Generator that won't break the bank..

Inverter generators produce cleaner electricity that is safe for electronics, computers, etc..

Another option is an open frame generator, relatively inexpensive, and a Quiet Box.
It's more stuff to carry with you but, it will get the job done cheaper than an inverter.
Do a google search for other quiet box ideas.

I know you have seen the use of generators here on the East side of the US.reports in the forums...

Almost ALL of the camp grounds and Natl Forest areas from VA East to the coast and VA south to the Gulf all seem to have gnerator use times restrictions in place at the Pyblic places. Even the real OFF-ROAD places I go to up behind Harrisonburg VA and the wooded West Virginia stae line forest tails have restrictions as well. No where have I found you can run a generator after 8PM in these areaa at Public Camp Grounds....

I uess Private land at NASCAR events allows it all night...

We just don't have open DISPERSED camping around here like they do out West..

Its almost a waste of good money to invest in a high dollar portable generator for running your air conditioner. Along the side of the road and at Private places here and there is the only place you do it anytime you want...

This was one of the main reasons I beefed up my battery bank and other on-board system to use less Battery and the only time I run my 2KW Generator is to power up my on-board Converter/Charger unit to charge my batteries everyday when we first get up. Most places allow you to run the generator starting at 8AM...

No way will my 2KW Generator will run my 13,500 Air Conditioner. I turned off all loads one day and was just running the Air Conditioner fan by itself and was able to kick it on but as soon as it cycle one time it kicked the Honda Breaker, I have heard some guys adding a HARD START Capacitor for the Air COnditoner ehlps make it start easier... I looked at mine one time and didnt have one... We camp in the shade and like to run the roof fan pulling in cool night air at night when we finally turn in. Our camping style is mostly outside all of the time anyway with our OFF-ROAD POPUP setup.

Tjhe High DOllar guys sort of get away with with big dollar motorhome as I hear them running all hours of the day and night here on the East side... Guess it is hard to tell if its a generator or their diesel motor running...

I got the 2KW EU2000i Honda back in 2008 and it libes secured in my truck tailgate area under my locked fold-a-cover truck bed cover. Totally out of sight when not in use.

When I do use it I pull it our on the tail gate and point away from other neighbor campers for my three hour daily run time.

If I point the exhaust of my generator to my trailer from the tailgate I will set off my CO alarm...

I'm sure some have found places to do it at Punlic Places but I suspect most folks just do it anyway and then turn it off when they get caught or someone complains perhaps...

Just something to think about...

Roy Ken

I have a Generac 4000XL, contractor type. So far as those type of generators go, it's fairly quiet. It's alot quieter than my Miller 10KW generator/welding machine..

Westinghouse wh2000. It is as quiET as the Honda with more oomph. I have run a 13.5 ac on it.

The Champion 3500/4000 generators are great units, although louder than the Honda Inverter models. The big thing is that they put out 30 amps which is what most campgrounds provide. I would not want one of them, or any other equipment, running ten feet away. In a parking lot or at a Nascar race, they provide lots of cheap power without sounding like a lawn mower or contractor generator. They are often on sale for around $300

I picked our Champion 3100 at Costco for $800. Money very well spent, IMO.

"Consideration" for your camping neighbors will cost $2000 for the Honda EU3000 to run the A/C or $1000 for the EU2000 to just run everything else.
Most State and National parks have limited generator hours, so running the A/C isn't very practical for us. I Installed a 12v MaxAir vent fan and use it like an attic fan at night to pull cool night air in thru the windows.
I'll use my EU2000 to make coffee and charge the batts in the morning.

"Consideration" for your camping neighbors will cost $2000 for the Honda EU3000"

or

$800 for a Champion 3100 at a low 58db.

Boon Docker wrote:
$800 for a Champion 3100 at a low 58db.

58 dbA ain't "low". :W

I got a cheapo 3500/4400 on Amazon for $350. I think it's a Durostar or something like that. It sounds about like a P-52 if you're standing next to it on the exhaust side but it's not too noticeable from inside the trailer. We mostly do dispersed camping so the only people it would bother is us or whoever is camping with us. On vacations when we're in hookup type campgrounds we don't use it, obviously.

The quiet generators are nice but they cost a lot more, and we don't really use it all that often so I didn't think it was worth paying the premium.