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Firmy's avatar
Firmy
Explorer
Oct 22, 2016

Gas storage for Generators

Hey guys, been reading and learning a lot here. Thank you all for your time in helping others.
I've been screaching and haven't found anything related to gas storage. TC are small as it is and it always seems like there's one more thing and no where to put it out of the way.
My question is has anyone used a jerry can or Rotopax ect... for the back of the camper? We take the camper on the beach surfishing and with all the coolers and fishing gear a portable gas tank would be nice to have as long as it's out of the way. Any ideas and/or pictures would be great as I have a couple ideas but don't want to do anything that might be hazardous. Thanks
  • I have discovered that my IPI extended run gas tank will barely fit through my basement door. Not sure how I feel about travelling with it there though. Long term I'm thinking put it in a box of some sort on a rear cargo carrier. The Honda's fit good on the truck floorboard behind the seats. Well out of sight.
  • user113 wrote:
    Of course, you could always upgrade to a diesel generator, that way you'll have a 35 gal tank for generator fuel right under your truck.

    Diesel RV Generator

    Shipping Dimensions 27H X 48W X 40D
    Shipping Weight 470 lbs

    WHERE??? are you going to stick that in even the largest TC?

    It also burns through .49 gal per hour at rated capacity.
  • Well guys, I have a desiel truck. Two 20 lbs tanks of propane in an outside storage box built in the side of the camper for fridge 120v or Propane. stove/oven propane only. hot water propane only. and heat propane only. I don't have solar at the moment but thinking about it one day. The propane can get used up pretty quick if running the heat as well as other units. I have a Honda 2000 in a storage compartment area that it fits in without any other room. At some point I would like to put a small AC on the roof ( that's another question in itself, what small AC would run off a Honda 2000) so I would like to run the gen here and there for micro, toaster, AC and charge the batteries. I have room on the back camper outside possibly on the upper wall other side of the ladder where I was thinking about mounting a portable gas unit. Wanted a more permanent solution so it was always there if needed. I have in the past put a small gas can on a back rack hocked into the 2" receiver. Bungee it to the rack other side of the exhaust pipe. Worked fine but just one more thing to worry about when leaving on a trip.
  • Firmy wrote:
    Well guys, I have a desiel truck. Two 20 lbs tanks of propane in an outside storage box built in the side of the camper for fridge 120v or Propane. stove/oven propane only. hot water propane only. and heat propane only. I don't have solar at the moment but thinking about it one day. The propane can get used up pretty quick if running the heat as well as other units. I have a Honda 2000 in a storage compartment area that it fits in without any other room. At some point I would like to put a small AC on the roof ( that's another question in itself, what small AC would run off a Honda 2000) so I would like to run the gen here and there for micro, toaster, AC and charge the batteries. I have room on the back camper outside possibly on the upper wall other side of the ladder where I was thinking about mounting a portable gas unit. Wanted a more permanent solution so it was always there if needed. I have in the past put a small gas can on a back rack hocked into the 2" receiver. Bungee it to the rack other side of the exhaust pipe. Worked fine but just one more thing to worry about when leaving on a trip.

    The 8-9K BTU air conditioners work fine off a H2K. They also are a better match to the smaller interior volume of a TC compared to a TT or motorhome. Mine has no trouble keeping things cool inside my softwalled Outfitter even out here in the 100+ degree desert.

    So you don't get the rapid short cycling that can happen with the larger unit, where the AC turns on and you are quickly freezing so AC shuts off, then camper warms up quick so AC kicks on, repeat, repeat, repeat that happens with 13.5K units on small spaces.
  • Hey Steve, thanks for that info. Something to think about. Like you said I really don't think I need a big unit for this camper. I have double pane windows and the camper was taken apart walls, roof ect and insulated for winter camper. Iceboating traveling up north. Been out a week in -7F with no problems so thinking it would also be good in heat as it would help cold in. Mike
  • Steve_in_29 wrote:
    WHERE??? are you going to stick that in even the largest TC?

    It also burns through .49 gal per hour at rated capacity.


    It is huge, expensive and heavy. But, you would probably be hard pressed to run it for very long in a TC at its rated capacity of 6000 watts.

    You gotta admit, though, it is kind of cool in a demented sort of way.
  • Check the clearance between your ladder and the camper body. I have just enough room to fit most 2 gallon gas containers. I store 2 gallons there, another gallon in an outside storage locker and the generator holds about a gallon. Unless I am in really hot weather and use the A/C a lot, four gallons lasts me a long time.