Do I need a Generator?
Hi, I just got a travel trailer.. What uses are generators good for? Do I need one? Gas or diesel? thanks!
Forum Discussion
Most public campgrounds has generator use restrictions in place. usually from 8AM to 10AM in the mornings and then again from 4:30 to 7:30 in the early evening. Never do you see one allowed after 8PM... Check the generator run time rules the next you camp out somewhere.
Even the Natl Forest and other off-road areas here on the East side of the US has generator use restrictions in place.
There are some DISPERSED camping locations around here but not many. Of course if you are on private camp sites then there would not be any problem.
I am seeing the RV TRAVELERs using them at rest stops and lit up parking lots alot. Even have seen some just pulled off the road somewhere and running their generator...
We use ours all the time camping OFF-ROAD but just to re-charge my batteries as quick as possible. It has been best for us to beef up our battery systems to run the one day/night off of the batteries and then re-charge them the next morning at 8AM when allowed to run the generator... With an on-board smart mode converter/charger I can get my batteries back up to their 90% charge state in as little as three hours time... Installing a couple of solar panela will help us big time by only having to run the generator for the initial battery high current demand startup and then switch to solar for the rest of the day to get them re-charged.
My beefed up trailer sita here at home and it has been a big blessing to have when the commercial power goes off for long periods of time. I just run a couple of extension cords into the house and get by just fine until the power power comes back on... It is hard to locate gasoline here in this county when the commercial power goes down. Most gas stations do not have emergency power hooked up around here to run their pumps.
All depends what you want to do...
Without any planning a stock trailer may not even last the one night camping off the batteries...
My 2KW Honda Generator was the first thing I purchased after I got my OFF-ROAD POPUP trailer in 2008. It sits secured in the tail gate corner of my covered locked truck bed. Ready to be used at a moments notice.
I had to rescue myself the other day at the FOOD LION parking lot. I usually drive the wife there and then I get to yap on my ham radio from the truck. Ran my own start battery down haha... Just hooked up my small VEC battery charger I keep under the back seat to the generator and in five minutes time I was able to start my truck.
Roy Ken
Even the Natl Forest and other off-road areas here on the East side of the US has generator use restrictions in place.
There are some DISPERSED camping locations around here but not many. Of course if you are on private camp sites then there would not be any problem.
I am seeing the RV TRAVELERs using them at rest stops and lit up parking lots alot. Even have seen some just pulled off the road somewhere and running their generator...
We use ours all the time camping OFF-ROAD but just to re-charge my batteries as quick as possible. It has been best for us to beef up our battery systems to run the one day/night off of the batteries and then re-charge them the next morning at 8AM when allowed to run the generator... With an on-board smart mode converter/charger I can get my batteries back up to their 90% charge state in as little as three hours time... Installing a couple of solar panela will help us big time by only having to run the generator for the initial battery high current demand startup and then switch to solar for the rest of the day to get them re-charged.
My beefed up trailer sita here at home and it has been a big blessing to have when the commercial power goes off for long periods of time. I just run a couple of extension cords into the house and get by just fine until the power power comes back on... It is hard to locate gasoline here in this county when the commercial power goes down. Most gas stations do not have emergency power hooked up around here to run their pumps.
All depends what you want to do...
Without any planning a stock trailer may not even last the one night camping off the batteries...
My 2KW Honda Generator was the first thing I purchased after I got my OFF-ROAD POPUP trailer in 2008. It sits secured in the tail gate corner of my covered locked truck bed. Ready to be used at a moments notice.
I had to rescue myself the other day at the FOOD LION parking lot. I usually drive the wife there and then I get to yap on my ham radio from the truck. Ran my own start battery down haha... Just hooked up my small VEC battery charger I keep under the back seat to the generator and in five minutes time I was able to start my truck.
Roy Ken
