Generator

[MAwolcott]

Hi folks! The wife and I are about to push the button on our order. We still have a couple years before we hit the road full time, but we want to have everything ready to go before I tell work to pack sand. Our question is about a generator. I've heard that it's best to have the manufacturer install one, rather than have it installed later. We don't intend on boondocking, but there's always that chance of driving down the road and seeing a nice place to stop, or if power happens to go out at a campground. For those of you that have one; how often do you use it? For those that don't have one; do you regret not having one?

[FunnyCamper]

get the genny. if your RV is set up to have a genny get it with the new order. We love ours. We RV'd many years without one til we switched over to a toyhauler then got one. We love the convenience of them when needed....and when needed, they are REALLY needed 🙂 We have about 8 yrs til full timing and ALL RVs from here on out will have a genny onboard.

[2gypsies1]

These are some ways to RV:

- Parking Lot One-Nighters - driving late and just want a place to sleep such as the popular WalMarts, Cracker Barrels, Cabelas, truck stops, rest areas, casinos, fairgrounds

- Boondocking - normally done on national forest or BLM lands. There are regulations so you'd have to check with each agency. You most likely would be driving a gravel road, finding a suitable spot for the RV - many times around no one else, and spend some days there. You'd drive your vehicle around to sitesee, go fishing, etc.

- Dry Camping - using a designated campground with camp sites. There 'could' be a dump station and potable water fill area for your tanks but there would not be hookups. You could find these sites in national forests, Corp of Engineers parks, national parks, state parks, county and city parks. Even some BLM lands have designated campgrounds without hookups.

- Private RV Parks - can have a mix of hookups or all full hookups

RE: your question about national parks - there is a big mix of type of sites within the parks. Very seldom will you find full hookups except Yellowstone and Grand Teton do have a concessionier-run park with them.

Some will have electric such as in Zion. Most will not have hookups but will have a dump station and a water fill area. Usually there are water spigots throughout the campgrounds but they are not intended to be used to fill up your RV tank. They are for filling a bucket or water jug to take back to the campsite.

Whenever you go to a national park, definitely check their web site for lots of good information including campground, roads, things to do, etc.

[MAwolcott]

2gypsies,
Yes we are definitely planning the trip to Alaska. I thought boondocking was dry camping; what's the difference? Do the National parks have water and sewer and just no power, or do they just have water? I'm pretty sure we came to the conclusion last night that we will get a generator after looking at some pictures of people set up in remote, beautiful places. Plus there's always that possibility of the campground power going out at the campgrounds. We are getting the Montana 3791RD. Been looking at that one for a while now. Wife also liked the Montana front bath, but likes the totally separate living room more. Thanks for all the input to everyone!

[2gypsies1]

You mentioned you don't intend to boondock. However, that's not the same as dry camping.

Do you want to use national parks? How about national forest campgrounds? Some Corp of Engineer or state parks don't have electric. As you're traveling these are wonderful places to stop and if you're 62+ you can get the senior pass through the public parks and get 1/2 off on camping. If you're full-timing this will help with costs. RV parks can get very expensive. These kinds of parks have big sites and much better surroundings.

Are you ever planning a trip to Alaska? A generator will surely help along the way in the awesome Canadian and Yukon Provincial parks or just a pull-off spot on a lake or stream.

Think about how you're really going to stay. I think you'll want a generator.

[ncrowley]

I would not be without one. If we are traveling long days and stop at a Walmart, etc, we just start up the generator and everything is available to us. We used it once when we lost power at a campground due to a storm.

[Michelle_S]

It's really nice to just push a button and have power.

[doxiemom11]

Just used ours this morning. Woke up to no power as a storm was rolling thru, we started the generator and brewed some fresh coffee. We have been full-time for 5 years and have used ours often. Some also use it while driving to run the heat or A/C because of temperatures. We have used it at rest areas to use the microwave to heat leftovers for our lunch, or make a fresh pot of coffee before heading out again. We also can plug in and charge our mifi hotspot and computers to charge and use them when power is out. Wouldn't be without one.

