Can a portable generator be hooked up as a permanent one?

[Cheryl_B]

I am in the process of buying a new-to-me portable generator still under warranty. Is it really necessary to be hauling all 80 lbs of it in and out of my coach every time I need to use it, or can I set it up in the compartment that SHOULD house a generator and just fill it manually with gasoline?

[OLYLEN]

If you have a trailer hitch on your C there are small tables/platforms built to connect to the 2"x 2" hitch. Then its a matter of cabling the Gen to the platform holding the Gen. Can store xtra gas out there to for less chance of problem with fumes. The power cord for the MH will be long enough to plug in.

LEN

[azken]

Cheryl..I'll try to help:
1. What is the brand name of the generator

2. What is the WATTAGE of the generator i.e., 2000 or 3000 or ?

3. Does it have a plug for a 30 amp connection built into its face (there may be 20 amps but a 30 is important to run a 13,500 BTU A/C)

4. Do you have a trailer hitch receiver on the back of the M/H? If you do, is it 2" measured diagonally. If you have a receiver you have a couple of choices (a) purchase a carrier that measures about 5' by 2' (Camping World has them for 79.00 or so)..the receiver will accept the basket carrier and you can then either chain the generator down or have a cage made for it)..(b) find a fabricator in your town who will be able to build you a basket that will either fit into the receiver or bolt to your bumper (with reinforcement). Don't forget you may want to carry 2 to 5 gallons of gas with you so that will have to fit somewhere (maybe in the carrier basket).

5. If you have a 30 amp outlet on the generator you can then simply plug your M/H cord into the generator and be good to go. If you have a Honda generator you will have to purchase a "twist lock" 30 amp connector that will go between your M/H cord and the generator. About 30.00 at Camper World, Amazon, etc.

I hope this helps rather than muddy your water..this is all new to you and the learning process can be rather steep..hang in there..it'll all come together.

Ken

[Cheryl_B]

I don't need or want a Toad. My mom just offered me her car, which I've always hated. She's having to sell it or donate it cause now she's moving across the country to live with my sister. Lots of changes happening.

I bought a Champion 3100 watt generator with one week of use on it, from a lady who does equine shows. She showed up wearing spurs so I know she's for real. LOL! Anyway, the generator sits where it is. I will figure out what to do with it eventually, but I know I got it at a great deal. They sell for $900 online and I got it for $675. It runs great and is pretty to boot.

Now, what to do with it!

[pconroy328]

Cheryl_B wrote:

I can't believe how good I am at making mistakes! Why in all my research did no one say, "Don't buy a generator that you have to carry around in your coach"? Or "Only buy a generator if you can attach it to the outside of your rig, or place in the bed of your pickup truck or inside your Toad."

I'm sorry but I'm facing the first week of "this is your life" and I'm having trouble working out this generator issue. Should I just go and resell it? Is it a bad thing to buy with a Class C and no Toad?

I really need advice.

We all make mistakes! The new mistakes don't bother me, it's just the repeat ones. 🙂 This too shall pass.

I'm not sure what kind of an AC unit you have or what kind of generator you bought, but it takes a lot of ooooomph to run an AC unit. It also takes one heck of a surge of power when they start. Hopefully you got one with enough power.

Couple of thoughts. We're in a C with no toad. We just make do. I'm leaning towards a scooter in case I need to grab groceries or make a propane run.

Meh - we make do with what we have.
Worst case, you pack up camp and drive the C to the store.

Generators. I see quite a few people out there with a Champion 3000 watt inverter generator that's just chained tightly to the bumper. The ones big enough to run a 13K BTU unit are going to be heavy.

A friend lent me his Honda 2000, which is an awesome generator. And while it was small and portable (luggable) it didn't have enough power to run our larger 15K BTU AC unit.

[Cheryl_B]

UGH. I'm all moved into the class C, as of Saturday. I way over-packed and I'm going to need to scale back on what I kept. I gave so much away and sold what little I could get money for, but here I am with still too much.

And a lovely generator that I was careful to be sure it would be large enough to run the roof a/c, taking up half of the space underneath my dining room table, and making it impossible to even set the table back up. (It has 2 poles, not one.)

Like I said before, I'm going to have to remove one of the chairs to have a place for the generator to reside when not in use.

I can't believe how good I am at making mistakes! Why in all my research did no one say, "Don't buy a generator that you have to carry around in your coach"? Or "Only buy a generator if you can attach it to the outside of your rig, or place in the bed of your pickup truck or inside your Toad."

I'm sorry but I'm facing the first week of "this is your life" and I'm having trouble working out this generator issue. Should I just go and resell it? Is it a bad thing to buy with a Class C and no Toad?

