Generator

A Genturi may provide some added protection for those inside the TT it's being used on; however, it provides very little protection for those neighbors downwind from the Genturi's exhaust. I make this observation based on personal experience. The Genturi has zero control of CO once it leaves the top exhaust stack. At that point it's up to mother nature. Do you trust her?

Again, each person has to put CO risk into some kind of perspective that works for them. There are risks and there are opinions, but there are no guarantees.

Lantley wrote:
If you do decide to run a genset on a rear bumper. CO is a concern. There will be potential for CO to enter the cabin irregardless of the direction the exhaust is pointed. The only foolproof method to avoid CO entering the cabin is to use a Genturi.

I definitely agree with this. We added a CO detector to the bunk room (next to where the generator is), have the factory one in the kitchen, and added one to the front bedroom.

The bunk room detected an issue once (during the day when no one was back there) BUT I don't necessarily know we were to blame as the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta had us packed in like sardines and e'rybody was running their generators. Could have been me, could have been the camper behind me with their exhaust pointed my way.

Definitely made me research DIY genturis for portable generators. There's a post here with a fantastic solution.

Lantley wrote:

otrfun wrote:

2oldman wrote:

ktmrfs wrote:
and you might not have a CO problem the first time, the second time..... but if the wind blows wrong could be a big problem.

Agreed.. and it can be bad if the wind isn't blowing at all.

Agree, CO should be a consideration whenever operating any generator.

However, look at all the Onan 5500 generators OEM installed in the front cavity of a lot of 5th wheel toy haulers. The exhausts on many of these units typically exit just under the bedroom area, many times just 3-4 ft. underneath a bedroom window. Not to mention very few of these galvanized generator enclosures, which just happen to be sitting just under the bedroom floor, are sealed all that well. That's a LOT of CO flowing in and around the bedroom area. Here in the desert SW we see folks running these Onans 24/7, under all kind of wind conditions, with no issues.

From my perspective I would think a generator placed at the rear of a travel trailer, approx. 20-30 ft away from the bedroom area would be a lower CO threat than these OEM factory installed Onan units that have the exhaust exiting just a couple feet away from the bedroom area.

My current fiver has a generator beneath the bedroom as you describe. There is the potential for CO issues. Those units you see in the toyhaulers carry a risk as well.
My unit runs on LP which lessens the CO risk vs. gasoline but the potential for CO poisoning is still there.
Placement of the genset unit is relative, once the CO enters the cabin /living area it will fill the entire living area. Whether the source is located in the front or rear does not matter. The source could be your neighbors genset, under the wrong conditions the CO exhaust could still fill your RV.
A genturi is the only foolproof method to ensure the exhaust is kept away from the living space.Anything else is a gamble.

It's a given running a generator presents CO risks regardless how they're used.

My point is:

OEM's have placed generator exhausts within 3-4 feet of a sleeping area on many 5th wheels without incurring (to my knowledge) any liability issues for many years.

Some folks are saying it's unsafe to place an exhaust within 20-30 feet of a sleeping area (i.e., on the rear of a travel trailer).

So, when is it "safe" to run a generator? 5 ft. away? 20 ft? 50 ft? Only with a Genturi? Never?

Bottom line, each person has to put this CO risk into some kind of perspective that works for them. There are no guarantees.

I might add, several years ago, down in the FL Keys, we were camped next to a large toy hauler that was running an Onan 5500 18 hours a day with a Genturi installed. Depending on how the wind was blowing, at times our TT was filled with the smell of exhaust fumes from their Onan. We eventually had to move to another camping space for safety reasons. So, nothing is fool-proof.

otrfun wrote:

2oldman wrote:

ktmrfs wrote:
and you might not have a CO problem the first time, the second time..... but if the wind blows wrong could be a big problem.

Agreed.. and it can be bad if the wind isn't blowing at all.

Agree, CO should be a consideration whenever operating any generator.