[Sandia_Man]

We need and use our genny as needed, but we prefer boondocking and dry camping. Primary function of our generator is to run AC, microwave, and other high current draw items. More than 90 percent of the time we use our PS inverter to provide 120 volt AC power for our laptops, charging phones/tablets, and onboard audio/video equipment. Our solar does a great job of replenishing our battery bank most days, seldom does inverter usage cause our 12 volt reserves to drop anywhere near 50 percent.

It appears you haven't needed a generator thus far and unless you have plans to drastically change the way you use your RV it could sit unused most of the time. Onboard generators are very costly and will suffer issues from non-use, might not be the wisest route to take. Our Onan has served us well over the last 9 years but it gets plenty of use and I do all the maintenance.

Since you have not had a generator along in the past a portable inverter generator will give you access to 120VAC power while not breaking the bank compared to factory installed units. Inverter generators offer quiet operation and fuel savings over open cage and onboard versions. An assessment of your total power requirements at any given time will be needed to properly size your choice.

These examples are rough estimates, a 2000 watt genny will power most item(s) in your rig with the exception of the AC unit. A 3000 watt genny will power a single AC unit but won't power the microwave or other high draw items at the same time. A 4000 watt genny will completely power most 30 amp rigs, 5500 and higher wattage units are needed to entirely power a 50 amp coach.

We love the independence of having a generator that allows us the freedom to run our rig as if we were plugged into shore power, although circumstances commonly occur just a few times a year. We often camp in extreme weather and having full function of all our RV's amenities when no hookups are available can be priceless, peace of mind is what it's all about. We recently added a Champion 3100 remote start portable unit to the mix since the Onan is way overkill under most operations.

[rockhillmanor]

IMHO I think it's a 'must' have.

Power outages. Which you WILL encounter more than once in your lifetime RV'ing either the CG's power grid problems and/or from storms taking out their electric.

Being able to run the ac in the coach while you are driving. Pretty much a given if you have pets on board and driving in hot weather.

Same for stopping at a rest area you will be able to use everything inside the RV with a gen.

Since you are ordering your MH I would definitely order the generator at the same time so it will be under the new coaches warranty.

Good luck on your new adventure! :C

[arhayes]

We've full times for 2 years and have only needed the genny 3 times, BUT I wouldn't be without one. I always had one at home too. Stuff happens.

[ventrman]

MAwolcott wrote:
Hi folks! The wife and I are about to push the button on our order. We still have a couple years before we hit the road full time, but we want to have everything ready to go before I tell work to pack sand. Our question is about a generator. I've heard that it's best to have the manufacturer install one, rather than have it installed later. We don't intend on boondocking, but there's always that chance of driving down the road and seeing a nice place to stop, or if power happens to go out at a campground. For those of you that have one; how often do you use it? For those that don't have one; do you regret not having one?

What we did was to get a Cargo Hauler from Anytime Sports for around $60. We installed it with a Hitch Lock.
We then strapped our Generator down and secured it with a Padlock.
It has worked very well for us. Plus we are not bothered by Exhaust Fumes.
We have used it while traveling, maybe 4 or five times a Year.
Since we now have two 5th wheels that we never move, we will not use it that much.
One RV is in south Texas where we spend the Winter, the other is in Tennessee where we spend the Summer.
Whether you use it or not, you need to run it at least once a Month, or it will get where it will not run, and it will need to be serviced.I learned that the hard Way.
If there is a Power Outage at an RV Park, I cannot imagine that they would have an Objection to anyone using a Generator since everyone would be in the same Boat.

[KD4UPL]

I don't full time but I rarely use my generator. If buying a new camper I don't think I'd bother having one. A good inverter and battery bank will run the microwave or toatster for a minute or too. If I want air conditioning I go to a CG that has electric. Most campgrounds won't let you run a generator around the clock for air conditioning anyway.
My generator is 13 years old. I think it has around 80 hours on it. The vast majority of that time was powering my house during power outages and just the normal "maintenance" running your supposed to do every once in a while.

[MAwolcott]

Would not want to be without it or our 2000 watt Pure sine wave inverter

What is this?

[2chiefsRus]

We use ours several times a year. Sometimes for days at a time; sometimes won't use it for several weeks. Would not want to be without it or our 2000 watt Pure sine wave inverter. Makes us entirely self contained for up to two weeks or more at a time (given our water supply).