I have a B&G Elite series generator that has 5500 running and 8500 startup watts. My question is, Is this generator ok to run my AC when I'm loading the RV in the afternoon at the house? I'm really more concerned about the quality of electricity, I don't want to ruin sensitive electronics.I know it sounds lame, but it can be 110+ degrees in the RV while the wife and I load up. It would be nice to cool it down a little and make loading and unloading a little easier.

That should work. What's wrong with using house power?

I don't have a 30\50 amp plug at the house, and I would need an 80+ foot cord.

Din Tulsa,You don't need 30 amps to run an air conditioner. #10 wire with a 20 amp will serve.

At it's rated power the B&G is more than enough to do the job, how clean the power it produces wouldn't be much different than other open cage type generators. Should be OK to run your AC off of it for the chore of packing up the RV.

The greatest influence on running your RV generator will be the voltage available to the A/C when you start it. What is the voltage output of your generator when idling and when under load? With an 80' run to available power at your house, the operating voltage at the A/C may be low or sufficient to run your RV's A/C. Without measurement, it is impossible to say, accurately. A hand-held multimeter would tell you whether your house power and an 80' run would be sufficient. For me, unwinding an extension cord is easier than deploying the generator. YMMV.

Running AC on Briggs and Stratton Elite Series generator

drsteve
Explorer
Jun 12, 2017
DinTulsa wrote:
But this has me to thinking....I have a 30 amp recep that was wired into my house to backfeed with a generator if needed. I have a 20ft 10ga generator cord, I could always build another 50 foot cord to attach to the rv and just use that plug for AC purposes.

Make sure the backfeed plug does not supply 220v.
CavemanCharlie
Explorer III
Jun 12, 2017
2oldman wrote:
DinTulsa wrote:
I live in a neighborhood and the neighbors might appreciate not having to hear the generator run for a hour or so.
If you mean it's a B&S generator, no, not that generator!

If you are only running it for a hour or so every once and awhile then I would tell your neighbors to go,,, um,, worry about something else.

It would be different if you were running it all night long.
2oldman
Explorer II
Jun 09, 2017
DinTulsa wrote:
I live in a neighborhood and the neighbors might appreciate not having to hear the generator run for a hour or so.
If you mean it's a B&S generator, no, not that generator!
DinTulsa
Explorer
Jun 08, 2017
I believe I misrepresented the 80ft cord, that was if I wanted to run a 30/50 amp cord. If I want to run the AC from a 10 gauge 20amp outlet I could reach with a 30ft 10 gauge cord.

But this has me to thinking....I have a 30 amp recep that was wired into my house to backfeed with a generator if needed. I have a 20ft 10ga generator cord, I could always build another 50 foot cord to attach to the rv and just use that plug for AC purposes.

I live in a neighborhood and the neighbors might appreciate not having to hear the generator run for a hour or so.
jamesroadking
Explorer
Jun 08, 2017
The generator will easily run the A/C. I run a Champion 3500/4000 watt generator all the time powering my trailer with it's A/C on.
My only advice is to shut off the A/C and open the trailer's breakers before the generator's fuel supply gets low, if the generator starts running out of gas it will surge and the constant 3600 RPM will start to fluctuate causing the output voltage also to fluctuate.
2oldman
Explorer II
Jun 08, 2017
afidel wrote:
Not remotely, 100' of 10GA at 120V and 20A will only drop 4V, just over 3 percent, not enough to hurt anything.
10 gauge.. maybe. Most folks mean the cheap extension cords. It will drop too much to start the compressor.

If this works at your house, fine. It doesn't work around here very well.
afidel
Explorer II
Jun 08, 2017
2oldman wrote:
boosTT wrote:
I'd buy a 100' extension cord...
too much voltage drop.

Not remotely, 100' of 10GA at 120V and 20A will only drop 4V, just over 3 percent, not enough to hurt anything.
2oldman
Explorer II
Jun 08, 2017
boosTT wrote:
I'd buy a 100' extension cord...
too much voltage drop.
wanderingbob
Explorer II
Jun 08, 2017
If you already have the gen use it ! If not buy a cord , the proper cord might cost as much as the Gen . I ran open cage generators for years and years with no probs.
_tiredTeacher
Explorer II
Jun 08, 2017
DinTulsa wrote:
I know it sounds lame, but it can be 110+ degrees in the RV while the wife and I load up. It would be nice to cool it down a little and make loading and unloading a little easier.

Doesn't sound lame to me. Who wants to start a trip hot, sweaty and irritable? Crank 'er up!

Teach