Ok to run a generator at night if no one is around?

[SlowBro]

Are there safety issues for running a genny at night, outside of CO concerns? In another thread, a member wrote this:

2oldman wrote:
On a windless night, your area will be blanketed in CO. I've known very few boondockers to run a/c on a generator, and nobody who does this at night.

As for CO, I am planning on extending it to the max length of my cable, 75 feet away, to cut down on noise. That'd have to be a lot of CO to be a problem. It'd be chained around a tree.

As for noise, I won't be a rude neighbor. Before going camping I'll see if there will be anyone close by. The first planned location is on a friend's property, so we'll know who will be there ahead of time. Based on what he's told me about the place, I don't believe anyone will be close enough to hear it. The genny is rated at 68 dB at 20 feet, thus at 75 feet it's about 55 dB, same as normal office noise or a quiet stream. And when our windows are closed, I doubt we'll hear it at all. If his neighbors are as far away has he says noise won't be a problem.

Are there safety issues? What do boondockers do if their wife won't go if they can't run an A/C at night? Leave her at home?

[PRodacy]

Look at the diffusion coefficients of gases ( in most any chemistry book) and you'll see that it would be virtually impossible to get a high enough CO concentration in open air to create any health hazard. Built in gennies exhaust along the side or under the vehicles or trailer and its no problem. A bigger concern would be overheating the extension cable unless it's 10 or 12 gauge.

[pnichols]

DJ wrote:
I camp/fish down on the Snake River in Hells Canyon. There is a reason it is called that. The afternoon heat can become unbearable and rarely cools off at night.

I run my genny and AC from early afternoon until my first bathroom break after going to bed. Like others have stated make sure your alarms are in good working order!!

If that generator in your photo is what I think it is - a Honda EU3000iS - then there's probably good reason to be able to use it in a whole bunch of camping situations where other generators might not be appropriate - including at night.

At a loudness level of only 49dB @ 1/4 of it's continuous rated power level of 2800 watts, I think that makes it just about the quietest small portable generator in the world:

http://powerequipment.honda.com/generators/models/eu3000is

I've "tried to hear" certain large trailered low RPM diesel generators at shows that were quieter, but I don't put them in the "portable" category.

(We use a small portable Honda generator for some things when camping that might be the world's quietest small portable generator in the world at it's full power (54dB), but it won't run a microwave or an air conditioner.)

[Lantley]

cdevidal wrote:
Haha!

By the way the three gennies I have access to are all loud. Two construction-style and one 2 stroke. But at 75 feet any of them are quiet enough, as calculated in the first posts, and at that distance are barely heard through even a single paned window. His closest neighbor is likely 200 feet away, or maybe more.

I don't antcipate any safety issues as long as it's downwind and my CO detector is fresh, which it is. The big concern at this point is the price of gas, even at $2.30/gal. But I'll just split that cost among friends. We are hoping to camp out on the new property my friend just bought 🙂

Personally I would not use a construction type genset even if there was no one else around simply because I would not want to hear it..
However if you can stand the racket go for it.
If camping I highly recommend and inverter genset to avoid disturbing my own peace and quiet.

[4x4van]

cdevidal wrote:
Haha!

By the way the three gennies I have access to are all loud. Two construction-style and one 2 stroke. But at 75 feet any of them are quiet enough, as calculated in the first posts, and at that distance are barely heard through even a single paned window. His closest neighbor is likely 200 feet away, or maybe more.

I don't antcipate any safety issues as long as it's downwind and my CO detector is fresh, which it is. The big concern at this point is the price of gas, even at $2.30/gal. But I'll just split that cost among friends. We are hoping to camp out on the new property my friend just bought 🙂

I have a hard time believing that a construction generator can barely be heard at 75'; just don't buy it. We camped once at the Colorado River, boondocking, and one of our group had a construction generator. Set it up 100' away; still easily heard in our camp. Ran it most of the day (summer, running the A/C). When he turned it off in the late afternoon, campers in the next campsite over (at least 75 YARDS away, yelled out "Thank You!!".

So if your neighbors are inside, perhaps it won't bother them, but if they go outside...I'd lay odds that they will indeed hear it, and that it will indeed be annoying. IMO, a construction type generator should never be used for camping, and certainly not all night long.

[SlowBro]

Haha!

By the way the three gennies I have access to are all loud. Two construction-style and one 2 stroke. But at 75 feet any of them are quiet enough, as calculated in the first posts, and at that distance are barely heard through even a single paned window. His closest neighbor is likely 200 feet away, or maybe more.

I don't antcipate any safety issues as long as it's downwind and my CO detector is fresh, which it is. The big concern at this point is the price of gas, even at $2.30/gal. But I'll just split that cost among friends. We are hoping to camp out on the new property my friend just bought 🙂

[SuzzeeeQ2012]

mrkoje wrote:
you will be fine boon docking - campgrounds will most likely have generator use restrictions. Mostly limited to during daylight hours but some are more strict with hours around meal times.