I really need advice.

[Hank85713]

Be very careful putting it in the cabin area. Fumes from the gas even residual could play havoc. Folks buy the toy haulers and I read where they say to not cook etc with the vehicles inside. If not towing put it on a receiver hitch setup out back. WIll have vibrations when running. Get a good cable lock, one of the kryptonite ones and secure thru frame of genset to the rv. If towing a small vehicle put in trunk or bed if its a pickup. again secure with the cable lock.

[Cheryl_B]

That thing has a large footprint. I'm afraid to house it in that area where a genset would be. Is this where you (who have these portable generators) keep them, or do you try and live with them inside the coach? I don't want it to get stolen but I don't want to start removing furniture, either.

[Cheryl_B]

I picked up the generator today. I'm going to need to remove one of the 2 captain's chairs near the booth dinette or I won't be able to walk around in there.

[Butch50]

Hank85713 wrote:
Might use a flex pipe or something similar, remember that is all the built ins have and they usually exit either behind the driver door or just under the genset itself.

To my comment this is the part of your post I was referring to. You are stating "Might use flex pipe or something similar, remember that is all the built ins have." Again I have never seen a built in from the factory with flex pipe as most built ins are factory installed.

[Cheryl_B]

Hank85713 wrote:
to the OP, the use of the bumper mount is kinda like what I said I did. DO NOT mount to the bumper as most are not heavy enough to take the weight. You will need to hook up to the frame. I used 2 of the bumper receiver mounts, attached to the frame with gr 8 bolts. I ran the rails out PAST the original hose bumper/carrier and now it only holds some of the weight. Due to the weight I do not carry the spare out there, but did add a reciever carrier and added a plastic work box to carry the stuff that I would normally have to put in bed of truck.

As to the flex pipe, I dont know what was read, but I said to use flex pipe as a way to run the exhaust out if putting the genset in the cubby hole.

Thanks for that info on the bumper and what it can handle. So it's not a good idea to have a spare tire mounted there either?

[Cheryl_B]

TyroneandGladys wrote:

Our mechanic greatly reduced the amount of heat coming from the engine into the cab by fabricating a air dam that is bolted to the frame just behind the front bumper. According to him the problem is that there is no air flow up around the engine to flush the heat out and the air dam creates that airflow.

That sounds like a great idea! So this "air dam" just disrupts the flow of the air and gets it swirling around the engine? I'd love to see a picture of that gizmo.

[Sully2]

TyroneandGladys wrote:
.....
If you are going to run a generator anywhere near a RV you should have a CO2 detector in your RV. .

Thats a CO ( no 2) detector. Carbon MONO not carbon dioxide

[Hank85713]

to the OP, the use of the bumper mount is kinda like what I said I did. DO NOT mount to the bumper as most are not heavy enough to take the weight. You will need to hook up to the frame. I used 2 of the bumper receiver mounts, attached to the frame with gr 8 bolts. I ran the rails out PAST the original hose bumper/carrier and now it only holds some of the weight. Due to the weight I do not carry the spare out there, but did add a reciever carrier and added a plastic work box to carry the stuff that I would normally have to put in bed of truck.

As to the flex pipe, I dont know what was read, but I said to use flex pipe as a way to run the exhaust out if putting the genset in the cubby hole.

[TyroneandGladys]

Cheryl_B wrote:

TyroneandGladys wrote:
On our first Class C we mounted a generator on hitch carrier. Secured it for transport with cargo straps and for theft we used a high quality cable bike lock. Reran the power cord to come out the floor and back to the generator allowing us to be plugged into generator while driving and that allowed us to run the roof air while driving. No problems with exhaust.
If you are going to run a generator anywhere near a RV you should have a CO2 detector in your RV. .

Now, that sounds doable! I don't have a hitch carrier but the usual big bumper with the holding tank hose inside. There's a spare tire mounted back there, too. I was hoping someday to buy a scooter and find a way to mount a ramp for it in that area.

I hear that it gets really hot when you're driving a gas Class C cause the heat of the engine is just pumping into the cab. I noticed that even when I try to put the air vent on and put it all the way to cool, I get nothing but warm air. I will have to find a way to run the generator while driving if that is the case.

I'm so happy that I'm buying a generator! I didn't expect to find a good one so quickly. I pick it up on Sunday morning.

Our mechanic greatly reduced the amount of heat coming from the engine into the cab by fabricating a air dam that is bolted to the frame just behind the front bumper. According to him the problem is that there is no air flow up around the engine to flush the heat out and the air dam creates that airflow.