. So a 200 amp hour battery would charge at 1/20 if it's capacity, or 10 amps per hour for 20 hours. C/10 can warm the battery a little bit, and C-5 can warm the battery significantly (40 amps per 200 AH capacity). It will also require a higher charging voltage. . C/20 will allow maximum battery life, while C/5 will heat the plates, and can warp them.
So 880 amp hours = max charge rate around 175 amps. 88 amps will lead to longer generator run time, and 10 hours if the battery where to get totally depleted and you charged it from the generator.
Personally I did not need more than 4 batteries. If you have a CPAP or electric refrigerator, then 8 batteries might be required, yet just watching 8-10 hours of Direct TV, 4 batteries and a 400 watt solar system was fine. I only ran my generator if I was camped more than 10 nights in one place AND it was winter. Summer provided plenty of power each day.
My solar system would put out about 125 AH daily. That is MUCH better than listening to a generator for hours on end! And charging at 35 amps from solar is so much easier on the batteries.
SunElec.com
You should also consider a Olympic catalytic heater. It does not use any 12 volt power, and can put out 6,000 or 8,000 Btu's. You do need to keep a roof vent partly open.
With LED lights, then the loads on the battery can drop dramatically.
BestConverter.com
Have fun camping!
Fred.
About Technical Issues
Having RV issues? Connect with others who have been in your shoes.24,363 PostsLatest Activity: Mar 04, 2026