I see no problem with what you want to do provided you don't disturb the peace if other people are present. It sounds like you have a portable unit - if its one of the honda or yamaha types then It will run pretty quite anyways and 75ft between the two of you will make it almost not even noticeable to you or many other people. If it's one of the "commercial" or "construction" types like the Champion then it will be much louder though at 75ft and a trailer with insulation between you still probably won't here it. Others might though.

Be a good neighbor and if no one is around or its far enough away then don't hesitate - it's what you bought it for!

Don't worry about the emmisions - mostly an issue for us with onboard Onans next to the master bed.


Happy camping!

we were camped at the dunes once, and a couple in a small trailer pulled up, got out the big old construction generator, and pointed it toward us, put a board around it (point our direction)and went to bed. Needless to say we went in the camper at that point, the campfire was distressingly loud because of it. The trailer said "I hate tents" on the side. I was so tempted to put a sign on their trailer "I hate generators" lol

[SuzzeeeQ2012]

tpi wrote:
2oldman is knowledgeable camper. Most boondockers locate at elevations/locations which cool off enough not to require AC.

But... if you're camping in southeast w/ spouse who doesn't tolerate heat, what can you do but run the generator and AC? If it truly won't disturb anyone, and you can address the CO problem go for it. Make sure your CO detector is working properly.

Also, rant warning, it is long past time for MFG to clean up the exhaust of generators. That they're so stinky and CO laden is ridiculous in this day and age.

we were next to a gentleman that ran his generator at night because of sleep apnea, and a CPAP. We could barely hear it even at our campfire right next door. I'm wondering if he had one that was even less than our Honda 2000. It was truly quiet. I would be disturbed if someone was within ear shot of me running a loud one all night. I can hear the buzzing in my sleep lol

[SuzzeeeQ2012]

cdevidal wrote:

pianotuna wrote:
In my home 200 feet, a garage door, and three house doors away the CO detector would go off when I ran the generator--depending on the direction of the wind.

Sorry are you saying that even 200 feet away your CO detector would trip? If so how in the world do people dealing with power outages/hurricanes handle this? I know they often run gennies 24x7.

that, and our coach generator runs right next to us. The CO detector has never gone off.

I always cool the coach down with open windows before bed, never needed one boondocking.

[_DJ_1]

I camp/fish down on the Snake River in Hells Canyon. There is a reason it is called that. The afternoon heat can become unbearable and rarely cools off at night.

I run my genny and AC from early afternoon until my first bathroom break after going to bed. Like others have stated make sure your alarms are in good working order!!

[bucky]

^^^^^^^^^^x2^^^^^^^^^^

[SlowBro]

pnichols wrote:
We just turn on a muliti-speed reversible roof vent turned on LOW and set to AIR IN ... then close up everything except this vent. This creates and maintains a slight pressure in the interior ... which prevents any fumes from entering anywhere below the height of a roof vent.

Smart!

[pnichols]

We just turn on a muliti-speed reversible roof vent turned on LOW and set to AIR IN ... then close up everything except this vent. This creates and maintains a slight pressure in the interior ... which prevents any fumes from entering anywhere below the height of a roof vent.

We have run our motorhome's built-in Onan while sleeping in hot/humid conditions using the above technique to be over-the-top safe.

[mrkoje]

you will be fine boon docking - campgrounds will most likely have generator use restrictions. Mostly limited to during daylight hours but some are more strict with hours around meal times.

I see no problem with what you want to do provided you don't disturb the peace if other people are present. It sounds like you have a portable unit - if its one of the honda or yamaha types then It will run pretty quite anyways and 75ft between the two of you will make it almost not even noticeable to you or many other people. If it's one of the "commercial" or "construction" types like the Champion then it will be much louder though at 75ft and a trailer with insulation between you still probably won't here it. Others might though.

Be a good neighbor and if no one is around or its far enough away then don't hesitate - it's what you bought it for!

Don't worry about the emmisions - mostly an issue for us with onboard Onans next to the master bed.


Happy camping!

[dieseltruckdriv]

Yes, it is fine. Don't have it under your camper and enclosed.

I have run my Honda 2000 under my slide for over 2 days straight, I had the exhaust pointed downwind. My CO sensor never showed any CO. I don't recommend this for anyone else, but I had a new and tested CO sensor. I have access to calibrated CO testing bottles from work.

[SlowBro]

2gypsies wrote:
It appears that you have a hybrid so it's not going to be sealed like a hard-sided RV so make sure the generator is far away.

Good point, but on the plus side the tent end isn't like a backpacking tent; They also have plastic waterproof window covers over the screen which makes them rather airtight. Otherwise you couldn't run an A/C at all; All the hot air would come in.

2gypsies wrote:
Is there a campground nearby where you could plug in?

Oh I bought it thinking I'd be plugged in most of the time and only run on a genny occasionally. The boondocking is totally optional.