However, look at all the Onan 5500 generators OEM installed in the front cavity of a lot of 5th wheel toy haulers. The exhausts on many of these units typically exit just under the bedroom area, many times just 3-4 ft. underneath a bedroom window. Not to mention very few of these galvanized generator enclosures, which just happen to be sitting just under the bedroom floor, are sealed all that well. That's a LOT of CO flowing in and around the bedroom area. Here in the desert SW we see folks running these Onans 24/7, under all kind of wind conditions, with no issues.

From my perspective I would think a generator placed at the rear of a travel trailer, approx. 20-30 ft away from the bedroom area would be a lower CO threat than these OEM factory installed Onan units that have the exhaust exiting just a couple feet away from the bedroom area.

My current fiver has a generator beneath the bedroom as you describe. There is the potential for CO issues. Those units you see in the toyhaulers carry a risk as well.
My unit runs on LP which lessens the CO risk vs. gasoline but the potential for CO poisoning is still there.
Placement of the genset unit is relative, once the CO enters the cabin /living area it will fill the entire living area. Whether the source is located in the front or rear does not matter. The source could be your neighbors genset, under the wrong conditions the CO exhaust could still fill your RV.
A genturi is the only foolproof method to ensure the exhaust is kept away from the living space.Anything else is a gamble.

2oldman wrote:

ktmrfs wrote:
and you might not have a CO problem the first time, the second time..... but if the wind blows wrong could be a big problem.

Agreed.. and it can be bad if the wind isn't blowing at all.

Agree, CO should be a consideration whenever operating any generator.

However, look at all the Onan 5500 generators OEM installed in the front cavity of a lot of 5th wheel toy haulers. The exhausts on many of these units typically exit just under the bedroom area, many times just 3-4 ft. underneath a bedroom window. Not to mention very few of these galvanized generator enclosures, which just happen to be sitting just under the bedroom floor, are sealed all that well. That's a LOT of CO flowing in and around the bedroom area. Here in the desert SW we see folks running these Onans 24/7, under all kind of wind conditions, with no issues.

From my perspective I would think a generator placed at the rear of a travel trailer, approx. 20-30 ft away from the bedroom area would be a lower CO threat than these OEM factory installed Onan units that have the exhaust exiting just a couple feet away from the bedroom area.

I have a Honda 2000 mounted on my tongue with a lowpro. Vibrates and rattles like crazy unless I stuff rubber pads under the feet. Only use it on occasion like that when on the road, otherwise it goes on the ground away from the TT.

I also have a Champion 4000/3500 watt generator with the wheel kit that I bought a few years for around $250. It runs at full load at 65 decibels. It been trouble free, I did have to replace the battery after a few years.
I mounted the quiet stock Harley Electra Glide muffler to it's frame and routed the exhaust through insulated flex tubing into it. It's now so quiet that you can stand right next to it and have a conversation.
I would not mount it on the back of your trailer. Your going to feel the vibration and noise throughout your trailer. And I think that 100 lbs mounter back there is going to cause your trailer's balance to shift, lighten your tongue weight causing swaying problems while towing.
I keep my generator in the bed of my F250 under the tonneau cover and just fold the tonneau cover back and open the tailgate when running the generator.

If you do decide to run a genset on a rear bumper. CO is a concern. There will be potential for CO to enter the cabin irregardless of the direction the exhaust is pointed. The only foolproof method to avoid CO entering the cabin is to use a Genturi.

I have a pair of Honda 2000 inverter generators that I put on my rear bumper when boondocking. I have them locked to LowPro LockDowns.

The real fact is that you definitely feel and hear the vibration and noise when they’re mounted on the bumper. The kids didn’t complain in the bunkhouse, but we’ve never tried running them overnight. Once you get into the living room, it’s not an issue (Sabre 36QBOK).

I’ve considered trying to add some kind of rubber isolation mat between the bumper and the LowPro LockDowns.

I’ve never traveled with them there. Hope that helps a little.

ktmrfs wrote:
and you might not have a CO problem the first time, the second time..... but if the wind blows wrong could be a big problem.

Agreed.. and it can be bad if the wind isn't blowing at all.